Few days back Pai asked me about the famous ‘Kashaya pitto’. Since I was not having the recipe, it took me some time to find it out. As always, I got it from Aayi.
‘Kashaya’ is a beverage which replaces ‘tea’ or ‘coffee’ in many of North kanara homes. People prefer it because this is supposed to have cooling effect on body (do not drink it if you have cold).
Kashaya powder(called ‘kashaya pitto’) is readily available in the shops, so my aayi usually does not prepare it at home. But I found the recipe very very simple, and I wish to make it on my own in future. This can be preserved for months (like sambar powder) in air tight containers. Those who want to cut down on their tea/coffee intake, but wish to drink something healthy, do try this drink.
Kashaya powder(pitto)
Ingredients:
Coriander seeds 1 cup
Cumin seeds(jeera) 1/2 cup
Fennel seeds(Badishep) 1/2 cup
Wheat (optional)
Method:
Roast the ingredients seperately(without adding oil). Grind them to a smooth powder. Preserve in air tight container.
Kashay (the beverage)
Ingredients:
Milk 1/2 cup
Water 1/2 cup
Sugar 1 tea spn
Kashaya powder(pitto) 1 tea spn
Method:
Boil milk and water in a bowl. Add sugar and kashaya powder when it boils. Remove from flame, and close the lid for 5min. Strain it using tea strainer. Serve hot.
I like more milk in this kashaya. So I used 1:1 ratio of milk and water. This ratio can be varied as per individual taste. Basically you have to follow the same procedure as tea.
Ah! We call this kasaay and it was something my mother would make me guzzle when I was recovering from the flu or other illness. If it was a stomach upset or a GI infection then she would omit the milk and reduce the amount of sugar.
Yes Manisha, People call this Kasaay/kashay. But I never drank it without milk. Thanks for the info.
Never heard of this before. Sounds interesting. I think I’ll never be able to say that I know Indian cuisine fully. I wonder whether anybody else can.
Vaishali, I think I will never be able to say I know ‘Konkani cuisine’ fully, so i dont even have hopes of knowing ‘indian cuisine’ :(. But becos of this and all other food blogs, I can say I know ‘something’ if not ‘everything’ ;).
All the summers that we spent as kids with my kaka’s family in Shimoga, the mid-morning meal would be paej and the evening drink would be kashai. Both these things i never acquired a taste for. But everything else, literally everything else, we loved and just guzzled down. Great to know the recipe though. My parents who love kashai will be delighted with your blog.
Ujwala, I agree some people hate pej and Kashay. Even I used to hardly drink it at home. but there are some pople who simply love it. Even I have started liking it now :).
This is just so interesting. I absolutely love tea- and sometimes instead of adding tea leaves, i just throw in some leaves like mint, basil- brew and drink it. This seems like a nice option. Will let you know when i try this.
Very nice site there Shilpa
Regards
Nandita
nandita, thanks for the comment. Try it and let me know. I know this recipe will not disappoint you :).
Good recipes.
I’m sick of konkani food, but my spouse simply loves it.
Thanks for posting all these recipes – I’ve lost my ‘Rasachandrika’!
Sulabhaa
Sulabha, Its very sad to know that you are sick of Konkani food :(. There are so many varieties, you might have missed some, if you try different things every time, even you might love it.(I am telling this by my own experience).
You know I am always looking for traditional drinks like these. Thank you so much!
You are welcome LG :).
Hi Shilpa,
I tried this powder today & the fragrance is great……i liked this drink a lot. Thanks for sharing.
My Mom used to give “Khirat Kadde” Kasaayu(Sticks of Khirat, I do not know what is equivalent in other language, still available in Gandhi(herbal) shop in Bombay) when we were sick; boy, it is bitter like hell to gulp!(It has similar property like Karela).
But many of my Gujarati friends who do not drink coffee/tea drink Chaay Masala in the milk and a little sugar.
I also add Dry Ginger and pepper with the given ingredients.
Hi shilpa,
As you rightly said Kashay is too good for health. While we make this powder, we add Methi and Jeshtamadh sticks. The proportion goes somewhat like this :example,
500 gms coriander seeds,
250 gms Fennel seeds (badishep)
250 gms Cumin Seeds (Jeers)
50 gms Fenugreek Seeds (Methi)
20 gms Jeshtamadh Sticks (Sorry-I am not aware of the english name)
and rest of the procedure is same of frying and making it to powder. While making Kashay the auroma is too gud!!!!
Thanks
hi shilpa,
this is something new..never heard b4.i will defenitly try and let you know…
Hi guys..love your work Shipla …Actually ladies, Kashaay also helps in menstrual cramps when there is Jeshtha madhu , ajwain and mint leaves in it …
Hi Shilpa,
Thanks for this one i love kashaay..I will try to make this one.Also could you put up some fast items (konkani style) or may be they r there but i am not aware.
Even i have misplaced my “Rasachandrika”
Great help!!
Thanks a bunch
Shashwati
Made this today Shilpa and I loved it!
Hi Shilpa!
I was looking for this!
Once upon a hot afternoon, I had landed somewhere between Kadra & Kaiga, haggard, & possibly lost, on a marketing trip to the KPCL’s hospitals.. I found one of the health centres & the Superintendent there brought me back to life with this, they called it Koshaya.
I was a bit suspicious about having a hot drink while I was roasted, but it was smoooooth…
you ppl are godsend…..i loved kashay and it is a very good remedy for common cold. especially for the little ones. My friend (a maharashtrian who had drank it a few times in Sirsi) called me today as her kiddo has a lot of cold. she wanted the recipe…..thanks a ton.
Thank you for the recipe, my mom was making it but was not sure if she had to fry it. When she asked me, i came across your site. Your blog has been added to my favorites 😉 Great going. I have shared this link with my wife who is a non konkani gal to tweak her skills…
hi
i being a konkani have been a fan of ur website, actually both me and my wife. Was wondering if you have posted a recipe for Kadha, a herbal medicine which my mom used to make for sore throats, cold etc…let me know if you have it.
My mother used to prepare kashay in the evening by adding maulinga sheera (a kind of sweet lime and Centre portion of its leef) to kottambari ani jeere ani dood ani goad. Paej in the morning. A typical South Canara Konkani (may be North Canara too) food style.
Thanks for publishing.
Hi Shilpa, Can you please tell me how much wheat flour you added?
Thank you
It is whole wheat, not the flour. You can add about 1 tea spn whole wheat
Thanks for the recipe , could you possibly have one with onions , my mummy used to give us when we had cold .
hi shilpa,
ur recipe is easy n was vry refreshing. my husband loved it. thanks for sharing.
i wanted to know if u had recipe for ‘ellu’ shake (Til shake). i had studies in mangalore n had it only ther.
thanks again.
Since I being a karwari, im familiar with this drink, my grandmother used to give me this, I love kashay, it tastes amazing, thanks a lot for the recipe 🙂
I make it exactly the way you do, Shilpa. Thanks so much! You have a recipe for every thing!!! 🙂 Do Muslims drink anything similar to kashay/ kasaay? Please let me know. I’m supposed to plan a muslim diet and trying to find something similar to kasaay for a patient.
Sorry, no idea
Hi Shilpa I was searching for the kashaay recipe and I found it. Thank you so much
Thanks so much for the recipe! Reminded me of the days when my Pachis in Sirsi/siddapur made this! Have a question for you- if I add wheat, is it whole wheat or cracked wheat? Also, what is the quantity I should add? TIA! I already made without wheat and enjoying it right now as I type!
A handful of whole wheat. I too make it without wheat these days as I usually don’t have it in my pantry
Hi ! Thanks for the info and recipe! Greatly appreciated! I tried it once at my friends place. She had probably added along with your ingredients jeshta madh and she’s in to it. I felt it tasted a bit like Kashmir kahwa. I have also heard that saraswats migrated from banks of saraswati river and settled in the konkani coasts. So my question is if there is any relation between kashay and kahwa? What r the origins of kashay?
Sorry, I don’t know
Hi! Thanks for the badishepe kashayaay recipe. I was told in Shirali that whole green moong and black pepper corn are also to be added for thickness.
Is that so? If yes, in what proportion? Thanks again.
Thaks a lot for Kashaay recipe !! Although I don’t want to add wheat, what’s the proportion of wheat? It has not been mentioned here