KOCHI: For 70-year-old Nalini Menon, the misty mornings marking the arrival of Karkidakam take her back to her childhood. The month when she and her siblings had to follow the Karkidakam practices, including reciting the Ramayana chapters fluently. The mornings used to start with adorning ‘dashapushpam’ on wet hair and putting homemade Mehendi on their hands— under the strict guidance of her mother.
“With her slender fingers, she will squeeze the yellow ‘mukkutti’ flowers in her palm and put them on our foreheads every morning after bath. She used to say it gives positive energy to our body during Karkidakam. We used to only wear dry-cleaned clothes during those days. She will make hot Karkidaka kanji using medicinal plants from the courtyard every morning. It always tasted bitter due to the fenugreek. But our mother would secretly pour some ghee into my gruel plate to balance the bitter taste. We used to have it for the first seven days of Karkidakam,” remembers Nalini. She is busy preparing for another Karkidakam now at her home in Ernakulam.
According to her, the Karkidaka kanji is a good relief from the incessant rains. It is said to increase immunity if prepared right. “Don’t go for ready-mix kits available in shops,” she says. Dr Neethu Thudissery, the chief physician at Brihathi Ayurveda, says the Karkidakam month is a time when the body has less immunity. The porridge with herbs will help enhance our immunity.
“Dry spices and medicines cumin, coriander seeds, dried ginger, pepper, Indian long pepper (thippali), ‘kurunthotti’, ela vankam and cardamom local fresh herbs such as poovankurunnila, cherula, kurunthotti, tharutha, thiruthali, muyalcheviyan, thazhuthama are mainly used in the medicinal Karkidaka kanji in the Malabar region,” says Neethu.
However, the special diet is not just about porridge. Nalini says the whole month is observed with vegetarian recipes and a light diet. She shares one easy recipe — a curry made using the stems of Taro or Colocasia. “Thaalu is a healthy side dish that will go well with lunch. In Karkidakam, it is believed the stems of Taro will not be itching. But as a precaution soak the stems in tamarind water. Then cut them to make curry. It is good for digestion and overall body functioning,” says Nalini.
Another quick recipe is roasted coconut chutney. It is best when paired with dosa. “All you need is grated coconut, dry red chillies, curry leaves, shallots, a pinch of seedless tamarind, a small piece of jaggery and salt to taste. Roast every ingredient in coconut oil except jaggery and salt. Grind the roasted mixture. Then add jaggery gratings and salt to taste.” The elder also suggests drinking water boiled with cumin seeds to eliminate dehydration.
Ayurveda diets
Dr Neethu suggests some ayurveda tips for the new age lifestyle. Neethu warns to avoid junk food and cold dishes. She says to abstain from heavy intakes and only relish digestible dishes for the month. “Having a raw gooseberry everyday is good for your health. Say no to oil and spicy foods. A glass of golden milk during bedtime can be consumed by old and children. Add more Vitamin C fruits and vegetables, including pomegranate to your daily intake. Finally, drink water boiled with tulsi leaves.”
Nature on a plate
Thrissur-native Shruti Tharayil, a self-taught herbalist and founder of Forgotten Greens, a social media platform that discusses and forages herbs and wild edibles, prepares Karkidakam recipes using herbs and shrubs available in our backyards. The month has a deep connection with mother earth, she believes. Among the edible leaves, Shruti picks thakara leaves or Senna Tora. “The tender leaves of the plant can be used for making thoran. These plants are only available in the monsoon season. It is rich in iron and suitable for young and old alike. Another seasonal leafy dish is ‘pathila thoran’ made using 10 types of foraged greens such as pumpkin leaves, thazhuthama, taro leaves (chembila), various kinds of spinach, leaves of ash ground, and payarila. They can be made into a thoran. The recipes and leaves differ according to availability and socio-geographical locations and communities. The pathila especially has a lot of nutrients and immunity boosters. These are all seasonal food diets that we can follow,” says Shruti.
A meaty matter
Dr Neethu adds that in most Malabar households, the Karkidakam diet also contains meat. In the ancient ayurvedic book Ashtanga Hridayam, there is a part (slokam) about consuming non-vegetarian dishes during the rainy season, like ajamamsam aka mutton soup. “Many locals consume marunnu kozhi (medicinal chicken), jeeraka kozhi (cumin chicken) and mutton leg soup. This practice is prevalent in Kozhikode and Malappuram. These dishes have rejuvenating properties, especially for women,” she says. “For the jeeraka kozhi, three types of cumin can be used — normal ones, perum jeerakam (fennel seeds) and karim jeerakam (black cumin seeds). Ground the seeds and coat on chicken. Chicken is cooked in ghee, sesame oil and coconut oil. Packaged salt should not be added, instead, use rock salt”. The mutton leg and backbone soup is good for body joints and bone strength, she says. “Savouring a bowl of hot mutton soup will firm the joints and eliminate back pain.”
Another Karkidakam is here. It is the cleansing time for many Malayalis. The special Karkidakam kanji is the go-to superfood for many. However, the lesser known ones are ‘marunnu kozhi’, ‘jeeraka kozhi’ to many meat varieties — these are equally healthy and protein-rich