On June 21st, in addition to the beginning of summer, there is another anniversary to mark on the calendar, International yoga day. For this occasion we have decided to dedicate our post today to Mukhwas, a mix of digestive and purifying spices useful at the end of a meal according to Ayurveda.

What often links spices to the practice of yoga is the Ayurvedic tradition, think for example of the golden milk, based on turmeric, used by yogis to preserve the well-being of the joints (those who don't know it can take a peek at our old post dedicated to Golden milk.

The case of Mukhwas is different and is part of a broader discussion linked to daily well-being, and in particular good digestion.

What is Indian Mukhwas and how is it prepared?

As mentioned, it is a mixture of spices to be consumed at the end of a meal, with a pleasant and aromatic flavour, which is gradually becoming popular also in European restaurants.

In the Mukhwas recipe we find:

• 4 tablespoons of star anise
• 4 tablespoons of black cumin
• 6 tablespoons of grated coconut
• 3 brown sugar

This is the simplest version but there is also a version with a wider variety of seeds like the recipe proposed by the chef Sanjeev Kapoor (you will find lots of interesting recipes, videos and articles on his website) with:

• fennel seeds
• white sesame seeds
• coriander seeds
• linseeds
• Carum ajowan seeds
• spoon dill seeds
• cup of shredded desiccated coconut
• raw sugar/sugar crystals
• ginger powder
• licorice powder
• powdered cinnamon
• powdered cloves

Curiosity
The name of this particular meal originates from the union of the words "mukh" and "vas" which respectively mean face and sweet smell, probably referring to the pleasant aftertaste and the sensation of freshness that the Mukhwas leaves on the palate.

For those interested in more information on the international yoga day, we recommend the Festiva website scheduled at Milan and the Italian Hindu Union.