Monsoon Kadha with Long and Star Phool

The first thunder of monsoon season is my mother's cue. Out comes the small steel pan, and in go four cloves, one whole star anise, a stick of cinnamon, crushed ginger, and a fistful of tulsi leaves, all simmered low for twenty minutes.

Why whole spices, not powder

She's very particular about this: whole long and star phool, never ground. "Powder loses its punch by the time it reaches the shop shelf," she says. "Whole spices keep their oils locked in till you crush them yourself."

The smell alone clears a blocked nose. The taste — warm, a little sweet from the star anise, sharp from the cloves — is what monsoon evenings are supposed to taste like.

A good kadha doesn't just warm your throat. It warms the whole house.

I've started making it in my own home now, rain or shine. Some habits are worth keeping long after you've left your mother's kitchen.