HOW TO MAKE SPICY SCRAMBLED EGGS: EASY AND TASTY RECIPE

SPICY SCRAMBLED EGGS

Ingredients

6 eggs

½ cup milk

½ cup grated cheese

2 onions, finely chopped

6 green chillies, finely chopped

2 tsps ginger paste

2 tsps garlic paste

1 tomato, grated

1 cucumber (5-6 inches long), grated

1 potato, thinly sliced

½ handful of fresh mint leaves, shredded

½ handful fresh coriander leaves, shredded

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp ajwain or thyme

½ tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp garam masala

1 tsp chilli powder

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1½ cups oil

Method 

Beat the eggs in a bowl and mix with the milk, spices, cheese, herbs, chillies, grated tomato and salt.

Heat the oil in a pan, and fry the potato slices until they are brown. Add the garlic and ginger paste and fry for 1 min. Now put the onion and cucumber in the pan and cook for 4 mins stirring well.

Add the contents of the bowl to the pan; stir well so that the mixture does not stick to the pan and burn.

When it gets thicker, turn down the heat to very low, cover and cook for 10 mins.

Remove the lid and cook until the mixture is the right consistency.

Remove from the heat and serve.

This is my own simple dish that everyone who has tasted it has enjoyed.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

YELLOW SAGE, SPANISH FLAG, LANTANA CAMARA: BENEFITS OF YELLOW SAGE AND USES

SPANISH FLAG, YELLOW SAGE, LANTANA CAMARA

Lantana camara is native to parts of Africa, the West Indies and Central and South America. It has been grown for its ornamental value and has escaped into the wild, so that now it is an invasive species in many countries including Australia, and some in East Africa. There are many different varieties and some of the berries in different countries are highly toxic, for example children have died from ingesting them in Canada. However a recent study (published in November 2010) states that the berries “are not associated with significant toxicity, either ripe or unripe”. Certainly adults in Pakistan tell stories about loving to eat them when they were children. They look and smell a little like blackcurrants, or juniper berries. However, they should be treated with caution.

   Animals which eat too much of the plant can be poisoned and die within 3 to 5 days, and this is thought to be due to the lantadene in the plant which is a polycyclic triterpenoid.

   In Pakistan they grow profusely on waste ground and in other countries they take over complete habitats and destroy other vegetation. They are shrubs and can grow up to 6 feet tall although they are normally around 3-4 feet.

   Although they are weed, they have many uses, as the stems can be made into pulp for paper-making which is a suitable quality for writing and printing, but it is not yet commercially viable to harvest the stems. Similarly the roots yield a latex which could possibly be used to manufacture rubber, but again, this has to be studied to see if it is financially viable.

   In India and Pakistan they are used in folk medicine with the extracts from the plant being used for cancer, chickenpox, measles, asthma, ulcers, swellings, eczema, tumours, high blood pressure, bilious fever, catarrhal infections, tetanus, rheumatism, malaria, dysentery and diarrhoea. The roots are used in a decoction for colds, coughs and flu and gonorrhea. The pounded leaves are used in poultices for swellings and skin problems.

 The leaves have antiseptic properties and can be placed on wounds. The essential oil has triterpenes, such as lantic acid which can kill E.coli and Bacillus cereus, as it has potent antimicrobial qualities. The leaf extract is also fungicidal, nermaticidal and insecticidal, so may be a natural way to kill pests and keep them away from crops. The oil also contains verbasocide which is antimicrobial and has immunosuppressive and anti-tumour properties.

   The twigs and stems are used in still-developing countries as fuel for cooking, and the flowers attract butterflies and moths as they are a good source of nectar for them.

    The best advice is not to ingest any part of this plant, although it probably won’t do you any harm, although this may depend on where you live and the variety of Lantana camara.

  

JACKFRUIT, THE BIGGEST FRUIT THAT GROWS ON TREES: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF JACKFRUIT: JACKFRUIT SALAD

JACKFRUIT, KATHAL (URDU), ARTOCARPUS HETEROPHYLLUS

Jackfruit or Kathal in Urdu is a member of the mulberry family of trees and fruit. It is distantly related to figs and more closely to breadfruit. It is no relation to durian, although it looks a lot like it when it is growing. It is one of those fruits that you either love or hate, but once you get past the initial reaction to the smell of the whole fruit - similar to rotting onions, and eat the fleshy fruit, you will either love it as we do, or hate it and have an adverse reaction which may cause some discomfort in the back of the throat and tongue for 15 to 20 minutes.

   It is the biggest fruit that grows on trees and can be up to three feet long, and weigh up to 80 pounds. It looks a lot like the durian, but the outer skin is less spiky and the smell is different- durian smells like old socks. You have to slit the fruit open to get at the fleshy pieces which are probably best eaten fresh; although in India they are used in curries and stews and can be pickled.

   Jackfruit is indigenous to Sri Lanka, China and Malaysia, but has been cultivated in India for at least 3000 years. The Bangladeshis have taken it as their national fruit, but in Pakistan it is grown in the Karachi area for its novelty value. The fruit can be bought in two markets there however, in the Empress market and the new Subzi Mandi.

   Jackfruit trees can live for hundreds of years if cared for and take between 10 and 14 years to bear fruit.   There are two varieties of jackfruit, one which is hard and the other soft. The hard one is cooked as a vegetable or eaten raw as is the softer one, which is used in salads and desserts.

Ripe Jackfruit

  The Chinese have used it for centuries in traditional medicine as the unripe fruit has astringent properties, the bark contains tannin and the ripe fruit is used as a general tonic and a mild laxative when ripe. The latex from the tree is mixed with vinegar and used to heal abscesses snake bites and a paste made from the leaves, mixed with coconut juice is good for all skin problems. The seeds are given to stop vomiting, but care should be taken with these as they should be boiled or roasted or boiled and then roasted if you want to eat them. In India they are eaten as you would eat lentils.

   The bark is sometimes used in poultices to treat wounds and swellings, and the heated leaves are also put on wounds to stop bleeding. The wood when boiled has sedative properties, and the pith is said to induce abortion. An extract of the root is used for fevers and to treat diarrhoea and it is also used for skin problems and to treat asthma.

   The fruit rind contains pectin and makes a good jelly when used with citric acid. The leaves of the tree are used for animal fodder as well as food wrappings, and can be sewn together to make plates. The wood is resistant to termites and is prized in furniture- making in Sri Lanka, where they also use the roots of old trees to make picture frames and to carve decorative items from. The latex can be used as a cement or sealant to caulk boats, mend holes in buckets, and to stick pieces of crockery and earthenware together when they break.

Jackfruit Tree

   The fruit inside the Jackfruit has simple sugars, fructose and sucrose which give you an almost immediate energy boost, and it is rich in dietary fibres which means that it is a good bulk laxative and helps protect against colon cancer and piles. It is rich in vitamin A which is necessary to maintain good eyesight, and as it is a powerful antioxidant it helps fight free radicals. It also contains beta-carotene and lutein, antioxidants which protect against breast and prostate cancer as well as other types of cancer. The fruit is also rich in B-complex vitamins (niacin, thiamin, riboflavin and folic acid), B6 (pyridoxine) and vitamin C. The seeds contain protein and minerals. However medical trials have suggested that the seeds can lower libido and induce temporary erectile dysfunction, and it is not advisable for pregnancy or breast-feeding mothers to eat the seeds.

  There is insufficient medical evidence to support the traditional uses of the jackfruit, but the studies that have been carried out suggest that perhaps the leaves can treat high levels of blood sugar and glucose intolerance. Other studies suggest that the sees may have antimicrobial, anti-viral and immuno-stimulant properties, but more studies are needed to prove or disprove these initial findings, especially for the importance of the jackfruit in treating diabetes.

JACKFRUIT SALAD

Ingredients

1 jackfruit, inner fruits removed and sliced

250 gr freshly grated coconut

6-8 bananas, sliced

2 tbsps honey

Garnish- mint leaves

Method

Mix the ingredients together and serve.

Garnish with mint leaves.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

  

WHAT ARE CAJU NUTS? CASHEW NUTS: CASHEW NUTS OIL: HEALTH BENEFITS OF CASHEW NUTS AND USES

CASHEW NUTS, CAJU IN URDU, ANARCARDIUM OCCIDENTALE

Cashew nuts, or caju in Urdu, are the seeds of the cashew nut tree (Anacardium occidentale) and are unusual as they grow under the fruit of the tree, not inside it. The fruit is highly perishable and decays after 24 hours of being picked, so is only available in the localities where the tree grows. The fruit is highly prized and used in liqueurs, jams and for preserving. There is an outer and inner shell protecting the seeds and between the two layers is a caustic oil which can blister the skin. This is why the cashew nuts are only sold shelled.

Cashew Tree

    The oil has been used to remove corns from the toes, warts, and ringworm as well as in the treatment of cancerous ulcers and elephantiasis in the past. It was used in India to rub on floors to keep white ants at bay. Apparently it is/was also used on the face to strip away the skin so that new skin could grow. This oil is known as cashew balm or cardol and is now used in varnish and insecticides. It is actually called uluresin.

    The cashew nut tree is native to Peru and Brazil, but Portuguese explorers introduced it to India, Mozambique and Tanzania, in the 16^th century. Brazil, India, Mozambique, Tanzania and Nigeria are now the main exporters of the cashew nut. The tree doesn’t grow very tall, and looks a little like a walnut tree.

cashew flower

    The leaves, bark and apple (actually more pear-shaped) of the tree are believed to have antibacterial properties, considered aphrodisiac, and used to reduce temperatures in fevers, as well as to stop diarrhoea. They are also used to lower blood sugar levels and blood pressure in areas where the trees grow. The nuts have diuretic properties and contain the minerals copper, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, iron and tryptophan so have benefits for the heart. They also contain vitamin C and some of the B-complex vitamins.

Cashew Nuts

    In modern medicine the nuts are used in creams and gels as astringents, and trials have shown that they are useful in fighting bacteria which causes tooth decay, and tooth abscesses.

    Cashews have much the same health benefits as walnuts and pistachios but should be eaten in moderation. They are good mixed with other nuts and can be eaten roasted, salted or as they come.

CASHEW NUT BUTTER

 Ingredients

2 cups unsalted cashew nuts

2-3 tbsps vegetable oil (olive oil is good)

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp sugar (optional)

Method

Blend the ingredients together to a smooth paste. Add more oil a tsp at a time, if necessary.

Put in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Serve as a dip or on toast etc. It’s good to spread on celery sticks too.

This has Taste and is a Treat.