Jasmine

We at Nahm use Thai jasmine to perfume the water used to make rice. Thai ‘jasmine’ is not the same garden-variety jasmine found in the backyards of North America. That is Arabian jasmine (I think). Thai jasmine has a wonderful smell. We also use it to perfume dessert syrups, and yesterday we extracted coconut cream using jasmine water in order to obtain a perfumed coconut cream for dessert applications. Jasmine water is made by delicately opening each flower and placing it stem-end down into water so that it floats on top. It is then left to infuse overnight. Rice made with jasmine is really good!  You could do this with any fragrant flower on hand, provided it isn’t deadly nightshade or something like that.  Roses work.

all you need is a little patience