Year Four have been exploring uses for our herbs and plants. We've made kawakawa tea and now we're making kawakawa balm. This is a traditional Maori rongoa (medicinal practice).
Kawakawa Balm
Ingredients
2 cups olive oil
2 handfuls of kawakawa leaves
120grams bees wax
Equipment
pot stove top grater sieve wooden spoon
measuring jug
small glass jars with lids
1. Soak the kawakawa leaves in the olive oil for at least 24 hours.
2. Measure your beeswax and grate. We're very lucky to have our own Sunnyhills beeswax
3. Warm the olive oil and kawakawa leaves. Do not boil.
4. Melt the beeswax into the olive oil.
5. Sieve the leaves out.
6. Pour into glass jars. Allow to cool before putting lids on.
Kawakawa stimulates blood supply to underlying tissues, helps aching muscles, relaxes cramps, decreases swelling, has a mild anesthetic effect and is antibacterial. Kawakawa is naturally comforting.
Use kawakawa balm on rashes, cuts, scrapes, dry skin or as a lip balm.
Find out more by watching this episode of Whanau Living:
What is the kawakawa balm good for?
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