Every girl invests a sizable amount of money into cosmetics. Most of that money goes into eye care and eye highlighting products. We all know that the first contact with another person happens through the eyes. A beautiful pair of eyes can captivate the audience. Cosmetic companies are well aware of this and bombard the market every year with all kinds of eye products. However, what you use in your eye may have long term repercussions and you may want to rethink that kohl or mascara that you wish to pick up. If you wish to read an NCBI document regarding the issues with store made kohl, you can check this link (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3003848/)
In India, kajal was always made at home. There are several ways to make the black, sooty powder and I have written about the one using Bhringraj herb. Bhringraj or Eclipta prostrata is a much celebrated herb when it comes to health. Known as 'Kehraj' in Assamese and 'Karisalankanni' in Tamil, this herb is used to improve eyesight and to treat severe eye disorders. If you consume bhringraj for 40 days, you can significantly improve your eyesight. (http://www.researchjournal.co.in/online/RKE/RKE%2012(1)/12_39-40.pdf)
Take a few leaves of the Bhringraj and squeeze out the juice. Mop the juice with a clean, pure cotton cloth and roll it into a wick. Use this wick in a clay or bronze lamp and add pure castor oil. Once you light the lamp, collect the soot 3 inches above the flame in a copper or clay plate that has been coated with freshly ground sandalwood paste. Collect the powder in a small silver or copper dibbi and use with castor or sesame oil. Unlike store bought kajal, this kajal can be used while you sleep as well. There is no requirement to remove it when you go to sleep.
There are several variations regarding this process and you can choose the one that suits you best.
a. Substituting Bhringraj with Almonds
b. Substituting Castor oil with sesame or almond oil
c. Adding a small quantity of edible camphor
d. Adding powdered sandalwood to the end product instead of coating the plate
However you make it, please do ensure perfectly hygienic conditions and remember the top 10 commandments when it comes to eye products
1. Make them at home. Over the counter products contain lead
2. Use fresh and organically sourced products
3. Kohl should not be used on babies. They are beautiful without this
4. Ensure the stick that you use is well rounded with no sharp edges
5. Applying with your clean fingers sans nails is the best way
6. Smudgeproof products sold outside contain wax and is not good for your eyes.
7. Take the time to re-apply your kajal instead of buying dubious, all-day products
8. Kajal can be nourishing for your eyes, so take the time to make it yourself
9. Castor oil has cooling properties and hence trumps other oils
10. Your eyes were created beautiful. Sleep well and rest them well.
Growing up in Kodaikanal, a hill-station in the western ghats, I loved using Nasturtiums in my salad. However, as I moved to Mumbai, I realized that I need to find local flowers that are edible and would enhance my food. Every website that I looked at would talk about Dandelions, Pansies, Calendula etc which are not really 'local'. So I decided to make a list that would enable people to quickly ascertain what could be easily available in Mumbai and other cities of India. Here you can find details around 12 flowers from my list.
Roses are used quite commonly in Indian cuisine. It's important to choose the right variety of rose for your cooking needs. You cannot choose some petals off flowers from a bouquet as they aren't fragrant enough and are covered with pesticide. The constant use of pesticide in the country has largely removed the delightful fragrance from the roses. Today, the flowers look and feel like the rose we know, but don't smell the same. Roses feature in wines, jams, Gulkhand, kheer. rose milk, kulfi, sharbat, laddoos and just as rose water as well.
Marigold flowers are ubiquitous in Mumbai. From garlands, to pandals to our tea cups, the yellow/ gold flower is so part of Mumbai's festivities and celebrations. That scene in the movie 'Monsoon wedding' , where the wedding decorators are shown to be eating the petals as they proceed with their work, is a classic snapshot of India. Marigolds can be used in teas, salads, food coloring and in flavoring vinegar
Chrysanthemums or 'mums' as they are fondly called, are a pleasure in the garden as well as in your kitchen. The best place to buy mums are near temples in Mumbai. If you visit the temple zones or near flower markets at around 5pm in the evening, you will be able to pick up a whole bag of these flowers. They keep well in the fridge for over a week and taste great in teas, wines, etc. Chrysanthemum contains a good amount of beta carotene. When steeped in hot water and consumed as tea, it breaks down into Vitamin A. Vitamin A behaves like an antioxidant in many ways, and therefore eliminates oxidative stress and damaged cells in organ systems around the body. Chrysanthemum tea has long been used topically for this reason, as it can clear up skin irritation, redness and chronic conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis. It also helps to generally reduce the signs of aging, as well as wrinkles and blemishes, thanks to the antioxidant content of the flowers. You can even blend some flowers in your favorite cream and use topically.
Neem Flowers are truly a blessing to your liver. It has now been well established that the bitter taste greatly enhances the health of your liver. The neem flower is that right ingredient for that requirement. The veppam poo rasam of south India is very popular and something that you can try, to get your family accustomed to the taste. Other than the delicious rasam, you can use the flowers in salads, raita, tea, flavored rice, pakora and chutney powder.
Hibiscus flowers are beautiful as they are beneficial. I notice that people are hesitant to use the flower in food because of its slimy quality. The mucilaginous feel is not explicit when the hibiscus is used in wines, flavored sharbat and teas. The Dasavala thambuli (Like a raita) of Karnataka is quite delightful. You can steep a couple of flowers in vinegar and then use as a salad dressing. Hibiscus jam is very delectable and the flowers are quite impressive in jellies and lemonade. You can color and flavor your cooking oil with the flowers and yes, the flower power in your hair oil is common knowledge.
Zucchini flowers are not as easily available as the fruit. If you are able to get your hands on a few, do try baking them, stuffing them or just as pakoras. They are delightful.
Agathi flowers on the other hand can be gotten quite easily, specially in Maharashtra. They are available in two colors, red and white, and are used in curries and as bhajjias.
Jasmine flowers are my favorite. The mogra is so fragrant that you have to use in sparingly in food and drink. I find it useful to first take an extract of the flowers before I use them. The Jasmine flower makes a wonderful cocktail. Color some gin with blue shankupushpi flowers , add lime juice and a splash of jasmine extract and the drink tastes delicious and looks wonderful. The flowers can be used in flavored rice, ice cream and also in omelets (Yes!) Jasmine can be used in teas and sharbat as well.
Tulsi flowers can be eaten on their own without any additional garnish. They are used in making fillings for modak and in cool summer beverages. They add value through fragrance, appearance and through their medicinal properties.
Lemon flowers are wonderful in icecream. There is something truly addictive about their fragrance & has been proven to be mood elevators. Lemon flower curd tarts are simply amazing. Of course, we cannot forget their use in lemonade and in sharbat. Try using them in oils, cocktails and salads
Konna flowers (Cassia Fistula) make delicious chutney. They can be pickled easily and look great on your salad. They add value to a payasam and work well as garnish in your lemon rice. They have a wide range of medicinal benefits and are a worthy addition to your pantry. If you can get dry flowers, you can use them in teas, vinegar and in curries
Very few people seem to be comfortable using Papaya flowers. They are slightly bitter in taste and work very well in stir fries. If you enjoy fish, you'll be amazed at how delicious a fish dish can become with the addition of papaya flowers. A wild rice and papaya salad could be a complete meal by itself in terms of nutrition.
Our country has more than 250+ edible flowers that are beautiful, fragrant and highly nutritious. Speak to your vegetable vendor to arrange for at least a few every week.
A little known fact about Taro is that it increases sperm production. Taro contains Arginine and this amino acid helps increase sperm production. A 2018 study also proved that the Taro increased Testosterone levels. These are just to name a few. Read on to see the various benefits of eating this vegetable.
Every part of the Taro plant is edible. It is full of nutrition and tasty. However, as healthy as the Taro may be, it is dangerous when it is raw. The plant is heavy with calcium oxalate, an ingredient associated with Gout and Kidney stones. So ensure that every part of the plant is well cooked before it is served.
The Taro is higher than the common potato in calories, but don't let that dissuade you from using this lovely vegetable. While the taro root is higher in calories than potatoes, it contains about 3 times the dietary fiber. 100 grams of the taro root offers 11 percent of the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance)of dietary fiber, which is beneficial for optimum digestion. Unlike the potato, it has a low glycemic index, which means that it does not cause blood sugar levels to spike after consumption. It ranks in the "low" category, with an index of 18. Potato, on the other hand, ranks "high" with an index of 111. As far as taste is concerned, the taro has a delicious nutty flavor that the entire family will enjoy.
Now for the most important part. What can we do with the plant that is good for the stomach as well as the tongue? I was quite surprised to see the various ways in which people cook the vegetable. Ranging from chutnies, pakoras, dimsums to stir fries, you could safely consume this nutritious vegetable 2-3 times a week without getting bored.
Before we start adding this ingredient to our shopping list, it is important to go through some points that we need to keep in mind.
Taro contains oxalic acid and the acridity of the leaves and corms is known to cause irritation of the skin and mouth. Also the high levels or prolonged consumption of oxalic acid can produce physical side effects. If you cook the taro properly, you can reap the benefits without worrying about side effects.
