Fresh brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) harvested from backwater beds in Alappuzha is pounded into a paste and cooked, with its own decoction, into cold-pressed Kerala coconut oil over three days by the classical taila paka method, until the water has gone and only the oil and the herb remain. Amla and jatamansi are added in the final cooking.
Brahmi is a keshya herb in classical Ayurveda, traditionally applied to the scalp to support the hair and to cool the head, and it is a standard part of the evening routine for pitta constitutions. Warm a little between the palms, work it into the scalp, leave it for an hour or overnight, and wash out with a mild cleanser.