Spiced Buttermilk

Spiced buttermilk anyone? 🤩

Sambaram - a Kerala style buttermilk 

Buttermilk is called Takra in Sanskrit. 

Buttermilk is light, astringent and sour in taste. It mitigates Kapha and Vata and improves digestion. 

It cleanses the channels (srotas), it is a mild diuretic and very useful in water retention, oedema, ascites and metabolic syndrome. 

Adding fresh curry leaves 🌿to the buttermilk makes it very beneficial if you are suffering from IBS. 

Charaka has mentioned in the Chikitsa Sthana Chapter 15 the importance of buttermilk for IBS. 

So easy to prepare :)

Ingredients 

1 cup of buttermilk 🥛 

1 1/2 cups of water 

1/2 green chilli slit seeds removed (you can omit this) 

1 sprig of fresh curry leaves 🌿🌿🌿

1/2 tsp of ginger powder (or a slice of fresh ginger) 

1/2 tsp of cumin powder (or dry roasted cumin seeds)

Pinch of Himalayan pink salt 🧂 

1. Mix the water and the buttermilk thoroughly. If you are using yoghurt add 3 cups of water to 1 cup of yoghurt. 

2. Grind the green chilli, ginger, curry leaves, cumin powder in a mortar 

3. Add this and some salt to the buttermilk and whisk for about 30  seconds

4. Enjoy 

Classical Reference from Charaka Samhita 

Sutra Sthana XXVII

Takra is useful in Shopha (oedema), Arsha (piles), Grahani (IBS), Mutragraha (urine retention), Udara (ascites), Aruchi (anorexia), Snehavyapat (in case of excessive ghee or fat indigestion), Pandu (anaemia) and affliction with Gara Visha/ Krutima Visha (poison). 

Buttermilk is of three types 

1. From which the fat is completely removed 

2. From which half of the fat is removed 

3. From which fat is not removed 

We would love to hear if you have tried takra (buttermilk) before? 👇

If you are suffering from IBS or digestive complaints you are welcome to contact us on info@lakshmiayurveda.com.au 

With Love your Lakshmi Ayurveda team ❤️🌿🥛🌿❤️