Recipes for Pregnancy & Postpartum from Indian Homes

Surpriya Arun finds that the ingredients modern research recommends to new mothers and pregnant women have always been part of traditional culinary canons across cuisines in India.

A mother’s nourishment is solely responsible for the healthy development of the baby inside her womb, as well as after the birth for as long as the infant is breastfed. There can’t be a more emphatic statement to drive home how important it is to meet the mother’s nutritional requirements. It becomes imperative to use the best of what is available naturally and locally, and at a low cost, so that a quality diet is maintained sustainably.

Over the years, herbs and foods have been used as galactagogues, to maintain and increase milk supply. In the past, supply of breastmilk for newborns was crucial for survival, given the absence of milk substitutes as are available today. Nations, cultures and tribes developed traditions based on local herbs and produce available in their regions, to ensure sufficient milk production for their young.

India, multicultural, with so many diverse regional cuisines, has evolved diets tailored to each region. We are home to a wealth of therapeutic and nutritional ingredients that help the mother through pregnancy and child birth, with necessary micro and macronutrients. Some of the most important components in these foods are flavonoids and phenolic compounds, essential antioxidants, that protect the body against damage by free radicals. These ingredients are incorporated in traditional diets for pregnant and lactating mothers in different ways; as preventives against anaemia, as galactagogues, and for recovery post-delivery.

Turkey berry is an excellent source of nutrients for lactating mothers

The amount of scientific research published  that proves these traditional methods and remedies work, is both compelling and surprising. For example, garlic is a key ingredient recommended for a lactating mother’s diet. Human milk is a rich source of varying chemosensory experiences to an infant. It is well documented that babies enjoy the sulphur volatiles from garlic in breastmilk, and tend to suckle longer, which in turn induces the production of oxytocin, a hormone that boosts milk supply. Another study notes a clear increase in prolactin levels when a nursing mother consumes garlic galactagogues. It is no wonder then, that in Tamil Nadu, garlic pods are slow cooked in cow’s milk, flavoured with saffron and palm sugar and given to a lactating mother as a delicious poondu (garlic) halwa.

In Ayurveda, shatavari is considered a tonic for new mothers. And several studies point to a direct link between the intake of this herb, and increased prolactin levels in nursing mothers. The ubiquitous drumstick tree, or moringa, is revered as a miracle tree and a mother’s best friend. It is a cheap and excellent source of plant protein, Vitamins A and C, potassium and calcium, apart from being able to boost breast milk production. It is quick and easy to incorporate into a meal, by the addition of moringa leaves into everyday dishes, or making a quick smoothie with dried moringa leaf powder. In Kerala, a watery soup called murunga ila curry, with moringa leaves, coconut, garlic and few spices, is a delicacy prepared for new mothers.

In Ghana, anaemia is treated (and reversed) by using Solanum torvum or turkey berry fruits. This fruit, which is readily available in the region, contains most vitamins and minerals required during pregnancy, and after. Interestingly, it is also commonly used in south India. It can be used as is, or sun-dried to prolong shelf-life. These dried fruits are called sundakkai in Tamil. A kitchen pantry staple, it is fried and added into sambars, or added as an ingredient in the dry chutney powder, angaya podi, which is mixed with hot ghee rice and served to pregnant and lactating mothers. Another iron-rich ingredient is the garden cress seed, or aliv, as it is known in Maharashtra. It is made into lip-smacking alivche laddoos for new mothers.

When speaking of indigenous galactagogues, exudate from the wood axle tree (Anogeissus latifolia) deserves a mention. Popular in north India as gond, it has surprising benefits for nursing mothers. Gond is soaked in water and made into a drink called raab, or cooked to make delicious ladoos. Across India, fenugreek seeds and leaves are a must-have for new mothers. From Gujarati methi theplas, to Malayali uluva lehiyam, or Maharashtrian methichi kheer, each community has its own delicious recipes using these powerful ingredients.

Indian regional dishes that are specifically prepared for mothers are replete with calcium, iron, folic acid, B complex vitamins and protein, using locally available produce. The Konkanis of Karnataka cook Malabar spinach several times a week for pregnant women, as a rich source of iron. Dill leaves are also used widely in Karnataka in the form of rasam, or added into roti or rice, as a dish called sabsige soppu bhaat. Dill leaves, besides being a lactation aid, also works to ease colic in newborns.

In India, most often, the best foods for pregnant women and lactating mothers are found in their own kitchens. There is a huge and varied culinary canon of recipes designed to nourish the new mother and her baby, across communities and cuisines in the country. Documenting these recipes from our mothers and grandmothers is key to preserving this knowledge, that has remained largely as undocumented oral tradition. It is also key to ensuring the next generation gets a healthy and nutritious start to life.

Konkani Malabar spinach curry (Vaali Ambat)

Ingredients
¼ cup split pigeon peas
1 bunch Malabar spinach
1 small onion
4 large cloves of garlic
½ cup freshly grated coconut
5 dried red chillies
1 tbsp coriander seeds
½ tsp tamarind paste
¼ tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp oil

Method
Pressure cook the split pigeon peas in one cup water.
Add a few drops of oil in a pan and roast coriander seeds and dry chillies till slightly dark and chillies turn crisp.
Grind grated coconut, turmeric, tamarind, roasted chillies and coriander seeds to a slightly coarse paste.
In a large pot, add the cooked dal, chopped Malabar spinach and onions. Mix and cook it covered. Add water if required.
Add the coconut paste and salt to the pot when the spinach is about half cooked. Cook it covered till the desired consistency is obtained.
Sauté the crushed garlic in the oil and temper the dish.

Supriya Arun is a holistic wellness consultant and recently co-authored the book, Traditional Recipes for Pregnancy and Motherhood. You can follow her on Instagram here.

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