Spices that Heal Us

A spice is any seed, fruit, root, bark, leaf or any other part of a plant used to give taste and colour to our food. Try to recall the names of three spices that are used for cooking in your home. Write them below and share your answers with your teacher. (a) _____ (b) _____ (c) _____

Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence. Daadi soaked methi seeds overnight and drank the water in the morning to manage _____ and _____.

Circle the spice that is not useful for body pain according to Daadi's letter.

Why did Daadi ask Vikram and Vaibhavi to share the natural cures with their friends?

What was Daadi's final advice to Vikram and Vaibhavi?

How do we know that natural cures are passed from one generation to another?

Why do you think we should know about the healing properties of spices?

You have read the uses of spices in the letter. Complete the following table with the help of your teacher. You may use the words from the box given below. Part of the plant: root/bark/leaves/flower buds/fruit/seeds; Texture: rough/soft/silky; Taste: bitter/sweet/sour/salty/spicy

The words given in Column A are helping verbs. Match the helping verbs in Column A with their functions in Column B. Column A: 1. may, 2. should, 3. can, 4. must, 5. need to, 6. used to. Column B: a. past habit, b. suggestion, c. compulsion, d. advice, e. ability, f. necessity

You will listen to the benefits of Tulsi (Holy Basil), a common herb. As you listen, complete the factsheet given below. THE WONDER HERB - Name: Tulsi; Family: (i) ; First found in: (ii) ; Now found: everywhere in India; Known as: The (iii) of herbs; Can decrease levels of: (iv) and cholesterol; Used to treat disorders of: breathing and (v) ___; Is used to make: mouth wash and (vi) ___; We can have Tulsi leaves by: eating them (vii) ___ or adding them while making (viii) ___

Daadi told Vikram and Vaibhavi about many spices. Choose one spice and introduce yourself as that spice to the class.

Mention the following while speaking: your name, part of the plant, colour, texture, taste, benefits.

Vikram's grandmother shared two natural cures to cure his cough in her earlier letter. It was kept outside and a few drops of rain fell on it. Some of the words got washed away by the rain. Help Vikram complete the natural cures. Use the phrases given in the box below. There are two phrases that you do not need. Phrases: some leaves of basil for cough, amount of honey, the mixture for high fever, a piece of fresh ginger, you can have it, grind to get home remedy. To prepare this home remedy, you just need ginger and honey. First, take _____, grate it and take the juice from it. Take about two teaspoons of this juice and add about two and half teaspoons of honey to it. Mix it properly. Warm ____ slightly on very low heat for a minute. Then ____ about three to four times a day to get relief from cough.

To prepare the second ____ for cough, take about 10 grams of each long pepper, dried ginger and basil leaves. Add four to six small cardamoms and ____ a fine powder. If you take this powder with an equal ____, it will give you relief from cough.

Now, write a short paragraph on Tulsi based on the completed factsheet in 'Let us listen'.

Now that you have read about many spices, can you guess the spices based on the riddles given below? When your tummy felt funny, I was used by your granny. I made you fit and fine, And brought back your smile. Who am I?

I come from under the ground. Thousands of years, I've been around. For cooking you use me daily. From cold I can cure you surely. Who am I?

Fill in the blanks to complete the riddle below. Brownish- ____ in colour, and ____ to taste, I help everyone, to ____ their weight. Who am I? Ans: Fenugreek (methi)

Write another riddle of your own and ask your family members to guess the spice.