Cocktails and Cuisine

By Navdeep Kathuria

South Asian Remedies for an Upset Stomach

While staying with some cousins a few months ago, I became ill after eating some spoiled food. There’s nothing worse than being sick in someone else’s home! I did learn one important lesson: there are certain staples that every Desi mom will give you if you have an upset stomach. So this month, enjoy my Guddie Auntie’s recipe for khichri (rice and lentils cooked together) and ginger tea.

Khichri
Makes 2-4 servings

While you can eat khichri when you're sick, you can also enjoy it when you're healthy! It is full of proteins and carbohydrates and is especially recommended for children. On healthier days, you can add onion, grated carrot, french beans, potatoes, cauliflower, lemon and peas and garnish it with finely chopped coriander. This particular version of the recipe avoids heavy ingredients to help your stomach feel better quickly.

Ingredients
½ cup basmati rice (can be substituted with Uncle Ben's original enriched parboiled long grain rice)
½ cup green split moong dal (lentils)
1-2 inch sliced ginger pieces
¼ spoon asafoetida (optional)
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
4 cups of water
¼ tablespoons black pepper (optional)
Salt to taste
Dried mint for garnish

Instructions
1) Wash the rice and moong dal mixture together.

2) Boil the water with ginger pieces for 5 minutes. Take the ginger pieces out.

3) Add the rice, lentils, salt, turmeric and asafoetida.

4) Lower the flame to a medium heat. Cover and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes. Add the black pepper. The lentils should lose their shape and have a runny consistency.

5) Garnish with dried mint.

Ginger Tea
Makes 2 cups

This is an old family favorite—and so simple to make! Ginger and cardamom are soothing for your stomach, and the decaffeinated Lipton gives you that great taste without the caffeine, which you should avoid when you have an upset stomach. Be sure to resist the temptation to add a sweetener!

Ingredients
1-2 inch sliced ginger pieces
2 Bags of Decaffeinated Lipton Tea
8 Cardamom Pods
3 cups of water

Instructions
1) Put ginger, cardamom and water in a pot and bring to a boil.

2) Let simmer for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to integrate.

3) Strain the mixture.

4) Put a tea bag in each mug and pour the water over the bag.

5) Depending on how strong you want your tea, remove the tea bag after three to five minutes.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with Zwieback toast.

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