Milagu legiyam, a traditional ayurvedic medicine made with black peppercorns. A simple home remedy for common colds and climate change infections.
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What is Milagu Legiyam
Black peppercorns is called milagu in tamil. Milagu legiyam is ground black peppercorns cooked with ginger and jaggery to halwa like consistency.
Season changes, bring a lot of allergy issues with kids and even some adults. This black pepper legiyam, an ayurvedic home remedy used by my grandma to ward off those sesonal allergies at its beginning stage.
Disclaimer : This legiyam is just a home remedy for prevention of cold during winter and not a replacement for any cold/flu Medicine.
The Recipe
This is my grandmother’s recipe. She used make this every winter and give us all a gooseberry sized legiyam every morning. We never used to like it for the sharp taste of pepper but the benefits of this legiyam has never failed us. It immediately gives a warmth and works by soaking in each and every nerve of your body.
If you are making it for the first time, you might find the taste of pepper a bit more sharp, but trust me, this medicine is a keeper for those winter sneeze and cough.
How to make Milagu Legiyam
To make the mialgu legiyam, we need to soak black peppercorns in milk overnight or atleast for 6 hours.
After the said time, grind the pepper with the milk it is soaking. Take the ground pepper to stove, start cooking it. Add melted and strained jaggery and ginger to it . Let this cook and come together to a halwa-like consistency. Finally add ghee and take it off the stove.
Eat 1 tsp of milagu legiyam in the morning to keep your winter allergies at bay. But beaware this legiyam is just a home remedy for prevention of cold during winter and not a replacement for any cold/flu Medicine.
Milagu Legiyam | How to make Milagu Marundhu
Equipment
- indian style mixie/blender
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Whole black peppercorns
- ¼ cup milk boiled and chilled
- ¾ cup jaggery
- 3 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 tbsp honey
- 4 tbsp ghee
Instructions
- Soak pepper in milk overnight and leave it on the counter. I used boiled and chilled milk for soaking. Next day morning, grind the pepper with the milk to a fine paste. The pepper has to be soaked for 5-6 hours maximum, so you can do the soaking in the day time too.
- Regarding leaving the milk on the counter, if it is a cold climate in your place, then leave it on the counter. If it is a hot climate and you feel the milk might spoil, then keep it in the fridge.
- Take the ground pepper in a heavy-bottom pan. Wash the mixer in which you ground the pepper with 1/4 cup water and add that water to pepper paste. Cook this mixture in a slow flame, stirring often.
- While the pepper is cooking, take jaggery in a pan add 1/4 water and cook in a slow flame until the jaggery is melted completely. Strain that jaggery for impurities .
- Add the jaggery and the shredded ginger to the pepper mix.
- Let this cook until the jaggery is fully absorbed, in a slow flame. Take care, it might splutter out of the vessel, so better to have a wide pan. Keep stirring often. It takes around 15-20 minutes for the liquid to get absorbed fully.
- At this stage add the ghee and mix well. Let this be on the stove for another 10 minutes or until it the fudge comes along with the ladle when stirred.
- Take it off the stove. Add honey and stir well. Let it cool, keep it in an air-tight container on the kitchen counter.
- During cold days, this can be taken for 3 days continously or alternate days in a week, about the size of a gooseberry. If you are naturally a hot(pitta) body, you can take weekly once. And also have a cup of milk the day you are taking this.
Notes
- The above measurements make about 1/2 -3/4 cup of marundhu. Will fit in an 200 grams bottle.
- If you are a naturally hot(pitta) body, then take this once in a week. And also have a cup of milk , on days you are taking this legiyam.
- If you are used to simple home remedies and ayurveda then this will definitely suit you, if otherwise do not try.
- This legiyam is just a home remedy for prevention of cold during winter and not a replacement for any cold/flu Medicine.
During cold days, this can be taken for 3 days continously or alternate days in a week, about the size of a gooseberry. Remember this marundhu is just a home remedy, not a replacement to medicines.
Some Winter Special recipes
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very useful post
a very good recipe..
Perfect recipe for this season. I have been searching for some remedy and you have given it. Thank you Priya. Will try it immediately..
Priya, should I leave the soaked pepper with milk overnight in room temperature or fridge. Isn't there a possibility of the milk getting spoiled when left out?
Hi krithi, the temperature here right now is cold so i left it on the counter. If it is a warm climate, keep it in the fridge. Or soak it in the morning and leave it for 5-6 hours on the counter.
Hi krithi, the temperature here right now is cold so i left it on the counter. If it is a warm climate, keep it in the fridge. Or soak it in the morning and leave it for 5-6 hours on the counter.
Good lehiyam there . I was wondering about the milk in d list of recipes but see that it's used to bring the heat of the pepper down.. Nice one Priya !will halve this and try out
Homemade remedies are always the best. That pepper lehyam looks perfect for this cold & cough season.
Once made, for how many days it will be good?
Excellent home remedy to try without any hesitation. Havent made these sort of homemade marundhu since a while, its getting chilled here. Its time to make this marundhu now for me.
Another interesting legiyam recipe from you Priya. The consistency reminds me of Chavanprash. Our grandmothers knew how to combat winter ailments with home remedies.