There is a beautiful, delicious “jam” in the Ayurveda tradition which combines rose petals with jaggary, and a bit of cardamom. It is called Gulkand, and has many benefits:

1. Pacifies pitta dosha: Gulkand pacifies excess pitta in the body which can cause heat, and so keeps the body cool. It alleviates heat-related symptoms such as inflammation, rashes, aches, pains and burning sensations.
2. Improves memory & eyesight: It also helps enhance memory power. It is a powerful antioxidant which also helps in improving eyesight over time.
3. Helps digestion: Take one or two teaspoons of gulkand daily also to reduce stomach heat and acidity. It also helps in improving appetite, and enhancing digestion to keep you at ease and free of any irritation in the stomach lining.
4. Excellent skin tonic: Gulkand is great for the skin. It removes toxins from the body and purifies blood, and so prevents various skin problems like blackheads, acne, pimples and rashes.

I love the benefits, but it’s quite sweet for me, so I sometimes make my own variations. This is one I enjoyed recently, using it in three ways:

1. Breakfast topping: Great for morning toast or porridge or toast. Just spoon it on and spread or stir.
2. Soothing Tea: In the recipe below for Rose Rasayana, hold the honey. Mix the Rasayana with two cups boiling hot water. Stir and let sit, at least 5 minutes. Strain. Stir in honey to taste. Sip warm.
   If you are feeling especially overheated or depleted, stir in oat, or coconut, milk for added richness.
3. Facial Masque: Apply in circular motions. The nutmeg should give a very gentle scrub. The honey is anti-bacterial and gently astringent. Leave one for 10-20 minutes, or while relaxing in the bath. Remove with warm water. Generally, skin is considered a pitta organ, so keeping it cool is essential.

After making the Rose Rasayana, I couldn’t stop fussing over it, eventually adding toasted pistachio, shredded coconut and coconut manna, and it was beyond. Shaping them into little balls, they make a great little dessert or small gift. They store best in the fridge for a few days.

Both recipes are below.

ROSE RASAYANA
1 Recipe: 3 Uses

Ingredients
1 cup organic dried or fresh rose petals
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon rose water
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

Wash the roses and gently pat dry. Melt the coconut oil. Remove from heat. Put the roses in a glass jar, or small bowl. Pour the coconut oil over. Grate the nutmeg over the petals and drizzle in honey. Gently turn to coat. Let sit a few hours so the rose infuses the oil.

Enjoy by the spoonful, or spoon it onto your favorite morning porridge or pancakes. You can also spread it on toast – or stir with warm water to make a Rose Petal Tea. Take the leftovers and massage it on your clean skin for a deeply nourishing masque. Why shouldn’t your hard-working skin be nourished as sumptuously?

ROSE RASAYANA TRUFFLES
There are two parts to this one. But it’s easy – make the Rose Rasayana first.
I am writing this from memory, so do play around with the measures to get the right taste and consistency for you.

Ingredients
Rose Rasayana
1 hearty handful pistachios
1 hearty handful shredded coconut, unsweetened
1 -2 tablespoons coconut manna

Spoon the Rose Rasayana into a small mixing bowl.

In a dry skillet, toast the pistachios over medium heat. After a minute, shake the pan to turn the nuts, and add the shredded coconut. As the pistachios or coconut begin to brown, shake the pan and remove from heat. Let this sit a bit, give it another shake or stir, then allow it to cool in the pan. Pour into the bowl with the rose rasayana.

While the pistachos and shredded coconut are toasting, put the coconut manna in a small glass or porcelain bowl, set in a larger bowl filled with boiling hot water. Gently stir to melt and soften.

Add the melty coconut manna to the Rasayana and stir gently. It doesn’t have to fully integrate. It’s nice to actually have varying textures and tastes with each bite.