Yes, a water recipe. Don't scoff - read on. I've signed on to something my father's been urging me to do for ages: drinking 8 glasses of water a day, appropximately 64 oz. in all. While I've found this rather refreshing, the monotony does get to me. I've found myself trying to count my green tea in as water (not quite right, since the caffein cuts water absorption somewhat.) This morning, I remembered what my mother and grandma would do in India, where boiling the water is advisable, if not critical. They would pop in different spices or dried flavorful roots. These included Karingali roots or bark which are credited with antiseptic qualities, Ramacham or vetiver which is credited with digestive benefits. I remember the Karingali water taking on a rich brown color, almost like 12-year old scoth! I suspect the use of these elements was partly for their beneficial qualities, and partly to mask the taste of the well water that was, and often still is, usually used in Kerala and other parts of India.
Jheeraga Vallam (Cummin-flavored water)
Ingredients:
One quart water
One tsp cummin seeds
One cardamom pod
- Start heating a quart of water in a medium pot on a medium flame
- After about four to five drop in the teaspoon of cummin seeds, and the cardamom pod
- Once the water starts boiling, take it off the flame
- You may choose to strain the spices out, though leaving them in lets the flavors infuse further
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