Beetroot palya (sabzi)

Anything with beetroot in it, makes the item delicious, but my personal favorite is this simple palya. For nursing moms, this is a great source of iron too.

Ingredients:
Beetroot-----------2 medium sized

Ghee----1tsp (clarified butter )

Cummin- seeds ------------1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds-------1/4 tsp

Aniseed (sonfh)----1/4 tsp

Mustard- seeds ----------1/4 tsp

Turmeric-powder-------1/4 tsp

Red chillies-------2 whole

Salt to taste

Method:
1.Dice the beetroot and keep aside.
2. Prepare a seasoning of cumin seeds, fenugreek  seeds, aniseed, mustard, turmeric, red chillies in ghee, then add the chopped beetroot and pressure cook
3. Once it cools down add salt and serve with rice or rotis.

The 40 day diet: Ideal meals and suggestions

There are many theories afloat about diets and their effects on milk supply for nursing moms. Some research shows that the nursing mom's diet has no correlation to any discomfort exhibited by the newborn/infant while some research shows otherwise.  However, this blog is for those who would like to follow age-old practices, based on ancient Ayurvedic principles. The list of meals below is a 40 day diet for new moms followed in Karnataka, a state in Southern India for several centuries, containing recipes that are easy and quite flavorful, while being amply nutritious aiding lactation and the nursing mom's recovery.

Lactation diet should be followed for at least 40 days. Here is a guideline for the diet we normally follow:

Options for breakfast:

Rava Ganji ( semolina porridge )

Pongal (rice with moong dal )

Methi dosa ( fenugreek dosa )

Sajigey ( semolina salt/sweet )

Broken wheat - Upittu/Upma.

Pesaritu-(green gram dosa)
Bread and cereal (if none of the above appeals to the new mom)

1 cup of Coffee (with milk)

Sajjige

Pesarittu

Broken Wheat upma

Options for lunch /dinner:

Menasina saru ( pepper rasam/curry )

Hunse saru  (tamarind rasam/curry )

Kattu saru ( toor dal Plain/curry )

Kootu ( mixed vegetables, coconut and peppered toor dal curry )
Sabzis ( refer the list of ideal vegetables below )
These items are best paired with rice and chutney powders  (om, curry leaves, garlic)

Most effective and nutritious vegetables to be used in the sabzis are below with a few sample recipes:

Doodhi (Bottle gourd )

Sopsige soppu ( dill - greens)

Beetroot

Huralikayi ( Green Beans )

Carrot

Hirekayi ( Ridge gourd )

Chappardavarekayi ( Flat beans )

Dill (sopsige soppu) palya (sabzi)

Carrot palya

Beans (hurlikayi) palya

 Important Note :- Avoid gassy and tuberous vegetables like potatoes, brinjal (egg plant), sweet potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, radish, onions, broccoli, etc.

Exceptions: South Indians always end their meals with curd/yogurt with rice ensuring their GI tracts cool down after consuming the spices in the previous curses. Nursing moms, however, should avoid curds/yogurt for the first 10 days, but consume milk with rice instead. From the 11th day, it is advisable to eat freshly set curds as sour curds can cause severe indigestion. If one does obtain curds which arent sour, feel free to consume it as usual.

Options for a late afternoon snack:

Soups
Poppy seed paysa ( sweet porridge ), gond laddoo

Dry coconut pieces can be relished as snacks whenever hungry (raw groundnuts also serve as tasty sides) which aid lactation. More explanation about their content and method of ingestion is provided in the "A typical daily dietary routine for a new mom" post.

Gond Laddoo

Fruits:
Nursing moms require a healthy serving of fruits too. Though there are no hard and fast restrictions on these, some of the most beneficial ones are

Apple

Pear

Plum

Figs

Sweet orange

Pineapple

Apricots

Pomegranate

Note :- Try and avoid bananas, papayas as they can cause vatha/gas in the body

Ayurvedic medicines/leyha:

Morning: the nursing mother should have 5 gms of shunti leyha ( herbal medicine ) followed by 1 cup of milk first thing she wakes up

Post meals (After lunch and dinner): 2 tsp of Dashamoolarishta mixed with 4 tsp of water, gond ladoo, should be taken everyday.

10 days after delivery: Generally in the traditional way – first 10 days(of course this is left to the individuals to follow) ladies used to follow certain rituals like-

Having rava ganji, coffee in the AM

Only tamarind rasam and peper rasam, tur dal/ green gram dal, milk and rice along with boiled vegetables like bottle gourd, dill greens, carrots etc for their meals.

11th day onwards:
Dry rotis/phulkas (begin 10 days after delivery - this is to ensure the mother's digestive system has regulated enough to digest wheat ). So for the first 10 days the above items can be eaten with white/brown rice.

South Indians always end their meals with curd/yogurt with rice ensuring their GI tracts cool down after consuming the spices in the previous curses. Nursing moms, however, should avoid curds/yogurt for the first 10 days, but consume milk with rice instead. From the 11th day, it is advisable to eat freshly set curds as sour curds can cause severe indigestion.

One of the most effective lactating agents in the vegetarian diet is garlic. Nursing moms can be given garlic paysa/porridge 10 days after delivery. My daughter saw a surge in her milk supply after consuming this dish, so she too can attest to its effectiveness! Fenugreek is also considered to be a useful lactating agents and tablets, tinctures, teas are available to mothers who cannot cook with this useful herb.

Pepper rasam ( menasina saru )

This is a staple in our house on cold, winter days, but it also comes with some great lactation benefits. It is a fast and easy recipe to make and can be consumed with rice or as soup.

Ingredients:

Pepper ---- 1 tsp,

Raw rice---1/2 tsp ,

Dry coconut powder---2 tbsp

Milk-----1/2 cup
Ghee-----1tsp 

Salt to taste

Method: 
Roast the above ingredients (pepper, rice, coconut powder ) and powder in the mixer, add to water (1/4 cup ) and boil for few minutes , then add salt and milk .

Prepare a seasoning with ghee and cumin seeds and then pour it over the mixture.

Note : you can make the powder in large quantity and bottle it and use 2 tsp everyday to prepare the saru.

Omkal chutney powder (Ajwain )

Let the baby taste the flavors and magic of ajwain with this easy preparation. It not only beats any gas in the mom's digestive system, but is also a great add-on to any rice meal.

Ingredients:

Ajwain-----1/2 cup

Pepper------1/4 cup

Corriander seeds ---1 cup

Dry coconut powder ----1 cup

Aesophatida  ( hing )---1 tsp

Tamarind powder --------1 tb sp

Method :
In a pan roast all the above ingredients separately.

Add little ghee while roasting pepper and then add all the ingredients (except the dry coconut) in the mixer and grind to a fine powder. Then add the dry coconut and grind the mixture yet again. Bottle this powder and use it for many months.

Serving:--To hot rice squeeze little lime, salt and then put this powder and enjoy! This should be the first course while eating to avoid gas.

Bottle gourd (doodhi) sabji

Bottle gourd is one of the miracle vegetables for a lactating mom. It is easy to digest, has a lot of fiber in it and is also a great lactation aid. This palya is very simple to make, takes little time and can be a great dish with rotis or rice and lentils.

The same procedure can be followed to make palyas with all other vegetables described in the 40 day diet post.
Ingredients for one serving: 

Bottle gourd----- 1 cup(chopped)

Ghee -----1 tsp

Jeera (whole cummin)—1/2 tsp

Pepper –2to 3 (crushed)

Cumin powder---1/4 tsp

Coriander powder---1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder----1/4 tsp
Raw groundnuts------8 to 10 (optional )

Salt to taste.

Method :
Dice the bottle and keep aside.
Take a pan, prepare a seasoning of jeera with ghee, add turmeric and then chopped vegetable and raw groundnuts.
 Cook for 10 minutes with 1/2 cup of water. After it softens and the water evaporates, add salt, pepper cumin powder , coriander powder and salt to taste.

Kootu

This is a curry dish which can pass for a nearly perfect meal when eaten with rice or rotis.

KOOTU Ingredients:

Red chillies--- 2

Pepper corn--- 2 to 3

Coriander seeds ---1 tsp

Urad dal ---1/2 tsp

Coconut powder ----2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Tamarind----1/2 tsp paste

Groundnuts----1 tbsp

Ghee--1tsp

Jeera---1/2 tsp

Tur dal---1/2 cup

Turmeric --- ¼ tsp
Curry leaves ---few

Vegetables ---any greens or carrots or beans or mixed vegetables.

Method :
Chop the choice of your vegetable and cook with tur dal and turmeric , keep aside.
Roast red chillies , pepper ,coriander seeds , urad dal , with little ghee and make a paste in the mixie with coconut powder .
Then add this  paste to the cooked vegetable and tur dal .
Cook for 2 miniutes then add tamarind paste, salt and groundnuts to it and  continue cooking  for 5 more minutes.

Finally season with jeera and curry leaves .

Kattu saru

"Yellow saaru" is what it is fondly called by young children, but with a hint of lime and cumin, it is a favorite for all ages! For moms who need to go easy on the spices, this is a great comfort food.

KATTU SARU  (plain dal ) Ingredients:

Tur dal/ green gram --- ½ cup

Turmeric powder –1/4 tsp

Ghee --- 1tsp

Cumin seeds---- ½ tsp

Pepper ----3 to 4

Salt to taste

Garlic pods (optional)---2pods

Curry leaves--- few
Lime juice --- 1tsp

Method:
Pressure cook the dal with turmeric powder  and then prepare a seasoning with ghee, jeera, crushed pepper, garlic pods, curry leaves and  add  this to the cooked dal,
boil for few minutes and then add salt to taste and squeeze lime .

Hunse saaru

This is one which needs no introduction to people who like their foods tangy. Tamarind is rich in many vitamins and for recovering mothers, this is a nutrition packed delight

HUNSE SARU  ( tamarind rasam )

Tamarind paste ---1 tsp

Rasam powder ===1/2 tsp

Jaggery ----1 tsp

Salt to taste,

Curry leaves --- few,

Ghee 1tsp

Cumin seeds –1/2 tsp
Hing (aesophatida )-- a pinch

Method :
Dilute tamarind paste with 1/2 cup of water and boil,
Add rasam powder, salt, jaggery and continue to boil .
Then prepare a seasoning of ghee, cumin seeds, curry leaves and hing and add to it.

Serve with rice.