Kadha is an Incredible Indian drink that is super ancient and has amazing health benefits. Could you believe that this immunity booster Kadha can be made in just 5 minutes? Grab this easy and perfect recipe of homemade Tulsi Kadha!
Tulsi Kadha is a traditional Indian drink and is my dad's secret recipe that saved us from cough and cold throughout our childhood. This decoction drink is consumed like a tea and is made using the pious Tulsi leaves. Flavored with Indian spices -ginger powder, black pepper, cinnamon, and Munakka (raisins), this Kadha is simmered slowly to assimilate the flavors together.
This several times tested recipe of Tulsi Kadha has also been suggested by Ministry of AYUSH for boosting Immunity.
This ayurvedic Kadha is an immunity booster drink that has been made by our ancestors for ages. It's nothing new but maybe it's just with time, people were lost in the modern ways of living and lost touch with it.
Why Would You Love This Recipe?
- Home remedy for Cold and Cough
- A quick recipe with super easy ingredients
- Vegan and Gluten Free
- Hot in Nature and perfect warm drink for harsh winters.
- Rich in antioxidants that help you boost immunity naturally.
- Kid's Friendly.
- The Best Kadha Recipe Ever!
Ingredients
- Tulsi Leaves- Tulsi leaf or Holy Basil is the star ingredients of this recipe. We here in India believe Tulsi to be pious and use in many Hindu Puja rituals. If you can't get this basil, you may use your local basil but the effect won't be exactly same.
- Ginger Powder- I have used homemade Ginger Powder by drying the freshly grated ginger in sun for about 2 days and then grinding dry for 1-2 pulse in blender. You may use store-bought as well.
- Raisin (Munakka)- The Munakka when heated helps you relieve cold. You may use the small raisin as well.
- Black Pepper-Though the recipe needs whole black peppers, I was out of stock for them and I used the powder instead.
- Cinnamon- Fresh cinnamon powder or stick would work great.
Variations
- Turmeric Kadha- Haldi or Turmeric Kadha is similar to Tulsi Kadha. One can add fresh turmeric to this recipe. Remember to use fresh turmeric (raw Haldi) and not turmeric powder as it can be adulterated. You may get fresh turmeric from your local vegetable vendor. The other way to make Haldi Kadha is with milk and black pepper.
- Add another spice- You may also add clove or Black cardamom as well.
Benefits of Tulsi Kadha
Tulsi leaves are natural healers and have immunity and metabolism-boosting properties. Adding them to your daily tea or kadha is an easy way to derive their benefits.
Combined with black pepper, ginger, cinnamon and, munakka, this kadha promises to cleanse and support the respiratory system.
Can Kadha help relieve in Fever / Corona ?
The Kadha comprises of several ingredients that are hot in nature and we really don't wish to have such hot food while running a temperature. There is no scientific evidence that suggests that having kadha can help avoid Covid. That said, it's surely good for cough and throat. Avoid having daily especially in summers.
Who should avoid Kadha?
One important point to note here is that this is a heated Kadha (hot in taseer) and India observes more summer than winters, one may choose to have this healthy drink in controlled portions.
Try having it in the morning time. around ¼ th cup is sufficient. I would also like to suggest that patients with BP and pregnant women shall avoid having Kadha and may consult their doctors about it.
What should I have if I can't have Kadha in summers?
That's a perfect question. The answer is warm water.
Have tulsi leaves empty stomach. Whenever you feel a sore throat, have warm water and salted water gargles. That's sufficient.
Detailed Recipe of Kadha with Steps
Step 1 Gather Ingredients and boil water
Stories from Kitchen
Now that Covid has happened we all wish to move to the basics of our forefathers.
I remember my father asking mom to make Ajwain Kadha for us in winters to ward off cold and cough. Those days winters were really harsh and I never caught a cold as a kid.
We all are sleeving up for fighting the pandemic that has affected the world totally. I won't say that having this Kadha will make you immune as it can't happen in a day.
One needs to have a whole healthy regime to have an immune body but yes it would be advisable to have Tulsi Kadha or Turmeric Milk along with Breathing exercises and Yoga and gradually expect to have acquired immunity.
Other Immunity Booster Recipes:
- Mushroom Soup Without Cream {Healthy & Vegetarian}
- Low-Calorie Beetroot Soup {Vegetarian & Healthy}
- Easy Thai Vegetable Soup with Coconut Milk
- Mashed Potato Salad with Green Mung Beans {Vegetarian, Weight-Loss, No-Mayo}
- Roast Pumpkin And Spinach Salad {Vegan, Gluten Free}
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad {Creamy, Vegetarian}
Tulsi Kadha for Corona as suggested by AYUSH
Ingredients
- 2-3 glass water
- a few leaves Tulsi
- ½ teaspoon Kali Mirch (Black Pepper)
- ¼ stick Dalchini (cinnamon)
- 1 teaspoon Dry Ginger Powder
- 4-5 small Raisins(Munakaa)
- 1 teaspoon Jaggery
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice Optional
Instructions
- Arrange all the ingredients in small bowls. You may take black pepper whole or powdered.
- Take a pan and boil water. You may add 2-3 glass of water.
- Add Tulsi Leaves to it. Make sure to wash tulsi leaves in running water.
- Add all other ingredients along : Black Pepper, Munakka, Cinnamon, dry ginger powder, one after the other. Ordering doesnt matter here. We wish to boil them together to extract essence of each of these spices.
- Slowly it changes the color of water. You may boil it till the water reduces by half.
- Once it boils off to half, you may add Jaggery or lemon juice. If jaggery is added, boil for another one min to mix it in the mixture.
- Sieve it to have it warm. Enjoy the immunity drink!!
Notes
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1 cup | |
| Servings: 2 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 45 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 0.1g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 197mg | 9% |
| Total Carbohydrate 11.5g | 4% |
| Dietary Fiber 1.3g | 5% |
| Total Sugars 7.7g | |
| Protein 0.5g | |
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% |
| Calcium 26mg | 2% |
| Iron 1mg | 4% |
| Potassium 250mg | 5% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
Menaksshi says
This kadha is really very helpful to my health.
Thanks.
Meenakshi Shimla
Deepti says
Hey Meenakshi,
I am so glad to know this. Thanks for reading my blog.