Chyawanprash

Firstly, a very big sorry to all my friends and followers. I know I have not been able to keep it touch with you all and post recipes lately. I am away from my house, spending time with my parents, especially caring for my dad who is not well. He is undergoing treatment now and we hope he gets better soon. 

So while I am in India and it is the season of amla or gooseberries, I thought of learning this delicious, nutritive, and medicinal rich Chyawanprash. My fui/my aunt has been making this since more than 60 years now. We have always eaten and enjoyed this Chyawanprash a lot. But I never questioned her on how she got to learn this traditional recipe. This was the first time I sat besides her asking her so many questions. It was an experience in itself. With an opportunity to sit and learn the traditional recipe, I got an opportunity to spend time with her too. Originally, my aunt learned the basic recipe from her friend who was a HomeScience teacher. That basic chyawanprash consisted of Amlas, and spices. Eventually she learned the goodness of other herbs from her Grandmother, who was master in Ayurveda and practiced ayurveda all her life. She suggested few important ingredients to be added that would be beneficially as well as make Chyawanprash taste better. Indeed, I have never liked any other Chyawanprash be it Dabur or any other brand. This herbal concoction of amla, ghee, sugar, honey, spices, and herbs is said to be rich in medicinal value, improves immunity, and added health benefits. I have been lucky to be born in a family of people believing and practicing Ayurveda since years.

This was an experience. I had never selected amlas before. Since this is almost end of the season, I had to look for good quality ones. My dad suggested I go to Borivali vegetable market early morning since vendors from different states of India come there to sell their products, and I would find good amlas there. This is the yearly product the quality of ingredients do matter in preserving it. I was instructed to select large, green, raw, firm amlas. But, the other difficult criteria was that they should be spotless. That means not a single black spot on them. A tiny sesame seed size single spot was okay, but if possible that should be avoided. It was indeed a task sitting in the wholesale vegetable market checking each amla for perfection. There were few comments from vendors too that I had to hear "मेमसाहब, आपको ढाई साल लगेंगे ढाई किलो अमला चुनने में" ("Maam, it will take you 2.5 years to select 2.5 kg of amlas if you are being so picky) But it was all worth it! The next task was to go to an Ayurveda store to buy all herbs. The vendor there measured and packaged each ingredient separately. I bought spices and powdered them in a mixer grinder to form a fine powder. Everything was ready to begin with making the best product.

Another important quality I learned from my aunt was not to talk while making Chyawanprash. According to her this yearly product which is of great medicinal value has to be prepared with concentration and hygiene. Talking, laughing, coughing can cause this product being contaminated, so quietly sitting besides her and working was important. I managed to take few pictures with my cell phone, but I could never ask her to stop and pose for it. It was indeed a lifetime experience!!

Here is the list of ingredients to make Chyawanprash. This batch makes around 5 kg (we need 2 batches for the entire year) You could make less quantity by dividing all the ingredients into equal ratio. You can find more information about history of Chyawanprash and benefits of each herb by  searching on Google. I do not like to copy-paste information from there. :)

Basic 
अमला Amla/Goose berries (raw, green, large, spotless) 2.5 kg.
चीनी Sugar: 2.5 kg.
देसी घी Pure, desi, cow's Ghee: 1/4 kg.
शहद Honey: 1/4 kg.

Spices
दालचीनी  Cinnamon powder: 25 gm.
लोंग  Clove powder: 25 gm.
काली मिरी Black Pepper powder: 25 gm.
इलाइची Cardamom Powder: 25 gm.
जायफल Nutmeg powder: 25gm.
सोंठ Dry Ginger powder: 25gm.
जावियंत्री Mace powder: 25 gm.
केसर Saffron: 2 gm.

Herbs
मोती पिष्टी  Moti Pishti: 2 gm.
प्रवाल पिष्टी  Prawal Pisti: 10 gm.
वंग भस्म Vang Bhasma: 5gm.
शतावरी Shatawai Powder: 25 gm.
पिपरी मूल Pipari Mool powder: 25 gm.
पिप्पर Pippar: 25gm.

Preparation:

• Select good quality, best, green, firm, spotless, raw amlas.
• Measure all herbs and spices and mix them in a bowl.  Keep aside saffron, moti pishti, prawal pishti, and vang bhasma. These need to be added separately. 

To start:

• Wash amlas well and dry them with a clean kitchen towel.
• Using a fork, prick each amla and put it into a container.
• Keep the container covered into the pressure cooker and cook till you hear 10-12 whistles or 45 minutes. It is important to cover the container containing amla to prevent external water or steam entering inside. The end result should be free from external moisture to keep it preserved for longer period of time.
• Remove seeds from pressure cooked amlas and mash them well using a strainer or a potato masher. Rigid fibers inside the strainer can be discarded.
• Remove the pulp in a large, heavy bottom container.
• Add ghee and roast the mixture for 30 minutes on medium to low heat till it slightly changes color.
• Add Sugar to the mixture and stir on medium to low heat till the mixture thickens. Sugar will melt and the mixture will initially look liquidy. Do not worry.
• Add herbs and spices mixed in a bowl. Do not add saffron, moti pishti, prawal pishti, and vang bhasma. These need to be added separately. 
• Slightly roast saffron in a small bowl on low heat for 30 seconds. Powder it with a back of the sppon and add it to the cooking mixture. Mix well.
• Gently open Vang bhasma packet and add it to the mixture. Mix well.
• Gently open Moti Pishti packet and add it to the mixture. Mix well.
• Gently open Prawal Pishti packet and add it to the mixture. Mix well.
• Continue mixing for another 8-10 minutes. Remember the mixture will thicken after cooling.
• Turn off the heat. Keep the mixture aside on a cool place.
• Cover it with a clean, thin piece of cloth or duppata (scarf). This is to avoid any external object or bugs from falling into this preciously made Chyawanprash.
• Let the mixture cool overnight.
• Mix in honey.
• Transfer fresh chyawanprash into clean dry (sun dried or oven dried) glass jar or bottle. Always use small jar for regular use so that the entire product is not in contact with air on regular basis. Well cooked chyawanprash with good quality ingredients can be stored on a cool, clean surface for a year. It need not be refrigerated. 
• Enjoy a spoonful of Chyawanprash with a glass of warm milk. That is how I like it. In Ayurveda, Milk is a cooling agent and most of the herbs and said to be consumed with milk for added benefits.

Here are raw, firm, green amla/gooseberries.

I had to select each one and pick the best spotless ones. Picking each one till I found 2.5 kg was a task, but definitely worth it.

Fresh spice powders (most of these ground at home. You could buy ready made ones too.

Powdered herbs bought from Ayurveda shop.
These can also be found online.

Measuring each spice and herb to get perfect measurement. Do not worry, I did not measure it with the steel bowl :)

Mix all dry spices together.

Add Shatawari, Pipari Mool, and Pippar powder to dry spices.

Prawal Pishti, Moti Pisti, Wang Bhasma are to be added separately.

Wash them well and dry with a clean kitchen towel.
Using a fork, prick each amla and put it into a container.
Keep the container covered into the pressure cooker and cook till you here 10-12 whistles or 45 minutes. It is important to cover the container containing amla to prevent external water or steam entering inside. The end result should be free from external moisture to keep it preserved for longer period of time.

Removed seeds from pressure cooked amlas and mash them well using a strainer or a potato masher. rigid fibers inside the strainer can be discarded.

Remove the pulp in a large, heavy bottom container.
Add ghee and roast the mixture for 30 minutes on medium to low heat till it slightly changes color.
Add Sugar to the mixture and stir on medium to low heat till the mixture thickens. Sugar will melt and the mixture will initially look liquidy. Do not worry.

Add herbs and spices mixed in a bowl. Do not add saffron, moti pishti, prawal pishti, and vang bhasma. These need to be added separately.

Slightly roast saffron in a small bowl on low heat for 30 seconds. Powder it with a back of the sppon and add it to the cooking mixture. Mix well.

Gently open Vang bhasma packet and add it to the mixture. Mix well.
Gently open Moti Pishti packet and add it to the mixture. Mix well.
Gently open Prawal Pishti packet and add it to the mixture. Mix well.
Continue mixing for another 8-10 minutes. Remember the mixture will thicken after cooling.
Turn off the heat. Keep the mixture aside on a cool place.

Cover it with a clean, thin piece of cloth or duppata (scarf). This is to avoid any external object or bugs from falling into this preciously made Chyawanprash.

Mix in honey after the mixture cools completely.

Store in a clean dry glass jar or bottle.

Enjoy with a glass of warm Milk!!