How To Use Tulsi For Cold & Cough: Tulsi Soup Recipe

Tulsi (holy basil) is worshiped as a sacred plant in India and it has a very prominent place in traditional ayurvedic medicine. In our place we give tulsi kashayam when kids catch a cold and if they really refuse to drink it then we give them tulsi soup. This tulsi soup is the best solution for kids who really make a fuss drinking the traditional kashayam.

This tulsi soup is one of the best home remedies for treating cough and cold and can be made in a matter of minutes if you have toor dal water at home. I think it is all in the name, say it’s a soup and serve it in a nice soup bowl, there is a good chance that they will drink it. But don’t get me wrong, this soup tastes really delicious and is very comforting to drink on a cold winter day.

The soup smells of ghee & pepper with a slight smell of tulsi. Because we don’t grind the leaves there is no bitterness nor the overpowering smell of tulsi. I have used fresh green tulsi leaves for this soup recipe. If you like, you can substitute black tulsi leaves (Krishna Tulsi) in this soup.

But I really like the spiciness of the green tulsi leaves in this soup. Anytime you are unwell, have a cold, just try this soup. It is very easy to prepare. All you need are fresh tulsi leaves and boiled toor dal water (you can save a bit of boiled dal water whenever you make rasam at home) and you have a heart warming soup…..

How To Use Tulsi For Cold & Cough: Tulsi Soup Recipe

METHOD:

1. First pound the cumin seeds and pepper coarsely in a mortar and pestle. Don’t pound it finely, just pound it once and that is enough.

2.Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a pan and add the pounded spices and fry for a minute in a medium flame. Don’t let the spices burn.

3.Add 1 cup (250ml) of  boiled toor dal water and salt. Bring to boil.

4.Once the desired consistency is reached (the soup should neither be too thick, nor too thin), add the fresh tulsi leaves and switch off immediately. Don’t boil, after adding the tulsi leaves.

5.Strain the mixture and serve it hot.

NOTES:

• The tulsi leaves should be fresh.
• Don’t substitute the ghee with oil, the soup will not taste good.
• Increase the amount of pepper, if you really want the soup to be spicy.
• To make toor dal water: boil 1/4 cup toor dal with 1cup water, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and little bit of castor oil in a pressure cooker till the toordal is cooked well. Strain the water and use.