It is an Indian tradition to keep bindis/ pottu and the tradition of wearing bindis starts when we are babies itself. But the problem is many babies are allergic to the chemical bindis, that we get in the shops. Especially, If you are using the sticker bindis for them, the chances of the baby getting skin allergy is much higher, due to the gum which is used on the bindis to make it stick on the forehead.
Indian Pottu:
We make a wonderful homemade liquid bindi that can be safely used on babies. It is made with sago/ javarisi/ sabudana. The bindi made with this method is thick and is darkish red in color. Another best thing about this bindi is that, when you want to remove the bindi from the forehead you can easily peel it off. This is really a relief if we are using it on babies, as we don’t have to struggle to wash the bindis off their face. This bindi also stores well for months.
Indian Pottu Making Tips:
To make this bindi, sago is dry roasted in an thick bottomed pan till it turns dark. The key to making this bindi is patiently roasting the sago in a thick bottomed pan in low flame, till it is really dark. Once it turns dark, add water and boil till you get a thick homogenous mixture. I like my bindis to be thick but still liquid enough to use it, like thick honey. Switch off once the desired consistency is reached, let cool and bottle it. Once it cools down, it will thicken even more into a dark paste.
How To Use Pottu:
To use, wash your hands, dry them completely and dip your fingers in the mixture and apply it on the child’s forehead. If it has thickened into a paste, wet your fingers in water and rub it on the paste to get the paste on your hands and then apply it as a bindi. We usually keep a round on the child’s forehead. This bindi is allergy free and can be used for children with very sensitive skin too.
How to Make Indian Pottu at Home for Babies
METHOD:
1. Take sago in a thick bottomed pan and start roasting it.
2. Fry till it in medium flame till the color changes.
3. Continue frying till color changes to dark black color.
4. Now add water and let it boil to a thick syrup.
5. Let the syrup cool and pour it in glass bottles. It will thicken into a thick paste.
NOTES:
- If the sago is not roasted well, it will not dissolve in the water, so try roasting it well till the sago is dark in color.
- The color of the bindi depends on the roasted color of the sago.
- If there are any undissolved sago in the boiled mixture, remove it using a spoon.
- This bindi washes off from our hands very easily too.
- It takes at least half an hour to make this bindi, so please be patient while making this bindi.
- Don’t use non stick pans, it will ruin the pan. Make it in a thick iron kadai or any other thick bottomed pan.
- Store it in glass bottles.
- The consistency is very important, remove it when the bindi is still pourable. If you let it thicken too much it will thicken into a hard paste in the container itself.
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