Deepavali Leghiyam(or)Marundhu: (Medicine in Tamil)

It is a traditional and a special recipe prepared for ages by the ancestors during the occasion of Deepavali/Diwali on purpose of helping the indigestion issues caused later because of consuming sweets and savories during this festive season. As the sweets and savories are made up of ghee and lot of fried items in oil, can upset stomach. It is to be consumed before making sweets and savories preferably in an empty stomach in the morning. And this can be consumed anytime of the year and not necessarily on this day. As the ingredients used in this are from your kitchen and every item has its own medicinal value and properties, as mentioned earlier aides in digestion issue. Also, treats cold and cough. Stay healthy by consuming a teaspoon full of it.

Let’s go to the recipe column along with Ingredients list.

INGREDIENTS

Karupu Milagu – 1/2 cup (Black pepper corns)

Dhaniya -1/2 cup (Coriander seeds)

Kandanthipili- 4-5 sticks (Dried root of long pepper plant)

Arisithipili- 4-5sticks (Dried long pepper)

Sitharathai- 2 pieces (Thai ginger)

Sukku-1 pieces (Dry Ginger)

Omam- 1 tablespoon (Carom seeds)

Jeera- 1 tablespoon (Cumins)

Jaathipathiri- 4 (Mace)

Krambu-2 teaspoons (Cloves)

Elachi-5-7 (Cardamom pods)

Jaadhikai-1/2 piece (Nutmeg)

Vellam – 2 cups (Jaggery)

Nala yennai-1/2 cup (Sesame oil)

Nei- 1/4 cup (Ghee)

START:

1. There are two ways people do this, one is by soaking all the items except nutmeg and cardamom and the second method is how i did, by dry sauteing each ingredients except the same two items- cardamom and nutmeg.

2. Simultaneously heat jaggery adding water to it. Say if the jaggery amount is 2 cups add 2&1/2 to 3 cups of water and let it boil for 3-5 minutes. Strain and keep it aside.

3. Then allow all the ingredients to cool down and add them in blender. Meanwhile powder cardamom and nutmeg. Keep them aside.

4. Then heat a thick bottomed pan and add the grounded items. Make sure you keep the flame low.

5. After 5 minutes add the jaggery water and allow it to thicken until the moisture of water gets completely absorbed, and for it we need to keep stirring it. It is always better to use a wide thick bottomed pan for this as it will splash out while stirring.

6. Then add the sesame oil along with ghee and keep stirring well, you could very well see the consistency thickening as well the oil and ghee oozing out when you keep the flame low for 5-10 minutes. Don’t worry on it, as the drenching of oil and ghee helps in the shelf life of the legiyam without getting spoilt. Also, add the cardamom and nutmeg.

7. Allow it to cool before storing into a container. And never use wet spoon or hands to consume this as it may lead to the formation of fungus.