WHAT IS ANJEER FRUIT? FIGS ( FICUS CARICA): HEALTH BENEFITS OF FIGS USES AND HISTORY: FIGS RECIPE

FIGS, ANJEER (FICUS CARICA)

Figs (anjeer in Arabic and Urdu) are related to the banyan tree (Ficus bengalhensis) and are in the mulberry family, although they are not closely related. There is also a wild variety of fig which grows in Pakistan's Punjab province and is called the Punjab fig. We have one on our roof thanks to a small bird we once rescued. The fig is believed to be indigenous to western Asia, (Iran, Syria and Turkey) and was taken by early humans to the Mediterranean areas where they flourished. The Greeks got their figs from Caria in what was then Asia Minor, and improved them until they were considered the best in the ancient world. Greek figs were so renowned in the ancient world that there was a law which forbade the export of the best figs. Greek athletes had a diet full of figs and so did slaves in ancient times, as they provide us with energy.

   Pliny writes that he knew of 29 varieties of fig, now there are approximately 800 varieties. He praised those that came from Herculanaeum, Tarant and Caria and archaeologists found dried figs in Pompeii and wall-paintings with them in, along with other types of fruit. The fig was dedicated to Bacchus, the Roman god of wine (Greek equivalent Dionysus) and used in religious ceremonies. It was believed by the Romans that Saturn discovered the fruit, although the Greeks had other myths about its origins.

The Roman writer Ovid tells us that gifts of figs were traditionally given on the first day of the new year, and the legend has it that the wolf that suckled Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, rested under a fig tree.

Black fig

    In Greek mythology, the fig was associated with the satyr Priapus (the figure portrayed on modern Greek postcards with a huge erection and half goat and half man), who symbolized sexual desire. Another myth says that one of the eight Hamadryads, Syke, the daughter of the forest spirit Oxylos, was the nymph of the fig tree. These nymphs lived on Mount Oita in Phthiotos according to myth. Another myth says that Sykeus, one of the Titans who went to war with the gods had to flee the wrath of Zeus, father of the gods, and was changed into a fig tree by his mother Gaia (the Earth) and so hidden from Zeus.

   Figs are mentioned in many places in the Bible and the Qu’ran, and in the bible Adam was said to have hid his nakedness with a fig leaf.

    Fresh figs may be black or green, but the black ones taste better, although they may be difficult to find.

Dried figs

    Figs are reputed to be aphrodisiacs and have a high potassium content as well as containing the vitamins A and C, and some of the B-complex ones including  niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, as well as having calcium, iron, phosphorous, manganese, sodium and chlorine plus traces of selenium. They also have Omega-6 oil and the highest fibre content of any fruit. This means that they are a mild laxative, and good to help prevent colon cancer and piles, and can help with weight loss. They may also help prevent post-menopausal breast cancer. They are also to control blood sugar levels as they are high in potassium, so are good for diabetics. The low sodium content and high potassium levels present in the fruit means that they are good at preventing hypertension, and they help halt macular degeneration, so are good for the eyes. They also heal and protect sore throats as they have a high mucilage content. They can aid digestion and are good if you have a fever, and help relieve respiratory problems such as whooping cough and asthma. Syrup of figs is taken as a laxative and some cough medicines are made from them. The best dried figs these days are reputedly the Elemi ones from Turkey, but this is a matter of taste. In traditional medicine in the Indian subcontinent, they are used to treat STDs, liver complaints as well as earache, boils and abscesses. The milky sap from the leaf stalks is used to remove warts. They are rich in antioxidants which combat the free radicals in the body which damage cells and may cause cancer.

     The fruit of the fig is made up of hundreds of flowers which grow inside the skin of the fruit. They are pollinated by a wasp with which the fruit has a symbiotic relationship. The seeds are all from the flowers, each of which contains only one seed, so the fig is a very unusual fruit.

CHICKEN WITH FIGS AND PORT

Ingredients

3½ lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 tsp coriander seeds, dry fried and then ground

1 tsp cumin seeds, dry fried and ground

½ tsp cayenne pepper

10 garlic cloves sliced

2 onions, sliced

2 bay leaves, torn

12-15 fresh figs, washed and halved

1 cup ruby port

1 lemon or 3 Indian/Pakistani lemons, juice and grated zest

½ cup fresh parsley or coriander, shredded

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Rub spices into the chicken pieces then place in a roasting pan. Put the sliced onions, garlic, figs and bay leaves on top. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 50 mins.

Remove from the oven and stir in the lemon juice and zest. Put bake in the oven without covering and bake for a further 10-15 mins until the chicken is really tender.

Remove from the oven sprinkle with parsley or fresh coriander leaves and serve on a bed of rice.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS KIORA OR KEWRA OR KEWDA? SCREW PINES:USES OF KIORA WATER

KIORA (IN URDU) OR KEWRA OR KEWDA (HINDI) WATER

Kiora water is distilled from the male flowers of the Pandanus odoratissimus tree. There are over 70 varieties of Pandanus trees, but here we mention only two, as there is much research to be done on the health benefits of these trees. The fragrance of kiora water is similar to rose water, but it has a fruitier flavour.

   In English the trees are known as Screw Pines, although they are not pine trees, and they are also called Umbrella Trees because of the shape some of them grow in.

   Leaves from Pandanus amaryllifolius are used as a spice in South East Asia to flavour curries and desserts. These trees grow in tropical Asia, Australia and the Pacific islands. The ripe fruits of Pandanus trees have their distinctive aroma because of the essential oil they contain.

Fruit

    Pandanus odoratissimus grows all along the eastern coast of India and is particularly famous in Orissa where a lot of the distilled water comes from. This tree flowers in the monsoon season and is harvested in the early morning before the flowers open as they lose their fragrance quickly when they open. Sandalwood is added to the distillation to produce attar kewra which is used in the perfume industry, and ruh kewra is the essential oil that is produced, not mixed with anything and expensive. This name is interesting as ruh means soul in Urdu so the name could mean refresher of the soul. The aroma of this oil has a calming effect and is good as an aid to mental relaxation, as well as having anti-oxidant properties.

    Kiora water is a cheap by-product of the distillation process, but flowers of lower quality are also used to make the water which is used for cooking. In India and Pakistan it is used to flavour sweets and rice dishes. For a recipe using it go to our rare beef biryani one.

Flower

  In traditional medicine the powdered anthers and tops of the flower bracts are used to cure headaches and to treat rheumatism and epilepsy. The powder obtained from inside the anthers is inhaled or smoked like a cigarette as a cure for sore throats. It is believed that the root boiled in milk can cure female sterility and can prevent a miscarriage. In the Asian subcontinent it is thought that the oil is an aphrodisiac, and a decoction of the bark is said to help wounds heal quickly. Seeds from the plant are used to strengthen the liver and heart, and the oil is used for earache. It has antiseptic qualities similar to eucalyptus oil and the roots are diuretic, and used as a tonic and a purifier, so the whole of the tree is beneficial to our health.

  Pandanus amaryllifolius leaves are used in South East Asia to flavour meat dishes as they have a nutty taste. They are also used to wrap food in (after they have been steeped coconut milk) and to weave baskets which food is served in. They can also be used to weave mats and in the past were used as roofing material and to make grass skirts. In traditional medicine these leaves have been used to treat chest pains, reduce fevers, and inflammation from arthritis. Chewing the leaf helps oral health and stops bleeding gums. The leaves are also used to ease stomach cramps and spasms, and are given to women recovering after childbirth. It is thought that they might have anti-cancer properties too and trials are being carried out to see if they are effective against cancer. Extracts of these leaves may be added to bath water for skin problems and relief from sunburn.

    The leaves contain a natural insecticide which has been effective in killing mosquitoes.

  In the islands of Mare and Grande Terre which are part of New Caledonia, in the Pacific, ornithologists have found that New Caledonian crows make tools with the thorny edges of the pandanus leaves that grow there. They make hook-like tools in a three-stage process to dig insects out of holes in trees etc. The tools are sophisticated and the behaviour is learnt, so these crows are one of the few animals, along with chimpanzees that make tools. The pandanus trees are clearly not just for our benefit.

HOW TO MAKE RARE BEEF BIRYANI: KACHAY GOSHT KI BIRYANI

RARE BEEF BIRYANI

Ingredients

1 kg beef, fat removed and cubed

½ cup oil

2 large onions, sliced and fried

2 cups natural yoghurt

2 tbsps garlic pounded to a paste

2 tbsps ginger root pounded to a paste

4 tbsps papaya crushed with skin

1 tbsp chilli powder

½ tsp turmeric

salt to taste

1 cup mint leaves

3 tbsps green cardamom powder

6 green chillies, finely chopped

½ handful coriander, shredded

2 tbsps garam masala

2 tbsps kiora

For the rice: -

750 gr basmati rice

4 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

2 black cardamom pods

2 star anise

1 tbsp fennel seeds

1 tsp grated nutmeg

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp salt

Method

First of all marinate the meat cubes in 1 cup of yoghurt and papaya, garlic, ginger, chilli powder, chillies, salt and half of the fried onions for 4 hours.

Clean the rice and soak for half an hour. Drain and add fresh water.

Put the spices under the rice ingredients in a piece of muslin and tie. Put this in the pot with the rice and cook until the rice is almost cooked, but still a little hard inside.

Remove from the heat and strain.

Put a quarter of the meat in the bottom of a pan, then a quarter of the rice on top of it. Next sprinkle a quarter of the coriander, mint, garam masala and the green cardamom powder over the rice. Then add another layer of meat and repeat the process.

Mix the remaining cup of yoghurt with the ½ cup of oil and cover the top with this.

Cook for 10 mins on high heat then put the lid on the pot and weight it down so that no air escapes and cook on a very low heat for 30 mins.

Serve with salad or raita.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS PETHA? ASH GOURD: MEDICINAL USES AND HOW TO MAKE LAHORI PETHA MITHAI DESSERT

ASH GOURD, PETHA, BENINCASA HISPIDIA

The ash gourd (Benincasa hispidia) is called petha in Urdu and is also known in English as wax gourd, white gourd and Chinese preserving gourd. It is sometimes called the winter melon or white melon. It is native to tropical Asia and Africa, although it grows in other parts of the world including Polynesia.

   The ash gourd has been used since ancient times as a medical plant and a vegetable, although it is also the main ingredient of a sweet which we give the recipe for below.

   In traditional Asian medicine it has a number of uses and is good for diabetics as it is low in calories and a diuretic and detoxifier. The juice is the part primarily used in medicine and this has traditionally been taken from old ash gourds. If you grate the flesh of one of these gourds and collect the water that exudes from it, and then squeeze the flesh, you should add an equal amount of water and drink this on an empty stomach every morning three hours before you eat anything to get rid of peptic ulcers. The juice also gets rid of intestinal parasites and will increase tissue growth especially if you mix it with coconut milk. It’s good for the digestion too and cures constipation. If you mix the juice with a teaspoon of gooseberry juice or lime juice and take it in small sips rather than gulping down, it stops bleeding in the lungs and will stop blood being emitted in urine.

    The juice can also be an effective mouth wash, and gargle, helping to sooth mouth ulcers, gingivitis (bleeding gums) and will protect the teeth and gums from bacteria.

     In Ayurvedic medicine it is used to banish sleeplessness, to help with epilepsy, asthma and lung diseases, as well as a diuretic to prevent urine retention, and to stop internal haemorrhages. Apparently it is good for coughs, colds, sinusitis, and flu and it is not reported to have any side effects. It can help lower cholesterol levels and is effective in treating Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH) or prostate enlargement. For this you should boil 50 gr of chopped seeds in 250 ml of water for 30 minutes, strain and drink 50 ml (small sips) three times a day for a week. The inflammation will be reduced in 2 days and should have disappeared after a week.

   It is rich in dietary fibre, calcium, phosphorous, sodium, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and contains magnesium, potassium, copper, zinc, iron, manganese, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and folate. It also contains the essential amino acids, tryptophan, lysine and methionine. It also contains fatty acids and traces of selenium. It has been found that the seed has anti-angiogenesis properties, which means that there is a substance in them which can stop the growth of tumours and the progression of cancers by limiting the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis).

  So the ash gourd is good for our health and tastes good too. It can be used in vegetable dishes, and in preserves and pickles. Below is a famous dessert recipe.

LAHORI PETHA MITHAI

Ingredients

1 kg ash gourd, skin and seeds removed and flesh cut into cubes

750 gr sugar

1 tsp alum powder

1 cup water

1 tbsp lemon juice

4 green cardamom pods, seeds removed and crushed

1 stick of cinnamon

Garnish

30 gr chopped pistachio nuts

30 gr desiccated coconut

Method

Prick the cubes of the ash gourd flesh with a fork, put in a pan and cover with water (just).

Add the alum powder and boil for 10-15 minutes.

Remove from the heat and wash under running water.

Now put the cup of water in a pan with the sugar and heat until the sugar has dissolved; add the lemon juice and cardamoms.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the boiled ash gourd cubes. Cook until they are soft and the syrup hangs off a spoon leaving three strands when raised from the pan.

Remove from the heat, remove the petha and place them separately on a plate or tray so that they don’t stick together.

Allow to cool then sprinkle with the garnishes and serve.
This has Taste and is a Treat.