Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Fell in Love with Roses.... ( part 3)


             



Rose syrup 

In a wide pan put the rose petals and soak in  water. Leave this overnight.

Add sugar to the above mixture and stir over low heat ,till sugar is dissolved. When sugar is dissolved, increase the heat and let it come to a boil and cook till thickened(one thread consistency).Let it cool down,strain through a muslin cloth and store in a clean, airtight bottle.

Rose vinegar
Rose vinegar  can be prepared by sun drying  rose petals in  apple cidar vinegar  or white vinegar. The vinegar can be used for up to 6 months if kept at room temperature.

Internal uses
when diluted with water it makes refreshing drink.
It helps in relief from menstrual pain and PMS.
Clears toxins and heat from the body,helps in menopausal hot flushes etc.

External uses
Toning and energising for dry and normal skin.
Preventing wrinkles.
Clearing skin blemishes and redness.
It can be used in bug bites, sunburn, hair rinse ,in bath water, after shave splash, as room spray etc.
   
Rose tea
It is derived from the fruit of the wild rose hip plant. It is a popular herbal health tea which has a slight tart flavor but is refreshing and delicious to drink.
It contains many essential vitamins like C, D, K and E, as well as organic acids, like citric and malic acids and pectin. Many health benefits of rose tea,  include building a strong immune system, strengthening the digestive system and detoxification of the urinary tracts and kidneys. It has an uplifting effect on the nervous system and can relieve insomnia, depression and fatigue.

How to prepare
Ingredients Rose petals (fresh / dried ),water, sugar to taste. 
wash fresh rose petals in water(use dried rose petals for more intense flavor).
Per 5 ounce teacup, allow 1 tablespoon fresh roses, or 1 teaspoon dried .
Pour boiling water over roses in teapot. Steep 5 minutes for fresh roses, 3 minutes for dried. Strain into cups add sugar as per taste,serve hot .

Rose Powder
Rose petals are  dried to make into powder.
Use this fragrant, astringent powder in body powders, facials,scrubs, milk baths, and soaps. 
A mixture of Rose Petal Powder, Lemon Peel Powder and Multani Mitti Clay and yogurt  will pull oils from the skin and stimulate circulation. Add a little Neem Powder to this recipe for acne prone skin.
Rose Powder can vary in color ranging from dusty rose to beige to dark brown. It does not remain red after the roses are dried. Cold poultices with rose and sandalwood paste are sometimes prescribed to cool any kind of burning.
1-2 teaspoon of rose powder can be soaked in a litre of water for around 1-2  hrs and can be consumed twice daily  in diabetic patients to calm down heat syndrome, as in diabetic patients any sweet preparation from rose is contraindicated .

Rose Honey 
Rose honey is fresh rose petal infused honey .
 Rose flavoured  honey can be prepared by pouring  honey over clean organic rose petals in a clean airtight jar.
After a week filter the honey in another clean airtight jar.

Culinary uses and some easy rose recipes .

Rose is edible as long as it has been  grown organically (without pesticides or chemicals).

Intake of rose helps reducing excess of pitta, the heat element in the body, purifying the blood, increasing the memory power, augmenting digestion, reviving the reproductive tissues, treating menstrual problems, promoting the process of cell-regeneration, checking constipation, tiredness, acne, anemia, and certain other nervous disorders

Adding roses or their petals in a recipe will certainly add another dimension to your cooking. They are delicious when made into syrups that are then drizzled onto your favourite natural yoghurt. To make a punch look a little more spectacular, freeze petals into ice cubs and float them in the punch. Garnish a simple cupcake with a miniature rose and it will be transported into the realm of “exquisite”.  

Rose water, Rose essence and Rose petal jam(gulkand),Rose syrup are widely used for culinary purpose.It’s often used in Gulab jamun, Rasgulla, Falooda, Thandai,Milk shake,Ice cream,Rose Burfi, Rose flavoured  Shrikhand, Jelly, Kulfi
etc.

I would like to mention some easy once which you can try  at home. 


        Sweet Rose Petal Lassi 
        3 parts water
        1 part freshly made yogurt
        2 tsp rose syrup
        ice cubes( as required)


Blend together for a soothing summer drink, or to pacify Pitta all year round.


        Rose Petal Thirst Quencher 
        2 cups milk
        1/4 tsp. fennel seeds
        1 pod cardamom seeds (crushed but not powdered)
        2-3 tablespoon  rose syrup 
        dry fruits as required.


Boil milk with fennel seeds and cardamom for five minutes.Let it cool to room temperature. Mix rose syrup and dry fruits like cashew, pistachios to enhance taste.
If you are feeling the effects of the hot summer sun, have to skip a meal for some reason, or naturally have Pitta predominating, it can be challenging to keep cool. Any time you feel extra thirsty and dry-mouthed, even when you keep drinking water, try this summer thirst quencher.

          Rose Petal Lemonade
          2 cups pink rose petals ( crushed )
          1 and 1/2  cups of sugar.
          2-3 tablespoon lemon juice.
          ¼ tsp cardamom powder.
          ½ cup water.
In a pan add sugar and 1/4th cupwater,heat till sugar is dissolved completely.Now take  the remaining water  make it warm then add crushed rose petals and cardamom powder and mix well . Leave the mixture for 4-5 hours after that strain through fine sieve.Then add sugar syrup and lemon juice mix nicely.Lemonade is ready to serve by adding water and ice. Syrup can be stored in fridge for couple of weeks.

           Rose Petal Milk
           1 cup milk
           1 teaspoon.gulkand / rose syrup
Be sure to boil the milk and let it cool before adding the rose preserve. Boiling the milk makes it more digestible, but if it’s too hot when you add the Preserve, it will destroy the rose’s delicate properties. You can drink this before bed to help balance Sadhaka Pitta and produce a more restful sleep.

          Rose milk shake:
1 glass of milk+ 2 tsp of rose syrup +2 almonds + 2 pistachios+  a pinch of cardamom powder +kesar (few strands).Kesar should be soaked in some warm milk before using.

Blend together  all the ingredients to make  Rose milk shake.






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