WHAT IS ALOO BUKHARA? PLUMS: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF PLUMS: PLUM JAM RECIPE

PLUMS, PRUNES, ALOO BUKHARA

There are more than 2000 varieties of plum which grow around the world. The aloo bukhara, (which in Urdu means the potato of Bukhara, is in fact a corruption of  alu in Farsi, which means plum) grows in Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and India. Bukhara is a famous ancient city, and was founded long before AD 800 when the modern city was founded on an older site. It was the centre of learning along with Samarkand and is now situated in Uzbekistan. It is now famous in the region for its rare books which date from the 13^th century, (Genghis Khan destroyed the city in 1220, but it was rebuilt) when it was the centre of Sufi Islam. Now it is famous for carpets as well as rare books.

 It was an important centre of trade on the Great Silk Road. The plums come into season soon, and we are looking forward to their arrival as they help to ward ff colds and flu. The Latin name for these plums is Prunus bokharensis. They are eaten raw, cooked and dried, and can be used to clean metal. The name Bukhara comes from the Sanskrit, “vihara” meaning “monastery”

   All plum trees are thought to have originated in the area around the Caspian Sea, and were introduced into Britain by the Romans, it is thought. In Roman times there were 300 known varieties. These go under the general name of Prunus domestica. The pilgrims took plums with them to America. In The Vale of Evesham, in the UK plums have been commercially produced since the 19^th century and in Pershore there is an annual Plum Fayre held in August. I had a great aunt who lived close to Pershore and in plum season I particularly liked the Yellow Egg Plum, perhaps because of its name. It is said that this plum tree was found growing wild in nearby Tiddesley Wood in the early 19^th century and records show that in 1870, 900 tons were taken to market at the harvest. In Britain the most popular plum is probably the Victoria, and Pershore is also famous for this and the Pershore Purple, and more recently the Pershore Emblem.

Yellow egg plum

    Plums are related to almonds and apricots and are members of the rose family. It is best not to eat any part of the plum (especially the seeds) which is bitter as they contain amygdalin and prunasin which are water-soluble substances which form hydrocyanic acid which is extremely toxic. However, in small amounts, this stimulates respiration, improves digestion and gives a sense of well-being.

Plums also contain selenium which is probably responsible for this feeling. They also contain chromium, potassium and other minerals as well as the vitamins A and C so they help the eyesight and help the body to absorb iron. Plums also contain amino acids and Omega-6 fatty acid, and unique phytonutrients, neaocholorogenic acid and cholorogenic acid, which are classed as phenols, and have potent antioxidant properties. Regular consumption of plums can help to prevent cancer, heart disease and macular degeneration. Dried plums or prunes have a laxative effect and are used to cure constipation. However they are not as potent in this regards as jamalgota (Croton tiglium) which incidentally, you only need a pinch of to have the desired effect. Plums are also useful to asthma sufferers and those who have rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

U K plum

  Each species of plum has its individual stone, so archaeologists could tell which plums were carried on Henry VIII’s flagship the “Mary Rose” when it was raised from the seabed.

PLUM JAM

Ingredients

6 lbs plums

6 lbs sugar

1½ pints water

Method

Pakistani plum

Put the plums in the water and bring to a rolling boil. When tender lower the heat and the sugar. Stir continuously and bring to a rolling boil again. Test to see if it has reached setting point after 15 mins. You do this by putting a drop from a metal spoon onto a cold saucer, waiting for a minute or two then pushing it with your finger. If it wrinkles, it has reached setting point and you can turn off the heat.

You need sterile jars, warmed, to pour the jam into and wax paper to cover it, then cellophane and then put a secure lid on the jar.

This is wonderful with toast or in creamy desserts and custards.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

HOW TO MAKE HERBAL HONEY WINTER SYRUP

WARMING WINTER SYRUP FOR WELL-BEING

In winter most people feel down and rather jaded after a fun, warm summer, but this syrup helps boost the immune system so that you can ward off colds and flu, as well as coughs. If you have any of these then this will help get rid of it and it also helps to ease muscle pains. It also raises your spirits and can be taken every morning before you brave the cold outside world.

    One of Nature’s most beneficial gifts is honey, and if you take honey in hot milk or water every night, you will see a general improvement in your overall health.

   The following syrup recipe will help to keep you healthy through the winter, so you can avoid the doctor and illnesses associated with winter.

Borage

Ingredients

500 gr honey

20 gr cinnamon

20 gr cloves

20 gr green tea

50 gr kolanjan (galangal)

20 gr violet flowers (banafshah)

20 gr goazban (borage) flowers

2 litres water

Method

Alpinia galanga

In a pestle and mortar, crush all the ingredients except for the honey and water, very well.

Steep these ingredients in the water for 24 hours.

After 24 hours heat the liquid and boil so that the liquid is reduced by half.

Add the honey and cook on a low heat for 5 mins.

Leave to cool then pour into sterile bottles and make sure the tops are airtight.

Dosages

Infants 2-5 drops a day only.

Children aged 3-5 years half a teaspoon per day.

Older children 1 teaspoon per day.

Violet

Adults 2-4 teaspoons per day.

You can use the syrup with hot milk or hot water.

This has Taste and is a Treat(ment).

WHAT IS KULANJAN? ALPINIA GALANGA: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF ALPINIA GALANGA: SPICY JAVA CHICKEN RECIPE

GALINGAL(E), KHOLINJAN, KULANJAN, ALPINIA GALANGA, A. OFFICINARUM

Although you may not have heard of this particular plant the rhizome was very popular in Europe as a spice in the Middle Ages. Chaucer mentions it in “The Canterbury Tales” and spells it “galyngale”, but it was the lesser galangal, Alpinia officinarum, that was popular in his time as it is more pungent than the Greater one which is Alpinia galanga. There is yet another variety, Keampferia galanga, all of which have rhizomes which resemble ginger and turmeric. They are members of the ginger family.

   You may be forgiven for thinking that the Latin name Alpinia has something to do with the Alps, but you would be mistaken as this genus was named after a famous 17^th century Italian botanist, Prospero Alpino.

   The Greater galangal grows to a height of 5 feet and the Lesser one to around 3 feet. The rhizomes are about three inches long, and have an aromatic smell similar to pine needles when fresh. When dried the smell is more like cinnamon. The root has been used as a spice for more than a thousand years, in both Europe and Asia, although it has long since gone out of favour. It was introduced wither by Greek or Arab physicians. In Russia it is used to flavour vinegar and in a liqueur called “nastoika” and in Lithuania and Estonia it has been used as a medicine and spice for centuries. In India it is still used in medicine, perfumery and brewing. It is believed to be native to China and Indonesia, but grows in South West India and the Eastern Himalayas too.

    The fruits of the plant (berries) can be used in cooking as a substitute for cardamom seeds, and galangal powder goes well with fish and seafood as well as poultry, but you only need a little to flavour a dish.

   It has gone by other names in English and these testify to the uses it had in medicine, Colic Root, East India Catarrh Root, China Root and India Root. It is supposed to make an excellent remedy for sea-sickness, and was given to those who suffered from flatulence, dyspepsia, vomiting and other stomach disorders. It was also used for fevers and to generally strengthen the body and as an aphrodisiac. Modern medical studies have shown that it increases the sperm count of rats, and the mobility of the sperm, and it has also tentatively suggested that the plant and its extracts could be potentially beneficial as an anti-tumour, anti-allergy, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-microbial agent. It may also help lower cholesterol levels. It contains the bioflavonoids quercetin and kaempferol and has strong antioxidant effects. The seeds may have anti-ulcer properties.

   Traditionally on the Indian subcontinent it has been used to control incontinence and fever, and also as an anti-fungal. Apart from its medicinal qualities it was once used as a deodorant and for combating bad breath. It has also been used in the same ways as in Europe. Modern research shows that it might be able to alleviate some of the symptoms of dementia.

 As to its reputation as an aphrodisiac, this is what Gerard, writing in 1597 says of the roots “they conduce the venery, and heate the too cold reines (loins).”

SPICY JAVA CHICKEN

Ingredients

3 lbs chicken cut into 4 or 6 serving pieces and scored

4 brazil nuts, ground

1 tsp chilli powder

2 tsps ground coriander seeds

1 tsp galangal powder

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced

½ tsp turmeric

4 tbsps oil*

2 medium onions, chopped

3 cups coconut milk

2 inch stick of cinnamon or cassia bark

1 stalk of lemon grass

2 tbsps fresh lemon juice

salt to taste

fresh coriander leaves to garnish

Method

Mix the nuts, chilli, coriander seeds, galangal, garlic and turmeric into a paste with a little oil (*sesame mixed with olive oil is good) and rub over and into the chicken.

Leave to marinate for at least 3 hours, preferably leave overnight in the fridge.

Heat some oil in a pan, and fry the onions until golden, then add the chicken pieces and again fry til golden.

Gradually add the coconut milk stirring continuously until it boils.

Add the lemon grass and cinnamon stick and simmer for 30 mins.

Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and salt to taste.

Serve with plain rice and chutneys.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

  

SUNFLOWERS: MEDICINAL BENEFITS OF SUNFLOWERS: HOW TO MAKE SUNFLOWER SEED COUGH MEDICINE

SUNFLOWERS, SURAJ MUKHI IN URDU, HELIANTHUS ANNUS

Sunflowers can grow to 10 feet high and are very attractive to birds and butterflies as well as bees. I first saw a sunflower in a neighbour’s garden in Britain and was awed by its size (I was 2 years old). It was then pointed out to me that the black and white seeds the parrot my great-aunt’s friend owned ate sunflower seeds, and since then I have always thought of them as bird food, although I have eaten them as a snack with pumpkin seeds. They are often eaten in this way in Greece and Italy, but I can’t quite get rid of the thought of the parrot snacking on them.

   I have since seen fields of sunflowers in Italy in Tuscany and the Marche regions and have been impressed with their sun turning abilities. They face one way in the morning and in the evening, on the return journey they face in the opposite direction; truly sun turners or girasole as they are called in Italian. Another member of the Helianthus (literally sun=Helios and anthus=flower in Greek) family is the Jerusalem artichoke, Helianthus tuberosus.

   Sunflowers are native to the Americas and were domesticated by the Native Americans three thousand years ago. They were revered by the Aztecs and the priestess in the temples of the sun used to carry the flowers and wear wreaths of them in their hair. The Spaniards found delicately wrought golden sunflowers when they arrived in Peru in the 16^th century. It was the conquistadores who were responsible for introducing the flowers to Europe in the 16^th century where they were grown as curiosities.

Sunflower Seeds

  The oil yield of the seeds was increased by the Russians from 28% to nearly 50 % in the 19^th century and now the oil is extensively used in cooking as it has a high smoke point and can be mixed with oils that have a lower smoke point such as olive and sesame oils. Sunflowers are also sources of biodiesel, but the cost of the oil prohibits it from being widely used as biodiesel currently.

    The seeds and oil are rich in vitamins A and E and the oil may be used as a moisturizer for oily skins as it has drying properties, but improves the elasticity of facial skin.

  No part of the plant is wasted as the stems are good for fuel when dry and the stems and leaves can be given to domestic animals as tasty fodder. The oil-cake left after the oil has been extracted from the seeds is also used as animal fodder. Even the flowers can be used to make a yellow dye.

Painting by Van Gogh

  Sunflower oil contains a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids (90%) with the remaining 10% made up of saturated acids, palmitic and stearic. The oil is good as salad dressing, for cooking and is made into margarine.

   The seeds have diuretic and expectorant properties and have been used to treat bronchial, laryngeal and pulmonary problems, as well as coughs and colds. The recipe for a cough medicine is given below. The tincture made from the seeds has been used to reduce fevers, while the leaves from the plant have been incorporated into some herbal tobaccos.

SUNFLOWER SEED COUGH MEDICINE

Ingredients

2 oz sunflower seeds

2 pints water

6 fl.oz. gin

6 oz sugar

Method

Boil the seeds in the water until it is reduced to 12 fl ozs.

Strain and add the gin and sugar stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Dose: 1-2 tsps 3 or 4 times a day.

This has Taste and is a Treat(ment).

OLIVE TREE: MEDICINAL BENEFITS OF OLIVE TREE, USES AND HISTORY: BLACK OLIVE SAUCE ARAB STYLE RECIPE

THE OLIVE TREE, OLEA EUROPAEA

Olive trees are native to Anatolia Turkey, from where they spread to the rest of the Mediterranean region. The olive tree has many legends associated with it and perhaps the most famous is that it came into being when the goddess of wisdom, Athena planted her spear firmly into the ground and it became an olive tree. This was said to have happened in Athena, Athens, the capital city of Greece which is named after the goddess. Greeks will tell you that all Greek olive trees came from cuttings taken from this original tree. In his writings, Homer says that the olive tree created by Athena was 10,000 years old and still growing when he was writing. He also mentions that if anyone destroyed an olive tree, they were sentenced to death, so sacred were they to the ancient Greeks. They appear in paintings from the Minoan period of Greek history dating back to 3,500 BC. On ancient gold coins, Athena is depicted wearing olive leaves on her helmet.

   In ancient Olympia in 775 BC, where athletes trained for and competed in the ancient Olympic Games, victors were awarded crowns made from olive branches, and of course the dove and the olive twig is an international symbol of peace. Olive trees are mentioned in the Bible and the dove took an olive twig to Noah after the great flood.

   Olive trees have been cultivated for thousands of years, and can live for a thousand years or more, although 500 years is more common. They can grow up to 50 feet high and can have a spread of 30 feet or more. However they are usually pruned to 20 feet so that collection of the fruit is easier. Olives are traditionally harvested by shaking the trees and hitting the branches with long poles so that the olives fall into a net or cloth that has been placed under the tree.

   Olives, olive oil and olive leaves are very much a part of the Mediterranean diet, and modern medical research has shown that they are all beneficial to our health. Eating olives or olive oil can help prevent wrinkles, and slow the aging process, can help stop hot flushes in menopausal women, combat the ravages of alcohol, prevent dandruff (rub some oil into a dry scalp), make the hair shiny and healthy, prevent dry skin and acne, stop muscles aching, lower blood pressure and strengthen nails. Olive oil is said to be the reason why Greeks and Italians live to a ripe old age.

   Olives and their oil are rich in Vitamin E, iron, copper, dietary fibre and the good monounsaturated fats. The leaves are full of bioflavonoids and have potent antioxidant properties. Traditionally Greeks make a tisane from the leaves to calm frazzled nerves and relieve stress, and give a cup to their city-dwelling relatives when they arrive in their ancestral villages after working in Athens. The tisane can be made from a handful of leaves, and pouring a cupful of water on them and allowing them to steep for 10 to 15 mins, then straining and draining and sweetening with honey. The bark from the tree can also be added to a tisane. The tisane is a diuretic, so you shouldn’t have too many cups of it. Studies have shown that the leaves can help with arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and have antimicrobial properties. They may be useful in helping treat HIV/AIDS; they certainly can relieve hypertension, and lower cholesterol levels. They have been used to treat inflammation, diabetes, and infections. The cholesterol lowering effects are believed to come from oleuropein contained in the leaf.

   In 1843 a fever, possibly caused by malaria bearing mosquitoes, spread like wildfire through the island of Lesbos (Mytilene) and the decoction made from the leaves of the olive tree were found to be effective in reducing fever. It was reported that this decoction was even better than quinine for reducing malarial fever. This quality had been reported by French and Spanish physicians after the Spanish war between these two countries which lasted from 1808-1813.

   I have always been amazed by early people’s imagination, and the leaps they took from tasting a hard, bitter olive picked from the tree, to the deliciousness of olive oil. It’s also amazing that something that tastes so good is so beneficial for our health. In Greece the best olive oil is to be found in villages, and the colour depends on where it comes from. For example, in Northern Greece, around Igoumenitsa, the oil is a golden colour, whereas in the Peloponnesus it is a rich green. The oil from villages is extra virgin, and probably not for sale as it comes from family olive groves and is made for the use of those families. I was lucky enough to have friends who kept me well supplied with oil when I lived in Greece, and it was by far superior to the oil sold in supermarkets. Olive trees produce creamy white flowers, but don’t bear fruit every year, only in alternate years, so to have an annual supply, families plant many olive trees so that they will have a harvest every year.

   Black olives from Kalamata are probably the best in the world, as is the oil produced from them. After tasting these any others pale in comparison. However olives are wonderful whether they are black, green, and green stuffed with pimentos or almonds. They can be used on pizzas, in drinks, as mezes with ouzo along with grilled pieces of octopus, or in a tomato sauce with capers for the Italian “putanesca” sauce. Olive oil is wonderful poured over freshly cooked pasta with garlic and basil for a light lunch Italian style, or just dip a piece of bread into the extra virgin oil for a real taste of the Mediterranean.

   Olives the olive leaves and olive oil can give you so many health benefits, that you really should invest in the products of the olive tree. Give your taste buds a treat.

  The recipe below was given me by a Greek friend, Vassiliki, try it and see what you think.

BLACK OLIVE SAUCE ARAB STYLE

Ingredients

½ kilo fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1 large onion, finely sliced

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

200 gr black olives, pitted and sliced

1 tbsp capers

1 tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp paprika

dash of Tabasco

olive oil

Method

Heat olive oil in a pan and add the onion. Fry until it is transparent then add the garlic.

Fry over a low heat for 5 mins.

Add all the other ingredients and stir well. It may need a little water, but not much. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down to very low and simmer for 20 mins.

Serve with pasta. If you like, add fresh chopped coriander leaves as a garnish.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

EUROPEAN MISTLETOE: THE DRUIDS' UNIVERSAL HEALER: HOW TO USE MISTLETOE

EUROPEAN MISTLETOE, VISCUM ALBUM

European mistletoe or Viscum album is less toxic than its American counterpart, and this article refers only to the European variety. All information here is just that and if anyone cares to use the treatments then they should only do so under strict medical supervision. Mistletoe remedies are not for pregnant or lactating women and children should be actively discouraged from eating the berries.

   There are around 1,400 species of mistletoe that grow around the world, and Viscum album is divided into 4 subspecies, three of which occur in Europe and one in Asia.

   Of course, whether in Britain or the US, people know the tradition of kissing under branches of mistletoe at Christmas time when it decorates houses. This tradition stems from an ancient Scandinavian legend, when one of the gods, Balder was slain by an arrow made from mistletoe wood. The other deities prayed for his resurrection and their prayers were answered. Mistletoe was then kept in the care of the Goddess of Love and it was decreed that anyone passing under mistletoe should receive a kiss, symbolizing that it was a plant of love and peace not of hate.

   We also know from Pliny the Elder that mistletoe was harvested by the Druids in northern Europe. They only cut it when the moon was in a certain phase at the beginning of the New Year and cut mistletoe from the oak tree, which was especially revered by them because of its life-giving properties, as were the plants such as mistletoe and the oak apples that grew on it. They believed that mistletoe was a universal healer and used it in many potions. They also believed that it would protect from all evils and this is probably why we decorate our homes with it to this day. Druids used mistletoe to reach the other world in their shamanic rites and also used it in human sacrifices. Today modern “Druids” gather in orchards in Herefordshire, UK to celebrate the mistletoe in December, probably much to the consternation of farmers whose orchards they congregate in. Ancient Druids would gather mistletoe by cutting it with a golden sickle and laying it on white sheets under the oak trees from which it had been cut. They only cut the mistletoe after they had been told to cut it in visions, and would sing under the trees before they climbed them to harvest the mistletoe. Ovid writes “Ad viscum Druidae cantare solebant.”(The Druids would solemnly sing to the mistletoe.) The Druids sent young acolytes to dwellings carrying branches of mistletoe to herald the New Year.

  Now mistletoe should be burned, according to an old superstition, on Twelfth Night, or all the boys and girls who kissed under it will never marry. At one time it was also believed to cause sterility.

   In his play “Titus Andronicus” Shakespeare called it “the baleful mistletoe,” probably because he knew the old legend and because it was considered poisonous.

   Today mistletoe is rarely found on oak trees, but is most commonly found on old apple trees, although curiously not on pear trees. It also grows on ash trees, hawthorns and willows, among others. It is usually deposited by birds, notably the Missel Thrush which avidly devours the berries, and probably got its name from this predilection. It can also be “planted” on trees by rubbing the berries on the bark or the underside of branches, although birds are the best way of propagating mistletoe, farmers believe.

   European mistletoe is a true parasite and only grows on a living tree, not on decayed fallen bark as fungi can. Other mistletoes are not all true parasites. Viscum album grows a thick, woody root and has yellow calyxes in May, but the berries don’t fully ripen until December. The twigs and leaves (but not the berries) have been used as sheep fodder in winter.

   In Brittany mistletoe is known as the Herb of the Cross (Herbe de la Croix) as it is said that the wood of the mistletoe was used to make Christ’s cross, and was so demoted in the plant world and doomed to become a parasite. Mistletoe wood has been used as a protection from evil and epileptic fits since Druidic times, however.        

   Traditionally mistletoe leaves and twigs have been used to cure numerous ailments, among them hysteria, convulsions of delirium, for stopping internal haemorrhages, neuralgia, urinary disorders, heart disease, other problems related to the nervous system and as an aphrodisiac. Sir John Colbatch wrote a medical pamphlet in 1720 extolling the virtues of mistletoe as a cure for epilepsy, “The Treatment of Epilepsy by Mistletoe.” It was also used as a remedy for St. Vitus’ dance, and was often mixed with valerian root and vervain to treat nervous complaints. Cayenne peppers were added to this mixture for treating digestive disorders. Large quantities of mistletoe could aggravate the disorders it was supposed to treat however.

   The birdlime from the berries has been used to treat sores and ulcers and a berry was believed to relieve stitches in sides.

    You can make a cold water infusion with the chopped leaves and twigs by putting 2-4 tsp (10-20 gr) dried or fresh leaves into 500 ml of cold water and leaving them to steep overnight. Sweeten with honey and drink when you wake up. During the day steep more leaves in cold water and drink at bedtime. A tisane may be made with 1 tsp (5 gr) chopped leaves to 250 ml boiling water, and leaving this mixture to steep for 10-15 mins before straining and drinking. You can have 2 cups a day.

  Modern medical trials have shown that an extract of mistletoe when injected into the blood stream regularly can help in the treatment of bowel cancer as it can lower the effects of chemo and radiotherapy. It is believed that it acts upon the immune system, helping to prevent tumours spreading and to expel the toxic substances that build up in the body after the therapies. Those who underwent treatment with mistletoe extract survived for longer than patients who were not given the treatment, and they experienced fewer side effects from the therapies.

   Mistletoe contains lignans which are used as chemopreventives as well as to lower cholesterol levels and treat atherosclerosis. These are also found in flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and cranberries. It also contains acetylcholine which is involved in the transmission of nerve impulses in the body. There are also lectins or viscotoxins present, which behave in a similar way to snake venom. Bioflavonoids such as quercetin are also present in mistletoe and so it can help lower blood pressure and heart rate as well as ease anxiety and promote sleep.

   It is also thought that mistletoe may help improve blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, so perhaps the Druids weren’t wrong when they thought of this parasite as a universal healer.

SPINACH SOUP FOR POPEYE FANS: EASY AND TASTY RECIPE

SPINACH SOUP

This is a heart-warming winter recipe full of vitamins and minerals to help ward off colds and flu. It’s good cold in summer to with the addition of a little yoghurt.

 

Ingredients

½ kilo spinach washed well and leaves stripped from stalks

2 slices dried bread cut into cubes and fried in oil until golden brown

2 glasses chicken stock

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

salt to taste

fresh cream or butter to taste

Method

Put leaves in a pot with a little water and boil for 10 mins.

Allow to cool then blend.

Pour the chicken stock into the pan with the blended spinach and stir to mix well.

Cook for 5 mins. When the liquid starts to boil add salt.

Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving bowl topped with the croutons (fried bread cubes), black pepper and cream.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

VERVAIN ( VERBENA OFFICINALIS): HEALING HERB OF THE CELTS: VERVAIN TISANE REPUTED APHRODISIAC

VERVAIN, VERBENA OFFICINALIS

There are different types of vervain that grow around the world. Verbena officinalis is indigenous to the British Isles and Europe, while Blue vervain also known as Traveller’s Joy and Wild Hyssop, or Verbena hastate is native to the US. Vervain also grows in the Caribbean, two species being Burry vervain and Verbena jamaicensis. Verbena officinalis is the herb under discussion here.

   Vervain or Verbena officinalis is also known by the following names, Herb of Grace, Herba Sacra, Herba Veneris, and devil’s bane, formerly as it was believed that it would banish evil spirits. It was held sacred to the goddesses Diana and Venus by the Romans and could be burned like incense in temples and was used in them and in homes to make the air sweeter and more hygienic. The Egyptians dedicated vervain to their goddess Isis. It was given the name the venal herb because it has aphrodisiac qualities and stimulates the libido.  It is known as Herba Sacra because of the use made of it by the Romans in sacred rituals. It was believed in Mediaeval times that it had flourished on Mount Calvary where Christ was crucified and had helped to staunch the blood from his wounds as he hung on the cross.

   In Britain it was used by the Druids to connect them to the spirit world, and was used as a healing herb and almost had has much influence for them as mistletoe. The word vervain comes from the Celtic words, fer meaning to drive away and faen a stone. An amulet of the bruised herb was worn around the neck to protect from venomous bites and evil as well as just for good luck. It was passed over the Beltane fires and used to protect animals in the winter. At Midsummer it was strewn in fields to ensure the soil was fertile so that the crops would grow. It is said that it is best to gather the herb at Midsummer and dry it immediately for later use.

   The Druids on the other hand, believed that it was at its most effective when gathered during the waning period of the moon when Sirius the Dog Star was rising. They used it in and infusion and sprinkled their homes with the water to banish any evil lurking in them. In the old language of flowers, vervain symbolized enchantment and was used in love potions and to protect from the witches who made the potions.

   The Romans and Greeks used it for diarrhoea, and as it contains tannin it was probably effective, and would chew the root to strengthen the teeth and gums. The infusion of the herb actually makes a good mouth wash for ulcers and gingivitis.

    It has also been used for nervous disorders and is still used by herbalists for soothing nervous disorders, such as anxiety and stress and to promote relaxation and sleep. It has sedative properties, as well as astringent ones, and can be used as a diuretic, or to promote sweating in cases of fever. It has been used as an antispasmodic for stomach cramps and is used for symptoms of PMT (PMS) and the menopause. It is also used for promoting good eyesight and poultice made with a tincture of vervain have been used for headaches, rheumatism and neuralgia among other ailments. It leaves the skin a slightly red colour when used in this way and people thought that it brought the blood to the surface of the skin.

   For a decoction you need 2 ounces of the dried herb or 4 of fresh to 2 pints of water and boil until the liquid has reduced by half.  This can be used for piles and as a purgative. It can also be used for skin irritations. The tisane is good to stave off colds and flu, and it is a healthy drink as it contains bioflavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol etc.

   Modern medical research has shown that it can inhibit the Hepatitis B virus, which agrees with one of the ancient usages of this herb as a liver tonic. It is also effective as a calming nerve tonic and helps as much as St John’sjohn's Wort does in soothing stress and anxiety. It is an antidepressant which is as useful as rosemary, lavender, mugwort and St. John’s Wort.

   It enhances lactation in breast feeding mothers and helps in childbirth as it induces contraction of the uterine muscles, making childbirth easier. It should not be used during pregnancy for this reason. 

    Vervain can also be used as a diuretic, and sachets of the dried herb can be kept in clothes to make them smell good and to repel insects. You can put it in your bath to help you relax and to help get rid of any skin problems.

   The tisane will help pep up a jaded appetite and promotes digestion. It can also be used to dress wounds and sores. Mostly it is used to calm the nerves and has a reputation for being an aphrodisiac, presumably because of the actions of the bioflavonoids and its sedative properties which will lower inhibitions.

 

VERVAIN TISANE

Ingredients

1 tbsp dried herb or 2 tbsp chopped fresh herb, flowers and leaves.

1 cup boiling water

Method

Pour the boiling water over the herb and leave to steep for 15 mins. Strain and drink.

Three cups a day can be taken but remember that it is a diuretic.

This has Taste and is a Treat(ment).

SORREL: SORREL VEGETABLE: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF SORREL: NEW POTATOES AND SORREL RECIPE

SORREL, RUMEX ACETOSA, CHOKA OR TURUSHA SAAG IN URDU

There are around a hundred species of sorrel around the world, but this article centres on Common, or Garden Sorrel (Rumex acetosa), which has arrow-shaped leaves and in June and July has pink-red bell-shaper flowers. It is native to Britain and most of Europe and other varieties may be found in the US and the Indian Subcontinent as well as red sorrel (Hibiscus sabdariffa) in Jamaica and the West Indies, which is also called roselle. This is not a close relation to European sorrel. As its name suggests it is more closely related to hibiscus.

   Sorrel has been known as “cuckoo’s meate”, and it is thought that it got this name because people believed that the cuckoo used it to make its voice clear. It is also known as spinach dock. It grows wild as well as in gardens, and its leaves may turn to crimson, or the veins may become a purplish colour. It looks a lot like spinach and can be used in much the same way, although it complements eggs, chicken and other poultry as well as lamb, veal and goat’s cheese.

   Wood sorrel is another wild sorrel, but this is Oxalis acetosella which is to be written about in another post. There is also Mountain sorrel, (Oxyria reniformis) which can be found in parts of Wales and northern England, as well as close to the Arctic Circle, and in the Alps.

    Rumex scrutatus is known as French sorrel and this is usually preferred to common Sorrel. This took over from the Common Sorrel when it was introduced into Britain in the late 16^th century. Until then, Common or garden Sorrel was used for numerous dishes and in medicines. It has diuretic properties and is a coolant, and this is also true of the other sorrels including the Jamaican one which is made into a refreshing drink as are the others. Writing in 1720, John Evelyn says that sorrel “sharpens the appetite, assuages heat, cools the liver and strengthens the heart.” Culpeper agrees and states “Sorrel is prevalent in all hot diseases” and recommends it as a coolant for fevers, and all types of inflammation. He goes on to say that the roots, seeds and herb are good to treat scorpion bites, and the leaves, when heated and applied to boils caused by the plague, will burst them and so help to heal the body.

   Gerard also has a few things to say about the properties of sorrel and says “The seed of sorrel drunk in wine stoppeth the bloody flow” and continues “It cooleth a hot stomach.” He also says that the leaves were of use for “agues” or fevers.

   Sorrel contains Vitamin B9, Vitamin C, provitamin A, potassium, iron, calcium and magnesium, as well as fibre and carbohydrates and quercetin and lutein. It has antioxidant properties and so helps prevent the risk of heart disease and some cancers. However it is not recommended for people who have kidney or gall bladder stones or for pregnant and breast-feeding women. Children should also only be given small amounts of it- just two or three leaves, while an adult can eat 10-12 safely. The oxalic acid it contains is also not good for those who suffer from rheumatism and stones. It is a mild laxative as well as diuretic.

  In the past the roots and seeds of sorrel were drunk in wine to stop haemorrhages, and the plant was used to treat scurvy, caused by vitamin C deficiency, s sorrel was used in winter months when fresh fruit and vegetables were in short supply. A decoction of the flowers in wine was used for jaundice and kidney stones.

  Now sorrel is used for upper respiratory ailments and inflamed nasal passages and sinuses, and as a diuretic. The leaves and flowers can be combines in a tisane by taking a handful of them and pouring a pint of boiling water on the and leaving to steep for 10 minutes, then straining and drinking  The juice of the plant may be diluted and taken orally too.

  If you visit Shiraz in Iran, sorrel soup, kardeh in Farsi, is sold by street vendors in winter, to ward off colds and flu. It is widely used in Russian cuisine and there it is believed that sorrel lowers blood pressure. In France it is also widely used in omelettes, soups and green sauce to accompany fish. The young leaves can be used in salads just as spinach and dandelion leaves can. These can be substituted for sorrel and vice versa. In Ireland they use sorrel in a dish that requires fish to be poached in milk.

One of sorrel’s other names is Greensauce, and this is because it was used to make one, by pounding fresh sorrel leaves and mixing them with vinegar and sugar to serve with cold meat. The green sauce is good with turnips and spinach and also to cut the fatty flavour of roast goose and pork; this also goes well with veal and poultry, particularly chicken. You can wash sorrel leaves and shake them and simmer the leaves in their own water, then when they are ready (after 10 minutes or so) toss them in 50gr of butter. If you don’t like the acidity of the leaves you can blanch them in boiling water for a couple of minutes. The juice of the leaves can be used instead of rennet to curdle milk in the cheese-making process.

   In India Indian sorrel (Oxalis corniculata) is used, boiled in buttermilk for dysentery and jaundice, and an infusion of the fresh leaves, or the fresh juice mixed with honey or sugar is given to fever sufferers. This sorrel is particularly rich in iron. The juice from the leaves is mixed with equal amounts of castor oil and given as a cure for insomnia. Water is removed by heating the mixture which is massaged into the scalp before going to bed to promote sleep and cool burning eyes.

 

NEW POTATOES AND SORREL

Ingredients

500 gr small new potatoes, scrubbed

100 gr sorrel leaves

50 gr butter (unsalted if possible)

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Boil the potatoes whole for 10-12 mins so that they are just tender.

Strip the central veins of the sorrel leaves and the shred into strips 1 cm wide.

Remove the potatoes from the heat, drain and cut in half.

Put them in a bowl with the butter and oil, and add the sorrel leaves and allow them to wilt in the heat of the potatoes.

Toss well in the butter and allow to stand for 1 or 2 minutes, and then toss well. Leave them to stand for a further minute, toss again and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

 

ELDER FLOWERS( SAMBUCUS NIGRA): MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND THE USES OF ELDER FLOWERS: DEEP FRIED ELDER FLOWERS RECIPE

ELDER FLOWERS, SAMBUCUS NIGRA

Elder flowers are not well liked for their fragrance as they have a musty odour which assails t hose and hits the back of the throat; this has been described as being slightly narcotic. However country people in Britain have collected the flower heads for thousands of years to make cordials, medicines and syrups. There is a particularly refreshing country recipe for elder flower “champagne” which sparkles, and has a low alcoholic content although this will increase if kept for some time, but you have to secure the bottles or else they will explode. It cools the body in hot weather and is tastier than the smell of the flowers might lead you to expect. The wine made from the flowers of the elder is white, in contrast to Elderberry wine which looks more like port.

   The flowers are a sign that summer has come in Britain, and the elderberries are a sign that it is over. The trees in full bloom are very attractive and can grow up to 50 feet, although they don’t usually get to be so big. There is a superstition that you should never sleep in the shade of the elder tree because your soul may be stolen by the malignant spirits that dwell in it. A similar belief is held in the Indian subcontinent about sleeping under the bohar or banyan tree.  This may have come about as no plants can thrive under an elder tree.

   The tree is one of those like the neem tree (Indian lilac) that was seen as a boon for people as it reputedly helped cure many illnesses. In Shakespeare’s play “The Merry Wives of Windsor”, Act II scene 3 there is the line,

       “What says my Aesculpius? My Galen? My heart of Elder?”

 (Aesculpius and Galen being the top physicians of the ancients.)

 Many of the old herbal remedies made from this tree are being investigated by modern clinical researchers and this is ongoing.

  The flower heads can be picked and the flowers dipped in batter and deep fried. The flowers can be made into conserves, and the buds may be pickled and used as a substitute for capers. The tisane from the flowers can be prepared with 1 tbsp of flowers stripped from the stalks and placed in a pot, then pour a cup of boiling water over them. Cover the pot for 5 minutes, strain and drink. This is good for hay fever and respiratory problems as it is an expectorant and gets rid of mucus. It is also good for colds and flu, and is especially useful against flu if mixed with an equal amount of yarrow flowers. This is a diaphoretic and promotes sweat, so is good for fevers too. The cold elder flower tisane can be used for inflamed eyes or as a douche for candida. A strong decoction can be made by boiling 50 gr flowers in 1 pint of water for 3 minutes, then allowing it to steep and using when cool for skin problems. If you drink the tisane it will help to purify the blood and get rid of toxins, thus helping arthritis sufferers, and those who suffer from other inflammatory ailments.

   The flowers contain Vitamin C and rutin, both of which have strong antioxidant properties, so the flowers can help prevent cancer and prevent atherogenesis. Rutin has anti-inflammatory properties and strengthens the capillaries, so helping those who bruise and bleed easily.

   The flowers have a regulating effect on the digestive system so will help if you have either constipation or diarrhoea. They can also help boost the immune system, and I the flowers are placed in bath water, they will whiten and soften the skin. The tisane may be used as a facial cleanser of skin tonic. A salad of the buds can be made by macerating the flowers in a little hot water for a few hours, then drying them thoroughly and dressing them in oil, wine vinegar and salt. This is supposed to be good for skin problems such as acne. Elder flower vinegar is good for sore throats; you need 2 lbs of dried flowers to 2 pints of vinegar and leave to steep for a few weeks before straining and bottling. If you take the green flowers and put them in a stone jar, or at least a heat proof non-corrosive one, and cover them with boiling vinegar, you will have made the caper substitute.

DEEP FRIED ELDER FLOWERS

Ingredients

10-12 heads of elder flowers with stalks

oil for frying

fine sugar

For the batter

1 egg white whisked to stiff peaks

50 gr flour

30 gr cornflour

1 tsp cinnamon powder

½ tsp ground cloves

pinch salt

Method

Wash the flower heads and dry carefully.

Make the batter by mixing the dry ingredients together and then folding into the egg white with a metal spoon.

Dip the flower heads into the batter and then shallow fry for 1 min.

Dredge the flowers with sugar and serve with cream.

You can deep fry the flower heads too but if they are shallow fried you can hold the stems so that only the flower heads are fried, which is what you need. The flowers only are to be eaten.

These have Taste and are a Treat.

ELDERBERRIES: ELDER TREE: MEDICINAL BENEFITS, HISTORY AND SUPERSTITIONS: ELDERBERRY SYRUP FOR COUGHS AND COLDS

ELDERBERRIES, ELDER TREE, SAMBUCUS NIGRA

The European elder tree, Sambucus nigra is native to the British Isles, Africa and parts of Asia, and has been naturalized in the US which also has the Sambucus canadenisis elder, and the red-berried Sambucus racemosus variety of elder. In fact there are quite a few different types of elder around the world, but here we concentrate on the European variety which has a long history, because of this, the elder flowers are a separate post.

  The Elder was a sacred tree to the Druids who would not take any part of the tree without first asking humbly for permission to do so. It is a tree in the Celtic calendar, and represents similar qualities to that of the astrological sign Sagittarius, the archer. The person born under this sign is a seeker, who is blunt, honest, deeply thoughtful and a philosopher, seeking truth with a passion and fire. This is the sign for late November to late December. The elder is symbolic of Transition, Evolution and Continuation. It was used as a healing herb, and the later Physicians of Myddfai used the juice from the berries to cure the bite of a viper or adder, the only venomous snake found in Britain. They believed that if bitten by a viper the juice when drunk would “disperse all poison”. In Welsh superstition if you stand under an elder tree (Ysgawen in Welsh) on Midsummer’s Eve you can see the “little people” and have visions of other worldly creatures. If you have wands from the elder, they will keep away evil spirits, witches and witchcraft, and banish negative thoughts, such as those which might lead to suicide. This may be because it was believed that Judas hanged himself on the elder tree when he was overcome with remorse for having betrayed Judas. The tree, in legend, used to grow much taller than it does today, now it grows to about 30 feet and is more of a shrub than a tree. There is an old rhyme which says: -

   “Bour tree-Bour tree; crooked rong

    Never straight and strong;

    Ever bush and never tree

    Since our Lord was nailed on thee.”

This is a reference to an old tradition that Jesus’ cross was made from an elder tree. In the 14^th century it was called a bour tree. In Shakespeare’s play “Cymbeline” the elder tree is a symbol of grief and referred to as “the stinking elder” because of the smell of the bruised leaves and the flowers. Despite the smell people admire its beauty when in blossom and make wine from both the flowers and the berries. In “Love’s Labour Lost” Shakespeare writes “Judas was hanged on an Elder” and in the 14^th century Langland writes in “Piers Plowman”

   “Judas he japed with Jewen silver

     And sithen an eller hanged hymselve”

which means that Judas played with the Jews’ silver and therefore hanged himself on an elder tree. Sir John Mandeville writing about his travels states that he was shown an elder tree identical to the one Judas hanged himself on close to the Pool of Shiloam, so the elder has strong associations with the Bible, and particularly beliefs prevalent in Mediaeval times. Flouting traditional thought of his time though, Gerard, the herbalist, states that “the tree whereon Judas did hange himselfe” was the Judas Tree, or Cercis siliqustrum.

   Whatever the case even as late as the early 20^th century, hedge cutters in rural Britain would not cut the elder and gypsies are forbidden to use its wood as firewood. That may be wise, as the branches spit bits of flaming bark as it burns.

 Folkard, in “Plant-Lore, Legends and Lyrics,” tells us:

'The pith of the branches when cut in round, flat shapes, is dipped in oil, lighted, and then put to float in a glass of water; its light on Christmas Eve is thought to reveal to the owner all the witches and sorcerers in the neighbourhood';

and he continues,

'On Bertha Night (6th January), the devil goes about with special virulence. As a safeguard, persons are recommended to make a magic circle, in the centre of which they should stand, with Elderberries gathered on St. John's night. By doing this, the mystic Fern-seed may be obtained, which possesses the strength of thirty or forty men.'

   The twigs are flexible and the pith inside them can be removed and superstitious country people tie three or four knots in them to protect themselves from bad luck and evil influences. Little boys use the hollowed stems as whistles and in Culpeper’s day they were used as pop-guns. In ancient Greece and Rome they were made into wind instruments, pan-pipes and flutes, for example. The music from these could, it was believed, get rid of evil spirits and protect from witchcraft, just as the leaves gathered on the last day of April and fixed to doors and windows could. Farmers used to make a cross from the twigs of the elder and place them in stables and cow byres to protect their animals.

   The leaves and juice from them can be used to repel insects, and the bruised leaves can be rubbed on the skin to protect from insect bites. In the 17^th century it was believed that if other crops were whipped with bunches of elder laves no blight would attack them. If you take a handful of fresh bruised leaves and pour a pint of boiling water on them and leave this to cool, you can strain then bottle it and use on the skin as an insect repellent.

   In the late 17^th and 18^th century, elderberry juice was used to adulterate port, until this practice was outlawed in Portugal in 1747. They believed that drinking the juice with port was cure for the pain of sciatica and neuralgia.

  Hippocrates recommended the bark for a purgative, and it is an emetic. You can make this with 1 ounce of dried bark (dried in the sun and taken in at night until it turns a grey colour) to 1 pint of water and boil it, then take small doses of it. It was also used as a diuretic. A tisane of dried berries was given in cases of colic and diarrhoea. The leaves have been applied to swellings and gout to relieve the pain, as well as on wounds when boiled with a little linseed oil. This liquid was also used for piles. The Romans used the juice from the berries for black hair dye, and Culpeper also mentions that they can be used for this purpose. Elderberry syrup is good for coughs, colds and flu, as is hot elderberry wine with honey or sugar. Elderberries can be made into jam, preserves and conserves. To take the berries from the stalks you can use an “afro” comb, taking care no to bruise the fruit.

  A tisane can be made from the fresh of dried berries by taking a fresh head of berries and boiling them in two cups of water, then leaving to stand for 10 mins, before straining, reheating and drinking with honey if desired.

  Medical trials are still underway on the elderberry, but as the berries contain flavonoids they have antioxidant properties, so may be good for prevention of heart diseases and cancer. They may, scientists say, have anti-inflammatory properties, and reduce the swellings of the mucus membranes for example the sinuses. They may also have antiviral properties as they have been effective against swine flu, or the H1N1 virus, as they were in lab tests, but they have not been tested on humans for these properties. Scientists can sat without any doubt that they boost the immune system, so a glass of hot elderberry wine every night as taken by country folk for centuries, may well ward off colds and flu and help with sore throats and mouths.

  The Italian liqueur, Sambuca is made form elderberries and anise traditionally.

  Pregnant and breast-feeding women should avoid elderberries say the scientists.

The syrup recipe below is for coughs and colds and should be diluted, with water to taste.

ELDERBERRY SYRUP

Ingredients

1 pint of berries

2 pints water

1 inch piece root ginger, peeled and sliced

10 cloves

Method

Boil all the ingredients together until the liquid is reduced by half.

Allow to cool and bottle.

Take a wineglass full of syrup and dilute with hot water and drink every night to ward off clods and flu. If you have a cold then take this dose three times a day until the symptoms have gone.

This has Taste and is a Treat(ment).