Sutkeri Masala – delicacy for nursing mothers
‘Sutkeri ko Ausedhi’ – ‘Sutkeri Masala’ – is a nourishing and sweet delicacy, for centuries prepared for nursing mothers in the region of the Himalayan foothills.
It is a extremely nourishing goody which is the variation of very popular Nepali sweet called Gundhpak. The word ‘Sutkeri’ means the mother who has just given birth to a child. The word ‘ausedhi’ means a medical preparation made on order. It is a universal dietary supplement served with a meal, to restore the mother’s energy after the birth and stimulate lactation.
Some of the components of Sutkeri Masala are available only in Nepalese and Asian stores:
- arabic edible gum
- herbal mix ‘Battisaa powder’ – containing 32 species of Ayurvedic herbs growing in the Himalayas region,
- herbal mix ‘Ishalan powder’ – a mixture of other herbs of this region, mainly about strengthening effect,
- khuwaa – Nepalese concentrated milk.
The recipe I give in the original: in Southeast Asia, white sugar is commonly used – Asians believe that it is useful for them. We can – according to our preferences – replace it with big amount of honey or molasses.
Main Ingredients
| Ingredients | Amount |
|---|---|
| fenugreek | 1 cup |
| carom seeds | 1/2 cup |
| fennel seeds | 2 cups |
| ghee (clarified butter) or unsalted butter | 3 cups |
| edible gum (Arabic) | 1 1/2 cups |
Ayurwedic Ingredients
| Ingredients | Amount |
|---|---|
| herbal mix 'Battisaa powder' | 1 cup |
| herbal mix 'Jesthalangwadi powder' | 1/2 cup |
| khuwaa (condensed milk) | 8 cups |
Nuts, seeds and dried fruits
| Ingredients | Amount |
|---|---|
| dried dates | 2 1/2 glasses |
| almonds | 2 1/2 glasses |
| shelled walnut | 1 1/2 glasses |
| pistachios | 1 cup |
| cashew nuts | 1 cup |
| pecan nuts | 1 cup |
| coconut | 1 cup |
| raisins | 1 cup |
Other Spices
| Ingredients | Amount |
|---|---|
| green cardamom powder | 15 pieces |
| black cardamom powder | 10 pieces |
| cinnamon powder | 1 spoon |
| grounded cloves | 1 tea spoon |
| grounded nutmeg | 5 pieces |
| pumpkin seeds | 1 cups |
| sugar | 3 1/2 cups |
- In a medium-sized saucepan, mix the fenugreek, ajwan and fennel seeds and as much water to cover it. Reduce the heat when the mixture boils and cover the saucepan. Cook until the spices are tender, no more than 10 minutes.
- Drain the spices, put the water aside, it will be useful in a moment. Spread the seeds on a plate, when they cool ground them in a blender, adding about 100 ml of cooking water. The mixture should have a purre texture.
- Cup of ghee warm in a medium-sized saucepan and add the edible gum. Fry constantly stirring until it swells.
- Drain using a colander and put the gum on the paper.
- In the same pan, containing hot butter, fry the almonds, stirring constantly, until they turn brown. Dry and put on paper. Similarly, fry cashews, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, pieces of coconut, dates and raisins – one by one, until each one is lightly fried. You can not let anybody burn.
- Cover the roasted nuts finely or grind them in a blender – but the best ones will be chopped by hand. Set aside.
- Separately, ground fenugreek seeds, ajwan, fennel.
- Separately grind further spices: seeds taken from cardamom pods – black and green, as well as cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
- Fry a half a glass of ghee on a large pan over medium heat. Add Battisaa Powder and Ishalangwadi Powder herbal blends and mix well.
- Add ground fenugreek, ajwan, fennel and khuwaa milk and cook until the liquids evaporate almost completely.
- Add chopped roasted nuts and mix well.
- Then add ground cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and muskat, and pumpkin seeds and mix well and reduce the fire.
- Continue frying constantly – about 25 minutes – until the mixture thickens yet. Add sugar and continue mixing taking the mass out of the walls, make sure it does not burn in any place.
- Add the edible gum leaving a little to grow and mix. Take off the heat and put it on the plate. Get pumpkin seeds and sautéed gum.
Sutkeri Masala is given 2 tablespoons a meal in the morning and in the evening.
