Horsegram Soup Traditional Rasam Recipe For Oily Skin

By Dr MS Krishnamurthy MD(Ayu), PhD
Oiliness of the face or body is a common complaint in few young adults. People try hard to overcome this by using creams and soaps. Excess oiliness of skin is because of the underlying conditions of several tissues including rasa (lymph/sera), rakta (blood), mamsa(musculature) and medas (adipose tissues). 

Ayurveda prescribes utsadana (massage with fine powder) to relieve excess oiliness. It is helpful to some extent.
Decrease in intake of fried foods and fats decreases the oiliness of skin. Here I am explaining a simple and effective recipe which I usually recommend to my clients to treat oily skin.

This preparation can be taken as it is like a soup or can be served along with food, cooked rice or breakfast.

Horsegram (kulthi) is the main ingredient in this recipe. It possesses dryness (rooksha guna) and hence it acts as a master herb in this recipe.

Ingredients

50 gram of Horse gram/ its powder,
1 garlic clove
water – 500 ml
jaggery (5 gram),
tamarind – 1 teaspoon
salt – based on taste
cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
turmeric powder – half teaspoon
curry leaves  – 1 -2 teaspoon

Utensils required:
Vessels of different size,
fire source like gas or electric stove,
spatula etc

Method of preparation

Method of preparation of Soup/traditional rasam
Horsegram or its powder is soaked in water for 1-2 hours.This is taken in a vessel containing the water and cooked well.
On proper cooking, a teaspoon of tamarind is added and cooking is continued.
Further, jaggery and salt are added and dissolved.
Later, garlic (fried with ghee or oil), turmeric powder and fried cumin seeds are added and cooking is continued.
On proper cooking, curry leaves are added or seasoning is carried out (tadka)

This is filtered and used for drinking or used as a starter during lunch hours.(Like the Rasam/Soup. It can be used along with meals or food)

Benefits

Carminative, digestive
anti flatulant,
taste enhancer, useful in anorexia
relieves excess skin oiliness.

Caution:This is not advisable to the individual;s who are having acute gastritis, peptic ulcer, ulcerative colitis.

Special effect:
In case of cough,cold,asthama,rhinitis/running nose etc it contributes significantly in a positive way.
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