I think this Newton command would do what you need:
http://www.newtondynamics.com/wiki/index.php5?title=NewtonBodySetOmega

In ODE, have you tried temporarily zeroing the angular speed allowed, or increasing the angular damping
ph_setmaxspeed(entity, var maxLinear, var maxangular );
phent_setdamping ( entity, var linear, var angular );