safflower

Ingredients

heart of safflower, wine vinegar, sour pomegranate water, ground gum arabic

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

The recipe directs the practitioner to take the heart of safflower at the peak of blossoming, adding wine vinegar and sour pomegranate water. The mixture is placed in a vessel with ground gum arabic. The user must remove the yellow water that surfaces daily (p. 314). Once no yellow water remains, the liquid is poured through a paper filter (tight at the bottom, larger on top) and kept for use. Crucially, the final product must not be touched by the sun (p. 315).

Evidence

"As for the heart of the safflower, take an exquisite mature heart of safflower, in the peak of its first blossoming, pour on it one quarter of its amount of wine vinegar and sour pomegranate water—if it is available—prepare a vessel and pour in it some ground gum arabic"

Remarks

The text notes that the sun will 'wash out' the color if it touches the ink (p. 315). The instructions are found in a section discussing the 'Way to extract the water' for ink for paper (p. 316).