"Classic Blackgram Porridge" table of contents
Oil bath is almost a forgotten weekly routine followed by every South Indian family until 3 or 4 decades ago. Surprisingly it offers pretty much the same benefits of Ayurvedic massage. But people nowadays prefer to visit Ayurvedic clinic for massaging therapy, and spend a few hours & a few bucks there. Most of us take oil bath at home only as a religious ritual on the day of Deepavali festival every year.
Oil bath traditions in our family:
Earlier my grandfather was so particular that we all should take oil bath every Saturday or Sunday. After taking oil bath 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 the following only 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 don’t take oil bath regularly but we take oil bath as and when required particularly during summer.
Classic Blackgram Porridge (Ulundhu Kanji):
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.
Generally 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 the scorching heat waves during summer. Needless to say that we can take the same porridge even after undergoing an Ayurvedic massage therapy.
sweet kanji with coconut milk & palm jaggery
Now you can find 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.
Wonderful to know about this traditional dish. Nice to read about it!
Thank you.
Great post megala! These rich traditions have so much thought and knowledge behind them and are so good for us.
Yes, indeed! Thank you so much.
Mmmm coconut milk in this one would certainly make it tasty!
Yes, thanks! ?
Really good for health…… Remembered my granny
Thank you so much. 🙂
Such a good dish, you are talented!
Thank you!
Old school living was so much better! ? My Nani had all these rituals and ways, we miss her wisdom and guidance. I learned but sadly not enough.
Yes, I think this is the case for each one of us, we could not learn enough from them.
Thanks for stopping by.
Awesome post Megala
Thanks!
I learn so much from your post about your culture. Love it! My grandma used to make me drink sardine oil in the morning. I didn’t like it. But I would have taken an oil bath everyday with pleasure. Lol.
Yes, I guess it is really horrible to gobble up sardine oil, nowadays kids are making fuss to swallow this oil available in capsules. 🙂
Thank you so much for your time.
It seems like you are so busy at home! What a story … You are a poet!
Thanks much! 🙂
You are blessed with talented grand parents also you deserve them as you are always passing it to the society. This post gives great feel, our ancestors truly had poetic life. Love this post ?
Thank you so much, dear Subbashini!
Welcome ?
Wow! Traditions are the best, definitely having strong scientific reasons!
Thanks Pooja!
What a beautiful tradition! I am touched that you keep the tradition and take your time doing it. People live in a “fast” life nowadays, and forget how to enjoy a “regular” life. ^^
Yes, well said! 🙂 Thank you so much for reading this post.
After reading the health benefits, I have to try these recipes! You have explained the tradition of the weekly oil bath so well. Today’s youngsters have little time for these leisurely rituals.
So true! I hope this post may motivate someone to try this natural healing process.
Thank you.
Very interesting ☝️…
Thanks! 🙂
Old traditions were all scientific and had amazing healthy benefits. Felt so good to read this post.
Yes, thanks! 🙂
I love when you share insights like this. It’s really interesting! I use to experiment with oats and all sorts for exfoliation.
Oh, thats a good idea! Thank you so much for reading this post.
Healthy & delicious recipe.
Yes, thank you!
What a fascinating story! I just love reading your blog!
Thank you!
Love the way you present your post! Wonderful stories, traditions and recipes! Love them all!??
Thank you!
This is interesting and healthy, thanks for sharing.
Most welcome!
Good afternoon, i never heard of this recipe, but looks not difficult to make?
Yes. thank you so much for taking your time to read this post. I’m sorry for the late reply, I missed to notice this.
Enjoyed reading your post, Megala.. Loved that kooja…
Thank you! Glad you like this white brassware.
Very healthy and I so agree with your words, Megala the olden times our grandparents took care of us was so good. Healing and the oil bath sounds so good. Your preparations are awesome. Thanks for the beautiful share.
Thank you so much!
Welcome Megala.
I did not like the look of that dark porridge until I realised it had jaggery in it! I love how your posts combine food and heritage, tradition and personal stories. Lovely.
Yes, for the same reason kids here don’t like to take this. 🙂
Thanks Tracey for your constant support.
Despite having stayed in India, never got to the chance to taste this one. Amazing post. Shall be trying it soon ?? keep Glittering, love TGA by Misha ????
Thank you so much Misha! 🙂
This is very interesting. So healthy and healing ?
Yes, it really heals! Thank you!
Your oil bath tradition sounds so lovely and healing.
Yes, surely it is. Thanks much.
Love reading about these almost forgotten traditions from our childhood.
Yes, this indeed evokes beautiful memories with people esp. my father associated with this tradition. Thank you.
Love the post Megala!!! What a lovely tradition 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
You are welcome 🙂
Very interesting, Megala, I have enjoyed learning about your customs and traditions. This must have been a thoroughly healthy way to have grown.
Your grandfather must have been an extremely interesting fellow.
Yes, he was. I feel we missed to understand the true value of such traditions from him.
Thanks for reading this post and sharing your views here.
Such an interesting tradition. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Pleasure is all mine. 🙂 Thanks for reading this post.
Beautiful ! These are the traditional gem recipes of our culture…and very eloquently executed Megala !
Thank you so much.
Amazing! Thank you for sharing such valuable traditional recipes and their importance Megala.
You are most welcome. Thanks for reading this post.
Loved this traditional porridge recipe, never had this but seems a good ayurvedic recipe to beat the heat and increase the stamina and immunity
Yes, certainly. Thank you so much.
After how many days you are publishing post?
Actually I am writing in this blog as a hobby, hope you appreciate this. Thank you.
Excellent way to beat the summer heat! Beautifully composed shots as well, Megala!
Glad you liked this post. Thank you.
Interesting post Megala! Oil bath has so many health benefits and healthy diet after that is definitely a great choice!!
Thank you so much for reading this post.
My pleasure always! ?
Sesame oil, herbal bath powders & milky porridge, that’s quite a regimen. Just goes to show that sometimes simple, natural remedies and preventatives can do so much good, maybe more of us should have such traditions! I’d not heard of black gram porridge before so this made for interesting reading, especially about what it’s potentially useful for, like with ulcers, I had no idea. xx
(EN) I lived some of that old traditions in remote villages and I thank you so so much Megala to share here some of them.?
(IT) Ho vissuto alcune di quelle vecchie tradizioni in villaggi sperduti e ti ringrazio tantissimo Megala di condividere qui alcuni di questi ?.
Most welcome! I’m so glad that you liked this post. 🙂
So true Megala. Our ancestors knew how to be healthy and eat healthy !
Yes! Now we need to pass the torch to the next gen.
Thanks Radhika!
I agree!