The first thing to remember is that when you are dealing with flavors there are quite a few kinds that you could work with; flavored tobaccos, syrups, the concentrated oils used in candy making, etc. Each type of flavoring can require a different styles of preparation however for the most part it is very straightforward. Today however, I'll be talking about the process of making it used dried or powdered fruits.
To begin you will need to select a flavor for your Shisha. Personally, I've always found that Dried ingredients work the best. Sometimes I like to mix the powdered fruit with spices like clove or cinnamon to give the recipe more kick. However just to keep it simple we will stick to the basics and get to mixing flavors later. Once you've picked a good fruit to make your Shisha you can either purchase it as a dry powder or you can purchase the fruit and dehydrate & pummel it yourself.
At this point if the fruit is not powdered already you will need to place it into a mortar or bowl to crush it with a herb grinder. The finer the powder the smoother the flavor will be, making it easier to mix into the Shisha. To get quality Shisha it is best to make a small amount, essentially a couple bowls worth of. If you ever need to remember the proportions you can always return to the pie chart. I like to make mine in the standard amount of approximately 50 grams, which can get you three to five bowls on a Standard Egyptian Bowl. (Each bowl will last for approximately one hour)
Once you have chosen your flavoring you will need to gather the rest of your ingredients. Again, I like to make a standard amount of 50 grams. So, if you are using that standard as a guide, you will want approximately:
- 10 Grams of your Flavoring
- 15 Grams of Loose Tobacco (I like to use American Spirit)
- 12.5 Grams of Honey or Molasses
- 12.5 Grams of Food Grade Glycerin
Finally, you have gathered all of your ingredients, and you're past ready to get on with it. (Sorry if this seems a bit drawn out...) Now, the first step is optional. However, I don't want you to skip past this because of that statement, as it involves washing the tobacco to clear out substances you wouldn't want in your Shisha. Now, one thing that this will do is weaken that smokey flavor that is common in all Hookah, lower the amount of nicotine in your Shisha, and as a result give you less of a buzz. Should you decide not to do this is completely up to you. Personally though, it makes the Shisha more pleasurable in my experience.
Step One (Optional): Boil your tobacco in water to wash it. This is a common method used for many american brands sold on the market today. As you boil the tobacco, it will begin to lose a lot of its natural taste, as well reduce the amount of nicotine. Should you decide to do this, it would be best to boil it from nine to eleven minutes total. Once it is done boiling, strain out the water and allow your tobacco to dry by leaving it spread out and allowing it to air dry. I've been told you can squeeze it dry as well, but I've done this and did not like the result. (wait until dry to proceed to Step Two)
Step Two: Take out your honey or molasses and pour the appropriate amount into a pan, now place the pan on your stove and put the heat on with a low setting. Allow your substance of choice to soften and loosen up, making it easier to work with.
Step Two and a Half: As the honey or molasses is heating up, take out a bowl and place your dry loose tobacco into it, afterwards add in your flavoring, then pour your loosened honey/molasses into the mixture and stir. While the percentages are a good way to measure, never forget that it's not set in stone. Trust your nose and add more flavor if you think that it's necessary. Try to make sure to stir until properly mixed before proceeding to the next step.
Step Three: Take the appropriate amount of food grade glycerin and begin pouring it into your bowl. Again you are going to want to mix until you have a steady consistency. After this, pour your wicked concoction into an air tight container and allow it to marinate overnight. (You Could smoke it Then and There practically but the longer you allow it to marinate, the better the flavor will be)
Step Four: Enjoy
Hopefully, this post wasn't too long winded. If it was, I truly do apologize. Other than that, I hope you enjoyed the information and that it helps you broaden your Hookah experience. Also, never think you could only put one type of flavor in... You can obviously mix and match different flavors or fruits to make your own signature cocktail to truly impress your friends. If you do, be sure to share. I will be adding a recipe list for flavoring the tobacco and even bowl recipes in the near future and I'd love to add some of the recipes you guys have come up with to the blog as well.
