Immunity15 min
Pippali Kshirpak: Long Pepper Boiled in Milk
A classical preparation of one or two pippali boiled in milk and water, taken on cold winter evenings for a few days, with medical advice.
Important: this remedy is only a supportive home measure. Keep taking any medicine your doctor has prescribed, monitor your readings, and consult your doctor before adding anything new.
Pippali in everyday Indian homes
Pippali (long pepper) is a slender, catkin-like pepper that is sharper than black pepper. With dry ginger and black pepper it forms trikatu, Ayurveda's classic warming trio.
Kshirpak means a herb boiled in milk until the water evaporates. Pippali kshirpak is described in Ayurveda for chest congestion and winter weakness. It is warming and strong, so keep it short.
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 pippali
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup water
How to prepare
- Crush pippali and boil in milk and water until only about half a cup remains.
- Strain.
How to use
- Sip warm in the evening for three to five days in winter.
Helpful habits
- Buy whole pippali and grind a little at a time.
Precautions
- Not with acidity, ulcers or in pregnancy.
- Very heating; avoid with acidity, ulcers, pregnancy and in children.
- Stop if you notice itching, rash, stomach upset or any other discomfort.
Frequently asked questions
Why boil until the water evaporates?
- It concentrates the herb into the milk, the classical kshirpak method.
Can I add turmeric?
- Yes, a pinch is a common addition.
How much pippali is a pinch?
- Less than a quarter teaspoon of powder.
