Homemade Remedies To Keep Flu-like Symptoms At Bay.

Back home in Goa, we’d have our mums with us. Avozinha would join too. They gave us all the homemade remedies to keep colds and flu away. The world has in recent years started using the turmeric root widely. In India, it has been an antiseptic used for generations along with some other herbs and spices.

Every spice in India has some advantage or the other. When mixed as concoctions these spices can heal you from any ailment. Covid-19 has entered our lives. These few homemade recipes are surely going to help you keep those flu-like symptoms at bay.

Also read: 50 essential foods to build your immunity

This blog post has been long overdue. Actually, we are already in the fourth year since the beginning of the pandemic in 2019. How crazy is that!!

HOMEMADE ‘CUZUMENTE’/ KHADHA

Whenever we are down to Goa and at home in Moira, sometimes we have a little sniffle or cough. Nigel’s mum would make this concoction of spices and herbs. It helps ease our throat aches and clears our blocked nose.

Even half a cup of this warm elixir would make us instantly feel well and back to normal. Nigel’s parents have always wanted me to share this recipe with you all since they knew I blogged about food.

So here you go, below is the recipe for Moira Mama’s cuzumente or khadha.

This homemade concoction of herbs and spices is boiled together until reduced and served warm. 

Yields1 Serving
Prep Time5 minsCook Time30 minsTotal Time35 mins

Equipment
 1 Potlarge
Ingredients used
 4 cups Water
 ½ Ginger rootinch piece, roughly crushed
 ½ tsp Coriander Seedsdried
 6 Black peppercornslightly crushed
 1 stick Cinnamon inch piece
 6 Cloves
 SugarYou can also use Honey or Crystalised Sugar lumps to taste
 1 White Onionsmall, roughly diced into large chunks
 6 Mint leavesfresh
 2 Lemon grass stalksinch long piece
 8 Holy basilincluding the sprig

1

Add all the ingredients together and boil until the water is reduced to half. So 4 cups of water becomes 2 cups after boiling for some time. At this point, the concoction should turn dark in colour. 

  • Holy Basil is commonly called Tulsi
  • Crystalised sugar lumps or candied sugar is commonly known as Kodi Sakor in Goa. The sweetness is generally added towards the end especially if it is had with honey instead of sugar. Do not boil honey with the concoction. 

Ingredients

Equipment
 1 Potlarge
Ingredients used
 4 cups Water
 ½ Ginger rootinch piece, roughly crushed
 ½ tsp Coriander Seedsdried
 6 Black peppercornslightly crushed
 1 stick Cinnamon inch piece
 6 Cloves
 SugarYou can also use Honey or Crystalised Sugar lumps to taste
 1 White Onionsmall, roughly diced into large chunks
 6 Mint leavesfresh
 2 Lemon grass stalksinch long piece
 8 Holy basilincluding the sprig

Directions

1

Add all the ingredients together and boil until the water is reduced to half. So 4 cups of water becomes 2 cups after boiling for some time. At this point, the concoction should turn dark in colour. 

Notes

  • Holy Basil is commonly called Tulsi
  • Crystalised sugar lumps or candied sugar is commonly known as Kodi Sakor in Goa. The sweetness is generally added towards the end especially if it is had with honey instead of sugar. Do not boil honey with the concoction. 
MOIRA MAMA’S CUZUMENTE

This cuzumente can be had first thing in the morning or even throughout the day. You make it and store it in the refrigerator and reboil it whenever ready to consume. This should always be had warm.

HALDI DHUD

I’ve earlier shared this recipe as golden milk here on the blog. This recipe is simple to make and is best had before going to bed at night. Turmeric, besides having antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties will also aid a sound night’s sleep.

There are various ways you can make this recipe.

turmeric-milk.jpg
Turmeric Milk

Add some boiled milk to a cup. Mix in half a tsp of turmeric powder. Add some natural honey to it. Then you’re sorted. That’s the simplest recipe you can make of this golden milk.

Another recipe is boiling a fresh turmeric root in milk and then drinking it with some honey or sugar.

My mother used to make another recipe for us when we were little and had a very bad flu. She would boil some milk with turmeric and garlic. Then she would add some honey to it in a large cup. It was like a warm hug in a cup. Such lovely fond memories from childhood.

This is the next way of making this golden milk. It is how we normally make it at home in the UK. We add half a tsp of turmeric powder to warm milk in a cup. Then, we add a pinch of white pepper powder. Finally, we include some freshly grated nutmeg. Drizzle some Manuka honey on this and you are good to go. A cup full of this joyful milk will make you feel your best instantly.

EGGNOG MARSALA/EGG FLIP/MASSADO

My godmother’s mum was also fondly known as mama grande. She always used to make this egg flip. She prepared it whenever we had a severe chesty cough or cold.

Her version doesn’t use milk. Simply whisk an egg yolk with sugar until a smooth fluffy consistency is achieved. To this mixture add hot coffee and some brandy and you’re good to go.

This concoction of warm eggnog is perfect to keep your cold and cough at bay.

Yields1 Serving
Prep Time15 minsTotal Time15 mins

 1 Egg yolkroom temperature
 3 tsp Sugargranulated
 1 cup Black coffeehot
 1 tsp Brandy

1

Whisk the egg yolk with sugar until very light and fluffy. 

2

To this egg mixture, add a tsp of Brandy and slowly add hot black coffee. 

3

Drink this warm

  • The eggs should be at room temperature to make this recipe. 
  • Use a hand-held electric beater to whisk the eggs faster. 

Ingredients

 1 Egg yolkroom temperature
 3 tsp Sugargranulated
 1 cup Black coffeehot
 1 tsp Brandy

Directions

1

Whisk the egg yolk with sugar until very light and fluffy. 

2

To this egg mixture, add a tsp of Brandy and slowly add hot black coffee. 

3

Drink this warm

Notes

  • The eggs should be at room temperature to make this recipe. 
  • Use a hand-held electric beater to whisk the eggs faster. 
Mama Grande’s Egg Flip/ Massado

Nigel’s parents back home make this recipe a little differently. They whisk together an egg yolk, little instant coffee, brandy, a pinch of turmeric and sugar. Once all these ingredients are well-incorporated top it up with hot milk gradually stirring. This drink is had warm.

For fun, I also have this other eggnog recipe. It is just lovely during the winter. It is especially wonderful during the festive season.

CANDIED ONIONS

This is a very simple recipe with just two ingredients, finely chopped white onions and granulated sugar. My mum used to make this for us when we were little. She prepped this and kept it covered overnight at room temperature. The next morning, we were instructed to drink the juice. This juice resulted from the onions sweating in the sugar overnight. This would be a mildly spicy-sweet syrup-like consistently spoonful which would ease a hurting painful sore throat or rough cough.

candied-onions.jpg

These 4 homemade recipes always worked like magic to keep cold and flu at bay. I hope they help you too. Leave a comment and let me know if you’ve used any of these homemade recipes before.

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Stay safe and healthy xx


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