“It tastes like commitment”, said comic Vir Das in his bit about the iconic chyavanprash in his Netflix Comedy Special ‘Vir Das For India’. And indeed, even after eating it forever, I can’t quite describe the taste of this herbal paste or jam. Is it sweet, is it strong, is it sour? As a child, you ate it because you had no choice. I vividly remember, how my mother fed me a spoonful right after she gave me a bath. But 20 years later, however, I did have a choice...
When Chyawanprash Came Back In Vogue
The covid 19 pandemic brought the entire world to a standstill. The coronavirus was so contagious, that we saw presidents and doctors weeping on our TV sets for their inability to help stop the spread. Countless lives were lost worldwide, millions who couldn’t survive even after making the hospital. When we weren’t the victims, we watched and sighed helplessly. In the initial stages of the pandemic, our only weapon against the virus was our own immunity. To strengthen the same, we fell back on age-old remedies, like turmeric milk, neem-giloy kadha and the Chayavanprash.
We got a jar of the herbal concoction after getting the idea from our neighbours. And just like that, we were five fully-grown adults, eating peculiar-tasting Ayurvedic dietary supplement like diligent kids, this time because we chose to. Also known as chamanprash, chyavanaprasam and chyawanprash, this brown-purplish paste or jam is often made with mixture of amla, berries, sesame, honey, ghee, herbs and spices. The mixture is cooked until it obtains a thick consistency, it is prepared according to Ayurvedic manuals. The exact recipe and quantity of ingredients may vary from brand to brand, but the ingredients remain more or less the same. All these ingredients, if you may have noticed are widely popular for their antioxidants and immunity-boosting powers.
Chyavanprash: An Ancient Ayurvedic Gift
Chyavanprash has been an intrinsic part of India since time immemorial. In several religious scriptures, you would find a mention of the Ashwini Kumar brothers. The twins were royal physicians to the Devas in the Vedic times. They created this herbal concoction for Chyavana rishi at his ashram around present-day Harayana, and thus named it Chayavanprasha. The Charaka Samhita, was the first place, where a formula of Chyavanprasha was documented. Charaka Samhita was the first-ever Ayurvedic manual put together by Charaka, one of world’s first physicians in the first millennium BC.
In addition to having a strong taste, chyavanprasha also has a strong aroma dominated by ghee, cinnamon and cardamom. You can consume it directly or with a glass of warm water. Guess what, you can also try making it at home. That’s right, if you are feeling experimental. Here is a version of Chyavanprasha that can be put together with the use of minimal ingredients and effort.
