Marunthu Kuzhambu by Sowpernica

Pathiya Samayal Contest entry by Sowpernica

Ingredients:
Small onions – 1 cup
Garlic cloves – 10 to 15
Salt – 2 ½ teaspoons
Sesame oil – 1 tablespoon
Tamarind – lemon sized ball
Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon
Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon

Dry roast & grind to powder:
Omam – 2 teaspoon
Pepper – 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds – 2 teaspoons
Sitharathai, Arisi thipilli, Sukku, Athimathuram –small quantities of each of these
Red chillies – 3 to 4

Method:
Prepare tamarind extract soaking tamarind in 1 ½ glasses of water.
Heat oil in a pan, add, mustard seeds & allow spluttering.
Add garlic cloves & sauté for a minute.
Add small onions & sauté till they look transparent.
Add tamarind extract, salt, turmeric powder & allow boiling until raw smell vanishes.
Add the ground powder & allow boiling until the kuzambu thickens & oil separates .
Serve hot with rice.
Could be refrigerated & used for a week to 10 days.

A perfect kuzambu when you are having a cold & for the winter season.

Brinjal Thogayal by Shripriya

Pathiya Samayal Contest Entry by Shripriya Ramakrishnan

Brinjal is one of the non-gassy vegetables that can be had without any restrictions during the postpartum period. It is one of my favorite vegetables so I prefered having it a lot of times during both of my after-delivery periods. The following is my favorite even now.

Ingredients:
1. Brinjal - 3-4
2. Black pepper - half teaspoon or Red chillies 1 or 2 based on your preference.
3. Tamarind - gooseberry sized.
4. Oil - One-two tablespoon
5. For seasoning - Mustard, urad, asafoetida, jeera, and curry leaves.
6. Salt - as needed.

Method:
1. Fry whole brinjal in a kadai with little oil. Alternatively you can microwave the brinjal and avoid too much of oil consumption.
2. Fry the black pepper/red chillies in just 1/4 teaspoon of oil.
3. Peel the brinjal skin. 
4. Grind the peeled brinjal and the black pepper/red chillies with tamarind and salt.
5. In a kadai, pour little bit of oil and season with all the items mentioned for seasoning.
6. Add the ground brinjal-black pepper/red chillies paste.
7. Fry for sometime until it thickens to desired consistency.
8. Have it with hot rice and ghee or with chappathi.

Variations: 
1. You can add garlic also in the seasoning or fry it separately and grind it with brinjal and black pepper/red chillies.
2. If you want to make it for non-pathiya samayal and want it to be little spicy, omit black pepper and add red chillies and green chillies. And after seasoning, add finely chopped onion and fry them until cooked and then add the ground paste. This will be very good with chappathis.
3. You can just fry the whole brinjals, remove the skin, mash it with a maththu, then season it with mustard, red chillies, hing, urad, and curry leaves and mix it with rice and eat. Curd also can be added to the mashed brinjal.

Manathakkali Keerai Poricha Koottu by Vijaya Venkatesh

Pathiya Samayal contest entry by Vijaya Venkatesh

Ingredients:
Manathakkaali keerai - a small bunch
coconunt - a small piece
red chilli - 1
pepper - 4 or 5
jeera - 1 tsp
salt to taste
boiled moong dal - 1 small cup

Method:
wash the leaves thoroughly and chop them. Add little water, salt and hing and cook. Grind coconut, chilli, pepper, jeera into fine paste and add. Finally add the cooked moong dal and mix well. Season this with mutard seeds, urid dal and curry leaves.
This dish can be mixed with rice and tastes wonderful.

Manathakkali keerai helps in healing the MOUTH ULCER (vaai punn) easily.

Modakkathan Keerai Dosai by Vijaya Venkatesh

Pathiya Samayal contest entry by Vijaya Venkatesh

Ingredients:
A small bunch of modakathan keerai
Soaked parboiled rice and Urid dal as u do normally for dosas

Method:
While grinding, add the leaves also. It gives a light green colour to the batter. Allow it to ferment and make dosas as u normally do.
This Modakathaan keerai is very useful in preventing Arthritis/Rhuematism

Podalanga poricha kozhambu by Geeta Sami

Pathiya Samayal contest entry by Geeta Sami

Ingredients:
Pudalangai- 2 medium
Moong dal- 1/4 cup
Pepper -1 tbsp
Jeera -1 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves- few sprigs
Asafoetida- little
Turmeric- little
Salt- 1 tsp or to taste

Method:
Dry roast pepper and jeer and keep aside. cook moong dhal in pressure cooker or directly in a pan.
Wash the vegetable and cut to small pieces. steam them in microwave steamer and keep aside.
In a pan add water, then add the pepper and jeera powder and bring it to boil. Add the cooked vegetable and add salt to taste. let it cook for few minutes till you get the right consistency. then add hing and dried and roasted curry leaves.

Poosani Vithai Thogayal

Pathiya Samahyal Contest Entry by Malini

Ingredients:
Pumpkin seeds - 2 cups(Use only the seeds & fibre portion of the pumpkin wedge)
Tamarind - 1/2 the size of a lemon
Coconut scraped - 1/2 cup
Dry red chillies - 3 or 4
Urad dhal - 2 tablespoons 
Perungayam,S alt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tsp.

Method:
Take out the tender seeds alongwith the small fibres (only the seeds and soft portion) from the pumpkinThe seeds should be very tender , else the thogayal will not taste good.
Fry chillies, perungayam and seeds in oil, till it shrinks well & the raw smell goes away.
Fry urad dhal till golden brown.
Allow it to cool. In a mixie, grind scraped coconut, chillies, e urad dhal, tamarind and salt. Then add the seeds and grind it till soft.

Poricha Rasam by Malini

Pathiya Samayal contest entry by Malini

Ingredients: 
Tomato – 2
Toor dall – ½ cup
Turmeric powder , Salt,perungayam – to taste
coriander & karivepilai for garnishing
Ghee – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

To be ground to a paste
Dhaniya– 1 tbsp
Channa dall - ½ tbsp
Milagu– 8 nos.
Jeera 1 tspRed chillies – 2
Oil (எண்ணெய்) – 2 tsp to roast above

Method:
Cut tomatoes put in the vessel, add water, salt and manjapodiand let it boil till the tomato pieces are cooked.Pressure cook the toor dall and keep it aside.

Add oil to a kadai. Add daniya, channa dal, milagu, jeera one after the other and roast well, Finally add the red chilles and switch off the stove. Let this cool and then grind it in a mixie adding little water to make a paste.Add this paste to the boiled tomato water, let it boil once and then add the cooked toor dall. Add water to bring it to the consistency of rasam. After adding water, just let the rasam boil once.

In a kadai, pour a teaspoon on ghee and when hot, add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds crackle, add it to the rasam. Garnish with Corriander and Karivepilai

Leghiyam by Malini

Pathiya Samayal Contest Entry by Malini Mk

This is also called as Prasava Leghiyam

Ingredients:

Arisi Thippili) - 10 sticks.
Sukku - small Piece
Basil - 100 g
Pepper - a table spoon
Jeera – Half table spoon
Dhaniya - Half table spoon
Elakai - 2 or 3
Vellam - 100 gm
Ghee - 1 tsp

Method:
Sun dry all the ingredients for two days except vellam.
After two days, dry grind the ingredients in a mixie .
Filter the grounded powder two to three times to get the fine quality.
Add half glass of water with the vellam and filter it to remove the solid .
Take a thick bottomed vessel and pour the vellam water.
Keep in medoum flame.When it starts boiling, add the powdered ground powder stir continuously.Keep the flame in low and stir for another ten minutes.
When the consistency becomes semisolid then add the ghee and stir for another five minutes.
Store in airtight jar once the legiyam cools down

Sukku Thippili Marunthu

Pathiya Samayal Contest entry by Rajeshwari Ganesh

Ingredients: 
Sukku Powder - 1/2 spoon
Kandathipili - 5 gms

Omam - 1 spoon

Milagu - 2 spoon

Jeera - 2 spoon

Virali manjal - 1 spoon

Dhania - 4 spoon

Jaggery - 1/4 cup

Ghee or Sesame Oil - 8 spoons

Method:
Dry fry and grind them. Dissolve jaggery in water and add the syrup to the above mixture. Now, add ginger juice and when the mixture got solidifies, add sufficient ghee or sesame oil.

How to cook punarbagam for Pathiya Samayal - Uma Sridharan

After delivery, a woman's body and stomach is quite tender. It needs to be treated with care and so soft and easily digestive food should be given. Making of this punarbagam is one of the lost recipes or a recipe that many modern people dont know or understand. Here is the method to do it. Infact this is good for those even who have stomach upset or stomach ailments. Any one can have this during peak summer too which acts as a coolant to the body when combined with unsour buttermilk and salt. 

Ingredients:
Cooked raw rice (sadam) 1 cup
Water 3 cups

Method
Boil water and add cooked rice.
Let it boil for another 10 mts.
Drain.
Punarbagam is a good food for delivered ladies, indigestion, fever and stomach upset.
It is easily digestible.
Drained water or otherwise called as punarbaga kanji can be taken with buttermilk and salt, which is first class medicine for urinary infection and heat.

Pathiya Samayal contest entry by Uma Sridharan

Garlic Pepper Kuzhambu for Lactating Women

Ingredients:
Tamarind Paste - 1 tbsp
or
OPOS Tamarind paste - 3/4 tbsp
Thuvar Dal - 2 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Black Pepper - 2 tsp
Jeera - 1 tbsp
Red Chillies - 2 nos
Curry leaves - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 12 cloves
Salt to taste
Gingely Oil - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Asafodeita - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Fry thuvar dal pepper corns, jeera, curry leaves and garlic cloves(peeled) in 1 tsp of gingely oil to a fine paste.

In a pan add the remaining gingely oil and when hot add mustard seeds and when it splutters add asafodeita and ground paste. Fry the paste again in oil for just a few seconds. Mix tamarind paste in two cups of water and add it to the pan. Mix all the ingredients together. Add salt and let the mixture cook. The mixture will thicken and will come together forming a fine paste. Add ghee to it and remove from flame. This can be stored in fridge for about a month.

This is a healing recipe served for lactating mothers during postpartum. Pregnant women can avoid this kuzhambu.

How to serve this:
Serve it with hot rice and about 1 tbsp of ghee (which is must as this is a bit more spicy). Serve it with plain postpartum kootu. Eat just 1/2 cup of this rice with lots of veggies.

Dalia Kanji or Conjee recipe for weight loss after pregnancy.

Many women find it very very hard to loose the excess weight gained during pregnancy. Dalia porridge helps in reducing the weight slowly and steadily. It is easily digestive and can be had by lactating mothers without much fear. It is also a very healthy recipe.

Ingredients:
Dalia  or broken wheat - 1/4 cup
Low fat butter - 2 tbsp
Oats - 2 tbsp
Low fat milk - 1 1/2 cups
Powdered sugar - 1 1/2 tbsp
Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp
Apple - 1 nos
Banana - 2 nos

Method:
Wash and clean the broken wheat. In a pressure pan heat the butter and when it melts add the broken wheat and saute it in medium flame for about 3 mins. Add the oats to it and mix well and saute it again for about 2 mins. Add milk and 1 cup of water and mix thoroughly without forming any lumps. Pressure cook on a medium flame for 2 whistles. When cold add sugar and cinnamon powder and mix well. Refrigerate it.

Before eating cut the apples into thin slices and bananas into thin rounds. Garnish the porridge with these slices and serve in room temperature.

How to make Pathiya Rasam - Post Pregnancy Rasam

This rasam is good for lactating mothers. When it is given to Lactating mothers tomatoes should not be added. But this rasam can be had by all and when it is had by all, tomatoes can be added.

Ingredients:
Tamrind Paste - 1 tbsp
Salt - To taste
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup
Pathiya Rasam Powder -  2 tbsp

  For tempering
    Ghee - 1 tbsp
    Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbsp
    Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp

Method:
Mix tamrind paste in 2 cups of water. Add salt, Rasam powder and rbing it to boil. When boiling add curry leaves and coriander leaves. When it bubbles, remove from flame and temper.

Pathiya Rasam Powder- Post pregnancy Rasam Powder

Ingredients:
Red chillies - 2 or 3
Thur Dal - 2 tsp
Kandathippili - 5 pieces
Dry Ginger (sukku) - 1 cm
Hing - 1/2 tsp
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp


Method:
In one tbsp of ghee add Red Chillies, Thuvar Dal, Kandathippili, Dry Ginger, Hing, Pepper and Jeera . Grind them to a fine powder.


This can be stored in freezer and used for about a week. 

Recipe for Poondu Kanji

A special Kanji which is to be taken once in a month to solve gastric troubles. This is a dish from Tirunelveli District.

Ingredients:
Boiled Rice - 1 cup
Garlic - 3 to 4 depending upon the size
Methi seeds - 1 tsp
Saarana root powder - 2 tsps
(This you can get it from siddha or naatu marunthu stores. Blend it in a mixer and store in freezer. If you dont get this powder, you can leave it too)
Raw milk - 1/2 cup
Water - 3 cups
Murungai leaves - handful (optional)

Method:
In a pressure cooker, take rice, garlic and methi seeds. In a muslin cloth take the Saranaa powder, make it a bag and add it to the rice in cooker. Add 3 cups of water and cook it for 2 whistles. In a separate vessel, pressure cook the murungai leaves too. When cool remove the bag and mash the rice well.

Add the cooked murungai leaves (dont throw away the water, but add it too to the rice). Add milk and cook for 5 mins in low flame. This can be served with Coconut Thuvaiyal.
 
Note: The whole day after taking this Kanji, tamrind is to be avoided and if at all needed, tomato is to be added.

Recipe for Puzhungalarisi Kanji - Boiled rice Rawa Porridge

When ever some one falls ill and runs high temperature, the first diet elders advice to give them is Puzhungalarisi Noi Kanji.

This is also a good first food for infants.

Ingredients:
Boiled rice - 4 cups
Pottu Kadalai or processed bengal gram - 1 cup
Moong Dal - 1 cup
Jeera - 1/4 cup

Method:
Soak Boiled rice in water after washing it for about 2 hours. Drain the water thoroughly and dry it inside the house (better not do it outside). Let all the wetness go off. Fry all the ingredients including the dried boiled rice in a dry pan till they become brown (should be done carefully and not over do it). This can be ground in flour mill and grind coarsely. (Or it could be ground in mixer also one by one and then mix well)

If the powder is prepared for infants, make little at a time, take 1 cup of boiled rice and the remaining as per the ratio and grind it in mixie and sieve it thoroughly until a fine powder. Mix one tbspn of this powder to warm water and mix it thoroughly without lumps. Keep it in flame and bring it to boil. This could be given to kids either with a pinch of salt or sugar. (Better give it with salt).

When the kids grow, the coarseness of the powder can be increased. This makes a great morning breakfast, if given to the kids in semi solid form. They can eat it with spoon. This will sustain hunger till it is time for them to have lunch at school. (Daughter's experience).

Ingaya Podi recipe

Whenever there is a stomach upset, then this powder helps.

Ingredients:
Sundaikai Vathal - 200 gms
Veppam poo (Neem flower) - 2 spoons
Dry ginger (Sukku) - 1 spoon powdered
Pepper - 2 spoons
Solid Hing - a small piece
Rock salt - a little

Method:
Dry roast each ingredient one by one, including the salt. Grind it coarsely.

This powder can be had in hot rice with a spoon of ghee.