Classic Blackgram Porridge

Oil bath, almost a forgotten weekly routine followed by every South Indian family until 3 or 4 decades ago, offers pretty much the same benefits of Ayurvedic massage. Nowadays people prefer to visit Ayurvedic clinic for massaging therapy, and spend a few hours & a few bucks there, but they take oil bath at home only on the day of Deepavali festival every year as a religious ritual.

Earlier my grandfather was so particular that we all should take oil bath every Saturday or Sunday. After taking oil bath early in the morning we were served classic uluntham paruppu kanji (blackgram porridge) for breakfast, and meals with poondu kulambu (garlic curry) for lunch. Afterwards we usually take a good nap and wake up with renewed energy in the evening.

As children we were hostile to the idea of applying tepid sesame oil all over the body, leaving it at that for about half an hour, using herbal bath powders that redden our eyes, and drinking bland milky porridge for breakfast. Later we realized after reaping the benefits of this amazing tradition: oil bath rejuvenates the body & mind and acts as a stress buster, herbal bath powders are the safest cleansers & scrubs, and classic porridge soothes the entire digestive system. Nevertheless we take oil bath as and when required particularly during summer.

Classic south Indian porridge is normally prepared by using blackgram lentils as the main ingredient and also by adding ample pods of garlic & a small piece of dried ginger. This porridge is usually mixed with copious amounts of cow’s milk and served with cane jaggery bar (achchu vellam) and/or curry leaves chutney (kariveppilai thuvaiyal).

For children who refuse to take bland porridge we can make it sweet & creamy by pouring palm jaggery (or cane jaggery) syrup & coconut milk into the porridge and enhance the flavor by adding cardamom powder.

Normally it is recommended to take classic porridge for 3 consecutive days from the day we take oil bath as it is useful to increase the stamina, alleviate mouth ulcers & stomach ulcers, ease the digestion and reduce the excessive body heat. I would like to leisurely sip this porridge after taking oil bath to combat scorching heat waves during summer. Obviously we can take the same porridge even after undergoing Ayurvedic massage therapy.

Now you can check out the recipes for milky blackgram porridge (ulundham paruppu kanji), sweet porridge (karupatti ulundhu kanji) and also for curry leaves chutney (kariveppilai thuvaiyal) posted in the next page.