Desi Nuske for New Mothers

Because of the number of new mums and mum-to-be around me, I thought I would put up some of the recipes (or home remedies - desi nuske as we call them) that my family and many people from the subcontinent use around this time..

The most important are the following two and can be adapted to suit taste and preference, but the last one is also very useful. As always, keep in mind your personal dietary needs and quirks (i.e. nut allergies) and avoid if in doubt (or better still ask your doctor).

Saffron Milk.

When I started to go into labour with my first child, my lodger put this on the hob for me. The only problem is keeping it down as it can threaten to come up later in labour. One of my friends tried this before me and just threw it up. I think it did help me as the baby slipped out fairly easily. I forgot to drink this with the second baby and he took much longer. A Trinidadian colleague told me that their equivalent is eating Okra as its slimy and I guess the English version is castor oil (which doctors tend to discourage).

I cup of milk
A teaspoon of saffron – for strength
A good tablespoon of ghee (clarified butter). If this is unavailable then olive oil, but I think this is very hard to get down.
A small handful of nuts (almonds, pistachio, cashew) – for strength

A few dreid dates (3 or 4)

Let the milk cook on low heat for a while (15-20 minutes), then sieve and drink a while before you leave for the hospital

Panjeeri

This is something my mother made for me and every women in Pakistan who can afford it makes or has made for her. Its benefits are supposed to include helping your body heal, helping your milk come in more abundantly, increased strength and stronger bones and joints. One of my great aunts used to make two buckets of this, one for the last months of pregnancy and one for after the birth. She had 16 children and still looked young and fit. I personally would not recommend this before the birth as its ayurvedic property is Heat and it might even induce the birth. Please keep in mind the amounts are approximate and can be changed to suit. The ingredients can be found in an Indian food store

1 cup ghee (clarified butter)
1 cup ground almonds (not too fine)
1 cup ground pistachio (not too fine)
1 cup ground cashew nuts (not too fine) all for strength
½ cup grated coconut if desired
1 tablespoon finely chopped dates if desired
2 tablespoons chopped raisins if desired.
2 cups semolina (suji)
1 large chunk (approx 400 grams) gur/jaggery (raw sugar) ground roughly– for taste and heat
Handful of char magaz (mixture of dried pumpkin, melon and watermelon seeds), ground roughly.
100 grams gaund (edible gum crystals)
1 heaped tablespoon of ground ginger root – for heat (this is a key ingredient, but if you hate the taste you can decrease the amount. Also, the raw sugar can mask it)
3 tablespoons cous-cous (poppy seeds)
50 grams phool makhane (dried lotus seeds) – these are supposed to help the milk kick in and keep it plentiful.
1 teaspoon ground ajwain (carom seeds)
2 tablespoons Kamarkas (Butea Frondosa). The Indian name means “fortifying the back” and that's what it’s for.
1 tablespoon saunf (aniseed) ground
1 teaspoon green cardamom (chotti elaichi) ground

Use the heaviest cooking pot you have and melt the ghee on a low heat. Fry the gaund in the ghee, first over high and then over low heat, till cooked through (i.e. when it has puffed up). Remove and grind. Fry the suji and makhane on a low heat till golden. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to fry until golden. Stir well or use hands to rub the ingredients into each other. The mixture should stick together but can be slightly crumbly. Can be poured into a tray and sliced into small squares (inch squared) or formed into small balls if sticky enough (inch diameter approx) or eaten with a spoon – two spoonfuls is plenty. Too much is not good because the formula is so strong; also if you are breastfeeding and you’re baby gets heat rash, it’s probably too strong for you.

Chicken Soup

1 litre water
1 small chicken pieced
1 onion, peeled and quartered
2-3 cloves of garlic – as much as you like
Small chunk of ginger (peeled) if desired. Salt to taste
2 tablespoons mixed masala – whole not ground. This is a mixture of coriander seeds, bay leaves, black cardamom pods, peppercorn, cloves, cinnamon and available from Indian food stores.

Place all of the ingredients in a pan and bring to boil, then let simmer for further 15-20 minutes. Drain soup.
The chicken is removed and can be eaten as is, cooked in a curry, coated in a tandoori masala and grilled.