Marundhu for the gut, goodies for the palate
Halloween this year has arrived with a welcome tag-along – Deepawali or Diwali, the festival of lights, is here to brighten the dark skies of amaavasya or New Moon. A festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil, Diwali is synonymous with the lighting of lamps, parties, get-togethers, and, of course, scrumptious food, which includes a bevy of delectable sweets and savories. But did you know that in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, it is customary to consume a digestive herbal paste at the break of dawn on Diwali day? It is called Deepawali Marundhu.
While Marundhu is now available to buy at stores, it is made from scratch every Diwali at Arun Subbian’s home. A Chennai-based marketing professional, Subbian is also a food enthusiast and deeply interested in forgotten foods. “Deepavali Marundhu or legiyam, is a traditional herbal paste consumed in Tamil Nadu. This thick paste is made from a blend of spices such as sukku (dried ginger), omam (ajwain) and thippili (long pepper), which is combined with other ingredients like jaggery to enhance its flavor,” says Subbian. Known for its strong, distinctive flavor, a spoonful of marundhu on Deepavali morning acts as a digestive before we indulge in a rich array of sweets and snacks, says Subbian.
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Keeping balance on a day of indulgence
Marundhu is consumed on an empty stomach just after the customary oil bath on Diwali. The preparation of this herbal paste is often associated with the Ayurvedic principle of Agni, which refers to digestion and metabolism, says Subbian. It prepares the body to handle all the fat-rich foods that we will most certainly consume during the festival. “This custom reflects a holistic approach to health, emphasizing balance even during festive indulgence,” he says.
Traditionally, this herbal legiyam is believed to be an elixir for various stomach problems such as indigestion, acidity and acid reflux. It is also known to boost metabolism. Since Diwali marks the onset of winter, it is believed to help build immunity. “While the main ingredients of the paste, like ginger, pepper, and ajwain aid digestion, ghee and cardamom used in the recipe are considered beneficial for balancing the three fundamental energies, or the Tridoshas – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha – of the body. All this promotes and improves digestive health, ” says Surya Narayan Choudhury, Executive Chef at Sterling Yercaud in Tamil Nadu.
Variations enhance flavors
Every household has its own time-honored recipe of marundhu. While some use whole spices, which are roasted and then powdered, others use powders directly for convenience. “While the base ingredient, sukku (dried ginger), omam (ajwain), thippili (long pepper) and jaggery are common, many families add their unique touches. Some practitioners of Ayurveda include additional herbs like yashtimadhu (licorice), chitrak (plumbago zeylanica), and pippali (long pepper root) to enhance its potency,” says the food enthusiast, Arun Subbian.
Another variation comes from the choice of sweeteners. Traditionally, older generations would use karupatti vellam (palm jaggery) and panang kalkandu (palm sugar) instead of regular vellam (sugarcane jaggery)” adds Subbian.
Marundhu
Recipe courtesy Chef Sheetharam Prasaad N, Corporate Executive Chef, GRT Hotels and Resorts
Makes one cup of Marundhu
INGREDIENTS
- Dry ginger (Sukku) – 50 gm
- Black pepper – 1 tsp
- Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp
- Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
- Ajwain (Carom seeds) – 1 tsp
- Cardamom – 4-5 pods
- Long pepper (Thippili) – 1 tsp (optional)
- Jaggery – 1 cup (for sweetness and energy)
- Ghee – 2 tbsp (for richness and to balance heat)
- Honey – 1 tbsp (optional, it helps cool the body)
- Water – 2-3 cups
PREPARATION
Dry Spices
- Dry roast the dry ginger, black pepper, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, ajwain, cardamom, and long pepper (if using) on medium flame in a pan until fragrant. (Note: Roasting on high flame will burn the spices)
- Let it cool. Then grind the roasted ingredients into a fine powder.
Jaggery Syrup
Heat the jaggery with a little water in a saucepan to make a syrup. Once it melts, strain to remove impurities and set aside.
The Legiyam
- Take a thick-bottomed pan, add water and the ground spice mix. Stir well and boil for 5-10 minutes until the water reduces slightly and the spices infuse. Add the jaggery syrup to this mixture and continue to cook on low heat, stirring constantly. (Note: Make sure that the jaggery syrup is not too thick, else the mixture will become too hard and will not come together. Remove from heat while the mixture is slightly runny.)
- Once the mixture thickens into a paste-like consistency, add ghee and mix well.
Finish and store
- Once the legiyam reaches a thick consistency, remove it from the heat.
- Optionally, mix honey.
- Once it cools down, transfer the legiyam into an airtight jar. It can last for several weeks when stored in a cool, dry place