Mikhail's Dragons Breath!

 This is a recipe that my son, Mikhail, created to give as holiday gifts this year.   It is an adaptation of a recipe that he drank everyday over the summer while working at a youth camp.  He said the counselors drank it every morning to get their brains fired up. When your kid gets excited about creating a healing tonic...well...I'm not going to stand in his way.  We made this bad boy happen and had some beautiful Mommy-Son time together. There are many variations of Fire Cider out there, and we decided to create our own with an Ayurvedic flare.  This is a soft recipe- meaning the measurements aren't set hard - feel free to add more or less of any ingredients that you truly love....let your intuition guide you.

Mikhail's Dragons Breath

This infusion can be used to increase your digestive fire and will truly warm your insides during the winter months.  It can be added to salad dressings, sprinkle it on steamed veggies or grains.  You can also take a sweetened shot (add honey or agave to your liking) of this as an immune booster or whenever you feel you might be coming down with a cold.  

Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh Ginger Root
1 med Onion chopped
10 cloves Garlic chopped
2-3 Chili Peppers chopped
zest & juice 1 lemon
3 Curry leaves
1 stick Astragalus
1 Tablespoon Turmeric
1/4 tea Cayenne Pepper
1/4 tea Pippali or Black Pepper
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
Honey or Agave to taste


Place all the ingredients into a clean mason jar. Pour Apple Cider Vinegar over the top until everything is submerged. Poke around with a chop stick to remove any air pockets and top off with more vinegar if needed. Vinegar will react to metal canning lids/rings - so cover with parchment paper first or use a plastic top. 

 If you can stand to wait(we usually can't)...put in a cool dark place and allow everything to marry for 3-4 weeks.  (Truthfully...our family doesn't usually want to wait and may scoop some out right away.) 
The traditional way to use this tonic would be to - let it blend/marry, strain out the solids and using the fluids as a tonic adding honey or agave to sweeten it. The remaining solids can be used as a chutney.   We have found that we like to keep everything in the jar and just ladle out the juice along with all those amazing bits and pieces.  

 Health benefits:
Fresh Ginger - clears congestion and improves digestion
Onion - are stimulating(rajasic), it will flush the skin and pores through sweating, and it is grounding.
Garlic - is an antiviral, anti-fungal, antimicrobial, increases sweating and helps in relaxation.
Chili Pepper - digestive, burns toxins, is stimulating (rajasic) and increases prank.
Lemon - alkalizing, decongestant, digestive, and is cooling.
Curry Leaf - is a strong digestive, burns toxins and is a spleen-tonic.
Astragalus - immune booster, adaptogen that protects the mind, body and spirit from stress.
Turmeric - anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral (anti-everything!!), burns toxins, spleen-tonic, and is a powerful cleanser.
Cayenne Pepper - alkalizer, decongestant, digestive, stimulating and increases prana.
Pippali - clears lungs, is a digestive, is a powerful carrier of other herbs and helps to clear toxins from the channels in the body. 
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar - is alkalizing, is a general tonic and helps to clear the liver.


Dosha Reactions:
Vata - will do well with the juice on cooked foods or in a dressing.  The raw ingredients could be thrown into a stir-fry. Balance out the intensity with ghee.

Pitta - will love this but, use with caution! A little will go a long way and could create a burning sensation.  During the cold winter months is the best time for Pitta's to enjoy or if there is a feeling of congestion in head or chest. They should probably not use this during the heat of the summer. 

Kapha - have at it.  This will help to stimulate and burn off all mucus and toxins that Kapha people tend to accumulate. 

Enjoy!
Dragon's Breath Kisses!
Namaste`
Naomi...and Mikhail!