"Aswagandha & Basil tea "
Ashwagandha – Withania Somnifera. It is considered the king of Indian herbs.Another natural herbal aphrodisiac, an herbal miracle that works mainly on the reproductive and nervous systems as a sexual and an energy tonic with a rejuvenating effect
"South Indian sea food extract “Rasam” made with fresh local Scallops, tiger prawns and rope mussels flavoured with asafoetida."
Asafoetida: It is a well known Indian aphrodisiac (in laboratory studies, it has been compared favorably to sildenafil, known by the brand name Viagra).
I have been busy brewing herbs to create an unique aphrodisiac sampler on Sundays this February. I wish to offer my guests a very different dining experience where they are trying the real herbs rather than just remnants of flavour lost in a variety of other strong ingredients.
In this process I have realised how common and intrinsic aphrodisiacs are in the social fabric of a country that potrays itself to be highly conservative.
Warm Memories
“It is the myriad colours on a bright day, the sultry mid afternoon heat, the mysterious aromas in the evening, the distant noises of laughter and cries” These are the memories that unlock themselves when I think of my adolescence days in India. On retrospection it seems amazing how there is constant struggle between the intrinsic forces of human sexuality and the serious and sombre moral gurus of society trying to cover it up.
Aphrodisiacs in day to day cuisine
Like most other things with Indian culture, aphrodisiac ingredients enjoy a sort of immortality in time. The skills and knowledge of using them is never lost. They just flow incessantly from generation to generations. Indians have a very different approach to food compared to the rest of the world. Most people just enjoy them without asking any questions. Traditional chefs are these strange groups of mystic men who secretly guard their knowledge and keep it to themselves. They have no fear of losing their skills as the rest of the world is not interested to grasp them. Chewing a betel leaf before bed time or serving a glass of milk laced with saffron before the wedding night are examples. There is a strange sense on beauty even in the prohibitions. As a child I spent a lot of time in Orissa, a land with some parts magically lost in time. The temples are covered in highly erotic and beautiful carvings of men and women from the Kama Sutra. Sometimes even in groups!! I have never seen such an energetic celebration of the sexual energy. These temples were built in the pre Islamic periods when people enjoyed sexual freedom in society. These stone sculptures used to baffle my teen age mind. “If sex is sinful and ungodly, then how come the abode of the Gods are covered with sexual impressions”
India has a thousand years of lost culture of beautiful sexy people and incredible exotic aphrodisiacs . We are compiling some amazing recipes with aphrodisiac ingredients on Sundays this February. Lets celebrate!
“It is the myriad colours on a bright day, the sultry mid afternoon heat, the mysterious aromas in the evening, the distant noises of laughter and cries” These are the memories that unlock themselves when I think of my adolescence days in India. On retrospection it seems amazing how there is constant struggle between the intrinsic forces of human sexuality and the serious and sombre moral gurus of society trying to cover it up.
Aphrodisiacs in day to day cuisine
Like most other things with Indian culture, aphrodisiac ingredients enjoy a sort of immortality in time. The skills and knowledge of using them is never lost. They just flow incessantly from generation to generations. Indians have a very different approach to food compared to the rest of the world. Most people just enjoy them without asking any questions. Traditional chefs are these strange groups of mystic men who secretly guard their knowledge and keep it to themselves. They have no fear of losing their skills as the rest of the world is not interested to grasp them. Chewing a betel leaf before bed time or serving a glass of milk laced with saffron before the wedding night are examples. There is a strange sense on beauty even in the prohibitions. As a child I spent a lot of time in Orissa, a land with some parts magically lost in time. The temples are covered in highly erotic and beautiful carvings of men and women from the Kama Sutra. Sometimes even in groups!! I have never seen such an energetic celebration of the sexual energy. These temples were built in the pre Islamic periods when people enjoyed sexual freedom in society. These stone sculptures used to baffle my teen age mind. “If sex is sinful and ungodly, then how come the abode of the Gods are covered with sexual impressions”
India has a thousand years of lost culture of beautiful sexy people and incredible exotic aphrodisiacs . We are compiling some amazing recipes with aphrodisiac ingredients on Sundays this February. Lets celebrate!
