{{Short description|Essential oil derived from fragrant screwpine}} thumb|Bottle of kewra
'''Kewra''', '''keora''' or '''kewda''' ({{langx|hi|केवड़ा}}, {{langx|bn|কেওড়া}}, {{langx|ur|{{resize|{{nq|کیوڑہ}}}}}}, {{langx|pa|{{resize|{{nq|کیوڑا}}}}}} {{small|(Shahmukhi)}} ਕੇਵੜਾ {{small|(Gurmukhi)}}) is an essential oil distilled from the male flower of the fragrant screwpine. The plant is native to Tropical Asia, Southeast Asia and Australasia, and the oil is used as a flavoring agent throughout much of these regions.<ref name="Adkar2014">{{cite journal|vauthors=Adkar PP, Bhaskar VH | date=22 December 2014 | title=''Pandanus odoratissimus'' (Kewda): A Review on Ethnopharmacology, Phytochemistry, and Nutritional Aspects | journal=Adv. Pharmacol. Sci. | volume=2014 | number= 120895 | article-number=120895 | doi=10.1155/2014/120895 | pmid=25949238 | pmc=4408760 | doi-access=free }}</ref>
The flower is a vital ingredient in kewra and is used in special-occasion dishes in South Asia, particularly those associated with Muslim communities.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Olaechea |first1=Carlos C. |title=The most refreshing drink in the world |url=https://theweek.com/articles/916402/most-refreshing-drink-world |magazine=The Week |date=30 May 2020 |access-date=18 November 2020}}</ref> Kewra flowers have a sweet, perfumed odour with a pleasant quality similar to rose flowers, but kewra is more fruity. The aqueous distillate (kewra water, pandanus flower water) is quite diluted.<ref name="gernot">{{cite web |title=Pandanus (Pandanus odoratissimus L.) |url=http://gernot-katzers-spice-pages.com/engl/Pand_odo.html |website=Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages |access-date=20 November 2020}}</ref>{{self-published inline|date=November 2020}}. Kewra flowers and leaves are also essential in certain communities' worship of Hindu goddess Manasa.
Approximately 95% of kewra flowers exported from India are collected from areas surrounding Berhampur city in Ganjam district.<ref>http://www.microstat.in/index.php/95-of-total-kewda-flower-exported-from-india-is-collected-from-nearby-places-of-berhampur-city/{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The coastal areas of Chhatrapur, Rangeilunda, Patrapur, and Chikiti are famous for their aromatic pandanus plantations. The most famous varieties are endemic to and cultivated in Gopalpur-on-Sea. Cultivation of kewra flower is a major source of income in Ganjam district and there are nearly 200 registered kewra distillation factories. Kewra is also used in traditional Indian perfumery, both as functional fragrance and in attar.
== Chemical composition: abstract ==
The chemical composition of the essential oils obtained by water distillation of the staminate inflorescences of Kewda (''Pandanus odorifer''. var. ''fasicularis''). The major components of kewda oil were found to be 2-phenethyl methyl ether (65.6–75.4%), Terpinen-4-ol (11.7–19.5%), p-Cymene (1.0–3.1%) and Alpha Terpineol (1.2–2.9%)<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mishra |first1=Reeta |last2=Dash |first2=PK |last3=Rao |first3=YR |title=Chemical Composition of the Essential Oils of Kewda and Ketaki |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10412905.2000.9699491 |journal=Journal of Essential Oil Research |volume=12 |issue=2 |year=2000 |pages=175–178 |doi=10.1080/10412905.2000.9699491|s2cid=82422655 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>
== See also == * Ganjam Kewda Flower * Ganjam Kewda Rooh
== References == {{Reflist}}
Category:Bangladeshi cuisine Category:Indian cuisine Category:Pakistani cuisine Category:Uttar Pradeshi cuisine Category:Pandanus