Home Remedy (Gharelu Nuskhe) For Cold: How To Use Besan To Relieve Cold And Cough

Winters may be a tough time for people who catch a cold easily. We all know the discomfort of living with a clogged nose, itchy throat and a hoarse voice. Winters invariably bring with them an impending drop in the immunity, making our bodies vulnerable to cold and sore throat. Apart from consuming a healthy diet, using disinfected utensils and clothes, and consuming immunity-boosting foods, we also need to look for quick remedies for cold. When it comes to treating cold, a lot of us rely on granny's secret home remedies, as these worked best for us. One such home remedy, which a number of North Indian households employ to treat cold, running nose and sore throat involves chickpea flour or besan. It's a desi nuskha or an informal prescription for cold that is pretty popular in a number of parts of the northern states of India.

The recipe involves cooking besan or chickpea flour in ghee (clarified butter), with just a little bit of milk, a number of warming spices and jaggery or gur. The resulting dish has a thick halwa-like consistency and is known as 'sudka' or 'besan sheera'. The recipe of besan sheera to fight cold and cough may vary but there are two main ingredients that are uniformly used throughout- besan and ghee. There are a number of benefits of preparing besan ka sheera or sudka during winters. Let's look at some of them.

Benefits Of Consuming Besan Ka Sheera For Cold And Cough

According to Ayurveda expert Dr. Ashutosh Gautam, this recipe works because besan or chickpea flour is rich in antioxidants. Moreover, besan provides the body with the much-needed energy, which tends to get drained when we contract a cold. The turmeric present in the recipe further enhances the action of the sheera on cold, by boosting immunity. The slow roasting of the besan in the ghee, as well as the presence of jaggery or gur also ensures that the body is warmed from inside and it gives our system a boost of energy, while it copes with the flu.

Also Read: Toss Them Away: 6 Foods That Aggravate Cold And Cough In Winters

^{Gharelu Nuskhe For Cold: Besan sheera is used in a number of households}

Here's How To Make Besan Ka Sheera To Remedy Cold and Cough

To make besan ka sheera, you will need chickpea flour, pure cow's ghee, ground peppercorns, turmeric, milk (dairy or non-dairy) and organic jaggery. Heat the ghee in a deep bottomed non-stick pan and put the besan in it. Roast the besan while continuously stirring it, until the colour deepens and it turns a darker shade of yellow. Pour the milk in and keep stirring it in order to avoid lumps. Stir the mixture until it is uniform and then add turmeric, ground peppercorns and other spices.

Also Read: This Secret Home Remedy For Cold Involves Ghee And Is Extremely Effective

Finally, add some crushed jaggery to the mix and keep stirring the mixture for about five more minutes, until the mixture thickens. Switch off the flame and consume the sheera while it is hot to get relief from symptoms of cold and cough. You may even garnish the sheera with some chopped nuts.

It is important to remember that this home remedy shouldn't be mistaken as an alternative of medicines prescribed by your doctor. If you are suffering from a severe cold, this besan sheera will only complement the action of your medicines.