CAYENNE PEPPER: CAYENNE CHUTNEY RECIPE

CAYENNE PEPPER
Cayenne pepper is a member of the Capsicum family, as is paprika, and of course, green, red and yellow peppers used in salads and cooking. Cayenne pepper originated in South and Central America and in the West Indies. It was introduced to Europe by Christopher Columbus, who was looking for more supplies of black pepper. He was not very discriminating, as he thought cayenne might just be black pepper. It’s made by drying and then grinding the chilli pepper, and is an orange-brown colour.
It was domesticated about 5000 years ago and by the time the Spanish conquistadores arrived in South America, there were dozens of different types of the chilli pepper, which the native Indians had selected and cross bred. It arrived in Asia in the 16th century and was rapidly adopted as a spice and it took to the climate, so it grows well in Asia these days.
It was sometimes referred to as the Guinea pepper and the name cayenne comes from the town in French Guiana on the north eastern coast of South America, where the pepper is cultivated.
Writing his Herball in 1597, John Gerard mentions that the little pepper (also known as the bird pepper or bird chilli) was cultivated in Britain, and he thought it was good as a treatment for skin and throat infections. It has been used in the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis and chills. It is a natural stimulant which has no narcotic properties. It has been used in the treatments of tumours, toothache, fever and respiratory ailments in the West.
The Mexican Indians now use it to treat fevers and as an intestinal purifier. They have been eating it for breakfast and as part of their evening meal for more than 2000 years.
Cayenne contains capsaicin which has been extensively studied recently. It has pain-reducing effects, helps prevent ulcers in the digestive system, and is excellent for opening the nasal passages. So if you have a blocked nose, spice up your food with some of this spice. It also contains Vitamin A and beta-carotene, which is a powerful antioxidant, so it can help prevent complications of the cardiac system associated with diabetes, and help prevent cancer of the colon. This cayenne pepper can help boost the immune system, and reduce the risk of stomach ulcers.
It’s very good for your health and adds that je ne sais quoi to your food, so consider investing in some if it’s not already in your food store.
Below is a recipe for chutney using the dried cayenne pepper, which you can buy in Asian shops, or online.


Cayenne Chutney
Ingredients
2 cucumbers, with skin, thinly sliced
100 gr shallots,sliced
1 onion, finely sliced
2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
small bunch of chives, finely chopped (optional)
2 or 3 pods of cayenne peppers
2 tbsps Madeira or dry sherry

Method
Mix all the liquids together,as well as the juices from the salted cucumber.
Mash the cayenne pepper pods well in the liquid.
Cover the cucumber, onion slices and the sliced shallots with the liquid and add the chopped chives.
Put in a clean jar with a tight fitting lid and placein the fridge.
Leave for a day or two and eat as an accompaniment to meat or chicken dishes.
This has Taste and is a Treat.

PISTACHIO NUTS: CITRUS FRUIT SALAD RECIPE

PISTACHIO NUTS
Pistachio trees are native to Asia and Asia Minor. They are in the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, and are now found all over the Mediterranean region. The same family contains the mangoes and poison ivy. Archaeological evidence from Turkey show that our ancestors were snacking on pistachio nuts as far back as 7,000BC, so they’ve been around for a long time.
There are legends in Asia and the Middle East which say that Adam brought these trees to Earth, but whatever the case they have been royal favourites. The Queen of Sheba forbade the common people to grow the nuts for their own consumption and decreed that they were exclusively the food of royalty. King Nebuchadnezzar is said to have had them planted in the hanging Gardens of Babylon too. The Mogul Emperor Akbar the Great was not as selfish as the Queen of Sheba, as he, reportedly, had his chickens fed with pistachio nuts 6 to 9 weeks before a banquet was scheduled, so that they would taste better when cooked.
In Lebanon the leaves from the pistachio tree are believed to increase fertility, and the Arabs believe that they are an aphrodisiac. Whatever the case, medical research has shown that they contain phytosterols which combat cholesterol, so they are good for the heart. They also contain antioxidants, and unsaturated fats (the ‘good’ fats). They are also rich in minerals, including potassium, and vitamins. Each nut contains 3 to 4 calories.
In Greece, the island of Aegina is rightly famous for its pistachio nuts. The ones you can buy there are superior to others I have tasted. You can see them growing on the many trees on the island, and they look very pretty, hanging in bunches of red, orange and brown. You have to peel away the coloured skin to get at the shell, so the nut, or seed, is well protected. The ones on Aegina are superior because of the island’s soil and Aegina has its own cultivar. They now have festivals to celebrate the pistachio too, generally held in September.
A Middle Eastern legend says that if young lovers stand under a pistachio tree on nights when the moon is full, and they hear the popping of the pistachios cracking their casings, they will be blessed and will marry.


CITRUS FRUIT SALAD

Ingredients

1 pink grapefruit, peeled and sliced across the segments

1 orange sliced as above

1 tangerine or Clementine, sliced across the segments

1 lemon, freshly squeezed

30 gr sultanas

50 gr pistachio nuts, roughly chopped

250 gr thick natural yoghurt

1or 2 tbsps honey

1 tsp ground cinnamon

mint leaves to garnish

Method

Put the sliced citrus fruit on a large serving plate, (use any citrus fruit in season). Soak the sultanas in the lemon juice for 15 minutes.

Decorate the fruit with the pistachio nuts, sultanas and torn mint leaves. Sprinkle with the remaining lemon juice.

Mix the cinnamon powder and honey in the yoghurt and serve separately. You can garnish this with mint leaves too, or add the torn leaves to the yoghurt mixture.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

EASY SPICY FRIED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS RECIPE

garam masala spices

Simple Fried Chicken
Ingredients
6 chicken drumsticks
1 cup plain flour
2 eggs
1 inch ginger root finely chopped
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
½ handful mint leaves shredded finely
½ handful coriander leaves finely shredded
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsps salt
1 tsp black pepper
oil for frying




Method
Put chicken drumsticks in a pan with half a glass of water, ginger, garlic, salt and cook over a medium heat until the water has gone.
Remove the drumsticks and leave until cool. Mix the coriander and mint in the eggs and whisk until blended.
Mix garam masala, cumin, salt and black pepper together.
One by one dip the drumsticks into the egg mixture and then coat them with the spice mixture, coating them evenly. Heat the oil in the frying pan and cook until the coating is crisp. This should only take 4-5 mins over a medium heat.
Serve with salad, French fries and our mint dip.
This has Taste and is a Treat.

MY SPECIAL CHICKEN RECIPE: SPICY CHICKEN DISH

My Special Chicken
Ingredients
½ kilo chicken
2 onion, sliced
3 tomatoes, diced
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 inch piece ginger root finely chopped
4 green chillies, finely chopped
4 tbsps fresh lemon juice
½ handful of both mint and coriander leaves
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp turmeric
1 curry leaf
½ cup cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste


Method
Fry onions, garlic, ginger and the curry leaf in oil for 5 mins on a very low heat. Add chicken, tomatoes, green chillies, spices and salt and pepper. Cook for 30 mins over a low heat. Add mint, coriander and lemon juice and cook for 2 mins. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 5 mins.
Now it’s ready to serve with boiled rice, or breads of your choice and salad.
This has Taste and is a Treat.