Cool Cool Paanakam

Summer is near. As the age progress, you become weak especially the hot summer season. It’s not advisable to consume more chilli, sour and salt tastes. To reduce health problems during summer season you can drink a few traditional drinks, made by our ancestors. Many of such traditional drinks are already gone, mainly because they have not been handed over to future generations. In fact, new generation people don’t love such traditional drinks which are healthy too.  through this column I am introducing you to one such healthy traditional drink. It’s called ‘Paanakam’ or ‘Panakam’. To read the mythological story behind Paanakam, click this link.

Paanakam

Paanakam is a healthy drink

In Ayurveda ‘Paanakam’ means ‘something to drink’. ‘Paanam’ means ‘to drink’ and same word is used in Malayalam also. When the health factor is taken to account, sweet and cold drink, with popped rice powder (Malar Podi) added is better. Raisins and coconut water are also good for the preparation. Paanakam can be prepared by heating or without heating. A simple method to make Paanakam is to melt jaggery or sugar candy (kalkandam) in cold water and ingredients like cardamom, cloves, camphor and pepper are powdered and added it. Let us make a few more varieties.

Laajaa Tharpanam

Soak 10 raisins in water overnight. Take 1 kilo watermelon and cut into pieces.  Squeeze the raisins and extract the juice. Add this juice to watermelon pieces and add sufficient sugar candy. Blend all these ingredients together in a mixer. Add 20 gram of powdered popped rice (Malar) and mix well. It cools your body and gives instant energy too. It’s a quick remedy for tiredness.

Shankhupushpa Paanakam (Butterfly pea/Aparajita Paanakam)

 Take 4 butterfly pea flowers and put in a glass of boiled water for 10 minutes. Allow the water to cool completely. Then add 20 milli honey, 10 milli Nannari Sarbath, 10 milli lemon juice and 20 gram pomegranate made into juice. Mix all the ingredients together and drink. This panakam is good for memory and intelligence, and is a good energy drink too.

Aamala ki Paanakam (Gooseberry Paanakam)

Take 250 grams of gooseberry, remove the seeds and make a fine paste. Add 150 milli water and strain it. Add 200 milli jaggery juice to this water. Add dry ginger powder and cardamom powder 3 gram each and honey sufficient for sweetness. Mix it well before you drink. This drink is abundant Vitamin C, antioxidants, Potassium and Calcium. So it is a good energy drink to get rid of tiredness. It improves defense mechanism, body strength and reduce paleness.

Aamraphala Paanakam

Take one green mango and cut into pieces. Take one litre water for this preparation. From that take some water and boil the mango pieces. When it cools completely, blend the mango pieces in the water using hands. Add the remaining cold water to it and also 3 grams of pepper powder, a pinch camper, and sugar candy or jaggery powder for taste. Mix the ingredients well and drink.