Deepavali Legiyum

Deepavali means lots of goodies for us to munch. Extra ghee, over duty for our tummy's. Sometimes so many sweets is difficult to digest. We might experience flatulence and indigestion. As far as I know, the Tamil Brahmin clan makes this legiyum (consistency like paste) that has a variety of ayurvedic herbs that facilitate digestion during this time.

Our usual practice is, after the oil bath, we have a small ball of this legiyum. It is so tasty and has many good things in it. Your stomach is cleansed....

My mother used to make this at home every deepavali and I wait to have this wonderful concoction. This time I wanted to make it. So got inputs from my grand mother and perima (mothers elder sister) and supervised by my mother in law. Trust me, the procedure seems tedious, but very very simple. The result is so tasty. 

What you need:

1. Kandathippili (long pepper) - 6 - 8 sticks
2. Arisithippili (long pepper) - 5 sticks
3. Pepper - 1 1/2 tbsp
4. Dhaniya - 1 tbsp
5. Jeera - 1 tbsp
6. Dry Ginger - 2 - 4 pieces
7. Ajwain (Omam) - 3 - 4 tbsp
8. Jaggery - 1 1/4 cup
9. Elaichi - 2 nos (optional)
10. Ghee - 10 tbsp

How to go about it:

1. You need to start the previous night. Roast all the ingredients separately in a hot heavy bottom kadai until fragrant.
2. Soak all these together in hot water overnight. Why this is done?? dry ginger, long peppers need to soften. 
3. Next day morning, grind all of these ingredients together with very little water. You should get a paste that looks like in the below picture.

1. Now, in a heavy bottom pan add jaggery with little water and bring it to a  boil. Filter it and keep it aside.
2. In the same pan, add the ground paste and bring it to a single boil and reduce the flame.
3. Add the jaggery syrup and start  stirring. The mixture initially would be  runny. But will gradually thicken.
4. Once, you find it to thicken add ghee spoon by spoon until you get paste like consistency. This would look like chyavanprakash
5. Do not stir anymore, as this will harden the paste and change the taste.
6. Store it in a dry container. You can store this upto 6 months without refrigeration in a cool dry place.

* Soaking the ingredients will help them soften, so you would be able to grind them easily.

* Reduce the pepper according to your taste. 

* Please do not give these to children below 5 years. It is too spicy for them.

Njoy with your loved ones...

Love..

Champa