Pathiyam – a well-balanced nutritional food for the new mother is an essential part of South Indian post-partum care. It emphasises on encouraging fast healing of maternal tissues, boosting immunity, and improving lactation., thus taking care of both the mother and the new bundle of joy. The diet is loaded with natural nutrients, antioxidants,anti-depressants, and anti-inflammatory agents, and the list is endless.
Food prepared has liberal quantities of ginger, cumin seeds, mustard, turmeric, asafoetida, dry ginger & fenugreek. Drumstick leaves & garlic, form an important part of the diet as they are considered to be effective galactagogues. Steamed foods form the crux of the diet while cows’ ghee is used liberally in cooking. Pepper effectively replaces red chilly while green gram dal is used in place of tuvar or red gram dal.
Here I share a Pathiyam recipe lovingly written by my daughter- in -laws 93-year-old grandmother. Manjal urundai and inji chaaru… turmeric balls and ginger juice both given to the mother in the first week after delivery. The recipe is loaded with love and care. She has to her level best, used current standard measures like teaspoon and inch. Use of pakku alavu (the size of a supari nut) and Kuzhambu karandi ( measuring volume using a ladle) bring in lot of nostalgia because this was how recipes were transferred from one generation to another. by word of mouth. The extra mile that she has gone in describing the taste and time of administration speaks volumes about her unconditional love not just for her granddaughter but also the newborn.
MANJAL URUNDAI / TURMERIC BALL
Ingredients for Manjal Urundai:
- Honey ¼ C
- Turmeric Powder 1 Tbsp
- Asafoetida Crystals 1 tsp
Preparation Method for Manjal Urundai:
- Take a heavy-bottomed vessel. Add the honey and heat it on a low flame. When the honey is hot and begins to froth from the side switch off the flame.
- Take a tadka pan or a small kadai. heat it well and add the asafoetida crystals and keep roasting on dry heat till it swells up. Take care not to burn it. Crush/powder in a mixie or a pestle.
- Add the crushed/powdered asafoetida and turmeric to the hot honey and mix well.
- Pour it in a cup and give it to the newly delivered woman daily for a week immediately after delivery.
INJI CHAARU / GINGER JUICE
Ingredients for Inji Chaaru:
- Fresh ginger 2-inch piece peeled and chopped.
- Honey 1 tbsp
- Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Preparation Method for Inji Chaaru:
- Grind ginger along with ¾ c of boiled and cooled water into affine paste.
- Allow the paste to rest for about 15 minutes. The sediments will settle at the bottom and clear fluid on top.
- Decan the fluid and heat it to a boil on a low flame. Add honey and turmeric and mix well. Remove from heat.
- Cool and give it to the newly delivered mother soon after her delivery.
The Tamil version of the recipe here
