Shimla (Himachal Pradesh): With the entire world on a war footing with the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT), Palampur has prepared Ayurvedic Khichdi to boost the immunity of people.
The institute has developed indigenous technology for commercial production of ready-to-eat Ayurvedic khichdi. This khichdi is easy to digest due to which it is used as Ayurvedic medicine too.
Ingredients such as rice, lentils, amla, fenugreek, mint, turmeric and myrobalan have been used to prepare this khichdi. This khichdi is suitable for people of every age group.
The institute had also prepared this khichdi to eat during the disaster in Kerala, the cyclone in Odisha and for labourers for Himachal Pradesh and other states during the pandemic.
Dr Sanjay Kumar, Director of CSIR-IHBT, said that Khichdi contains everything that should be in a nutritious diet, including carbohydrates, protein and minerals.
"This ready-to-eat khichdi is packed in tin containers, once you open the container you get a readymade khichdi. it is packaged food but no chemical has been used in it and this khichdi can remain at room temperature for almost a year," said Kumar.
Dr Kumar further said that as many as 3 lakh tin cans were sent to the Odisha during the cyclone.
"Amid this coronavirus pandemic, the institute has sent ready-to-eat Ayurvedic khichdi cans to many states and also to the local administration of Himachal Pradesh," he added.
Food expert Neelam Kharwal said that eating Ayurvedic khichdi increases people's immunity.
"It contains nutritious grains as well as minerals and vitamins. It can be prepared and eaten in just five minutes. Ayurvedic khichdi also maintains the balance of Tridosha Vata, Pitta and Kapha of our body," she added.
It is to be noted that that instant Ayurvedic Khichdi is being prepared commercially in other states including Delhi, Punjab and Uttarakhand too.
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