My mom used to prepare this oil when I was a kid. Later she stopped it as the process is very tedious and time consuming. But recently I thought of making it, as it helps for hair growth and reduces hair loss. Do you think these are the only benefits? Not really. This helps to reduce premature greying. It’s also good for your eyes/vision.
Would like to warn you though that hair growth won’t be as exaggerated as in advertisements 🙂 but it’ll at least do more good than harm.
Ingredients:
Basic
- Coconut Oil : 1 Litre
- Water: 2 Litres
Herbs
- Kayyonni [Eclipta Alba] : 1 bunch [whole plant]
- Kattarvazha [Aloe Vera] : 2 long pieces
- Karuka [Cynodon Dactylon] : 1 bunch [whole plant]
- Nellikka/Amla [Phyllanthus Emblica] : 200g
- Tulsi [Ocimum Tenuiflorum] : 1 bunch [leaves]
- Chemparathi [Hibiscus] : 1 bunch [flowers & leaves]
- Curry leaves [Murraya Koenigii] : 1 bunch [leaves]
- Mailanchi/Henna [Lawsonia]: 1 bunch [leaves]
- Brahmi : 1 bunch
- Kesavardhini : 1 bunch
For Kalkkam (Paste)
- Anjana Kallu
- Nellikka (Dried) : 50 grams
- Thanikka (Dried) : 50 grams
- Kadukka (Dried) : 50 grams (together with the above two, called “Triphala”)
- Eladi : 10g
- Cow’s Milk OR Coconut Milk : 1 cup
Step 1: Extract Juice
First step is extraction of juice from herbs. I usually grind it along with water. You can use not more than 2 lit of water. Take each set and grind by adding water in a mixer. Strain the liquid using a muslin cloth. You can mix some of the ingredients together for grinding. But NOT all. Hibiscus ad Aloe Vera are difficult to handle. If you mix them with others all will be viscous and it is tedious to strain the juice. I do hibiscus and Aloe Vera separately. So overall we will have around 2 litres of juice.
Step 2: Keep a big vessel like uruli or big pan on flame. Add oil and extracted juice from step 1. Let it boil. Once it starts boiling, stir it occasionally. After 1-2 hours switch of the flame and again heat it in the evening for around 30 minutes. 2nd day also continue the same.
Step 3: Third day, grind Kalkkam ingredients (except Anjana Kallu) with milk and add to the oil. After all water is evaporated, dip a wick (or cotton cloth) in the oil and show to fire. If you hear crackling sound (because of water), that means you are not done. Continue boiling. Repeat this process every 10 minutes. At one point, your wick would not make any sound when you dip in the oil and show it to fire. That means you are done. Remove it from fire and take out the oil from top without stirring. There would be lot of residue in it. So tilt the pan or uruli and push all residues to upper side and keep it for few hours so that oil from the residue gradually oozes out. Take out this oil.
Pour the oil in a dried bottle and add anjana kallu pieces into it. This can be stored outside for 2-3 years.
9 Comments
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vinod
June 29, 2015 at 8:57 am
thanks for great recipe sini,
but finding very diff to collect Ingredients…
Krishnapriya
February 23, 2019 at 11:08 am
What is Anjana kallu where is this available ?
Tku ?
Sini
February 27, 2019 at 11:55 am
If you are in Kerala, you get it from “Tharimarunnu” shops where they sell Ayurvedic plants, roots etc. Even in other states I guess there should be places where ingredients to lehyam etc. are sold.
JINNA
October 30, 2015 at 2:56 pm
could u please give an image of kesavardhini or where can i find it.
kumutha sundar
May 31, 2016 at 6:44 pm
mam…i had a confusion that wheather kayyoni and kesavardhini are the same.could you please tell me the scientific name of ” kesavardhini” plant.
santhosh
May 31, 2016 at 7:16 pm
very useful post..thank you mam
Sini
September 21, 2016 at 9:17 am
Thank you Santhosh !
Sethumadhavan
August 9, 2016 at 7:49 pm
Good thing.. But i recommend to Add ANJANA KALLU at the cool down time within the vessel used for preparation called Paathra Paakam as a Mempody for normalizing chemical activities.
Paathra Paakam is applicable for food cooking and all. It gives more finishing for your work. For example, better taste in case of edible..
Govind
June 27, 2017 at 9:31 am
Is Kesavarthini and Bringha are the same? or Are you mentioning any other plant as Kesavarthini? Can you tell me the scientific name or show the image of Kesavarthini plant, It will be useful to know the ingredients of this Hair Oil. Thank you in advance for your reply Mam