WHAT IS BANAF SHAH? BLUE VIOLET:HOW TO MAKE VIOLET FLOWER SYRUP AND VIOLET LEAF TISANE

BLUE VIOLET, BANAF SHAH, VIOLA ODORATA

The blue violet or common violet or sweet violet is one of around 200 species of violet which includes white violets and African violets. Violets are in the same family as the pansy, all violets have probably been used in medicine, cosmetics and the perfume industry for thousands of years.

   Hippocrates, the Greek Father of Medicine believed they were useful in treating liver disorders and bad tempers. The ancient Celts used to steep the flowers in goat’s milk and use the liquid to enhance female beauty. Pliny wrote that the root of the plant was good when mixed with vinegar to treat gout and spleen problems. The Romans would wear garlands or chaplets believing that the flowers would prevent dizziness and headaches associated with alcohol and they also made wine from violet flowers. For ancient Greeks they were symbols of fertility and love, so they used them in love potions.

   In the 10^th century people believed that violets could protect against evil, and carried the flowers around with them. By the 16^th century the British used them in a syrup as a laxative, and Gerard believed that they were anti-inflammatory and could ease a painful throat. He also wrote that they “comforteth the heart and causeth sleep.” By the 17^th century they were made into a conserve with sugar which was favoured by King Charles II. Culpeper wrote that they were good for epilepsy, jaundice, pleurisy, skin problems and good for the eyes. He wrote “The green leaves are used with other herbs to make plasters and poultices for inflammation and swellings and to ease all pains whatsoever arising from heat and for piles, being fried with the yolk of an egg and applied thereto.” The leaves were thought to be a remedy for bruises at the time (17^th century) too. The leaves do have antiseptic properties it has been found.

by Carlo Cibei

   The root can cause vomiting and has been used as a purgative and emetic. Taken internally and externally the leaves have been employed as a treatment for cancer as they allay pain and have been used most effectively for patients with cancer of the throat. Violet seeds have diuretic qualities and are also a purgative and used for gout.

   In traditional medicine it is believed that if you bathe your feet in water full of violet flowers and then put the leaves on your temples before going to bed you will sleep soundly. This is supposed to cure insomnia.

   Violet flowers contain malic acid, and the leaves, palmitic acid, propionic acid, octenoic acid and octylic acid. The whole plant contains ferulic acid and sinapic acid, and flavonoids which include quercetin. Rutin is another flavonoid found in the flowers, and there are saponins in the root. The essential oil is methyl salicylate and the plant contains mucilage.

   Rutin strengthens the capillaries and walls of the veins, and there are antioxidants in the plant too, beta-carotene and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). In Germany violet tea or tisane is approved for some skin problems. The flavonoids can lower blood pressure and the plant also contains phenolic glycosides.

   The essential oil is said to relieve anxiety and headaches, and is used in the perfume industry.

   In some countries people wear a violet leaf in their shoe for 7 days to find a lover and treble that in terms of leaf and days on occasions, depending on how desperate they are I suppose. Mixed with lavender flowers, violets are said to be an aphrodisiac, whether in a tisane or just the smell is not clear.

   To make a syrup from the flowers you will need 1 pound of freshly picked flowers all stems removed, you just need the heads. Pour 2½ pints of boiling water over them and allow them to steep for 24 hours. Strain through muslin, and add double the weight of sugar (for 1 cup of syrup add 1¾ cups of sugar or gur and heat but don’t let the syrup boil. Heat the syrup until the sugar has dissolved and then pour it into a sterile glass bottle or jar and allow to cool. Then put in the fridge or freeze. You can add a little lemon juice to counter the sweetness when boiling, two tablespoons will suffice. This is concentrated and can be used as a refreshing drink if you pour a little syrup over ice and add sparkling water. You can decorate it with fresh mint or lemon balm leaves. A tisane recipe for the leaves is given below.

    The name viola comes from the Greek meaning lone, but there is a myth in which Jupiter turned his beloved Io into a white bull so that she could escape the wrath of his wife, the jealous Juno, and made the earth sprout violets for her to eat. Some say this is how the flower got the name viola.

    Another myth about the violet is that of Venus and Adonis or Cybele and Attis. Attis was killed by a wild boar he was hunting, and as his blood fell to earth, violets grew from it. (Some myths say the flowers were hyacinths however.)

   The flower was adopted as a symbol by followers of Napoleon after his exile on Elba. He wrote a last message to them which said that he would return “with violets” and this became their code word for him and a toast.

   The violet has been mentioned very often in literature, and Aristophanes the ancient Greek writer of comedies (c.446-386BC) referred to the city of Athens as the “violet-crowned city”. Shakespeare has references to violets in several of his plays including “Hamlet”. In that play Ophelia in her distress after her father Polonius’s death sings in the presence of the Queen Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother,

   “I would give some violets, but they withered all when my father died: they say he made a good death.” (Act 4 scene 5)

And in the same play (Act 5 scene 1) Laertes says of Ophelia on her demise:

       “Lay her in the earth,

        And from her fair and unpolluted flesh

        May violets spring.”

by Leo Michels

In one of the Lucy poems William Wordsworth also mentions violets: -

        “She dwelt among untrodden ways

         A violet by a mossy stone

         Half hidden from the eye!

         Fair as a star when only one

         Is shining in the sky.”

Of course there is the old Valentine’s Day rhyme too,

        “Roses are red,

         Violets are blue,

         Sugar is sweet

         And so are you.”

In Victorian times violets were the symbol of modesty, hence the phrase “shrinking violet.” Violets get their reputation for being modest and chaste because they are well hidden in forests in their natural habitat in Britain. It was also the flower of watchfulness, faithfulness and truthfulness. It was associated with mourning, especially for those who died when young, and is seen in many of the pre-Raphaelite paintings. (Millais Death of Ophelia for example).

   In the US the blue violet is the state flower of Illinois, New Jersey and Rhode Island. It is the flower of those with birthdays in February too.

  You can use violet flowers in salads, or crystallize them and use for cake decorations.

   The tisane below can be used as an eyewash, aftershave lotion, face tonic, and as a wash for babies. It is also effective for throat problems and mouth infections.

  

VIOLET LEAF TISANE

Ingredients

2½ oz violet leaves, freshly picked

1 pt boiling water

Method

Clean the leaves in cold water, then place in a stone jar. Cover them with the boiling water and cover the jar tightly. Leave to steep for 12 hours, overnight, or until the water is green. Strain through a muslin or fine cloth and store. Drink cold.

For a compress to apply to skin for rashes etc., use 1oz chopped leaves to ½ pint of boiling water.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS AMLOOK FRUIT? DATE PLUM OR DIOSPYROS LOTUS: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF DATE PLUM

DATE-PLUM, TOOR AMLOOK, AMLOOK, MALOOK, DIOSPYROS LOTUS

The date plum is so called because it tastes like a cross between date and a plum. In fact it is not related to either, but is a very close relation to the persimmon. It is native to the Himalayas and grows wild in Pakistan and India, where it does not yet have a history of cultivation. In fact ethnobotanical studies carried out in the Palas and Swat Valleys of Pakistan have suggested that the fruit be grown on a commercial basis in order to improve the economy of those rather poor areas.

   The fruit of Diospyros lotus begins green, then the unripe fruit turns yellow (and should not be eaten at this stage) and finally turns purple-black. It looks like a small black persimmon and has 5 or 6 large seeds inside it. The fruit is sometimes dried and is tasty like this too. The fruit is only 1 or 2 centimetres in diameter, but is highly valued for its sweetness.

     The fruit is mentioned in Homer’s “Odyssey”; it is the lotus that made Odysseus’ men forget their homeland Ithaca while they were in the land of the “lotus eaters Ancient Greeks esteemed this fruit highly and called it “the fruit of the gods”.

   The date-plum has potent antioxidant effects and results of modern medical trials suggest that it might be a good treatment for diabetes. It also exhibits potency in combating free radicals, so is thought to be an anti-cancer agent.

   In traditional medicine in the Indian subcontinent, the fruit is used as a laxative and purgative while the watery extract from parts of the tree has wound healing properties. It is also used to combat fevers.

    The wood from the tree is a poor quality ebony, (Diospyros ebenum) and because it polishes up well is used to make musical instruments- in particular the keys of pianos.

  It is grown in southern Europe and could also be a native plant of Turkey where it grows in abundance. It was introduced into Britain in 1597 and was cultivated in the 17^th century, although it never gained popularity with gardeners. In Britain it grows only to half its potential full size, as in its native habitat it grows to heights of 30 metres.

   It is eaten raw and used in fruit salads, and once tasted you can’t resist it, whether it is fresh or dried. There aren’t any recipes from us, as we just eat the delicious fruit whenever we find it.

WHAT IS AMALAKI HERB? INDIAN GOOSEBERRY OR AMLA: MEDICINAL BENEFITS OF AMALAKI: AMALAKI RECIPES

AMALAKI, AMLA, INDIAN GOOSEBERRY, (EMBLICA OFFICINALIS)

The Amalaki, Amla, or Indian gooseberry is related to the commonly known European types of gooseberry but it is not the same, nor does it have the same properties. For one thing the Indian gooseberry grows on trees while the European gooseberry grows on bushes. The Indian one has big stones in it whereas the other gooseberry has small seeds all through it. When the Western world discovered this Indian Gooseberry in recent years, with the boom in sales of dietary supplements and alternative and complementary medicines this fruit was hailed as the “new superfruit” which just goes to show how “western-centric” journalists in the West are.  The Indian gooseberry was mentioned in the Rig Veda, a materia medica that was written somewhere around 3000 BC. How can they describe it as a “new” superfruit?

Amalaki Tree

    There are two types of Indian gooseberry, the Vanya which is small hard and fibrous and grows wild in forests in the Indian subcontinent, and the Gramya, which is softer, juicier and more succulent than the forest Vanya type. Tibetan and Indian herbalists have long used this Indian gooseberry for its antioxidant properties. This gooseberry also contains polyphenols, tannins and bioflavonoids as well as essential amino acids and phytonutrients. The gallic acid it contains is a very powerful antioxidant and it also has a high vitamin C content, making it one of the best fruits for boosting the immune and digestive systems.

   It has been used throughout the centuries as an aphrodisiac and a cure for impotence as the well told story of the sage Muni Chyawan illustrates. The sage restored his youthful sexual vigour with this fruit some time in the 7^th century, so if it was good enough for him, men thought, it was good enough for them.

   In Ayurvedic medicine it is used to restore a jaded appetite, and to strengthen the functions of the pancreas of diabetics and stimulate the production of insulin. It is a scared plant because of its healing properties, and it can help rejuvenate the elderly, combating inflammation caused by arthritis, and acting as a tonic in general and for those who are recovering from an illness in particular. It helps to purify the blood, and is given to people with hepatitis, as it helps the liver function normally. It is also good for the spleen and for those who suffer from gout, osteoporosis, and asthma and has been used to treat a plethora of other diseases too.

  Recent trials have found that it is very beneficial in the treatment of diabetes which supports its use in traditional medicine in Asia.

   To treat asthma herbalists recommend taking 5 grams of amla fruit with honey every morning. To prevent hair loss you should eat 6 amla fruit or boil them in a cup of milk then remove the large seeds and mash to a pulp in the milk. You should then apply this paste to your hair roots and leave it on for 20 minutes before washing your hair. Drink fresh juice from the Indian gooseberry every day to purify the blood and prevent skin problems such as acne. If there is no fresh juice, then you can use 2 grams of amla powder mixed with ghee and honey and eaten.

   If you have lost your appetite then you should try this remedy: - 1 part cloves, 1 part nutmeg, 1 part fresh green chilli pepper chopped finely,3 parts amla and 8 parts ginger root ground to a powder. You need to add gur or jaggery to taste and eat 2 or 3 teaspoons before each meal.

  You can make a preserve of amla by cutting the fruit into small pieces, covering them with lemon juice and rock salt and storing in an airtight glass jar in a cool dark place. This is good for indigestion. You can use the bark and leaves in a decoction for mouth ulcers. Put the bark and leaves in water and boil until the water has reduced by half; leave to cool then strain and use as a gargle for sore throats and mouth ulcers. You can also drink this hot as a tisane and it will help with any stomach problems you might have, but only take half a cup at first, with honey, to see how it reacts on you. It is a purifier, so may have a laxative effect.

   I am told that if you take 1 teaspoon of amla powder with 2 teaspoons of jaggery for a month, it will reduce the aches and pains of rheumatism.

   These Indian gooseberries certainly have Taste and work as a Treat(ment) too.

WHAT IS BER FRUIT? JUJUBE BERRY: MEDICINAL BENEFITS OF BER OR JUJUBE BERRY

BER, JUJUBE, ZIZYPHUS VULGARIS

Ber is the Urdu name for the fruit of the tree Zizyphus vulgaris, or mauritania or sativa and is called the jujube berry in English. It is also known as the Indian jujube or Chinese date. It has a brownish skin when ripe and smells a little like hops, with an astringent taste. These trees are believed to be native to Syria, but there is some evidence that they are also native to the Indian subcontinent.

    In Pakistan the fruit can be found in the month of December, and it is sold then fresh, but can also be dried. In Europe the fruit was made into a cough medicine and tisane for medicinal reasons in times past. 

     In India the tree is sacred to Shiva and is known as “the tree which removes sorrow”, perhaps because of its sedative properties. It was depicted in the Ramayana so has been known for centuries in the subcontinent and was not a recently introduced species.

    In Pakistan there are metaphorical uses for ber as they say that if you have a quarrel with a relative or close friend you should go and talk it over as a relationship is not like ber.  If you leave the person you quarreled with alone for some time the rift will widen between you. If ber fall to the ground they are not damaged but the fruit gets better, and if you smooth things over after a quarrel the relationship will get better like the ber.

   It is also said that if there are marriageable daughters in a house then suitors will come just as surely as if there were a ber tree and stones will come as the children try to knock the fruit off the tree.

     The fruit has been used in traditional medicine as an emollient, expectorant, coolant, anodyne and tonic and has been used as an antidote for aconite poisoning. It is given to relieve abdominal pains during pregnancy and can be applied to wounds when used in a poultice.

  The leaves can be used as a laxative and for throat problems as a decoction and the same liquid can also be used for skin problems. The roots have wound healing properties too.

   Medical researchers have found a “new” flavonoid in ber called zivulgarin and trials are underway to discover how it might benefit us. Oleamide found in an extract of Zizyphus jujube has been found to help fight Alzheimer’s disease, and help the cognitive processes.

   Wood from the trees is used by villagers to make agricultural implements as it is hard and durable, while the leaves are used as fodder for sheep and goats, so all parts of the tree are useful and well utilized.

    It has been found that there is saponins in he leaves and vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid in the fruit, as well as the B-complex vitamins, thiamin, riboflavin and pectin. It has immunostimulant, antioxidant and wound healing properties, and pectin is known to be useful in cases of diarrhoea. The fruit also helps lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Some of the triterpenoic acids isolated from the fruit are also believed to be useful in fighting cancer and HIV.

   Personally I don’t like these fruits, but as they are so good for us, I might try one or two again.