Hookah
From Rofflehaus
A hookah is a traditional Middle Eastern tobacco pipe. Hookah is to the Middle East what coffee is to Europe--a nice after-dinner conversation device. In modern times, there are entire businesses devoted to hookah use similar to coffee bars, and you'll sometimes find hookahs at parties.
In this how-to guide, we will discuss how to set up your own hookah at home.
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[edit] There are three ways to hookah:
- Go to a party with one
- Go to the Chicha Shack
- Buy one
If the decision is made to buy one, the Chicha Shack has everything you will need. If you've never seen it set up before, here is a quick overview of the steps.
[edit] Bowl Preparation
Take your empty bowl, and pack the tobacco until it looks like the first picture, filling the entire top. Pack it as tight as you can, this allows for more tobacco, and therefore a longer smoking experience. Take a piece of aluminum foil, and pull it tight over the top of the bowl. Use the extra, and crush it tightly around the bottom of the bowl, making a tight seal. Next, take a pen, toothpick, or some other small object, and poke holes in the top. Start in the middle and work your way around, going towards the outside. Be careful so that the holes don't connect and become large. Set the bowl aside, and prepare the coals.
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[edit] Heating the Coals
The coals can be heated whenever, and it usually helps to have one person do the coals and another do the rest. The coals will come in a bag, and look like a giant turd. They should be broken into thirds, and placed directly on the stove. Turn it as hot as it will go (or close), and wait until the coals have one side hot(Picture 2). Rotate them with tongs or a similar tool. Wait until the second side is white like the first, and rotate again. Finally, rotate to the third side, and when the coals are white like in the last picture. Put the coals in an old pot, so that they don't get dropped on the way to the hookah. In smoking a bowl, another set of coals may need to be heated.
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[edit] Final Assembly
Make sure the rubber seal is securely on top of the neck. Fill the water to the fill line, as shown in the picture. Now is the best time to move your parts to the table. Place the neck into the body, pressing the seal on evenly. If it's not on tight, smoke will leak out. Add the catch plate to the top, then press the bowl down onto the rubber seal. Add your hose. Go over and grab the pot with the coals, and a hot pad to put the pot on. Use the tongs to place the coals on the aluminum holes over top the bowl. Now you are ready to hookah!
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[edit] Cleaning
After your bowl is spent, take whatever is left of the coals off the bowl and put them in the catch plate. Give the coals overnight to cool down, so the trash doesn't catch on fire. Take it all apart, and clean all the small pieces. Repeatedly run hot water through the neck and hose to clean them out. Rinse out the base with hot water, then add dish soap, and scrub the ring around the water line. Allow to dry, and be ready for the next time you get the urge to hookah.
more pics will be added soon
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