Here my classic recipe:
- smoke 10g of Syrian rue in a pan with a bit of oil
- boile gently for 30min in 500ml
- let it sit in a jar
- filter
- reduce to a drinkable amount
I would like to know if I can improve my recipe to make it stronger. For example, it is better to crush it? I read one day it doesn't change anything.
And also could it be better to froze it before?
(I precise that 10g is a BIG dose, not for everyone, I need unusual big dose)
Thanks!
Why the oil? People have generally used a dry, preferably cast iron pan for toasting their seeds whenever I've encountered it.
Crushing - but
not grinding - the seeds with a rolling pin before or after toasting may improve yields, as would multiple shorter boils with fresh water each time. For example, I generally boil whole seeds in at least three changes of water - and I've had a surprise trip from boiling up a combined week's worth pile of seeds for a
fifth time, them having been boiled as individual dose four times already.
The seed coat holds on to some amount of alkaloids quite tenaciously in the whole seeds, so crushing will help free that up. By brewing in 4×125mL water ten minutes apiece, you'll extract more alkaloids and largely sidestep the need for reduction (and the broadly pointless steeping in a jar).
My lazy brewing method is to powder (yes, grind) the raw seeds (~5 - 7g*) finely in a rotary-blade coffee mill, then put them in a tea bag with a scoop of vitamin C powder. Brew like tea with boiling water, add a tiny smear of lemon oil to improve the flavour and drink
hot. It still tastes like a dog bathed in it but it's very effective.
*(Higher figure for a quick single brew, alkaloids not completely recovered, brew a couple more times for another dose, or use to supplement first dose.)
Toasting the seeds reduces the potency quite significantly, and converts (or can convert) much of the harmaline to harmine. The flavour is better than a raw seed brew by some degree which depends on how long you toast them for - as does the potency loss.
Whether one likes harmaline or not is a matter of personal preference. I think it's pretty cool, but not really suitable for use in public.