Chapter 9: Spices that Heal Us
In a warm letter to her grandchildren, Daadi shares how the spices in our kitchen can help with everyday health troubles, knowledge she learnt from her own grandmother. Read the letter in your Poorvi book, then use these topics to understand it, learn modal verbs, and explore spices by sight, smell and story.
In this chapter you will
- understand Daadi's letter and the spices it describes
- match Hindi and English spice names
- use modal verbs: may, should, can, must, need to, used to
- describe spices and write simple instructions
Topics
- Read: Daadi's Letter NCERT pp. 93–95
Daadi's letter shares how common kitchen spices can help with everyday health troubles.
- Think and Reflect NCERT pp. 95–96
Natural cures pass from one generation to the next, as from Daadi's grandmother to Daadi to the children.
- Grammar: Modal Verbs NCERT pp. 96–97
Modals: may (permission), should (advice), can (ability), must (compulsion), need to (necessity), used to (past habit).
- Listen, Speak and Write NCERT pp. 96–100
Spices come from different plant parts: roots, bark, flower buds, seeds and fruits.
Key words
- Spice
- a plant part used to give taste and colour to food
- Remedy
- a cure or treatment
- Generation
- people born and living around the same time
- Modal verb
- a helping verb like can, should, must
- Consult
- to ask someone for advice
Summary
- Daadi's letter explains how common spices like turmeric, ginger and cardamom can help everyday health.
- Remedies pass between generations; always consult an elder (and a doctor for illness).
- Modals: may, should, can, must, need to, used to, each with its own job.