—Pomatum

This recipe comes from the 1880 publication 'The Indian Cookery Book,' compiled in colonial Calcutta for British and Anglo-Indian households. During this period, cookery texts not only taught food preparation but often included recipes for household items, like pomatum, an unguent or scented hair pomade used for styling and conditioning hair and beards. Such recipes reflect the blending of British domestic traditions with Indian ingredients and climatic necessities. The inclusion of grooming products alongside culinary ones illustrates the all-encompassing role the colonial kitchen played in daily life in India's expat communities.

Traditionally, a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or cauldron was used for boiling the suet, and a fine strainer or muslin cloth for washing and clarifying the fat. An earthenware or stoneware bowl (or at least a non-metallic vessel) was used for cooling and stirring the mixture, as these materials helped prevent the flavors from reacting with metals and imparting unwanted tastes. A wooden spoon or spatula was often employed to beat and stir the mix as it set. Some recipes might also use mortar and pestle for blending in oils, especially for even distribution of essential fragrances.