Deepavali Legiyam

Ingredients:
Peppercorn - 2 tsps
Cumin seeds Jeera - 2 1/2 tsps
Coriander seeds - 2 1/2 tsps
Bishop weed seeds/Ajwain - 25 grms/3tbsps
Dry or fresh ginger - 30 gm
Cardamom - 1gm/2 to 3
Nutmeg or jaadhikkai - ½ piece
Ghee or clarified butter - 100gms
KandaThipli (Desavaram Pipala mool) - 10 to 12 sticks
Crumbled Jaggery (equal to the amount of ground paste) - 50 grms

Method:
1. Smash all the dry and medicinal ingredients in a mortar and pestle.
2. Pour some water and soak them for about 10 - 15 minutes
3. Grind into a soft paste in a blender.
4. Add 1/2 cup water and thoroughly mix up the paste and place in a heavy bottomed wok or vessel
5. Cook it on a slow flame, stirring it all the time with a flat ladle so that no lumps are formed.
6. When the water is nearly evaporated add the crumbled jaggery and stir it in.
7. Add spoonfuls of ghee and keep stirring.
8. When the lehiyam comes together in a ball and the ghee is separated from it, turn off the heat.
9. Stir in the honey and store in an airtight container.
10. Take one spoon of lehiyam on Deepavali after taking bath and before you eat anything else.

PS: This lehiyam can also be made using readymade powders that are available in many local medicine shops. Mix the powder with two times the water and cook in a heavy bottom vessel. Add jaggery and ghee until the lehiyam comes together and the ghee is separated.