MOOLI: WHAT IS MOOLI? DAIKON (RAPHANUS SATIVUS): MOOLI BENEFITS ,USES AND HISTORY: MOOLI STUFFED PARATHA RECIPE

MOOLI, DAIKON, (RAPHANUS SATIVUS)

Mooli is a large white radish, an elongated one. It is mooli season now in Pakistan and we are eating a lot of them - which is good for us and we like the slightly peppery taste. They are not as pungent as the smaller radishes and have a high water content. The seed pods are called mongray, and these are eaten as a vegetable too. (They look like thin runner beans.)

  In Pakistan they are used as a digestive aid to get rid of intestinal parasites; and there’s a Punjabi saying which roughly translated means: - “If you eat mooli you won’t need any medicine for the stomach.” The seeds are used in traditional medicine along with carrot, or ajwain, or fennel seeds, among others to treat amenorrhoea or the absence of menstruation either in young girls who have reached 16 without having a period, or for those whose periods stop for no apparent reason. They are also used for other gynaecological problems.

mooli field

  Mooli and other radishes, including the black (round) Spanish variety, are full of vitamins and minerals which are essential for our health. Mooli is known as ‘white ginseng’ in China, so is known for its invigorating properties. They purify the blood and can detoxify the organs and are great for hangovers. Mooli leaves are boiled and used in the treatment of jaundice, and the root when eaten helps to increase oxygen in the blood stream which prevents the destruction of red blood cells. Moolis contain fibre and can cure constipation so are also used in the treatment of piles, as they aid digestion and stop the build of waste products in the body which contributes to the formation of piles. They can be used for their diuretic properties and help in urinary infections, easing the pain of urinating when you have cystitis.

   Because they have a high fibre content they can help weight loss as they fill the stomach, but contain few calories, so would be good in a weight-loss diet.

   They are also rich in vitamins A, B, C, D and E and also contain vitamin K, so they help the body to produce interferon which inhibits cancer. They are good for the skin too and you can puree them and use as a facial cleanser or as a face mask for oily skin and to help soothe rashes. They are also effective if you get bitten or sung by an insect as the juice will help soothe the pain and reduce swelling. Mooli juice with black salt is given to bring down the temperature of a fever and to soothe the inflammation caused by one.

   In some rural areas of Pakistan they are cultivated for both food and medicine along with other plants such as aloe vera, ajwain, okra, fennel, nightshade (for ear infections) and Mentha sylvestris.

   They are easy to juice and good with carrots, apples, celery, white cabbage, pears, pineapple and ginger root. Just make a fruit cocktail you like.

   You can make saag with the leaves by boiling them, then throwing the water away and cooking some more as in out saag recipe. Chewing a piece of raw mooli will help stop a cough and ease congestion of the bronchial and nasal passages. You can make a mooli salad by grating a mooli (peel it first) and squeezing the juice out of it, then adding 2 finely chopped green chillies, a handful of shredded coriander leaves, lemon juice and pepper to taste.

   Here people make paratha stuffed with mooli on Sundays and holidays for breakfast. It takes to long to make these for a family during the week.

MOOLI STUFFED PARATHA

Ingredients

(makes 2 paratha)

½  kilo mooli, peeled, grated and squeezed to remove water

250 gr plain flour

warm water

1 tbsp cumin seeds

½ tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ajwain or thyme

1 tbsp garam masala

½ tsp turmeric

1 tbsp pomegranate seeds (anar dana) soaked for ½ hour before use

1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, shredded

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

salt to taste

ghee or oil for frying

Method

Mix the flour with a little warm water to a doughy consistency then allow to stand for ½ hour.

Mix the other ingredients except the ghee together thoroughly.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll each into a round.

Place half of the mixture on two rounds and cover with the others. Use water or egg white to seal the two pieces of dough together.

Fry in ghee on both sides until a golden brown. Serve immediately.

These have Taste and are a Treat.