Another Mehendi Recipe

Another Mehendi Recipe

I present a general mehendi recipe which can afford many different variations: For one mehndi cone, which can cover two hands fully, I take 1 heaping teaspoonful of mehendi powder in a stainless steel container (although some people suggest a plastic, glass, or ceramic container), add a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, a 1/2 teaspoon of tamarind paste, and as much lemon juice as I need, blending thoroughly. After getting out all of the lumps, I allow the paste to sit overnight, covered tightly (get out all air bubbles).

Next day, I add a half-teaspoon of essential oil (I use both tea tree and eucalyptus) to my henna, and mix thoroughly. Next, I cover the container and allow at least five hours to pass. You'll know that the dye has released when the top part of the henna is brown and brown liquid is seeping out of the paste.

The trick to making the paste is that you have to add the right amount of liquid such that the mehndi is neither too thick nor too thin. Generally, mix a 3:2 proportion of liquid to powder. A way to judge whether you have the right consistency for the paste is to take a spoonful of the mehndi paste, hold it over your container, seeing if the mehndi falls back gently back into the container. If it falls in a bit 'goopily,' the mehndi of the right consistency. Really good henna will fall in "strings."

Having a paste of the correct viscosity for your application method is essential. Stringy and fine mehndi paste will allow you to create fine lines. Make sure that you keep extra liquid and extra mehndi powder to correct for any mistakes. Essentially, making mehndi paste takes practice in trail and error. Whatever you do, always be sure to remove any and all lumps from your henna paste; mixing the paste thoroughly is a crucial step to having a good quality and easy to use paste.