It might seem counterintuitive to use smoke to add scent to your house, but I encourage you to explore bakhoor (ba-KHOOR), an incense with roots in various Eastern cultures. Bakhoor is a form of incense made from woodchips, with aromatic substances such as resins, essential oils and spices added. Combined, the bakhoor ages in a container for an extended period to cure, allowing all of those aromatics to meld. To activate, bakhoor is burned on a piece of charcoal, or for the fancier people, an electric incense burner.
Mulki Ali, co-owner of Udug Home, describes bakhoor as a long-lasting alternative to typical air freshener canisters, with a natural smell. “It’ll travel quicker and the scent will be great,” adds Ali. The science behind this is pretty simple: smoke particles are smaller than the molecular structure of air fresheners, and therefore, they travel faster across a room. This is also why many cultures use bakhoor to fragrance outfits for special events, especially weddings.
Bakhoor produces a deeper scent, which penetrates fabric, infusing your space with its smoky aroma. This allows you to quickly and efficiently add a pleasant fragrance to your house. Burner sets for bahkoor can also be used as decor when not in use. Bakhoor burners can take many forms, from simple tinfoil and charcoal to marble holder sets with a glass lid to smother the smoke after use. These sets can sit on your coffee table and make for great conversation starters when company is over.
Ali says that when she and her sisters were growing up their mother would bakhoor their house as a reset after cooking, and to welcome or farewell guests.
“When my mom puts on the bakhoor, we know that the kitchen is closed and we’re done for the day,” adds a Udug Home regular, Aisha Hagi-Aden. She also says she uses bakhoor to set the ambiance of her home.
“It’s something that once you get the hang of it, you won’t stop burning,” says Hagi-Aden. She also says it is quite accessible in Edmonton, as many businesses import bakhoor, but her go-tos are the products at Udug Home.
Put your bakhoor burner on a stable, heat-resistant surface, away from pets and children.
Grab a piece of quick-light charcoal, a lighter or long match, tongs and your bakhoor. Use the tongs to place the charcoal in your burner, then light it.
Let the charcoal burn for approximately 30 seconds. Grab the tongs again, and place small chip of bakhoor on top of the charcoal. You should see the bakhoor start to smoke, but not catch on fire. You want the heat from the charcoal and bakhoor as low as possible to avoid a fire, but hot enough to produce smoke.
Leave the burner in place, and the smoke will waft through your house in a few minutes.
To put out the bakhoor, add water before throwing out the ashes. Before discarding, make sure your bakhoor is fully extinguished and the ashes are wet and cool to the touch to avoid any fires.
Note: For safety, never leave your lit bakhoor unattended. While it can be easy to walk away from something that seems non-threatening, Ali frequently mentions that safety trumps smell. Another reason not to walk away is to control the fragrance’s strength. A little goes a long way!
