I have an itchy throat and a minor cough for the last 24 hours. Actually since I have been here I get this scratchy itchy throat and cough frequently. This time I wonder if I am starting to get a cold. It's hard to tell since the air is a bit polluted and dusty in this part of Vietnam. I don't have vitamin C pills but I do have lots of tamarind. Earlier I went to the market and bought a bag (equivalent to about 2 cups) of tamarind pulp and seeds. This batch of tamarind looks really good--golden brown. I think it is much better than buying the whole pods. A few days prior I purchased whole pods and when I opened up the skin the insides for most of the pods were still green. I can't make a drink if the inside of a tamarind pod is still green. It needs to be a golden brown color in order for me to render any juice. I used honey that I brought over from the United States. My friend Lynne gave me a large jar of beautiful looking honey produced from her neighbor's yard. Honey is an excellent cough suppressant. Here is a drink to help my symptoms called nước me va mật ong (in Vietnamese) or tamarind and honey drink. Thank you Lynne!!
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delicious honey from London Buzz Apiary (Hampstead, NH) |
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fresh tamarind pulp and seeds |
1 1/2 Tbsp tamarind pulp/seeds (more or less depending on your taste)
1/4 cup hot water plus 1 cup cold water (more depending on your taste)
1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp of honey (more or less depending on your taste)
Ice
Method:
1) Put tamarind and hot water in a glass. Mash the tamarind with the back of the spoon to render out the juice. Either leave the pulp and seeds in or remove from the glass (depending on your preference). I remove and discard these.
2) Add honey and stir to dissolve.
3) Add cold water and ice.
*My cough and itchy throat subsided quite a bit after the drink!
*Adjust the ingredients to your preference.
*I don't recommend giving children under 2 honey; as it "is a known source of bacteria spores that cause botulism." Please check out Infections: Infant Botulism for further information.
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