It didn't take long to decide we needed to make Chicken Tikka Masala, with pilaf. It's on the plan board...
Indian cooking often uses rose water. So of course we had to make some, from scratch. Rose thorns, ya know...
It's amazingly simple. First you find some really aromatic roses - old fashioned roses are wonderful. You only use the petals. Other items: tall kettle with domed lid, a half brick, a bowl, and some water and ice cubes.
Put the brick in the bottom of the kettle, pile in the rose petals to the top of the brick. Pour in water to about 1/2 inch from top of brick...
then put the bowl on the brick. Put the lid on the pot, inverted to form a bowl shape, with the handle over the center of the bowl.
Put cold water and ice cubes on the lid, bring the pot to a boil, and reduce to simmer. You have now effectively constructed a condensation chamber. The steam from the simmering rose petals, carrying the oil essence, hits the cold lid, condenses to rose-laden droplets which run off the handle and drip into the bowl.
In about an hour, the process has extracted the rose essence and you have a bowl of rose-flavored water.
I know, looks like a bowl of water. It's what you DO with that lovely water, that is special. Anything from desserts to cosmetics.Another flavor we both love about Indian cooking is Garam masala - that's another process. And another story.
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