Fenugreek Tea

This month for Recipe ReDux, the theme was – Grab a book and Cook. Recipe ReDux has completed 54 months and to celebrate this event, the members were asked to cook anything from a cook book of their choice, the only clause being – the dish should be featured in page no. 54 / 154.

Cooking from a cook book is easy but to select from a particular page proved challenging! While going through my collection of cook books, the particular pages either had a full page color pic of a dish or had an ingredient that I did not have.

Finally, I short listed 3 recipes and decided to go with this simple tea just for its health benefits.

This tea recipe is adapted from the book – Anti- Ageing Exotic Blends by Minnie Pandit and Amitabh Pandit. I will post more about this book when I do the Foodies Read Challenge next month

Coming to the recipe…

This is a beverage made using fenugreek seeds.According to the cook book, this tea is very beneficial fro people with Diabetes.

Fenugreek is considered to be a cleansing and heeling spice in
Ayurveda but it does not earn its place in the menu owing to its bitter
taste.

Health benefits of fenugreek:

• Fenugreek seeds are helpful in balancing cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
• It is a galactogogue ie it aids in increase milk secretion in lactating women. It is given in the form of meethi laddoo
to the new mothers.However large doses of fenugreek should not be taken
by pregnant women as it may induce uterine contractions.
• The large amounts of mucilaginous fiber in fenugreek seeds act as a laxative.
• They purify the blood.
• Purifies the liver and spleen.
• Good source of Carbohydrates,protein,Vitamin A & C,fiber,iron.

Peppercorns are also used in this tea. According to the note in the cook book , this is added to stimulate the  taste buds and prepare the stomach to secrete more Hydrocholoric acid ,thereby increasing the metabolic rate.

The original recipe suggests using Rock Candy but here I have used Palm Candy which too is beneficial to the body.

I used:

Water- 250 ml
Fenugreek seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Pepper corns- 6 numbers
Palm candy

Bring water to boil and add the fenugreek seeds and coarsely ground pepper.

Let it simmer for 5 minutes .Switch off the stove, cover the pot with the lid and let it sit for 5 minutes.Strain and add palm candy to sweeten.

Serve hot / warm

Note:

• If the tea goes cold, gently warm it before adding the palm candy.
• It is beneficial to during this in small sips than gulping it down in one go.
• Disclaimer : This post is not a medical advice. If you are planning to use this tea, check with your Physician before starting.