BRUSSEL SPROUTS - BRUSSEL SPROUTS RECIPES: BRUSSEL SPROUTS BENEFITS AND USES:

BRUSSEL SPROUTS (BRASSICA OLERACEA VAR. GEMMIFERA)

Brussel sprouts are reputed to come from Belgium as the name suggests; but wherever they actually originated, they came from somewhere in northern Europe. They are not well liked by children, who frequently push them around their plates and find the taste and smell obnoxious. This smell can be avoided if you only boil them for the recommended 7 minutes, so that all the nutrients are preserved and you get the full benefit of them. They look like little cabbages and are clearly related to them, and cauliflower, but they are also related to carrots and radishes, including mooli.

   These little cabbages are extremely good for our health and may prevent many types of cancer including breast, colon, prostate, ovarian, urinary bladder and cancer of the lungs. They also help to prevent heart diseases and have anti-inflammatory properties as well as being having antioxidant qualities. They are chock full of vitamins and minerals and high in folic acid, so good if you are pregnant as the folic acid they contain helps in assisting a normal delivery and the formation of bones. Vitamin B12 helps in forming red blood cells too and can help lower the risk of heart disease. It also stimulates the immune system and flushes uric acid from the body so is good for gout sufferers.

  Brussel sprouts also contain Vitamin C – more than in oranges and lemons, but not as much as in peppers and spinach. This aids the body’s absorption of calcium and iron, so is good for the bones and blood. It also helps in the healing of wounds. They are a good food to eat if you are recovering from an illness as they provide the body with many of the nutrients it needs. They are a diuretic too and rich in potassium, which helps the heart function normally as well as the nervous system and builds muscle mass. The dietary fibre they contain prevents constipation and so the formation of piles. They stimulate the detoxifiers in the liver and promote general good health.

Pakistani Brussel

  Thomas Jefferson has been credited with introducing them to the US as he took seeds from Paris to Virginia in 1821. Now they frequently appear with the Thanksgiving turkey, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.

  The problem with Brussel sprouts is that children tend not to like the taste, but you can disguise this in several ways. When you cook Brussel sprouts you should trim any discoloured leaves and cut a cross in the stem so that they cook evenly and quickly. Bring water to boil and then add the sprouts and cook for 7 minutes. You can bake chestnuts in the oven, cut a slit in each shell first and heat the oven to 200degrees C, for 45 minutes. Then allow them to cool and shell them. Melt 25 gr of butter in a pan and toss the cooked sprouts and chestnuts in it. You can also fry bacon and add this too, tossing the sprouts and chestnuts in the fat.

   The 2 recipes below are intended to show how you can disguise the sprouts to encourage children to eat them (and those recalcitrant adults you know too).

BRUSSEL SPROUTS SPANISH – STYLE

Ingredients

1½ lbs Brussel sprouts, trimmed and stems cut with cross

1 lb tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

2 green peppers, sliced

1 sprig fresh rosemary / 1 tsp dried

1 tsp oregano fresh / ½  dried

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil or other oil for frying

Method

Cook the sprouts as described above. While they are boiling or steaming (8 minutes) heat the oil and fry the onions, garlic and peppers for about 10 minutes. Add the herbs, freshly ground black pepper and salt, tomatoes and sprouts and heat through. Serve immediately,

BRUSSEL SPROUTS POLONAISE

Ingredients

1½ lbs Brussel sprouts, trimmed and a x cut in stems

2 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped

2 oz butter

2 oz fresh white breadcrumbs

2 tbsps fresh parsley, finely chopped

Method

Boil Brussel sprouts as above and transfer them to a heated serving dish.

Melt the butter and coat the breadcrumbs in it, stirring all the time until they become golden brown. Sprinkle the parsley and eggs on the sprouts and top with the breadcrumbs. Serve.

These have Taste and are a Treat.

BROCCOLI: HARI PHOOL GHOBI: BROCCOLI BENEFITS, USES AND HISTORY: BROCCOLI IN CHEESE SAUCE RECIPE

BROCCOLI, HARI PHOOL GHOBI, (BRASSICA OLERACEA CAPITATA DC/ CONICA {H})

Broccoli is in the same family as Brussel sprouts and cabbage, and is as good for your health as the Brussel sprout. It is full of healthy nutrients and can inhibit the growth of some cancers including of the colon, breast, stomach, and prostate. It is an important source of vitamin K which inhibits the growth of cancerous tumours in the stomach and colon. It is  also good for the heart’s normal functioning and contain beta-carotene which the body converts to Vitamin A, a powerful antioxidant, that combats the free radicals in the body which weaken cell defences.

   Broccoli helps lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, aids in the treatment and prevention of diabetes, calcium deficiencies (the vitamin C content is high and this aids the body’s absorption of calcium and iron), arthritis and also helps in combating the ageing process. The potassium it contains helps to lower blood pressure and the folic acid is useful in pregnancy as it helps a normal delivery and promotes bone formation.  It also lowers cholesterol levels and is best eaten steamed so that the nutrients are preserved. You can also eat it raw or blanched. Raw stems can be grated and included in salads.

Pakistani Broccoli ( phool ghobi)

   Many people don’t like the taste; the former US president George W Bush reportedly hates it. But you don’t have to serve it plain. It’s good stir fried and with pasta, break it up into small florets and drizzle the quickly steamed ones with olive oil, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts lightly fried in oil.

   It is believed that broccoli was grown in Italy by the Etruscans, and then cultivation continued under the Roman conquerors. Apicius includes it in his cookery book, so it was clearly much used as a vegetable in Roman times. Clearly it continued to be cultivated in Italy, but little is written about it until Catherine de’ Medici took it to France with her in 1533 when she married King Henry II of France. If the French and Italians liked it then so did the English aristocracy, therefore  it was being cultivated in Britain by 1721 and was called Italian Asparagus. However it is not in the same family as this, but is in the same family as mooli and other radishes.

   The name ‘broccoli’ comes from the Italian, “brocco” meaning arm or branch. The then President Thomas Jefferson wrote in his gardening journal that he planted broccoli in 1767 along with lettuce, radishes and cauliflower. However broccoli really took off in the US when it was used by Italian immigrants.

BROCCOLI IN CHEESE SAUCE

Ingredients

3 -4 large heads of broccoli, broken into smaller florets

2 oz pine nuts dry fried

1 onion, finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

oil for frying

a bunch parsley, shredded

4 oz cheese, grated

2 oz butter

1 oz flour

salt and pepper to taste

Method

Blanch the florets of broccoli for two mins along with the roughly chopped stems.

Fry the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent in a little oil.

Make the cheese sauce by melting he butter over a low heat then add the flour and making a roux. Add the milk slowly to prevent lumps forming (if they do blend the sauce to get the lumps out). When the sauce boils add the grated cheese and stir well.

Put everything including the fresh parsley into and oven-proof dish, top with more grated cheese and cook in a preheated moderate oven for 20 mins or until the top is golden and the cheese has melted.

Serve with a baked potato or as a side dish to meat.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

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.

 

SWEET CICELY HERB - BENEFITS , USES AND HISTORY: PRAWN AND SWEET CICELY RISOTTO RECIPE

SWEET CICELY (MYRRHIS ODORATA)

This Sweet Cicely (Myrrhis odorata) is native to the British Isles, and should not be confused with the herbs of the Osmorhiza family which are native to Asia and the American continent. It actually looks a little like cow parsley or Queen Anne’s Lace about which there is also confusion in names between Britain and the US. Sweet Cicely is sometimes confused with hemlock as is cow parsley, but as Culpeper wrote “It is so harmless you cannot use it amiss.” It is a much brighter green than hemlock and doesn’t have the purple blotches on its stems. It was formerly used as a salad herb or the root was boiled and used as a vegetable. Its leaves taste sweet and are used with tart fruit such as rhubarb. If you use sweet cicely in cooking, reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe. You can use its seeds instead of cloves in apple pies, or grind them and add them to spice mixtures. If you chew a leaf the flavour is reminiscent of anise or liquorice, and smells like lovage, another bee plant.

   Sweet cicely used to be grown in kitchen gardens near the door, and it is famously used by Carthusian monks to make the liqueur, Chartreuse. In the plague years it was used to prevent infection as was angelica. All parts of the plant can be used and it has been used in cookery and medicine for centuries. It has some associations with the Virgin Mary and Saint Cecilia, and the pagan summer goddesses of the Celts, but the benign ones only.

  Culpeper and Gerard both agree that the roots, when boiled and then dressed with oil and vinegar are “…very good for old people that are dull and without courage; it rejoiceth and comforteth the heart and increaseth their lust and strength.” A tisane can be made with 1 tsp of dried (1tbsp fresh) leaves to 1 cup of boiling water. Steep the leaves in the water for 10-15 minutes then strain and drink a small cup three times a day to help with anaemia and menstrual pains. It will also lift the spirits, and banish gloomy thoughts.

   Sweet Cicely is good for the digestive system and if you add finely chopped ginger to the boiling water you make the tisane with, it will relieve flatulence and aid digestion. The root in a decoction is mildly stimulating and relaxing as it has antispasmodic properties. It is used in cough medicines as an expectorant. The volatile oils and flavonoids in the plant are antiseptic, and will purify the blood, act as a carminative and will improve appetite. You can boil the root with the leaves to make a tisane too. You won’t need to use sugar or a sweetener such as honey.

  Cook the roots as you would parsnips and use them to flavour soups and stews, and use the leaves as a garnish and in salads. Use the root to make a decoction in wine, brandy or water and use for all the ailments mentioned above. Apparently these decoctions are good for bites from vipers (the only venomous snake in Britain) and for cleaning putrid wounds that are not healing. The decoction made with wine was often given to people with consumption.

  If you make a paste with the roots and leaves and apply it to the skin, it will cure skin problems. The seeds when pounded into a paste have been used to make a sweet-smelling furniture polish. You can chew the fresh seeds to aid digestion too. They taste like liquorice.

  These photos of the plant were taken by Aldo De Bastiano.

  

PRAWN AND SWEET CICELY RISOTTO

Ingredients

500 gr prawns, shelled and the shells reserved

1.25 litres chicken stock (or water or vegetable stock)

75 gr butter or oil for frying

1 glass of white wine (dry)

300 gr Arborio rice

300 gr tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

3 tbsp sweet cicely leaves, shredded

1 sprig rosemary

1 bay leaf, torn

3 cloves garlic finely chopped

1 large onion, finely sliced

2 tbsp flat-leaved parsley, finely chopped

freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Sweet cicely leaves to garnish

Method

Make a stock with the shells and heads of the prawns adding a little brandy if you wish. You won’t need to add salt. Reserve ¼ pint of it for this recipe and freeze the rest.

Melt butter and fry garlic and onion. Add the prawns and then the rice with the rest of the ingredients. Bring to the boil, then simmer on a low heat for 20-25 mins until the rice is cooked.

Garnish with sweet cicely leaves and serve.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS HALWA KADU? PUMPKIN: KIA KADU (CUCURBITA): PUMPKIN SOUP RECIPE

PUMPKIN, HALWA KADU, KIA KADU (CUCURBITA) 

Pumpkins are members of the Cucurbita family which includes melons and gourds. The word pumpkin comes from the Greek “pepon” meaning large melon. They are native to North America, and pumpkin seeds dating from between 7000 and 5500 BC have been found in Mexico. They were cultivated by the Native Americans who used them for food and medicine and dried the fibres to make mats.

  The heaviest pumpkin in the world (so far) according to the Guinness World Records was grown by Chris Stevens of New Richmond, Wisconsin, USA, and went on display with two less heavy ones in New York’s Botanical Gardens in the Bronx in October 2010.It weighed 1,810 ½ lbs and the others weighed 1,725 lbs and 1,674½ lbs.

turnip carving

   Pumpkins are associated with Halloween when people carve faces in them and place lighted candles in them. Although pumpkins come from the New World, the tradition of carving faces into them actually comes from very ancient Celtic traditions when people carved faces and put lights into hollowed out turnips and beets. These were especially used for Samhain, pronounced “sow-ween” which occurred at the end of the old year and marked the transition from summer to winter and the start of the New Year. The Celts believed that the days between the seasons were a time of transition, when the thin veil between the corporeal world we live in and the spirit world was at its thinnest. Such times were the day of Beltane (May 1^st) and Samhain at the end of October. So time did not exist on these days particularly on Samhain, which was when fairies, souls of the dead and other spirits wandered the Earth freely. It was a time for divination and there are many superstitions regarding this, but the Celts would put milk and food outside their houses for the fairies and the souls and light their way to it with Jack o’lanterns. They believed that they could communicate with their dead loved ones on Samhain nights.

   There is another Irish legend which was taken with the Irish immigrants to the US about “Stingy Jack” who thought he could outwit the Devil. This man Jack met the Devil in a bar and offered to buy him a drink. Of course the Devil accepted the offer with alacrity, but Jack wasn’t nicknamed “Stingy” for nothing. When the time came to pay for the drinks, Jack managed to persuade the Devil to turn into a coin and instead of paying for the drinks with it Jack put it into his pocket next to a silver crucifix. This prevented the Devil from changing back into himself and Jack struck a deal with the Devil, that if he freed him the Devil wouldn’t bother him or take his soul if he died, for a year.
   The Devil kept his side of the bargain and returned to Jack after the year was up. This time, Jack persuaded the Devil to climb a tree to pick an apple, and while he was in the tree, Jack carved a cross into the bark so the Devil couldn’t descend. He and the Devil struck another bargain similar to the first except that the time was extended to ten years. During those years Jack died and God wouldn’t have such a man in heaven and the Devil, who was sticking to his side of the bargain, refused to have Jack in Hell. Instead he gave Jack a burning coal to light his way and sent him out into the world. Jack put the coal in a hollowed out turnip and has been roaming the world ever since, unable to go to either heaven or hell. In Ireland and Scotland people made scary faces out of turnips and beets and put candles inside them to keep Jack away from their homes. This tradition was taken to the US and Halloween was born. The turnip was replaced by the ubiquitous pumpkin and now pumpkin contests along with scarecrow ones take place all over America in autumn.

   The colonists in America made the precursor to the pumpkin pie which is served at Thanksgiving meals in the US in November by removing the seeds from pumpkins, filling the cavity with milk, spices and honey and baking them in hot coals in their fires.

  Pumpkins are 90% water, but are high in dietary fibre and low in calories, making them ideal for dieters. The orange colour indicates that they have a high carotene content and they are also packed full of minerals and vitamins, making them one of nature’s superfoods. They contain Alpha and Beta-carotene which are powerful antioxidants and the body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A which boosts the immune system. Beta-carotene reverses damage to the skin and protects from sunburn (as so orange-fleshed sweet potatoes) and is also an anti-inflammatory. Alpha-carotene is believed to slow the ageing process and reduce the threat of cataract growth in the lens of the eyes and reduce the risk of heart disease.

  The fibre in pumpkins ensures the body regularly dispels waste materials, so preventing constipation. It also lowers cholesterol levels, controls blood sugar levels and protects against heart disease .It aids digestion and plays a role in weight loss.

  Vitamin C which is also found in pumpkins, also boosts the immune system, reduces the risk of high blood pressure and lowers cholesterol levels. Vitamin E in pumpkins promotes healthy skin, protects from sun damage to it and may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as some cancers.

  Pumpkins also have a high potassium level and this helps balance the fluids in the body, promotes healthy bones and helps control blood pressure. Pumpkins can also be used as a diuretic. The magnesium in a pumpkin again helps the immune system and bones and is good for the heart. Pantothenic acid, or vitamin B6, helps reduce stress and balances the hormone levels in the body. So pumpkins are very good for you and a healthy winter diet should include them, as they will help to stave off colds and flu.

   Pumpkin is a fruit not a vegetable, and can be used in sweet or savoury dishes. Its flesh can be pulped and used as a face mask and this is said to be good to get rid of pimples and too many freckles. It is an emollient and is also good to put on burns.

  The pumpkin featured in the fairy tale Cinderella, which was changed into her coach, and this nursery rhyme which American children all know:

     “Peter, Peter, Pumpkin eater

     Had a wife and couldn’t keep her.

     He put her in a pumpkin shell,

     And there he kept her very well.”

PUMPKIN SOUP

Ingredients

1 lb pumpkin flesh, pureed

2 large onions, finely sliced

4 sticks celery, finely chopped

3 green chillies, finely chopped

4 spring onions, finely chopped

½ cup vegetable oil

1½ litres chicken stock

1 bay leaf, torn

1 tsp ground cumin

small carton of single cream or use milk

salt and pepper

parsley

Parmesan cheese

Method

 Fry the onions, celery and chillies in the oil, then when the onions are transparent, add the chicken stock, pureed pumpkin, bay leaf and cumin.

Stir well and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 mins. Stir occasionally.

Add the cream and stir in well, then cook for another 5 mins on a very low heat, not allowing the mixture to boil.

Remove from the heat and serve garnished with parsley and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

COW PARSLEY ( ANTHRISCUS SYLVESTRIS) BENEFITS, USES AND HISTORY:

COW PARSLEY (ANTHRISCUS SYLVESTRIS)

Cow parsley is a common sight in Britain and grows just about everywhere. It is also known as Queen Anne’s lace, apparently because it flowers in May and this is when she used to travel around the country. It was said that the cow parsley flowered just for her. Cow parsley can be confused with hemlock (and yarrow and sweet cicely), so if you go looking for it (if you live in the UK it won’t take you long to find some) make sure you are looking at the right plant. It is distinguished from Hemlock (Conium maculatum) because it doesn’t have purple blotches on its stems. These are said to be the stains of the blood of Abel, killed by his brother Cain, who wiped the blood from his hands with the hemlock stalks. This is poisonous, but cow parsley is edible, although the seeds are tastier than the leaves which were eaten in times of famine only. The leaves can be eaten raw or used as a herb for flavouring. It is included in this site for information only, so that it is not confused with hemlock or angelica, yarrow or valerian.

   In the US Queen Anne’s Lace is the name given to the wild carrot (Daucus carota) but this is just another example of the Brits and Americans not really speaking the same language.

   Cow parsley has three or four subspecies and about 15 different varieties. The oil from Anthriscus sylvestris subspecies nemorosa has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries. This cow parsley also grows in Tibet, Nepal and Pakistan.

   The name Anthriscus comes from a Greek and Latin name for a plant which hasn’t been definitively identified, but which might be cow parsley, as it is native to Europe and western Asia. It was introduced into North America and is now classed as an invasive species in some US states. Pliny writes about Anthriscus in his Natural History written in the late 2^nd or early 3^rd century AD, in which he calls it “some sort of plant”. Clearly it wasn’t a very important one.

   Some people say that the name comes from Theophrastus, a successor of Aristotle who was the first to recognize (or at least to write down) that the climate and soil affects plants and how and where they grow. He also noticed how plants germinated and his two books, “Enquiry into Plants” and “On the Causes of Plants” were influential on the study of sciences in Mediaeval times.

    Cow parsley is said to get rid of stones and gravel in the gall bladder and kidneys but very little research has been done on the common plant. It has been used by amateur dyers for obtaining a green or yellow dye depending on which mordents are used. However it is not permanent. The most common use for the stalks is for pea-shooters as the stems are hollow, so children love them. The foliage used to be sold by florists in Victorian times and used in flower arrangements.

CHESTNUTS (CASTANEA SATIVA): FRESH CHESTNUTS: CHESTNUTS HISTORY: PORTUGUESE ROAST CHESTNUTS RECIPE

CHESTNUTS (CASTANEA SATIVA)

Chestnuts (Castanea sativa) should not be confused with water chestnuts (sangaray) or horse chestnuts otherwise known in Britain as conkers, which are not edible, hence the name. They are native, to China, Japan Europe and North America, and there are four main varieties: - Castanea dentate in the US, Castanea mollissimo in China, Castanea crenata in Japan and Castanea sativa in Europe. In Portugal, Greece and Italy they are called by a derivative of the Latin, Castanea. Right now, at the end of October and the beginning of November they can be found on the streets of Europe. All you have to do is follow your nose and buy a bag of roasted chestnuts to help you get through your Christmas shopping expeditions.

It is supposed that the sweet chestnuts (as opposed to horse chestnuts) came from Sardis in Asia Minor which is why they were sometimes called Sardian nuts. They have also been referred to as Jupiter’s nuts, and were planted by the Roman armies as they went on their campaigns. They were planted in order to feed the armies, but as they don’t bear fruit for 40 years, this was an exercise in forward planning. These trees can become giants and have been known to live for more than 500 years. The nuts typically grow in twos or threes inside their prickly burr, but marrons grow singly and are sweeter than the chestnuts that are normally bought on the street. You can but marrons glace in cans which can be used in desserts, and the unsweetened chestnut puree can be used in stuffings. Traditionally chestnuts are used to stuff the Saint Martin’s Day goose in Germany and for turkeys and pheasants.

   In Italy and Portugal as well as other Catholic countries in Europe, chestnuts are traditionally eaten on Saint Martin’s Day which is in the 11^th November. Saint Martin was a soldier in the Roman army and the legend has it that at the gates of Amiens (France) he saw a beggar on that date and he tore his military cloak in half and gave half to the beggar. The sun came out and this is why in November on Saint Martin’s Day there is what we call an “Indian summer.” That night Martin dreamed that Jesus appeared wearing the half of the cloak he had given to the beggar and thanked him for his generosity.

   In Italy there is an old saying “A San Martino ogni mosto diventa vino” which means “On Saint Martin’s Day all the wine must becomes wine” so this is the day when the new wine is celebrated. It’s combined with eating chestnuts and the other delights of the Italian countryside (truffles and cheeses with preserves). In some parts of Italy chestnuts are soaked in wine before roasting. Pieter Breughel the 16^th century Flemish artist painted “The Wine of Saint Martin” after being in Italy on this day and taking part in the celebrations.

  France has a “Delicious Week” which begins on the third Monday of October and chestnuts figure in this quite prominently.

   In Italy and other parts of Europe gluten-free flour was made with chestnuts and they were a delicacy in the Renaissance. Later they were spurned by the wealthy as peasant food and by the 19^th century this conception of them as well as deforestation meant that they almost fell into oblivion in Italy. In the early 20^th century the trees were attacked by a fungus both in Europe and North America, and it is only in recent years that there has been a resurgence in interest in growing chestnuts again in the US. They have imported them from Italy and Japan.

   They have been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Culpeper commented: - “If you dry the chestnut, both the barks being taken away, beat them into a powder and make the powder up into an electuary with honey, it is a first rate remedy for cough and spitting of blood.”

  Chestnuts are low in calories and rich in minerals and have a high starch content. They also contain phyto-nutrients and are a good source of dietary fibre. They also contain vitamins C, D, E, K, and B6 and 12. They are also providers of Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, so are well worth adding to your diet.

  The leaves can be dried and saved for infusions as remedies for troublesome coughs including whooping cough. You will need 1 ounce of the dried leaves to 1 pint of boiling water. Pour the water over the leaves and allow them to steep for 20 minutes, then strain and use the infusion (or tisane) three or four times a day, hot, in small cupfuls. This infusion will also help reduce the body’s temperature if you have a fever.

  An infusion of the bark (1 ounce to 1 pint of water, boiled together) will reduce a temperature and if you boil the leaves, bark and chestnuts together, over a low heat for 30 minutes, you can use the water to soothe pains of rheumatism and chilblains. You can also just use a few handfuls of chestnuts to do the same thing. 5 handfuls of chestnuts to 1 ½ litres of water, boil until the water has reduced by half and wash the painful places with the strained water. (Then eat the chestnuts or puree them.)

  The sweet chestnut contains selenium and potassium which seem to help lift the spirits and are used as a tonic for the muscles, nerves, veins and reduce capillary permeability by repairing microscopic holes and leaks in the blood vessels and capillaries, helping the vein walls regain elasticity and preventing damage and swelling. They are used in the treatment of varicose veins and piles in traditional medicine. If you eat one bowl of sweetened chestnut puree with honey every day before breakfast and dinner for several weeks, this will help with these problems.

   A chestnut and honey face mask left on for 30 minutes then rinsed off with warm water will help improve dry skin and this delays the ageing process that causes wrinkles. Make it by boiling ½ lb of chestnuts, then grinding them and adding honey to make a paste.

  If you boil the bark, nuts and leaves together and then strain the liquid, you can use it to soothe an itching scalp, and bring out golden highlights in your hair.

   The recipe below comes from Portugal, but you can use the Italian one too, soak chestnuts in red wine after shelling them. Leave them to soak overnight and then roast them in the oven for 45 mins at 350 degrees. If you want to feel nostalgic, then listen to the Mel Torme Christmas song  which contains the words “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire” which probably brought tears to many eyes as people remembered the good old days when you could actually do this at Christmas time.

  The phrase “ an old chestnut” probably originates in the fact that chestnut trees can live for so long. It means a well-known story or joke of the sort that elderly relatives tell at family gatherings where everyone knows the story by heart.

PORTUGUESE ROAST CHESTNUTS

Ingredients

30-40 chestnuts in their shells, washed and the shells slit

sea salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the chestnuts on a baking tray.

Make sure you cut a small slit in each shell or they will explode and make a mess in the oven.

Rub the slits with sea salt and bake for 45 mins.

Serve hot with a little butter if you wish, and perhaps a sprinkling of paprika. Serve with new wine.

These have Taste and are a Treat.

  

WHAT IS AMBA HALDI? WHITE TURMERIC OR MANGO GINGER: HOW TO MAKE AMBA HALDI PICKLE

AMBA HALDI (CURCUMA AROMATICA), WHITE TURMERIC OR MANGO GINGER

Amba Haldi is native to the eastern Himalayan region and is cultivated in India for its use in medicine. It is apparently a seasonal plant and is only available during the monsoon season unless it is cultivated. It contains curcumin, vitamin A, protein, fatty acids, minerals and carbohydrates and has anti-inflammatory properties as well as strong antibiotic ones. It is used for the skin primarily in India and Pakistan, and to help get rid of throat infections and nasal and trachiobronchial congestion. It is supposed to smell like mango and is a close relative of the ginger root. In fact it is difficult to tell ginger root and amba haldi apart, but amba haldi is a less colourful root. Apparently it looks similar to the ginger plant above ground.

   It is used to relieve hiccups in an infusion and the most common recipe for it is a pickle.

If you manage to get hold of the fresh root you can boil it then dry it and grind it to a powder to use for skin problems. This paste is very good for the skin: - 10 drops of fresh lemon juice, a pinch of powdered amba haldi, 1 tablespoon of chickpea flour and a little milk. Use it as a face mask once a week, your skin will be free of pimples and blackheads and have a healthy glow to it. It is used as a base for some perfumes too.

   Curcuma is a blood revitalizing agent as it removes lipids (fatty substances) from the blood and regulates platelets which prevent dangerous blood clots. In Chinese medicine it is used to treat some cancers, but there is little evidence that it is effective in such treatments.

AMBA HALDI PICKLE
INGREDIENTS

½ kg amba haldi, peeled, washed then sliced (not too thinly) 

1 large or 2 medium sized tamarind fruit (imli) stones removed

6 green chillies split down the middle

2 tbsps chilli powder

salt to taste

½ tsp finely ground fenugreek (methi) seeds

2 tsps black mustard seeds

¼ cup oil

Method

Soak the tamarind in a fair amount of water, for at least ½ hour the pound it to a pulp.

Heat the oil in a pan and when it is hot, add the mustard seeds, amba haldi and chillies. Fry for 5mins or until the aroma is released.

Add the pulped tamarind, chilli powder and salt.

Let the mixture boil and simmer over a low heat. If you have one its best to use a splatter guard.

When the oil rises to the surface stir in the fenugreek powder and mix it well.

Cook for a further 2-3 mins then remove it from the heat and let it cool completely.

Store it in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

SHAKARKANDI : WHAT IS SHAKARKANDI? SWEET POTATOES: MEDLEY OF VEGETABLES WITH SWEET POTATO RECIPE

 SWEET POTATOES, SHAKARKANDI (IPOMOEA BATATAS)

Sweet potatoes have been cultivated on the South American continent since 2500 BC and are now grown in many countries. There are more than 400 varieties which range in colour from white through to a deep orange, depending on the beta-carotene content of the variety. They are sometimes erroneously called yams, but the yam is a member of the Dioscoreae family and the sweet potato is a member of the convolvulus family, and this can be seen in the upper part of the plant which is a creeper.

   You will be glad to know that these tasty vegetables are good for you as long as you are not overweight. They contain beta-carotene which produces vitamin A in the body and vitamin C, both powerful antioxidants which can eliminate free radicals, the chemicals which damage the cells and their membranes and are associated with colon cancer, atherosclerosis and heart disease associated with diabetes. They are also anti-inflammatory so are good in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and asthma.

  They are good for smokers to eat too as they contain vitamin B6 and along with the vitamin A they produce, can help prevent smoking-related diseases such as emphysema. They also contain the minerals iron, manganese, copper, potassium and have a high fibre content. Eating them can also help your skin and keep it pimple free as the vitamin A they create in the body helps new skin cells grow and keeps skin looking young and healthy. They boost the immune system too and the white-skinned variety has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity in type-2 diabetes sufferers as it decreases insulin levels in the body.

  Sweet potatoes or Shakarkandi are ‘hot’ foods so good for the winter and they can help cure bronchitis. If you suck a piece of raw sweet potato, it will get rid of a cough. If you feed children sweet potatoes they will help protect their skin from sunburn, because of the beta-carotene content.

  Christopher Columbus took these to Europe in 1492, along with the common potato, and the Spaniards introduced them to the Philippines. The Portuguese explorers later took them to Africa, India, Indonesia and southern Asia. In the 16^th century they were cultivated in North America too.

 Because they contain so much starch they are easily digested and soothing for the intestines and stomach. The fibre they contain prevents constipation, which in turn prevents the build-up of acids and so reduces the risk of ulcers; and it can help balance the body’s water content. They also protect the walls of veins and arteries from hardening. The high levels of beta-carotene and phosphorous make sweet potatoes good for the eyes and heart too.

  A good use for a sweet potato is to bake one and then puree it with bananas, maple syrup and cinnamon then top the puree with chopped walnuts-tasty and healthy. They retain their nutritional content better if baked, roasted or steamed rather than boiled. You can roast them in a fire wrapped in foil too. If you do this you can make a sauce with imli (tamarind), lemon juice and salt and pepper in a little water, cook for 10-15 mins.

MEDLEY OF VEGETABLES WITH SWEET POTATO

Ingredients

1 sweet potato (orange) chopped

1 yellow pepper, roughly chopped

1 red pepper, roughly chopped

1 red onion, sliced

½ bulb of garlic

1 sprig rosemary

a few sprigs of fresh thyme

4 tbsps olive oil

aluminium foil

Method

Make a packet of all ingredients with the foil and put the garlic in a separate packet of foil.

Make sure all the vegetables and herbs are coated with oil and if desired, add a little white wine. Close the packets and bake in a moderate oven for an hour.

This is a side dish, to make more, use the same quantities in separate foil parcels.

This has Taste and is a Treat.