Food With Curative Powers

[Busboy]

The whole family is or has been sick in the last few days. Last night I came home to find my wife rendering schmaltz so she could make some motzo ball soup, which reportedly gave her a reasonable boost.

If I get any worse, I'll be calling Heritage of India for something spicy, and washing it back with a half-bottle of burly red wine. Apparently the spices kind of go mano-a-mano with the germs, so the more the better; the aroma clears out the nasal passages and cures (once the spices wear off) a runny nose; and the red wine strengthens the red corpussles bringing strength and vitality.

This is, of course, complete bullshit. Nonetheless, Indian food and red wine almost always seems to beat back all but the worst colds. I don't know why, but I swear by it.

Grilled sirloin and black bean chili, from the Mansion on Turtle Creek Cookbook, works through a mechanism similar to Indian food. The red meat is especially beneficial for those colds that are more malaise and low-grade fever than any other symptoms, as it enhances the sanguinary humour and causes the pleasure centers of the brain to shake off winter blahs and get back to work. It also once sent my wife into labor, and is therefore not to be taken lightly.

What works for you? With cold and flue season here, early and hard, I'm curious to see what food and drink you turn to when Nyquil is not enough.

[Anna N]

Scotch - hold the water.

[Kim WB]

pork roll and cheese for hangovers.

hot and sour soup for colds

ginger ale and ritz crackers for fevers

[tryska]

you wanna know what kicks the ass of anything congestive?

my mom's version of rasam:

black peppercorns

crushed red pepper

turmeric

fenugreek seed (methi)

cumin

about 6 cloves garlic

and a smidge of asofoetida

crush with a mortar and pestle (if you don't have that - i have put it all in a ziploc and mashed it with a hammer before)

saute in oil til spices are fragrant then pour in water, a spoonful of tamarind concentrate, and a chopped tomato. add some more fresh cilantro. bring to a boil. turn off.

drink like a broth. your nose will run, you'll feel hot and you'll eventually start hawking up gobs of phlegm.

it's good stuff. (incidentally - i believe the garlic and red pepper are what kills off the cooties)

the flavor is similar to hot and sour soup. (well made hot and sour)

as for stomach issues - gatorade, and that's about it - i usually let those run their course.

Edited December 17, 2003 by tryska (log)

[AzRaeL]

bacon cures hunger

interestingly, bacon is cured pig.

[Mabelline]

bacon cures hunger

interestingly, bacon is cured pig.

[GG Mora]

you wanna know what kicks the ass of anything congestive?

my mom's version of rasam:

black peppercorns

crushed red pepper

turmeric

fenugreek seed (methi)

cumin

about 6 cloves garlic

and a smidge of asofoetida

crush with a mortar and pestle (if you don't have that - i have put it all in a ziploc and mashed it with a hammer before)

saute in oil til spices are fragrant then pour in water, a spoonful of tamarind concentrate, and a chopped tomato. add some more fresh cilantro. bring to a boil. turn off.

drink like a broth. your nose will run, you'll feel hot and you'll eventually start hawking up gobs of phlegm.

it's good stuff. (incidentally - i believe the garlic and red pepper are what kills off the cooties)

the flavor is similar to hot and sour soup. (well made hot and sour)

as for stomach issues - gatorade, and that's about it - i usually let those run their course.

Fenugreek is a potent expectorant. I've been able to avoid taking antibiotics for a sinus infection by dosing up on a fenugreek/goldenseal blend. Amazing, the stuff that starts to come out...

Your remedy sounds much more delicious, though. I have all the ingredients in the house and plan on whipping up a batch post-haste, and I'm not even sick.

My best hangover cure is a big, greasy cheeseburger, accompanied by fries, Coke with lots of ice, and DARK sunglasses.

[Pan]

I've had the worst flu of my life during the last 8 days. Usually, I like to eat hot-peppery food with respiratory congestion, but I've also had some bad digestive symptoms with this, so my palliatory substance of choice other than actual medicine has been peppermint tea - a general tonic and stomach relaxant.

[Jensen]

Congee with pork liver

[Busboy]

you wanna know what kicks the ass of anything congestive?

my mom's version of rasam:

black peppercorns

crushed red pepper

turmeric

fenugreek seed (methi)

cumin

about 6 cloves garlic

and a smidge of asofoetida

crush with a mortar and pestle (if you don't have that - i have put it all in a ziploc and mashed it with a hammer before)

saute in oil til spices are fragrant then pour in water, a spoonful of tamarind concentrate, and a chopped tomato.  add some more fresh cilantro.  bring to a boil.  turn off.

drink like a broth.  your nose will run, you'll feel hot and you'll eventually start hawking up gobs of phlegm.

it's good stuff. (incidentally - i believe the garlic and red pepper are what kills off the cooties)

the flavor is similar to hot and sour soup.  (well made hot and sour)

as for stomach issues - gatorade, and that's about it - i usually let those run their course.

Fenugreek is a potent expectorant. I've been able to avoid taking antibiotics for a sinus infection by dosing up on a fenugreek/goldenseal blend. Amazing, the stuff that starts to come out...

Your remedy sounds much more delicious, though. I have all the ingredients in the house and plan on whipping up a batch post-haste, and I'm not even sick.

My best hangover cure is a big, greasy cheeseburger, accompanied by fries, Coke with lots of ice, and DARK sunglasses.

I'm looking over this list and finding that the ingredients are awfully close to what we picked up at the Indian grocery for a yet-to-be consumated homemade Indian feast, and probably echoes the ingredients in my preferred "medication."

Predictable, I guess: mom knows best.

[Mabelline]

Pan, you've got my total sympathy. I had it for over three weeks,nearly went to the hospital, finally had to take a course of steroids. But I had absolutely no appitite. I drank that Yogi toxic tea a lot.

[tryska]

Fenugreek is a potent expectorant. I've been able to avoid taking antibiotics for a sinus infection by dosing up on a fenugreek/goldenseal blend. Amazing, the stuff that starts to come out...

Your remedy sounds much more delicious, though. I have all the ingredients in the house and plan on whipping up a batch post-haste, and I'm not even sick.

My best hangover cure is a big, greasy cheeseburger, accompanied by fries, Coke with lots of ice, and DARK sunglasses.

i was aware of goldenseal - that's one of my favorites for sinusitis (tastes like bitter dirt tho), but i was not aware of fenugreek. i've been studying herbalism on the side for almost 13 years now, and i'm embarassed to say i never have looked up the properties of most of the spices in my cupboard.

i hope you do try my mom's recipe - i think it's very yummy. :) ooh - looking back on the recipe i forgot to add some fresh cilantro to the initial "smashed" spices as well. it just needs to be bruised along with the others, and then some more fresh unbruised added with the water.

Edited December 17, 2003 by tryska (log)

[tryska]

I'm looking over this list and finding that the ingredients are awfully close to what we picked up at the Indian grocery for a yet-to-be consumated homemade Indian feast, and probably echoes the ingredients in my preferred "medication."

Predictable, I guess: mom knows best.

strangely enough, busboy - this was a staple food in our house - when we were on a shoestring budget this soup would become a meal, by being served over rice, and topped with fried bits of stew beef.

but unaldurated and in a mug it became a cold remedy. kind of like chicken broth i guess.

[Mabelline]

Tryska, you seriously need to look into selling the 'patented' formula to a monster health food or medicine concern.

[tryska]

I've had the worst flu of my life during the last 8 days. Usually, I like to eat hot-peppery food with respiratory congestion, but I've also had some bad digestive symptoms with this, so my palliatory substance of choice other than actual medicine has been peppermint tea - a general tonic and stomach relaxant.

don't discount ginger tea, or chewing on some candied ginger as well. it's a great anti-nauseant. plus will give you some "heat"

[tryska]

Tryska, you seriously need to look into selling the 'patented' formula to a monster health food or medicine concern.

*lol* mabelline - it wouldn't hold up. (without preservatives anyway)

besides i believe that goes everything i stand for - i am willing to share the recipe with whomever for free tho!

[Busboy]

I've had the worst flu of my life during the last 8 days. Usually, I like to eat hot-peppery food with respiratory congestion, but I've also had some bad digestive symptoms with this, so my palliatory substance of choice other than actual medicine has been peppermint tea - a general tonic and stomach relaxant.

don't discount ginger tea, or chewing on some candied ginger as well. it's a great anti-nauseant. plus will give you some "heat"

Back when I used to think doing shots of bourbon was a legitimate hobby, ginger ale was our chaser of choice, as it seemed the bast thing for keeping the Jack from travelling back up as rapidly as it had gone down.

[Mabelline]

You misunderstand; or I put it wrong. What I mean is to get it to someone who could manufacture a base or whatever precisely so it gets to more people. But I'm going to copy it off for my people at Good Earth Foods for the bulletin board.

[tryska]

oh mabelline - i see - hmm...there are rasam powder bases out of there, but i think once you start dealing with shelf-life issues and ground spices, you lose some of the curative properties of freshly cracked and bruised everything. unless maybe packets were made of just whole spices, but then you'd still need the tamarind concentrate and fresh garlic and tomato. But by all means - definitely put it out on the bulletin board - it's great stuff. cheap and easy to do even when you are ghastly sick.

one note of advice - be very stingy with the asofoetida - a little dab will do ya, with that stuff.

[Pan]

Pan, you've got my total sympathy. I had it for over three weeks,nearly went to the hospital, finally had to take a course of steroids. But I had absolutely no appitite. I drank that Yogi toxic tea a lot.

Wow, steroids!

I'm on antibiotics (for complications) and hydrocodone syrup. And I'm supposed to be grading papers and final exams. I'll probably try to do a little later today, but my brain's been too addled for the last week. Short stuff like posts to eGullet, OK, but not student papers.

[bloviatrix]

It's been said before but chicken soup works for everything.

Warm Coke is also good for upset stomachs.

[Mabelline]

Tryska- will note about the asafoetida. It does indeed carry a whang to it. I shall make it up for the other uses, too. It sounds good of itself. Pan- it took the steroids to loosen up my lungs. They just keep on getting more congested.

[tryska]

Back when I used to think doing shots of bourbon was a legitimate hobby, ginger ale was our chaser of choice, as it seemed the bast thing for keeping the Jack from travelling back up as rapidly as it had gone down.

*lol*

i use it for the morning after.

[tejon]

my mom's version of rasam:

black peppercorns

crushed red pepper

turmeric

fenugreek seed (methi)

cumin

about 6 cloves garlic

and a smidge of asofoetida

crush with a mortar and pestle (if you don't have that - i have put it all in a ziploc and mashed it with a hammer before)

saute in oil til spices are fragrant then pour in water, a spoonful of tamarind concentrate, and a chopped tomato. add some more fresh cilantro. bring to a boil. turn off.

drink like a broth. your nose will run, you'll feel hot and you'll eventually start hawking up gobs of phlegm.

it's good stuff. (incidentally - i believe the garlic and red pepper are what kills off the cooties)

the flavor is similar to hot and sour soup. (well made hot and sour)

as for stomach issues - gatorade, and that's about it - i usually let those run their course.

I'm going to see if I can stumble to the kitchen and make some of this. I have a bad, bad flu and it sure couldn't hurt. How would it be without the tomato? Or would canned be all right (no running out to the store for me right now).

[tryska]

Tryska- will note about the asafoetida. It does indeed carry a whang to it.

man does it ever - that stuff stinks, but at the same time, if that little smidge isn't whatever calls for it just doesn't seem complete.

i've got a tiny jar of it that i've had for years now, and it's still pull, because i jsut use the powder that winds up on the inside of the lid. granted the only thing i make requiring asafoetida is the rasam, so i'm sure this doesn't apply to other indian cooks.

i'm going to have to research the medicinal properties of that as well. it's a resin, like myrrh, so i'm wondering if it's got beneficial healing properties to it.