BILBERRIES OR WHINBERRIES: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF BILBERRIES: WIMBERRY PLATE PIE RECIPE

BILBERRIES, WHINBERRIES, WIMBERRIES, VACCINIUM MYRTILLIS

There are at least 450 species of Vaccinium plants and where I come from in South Wales we call them wimberries, which is a corruption of the English name for these berries, whinberries. The word whin means furze or gorse and broom plants which grow on moors and mountains; the natural habitat of bilberries. The English word bilberry comes from the Danish “bollebar” which means ‘dark berry’. As I child I used to love going on a wimberry picking expedition, hoping that we got to the succulent berries before the sheep. It takes a lot of these berries to make a pie, so we used to fill a biscuit tin with them, if we could. It is back-breaking works as these berries grow low on the ground in sheep-grazing territory, and used to take four of us hours to fill a tin with them. Now, unfortunately the wimberry places have been victim of construction and forestation or deforestation, so we haven’t been picking them for many years. There are still places in Britain where they flourish though, so children still get their mouths stained with their purple-black juice.

   Dioscorides, in his Materia Medica written in the first century AD recommends them for diarrhoea and for mouth ulcers and sore throats, and they have been used in traditional medicine for centuries. They grow prolifically in Europe and Scandinavia, although not in Southern Italy or the Iberian Peninsula. They range from Europe to Western Mongolia, but are not found in other parts of Asia. They occur in the Pacific regions across to North America.

   They are known as Whortleberries, Huckleberries, Trackleberries, Black Whortles and Blaeberry in Scotland, and doubtless there are many other names for them. The leaves resemble myrtle leaves, hence the Latin name for this species.

   They have been found to be good for the eyesight, and this upholds one traditional remedy. It is said that the R.A.F. pilots were given whinberry preserves to eat before they flew on night missions, as it was thought that they cured “night blindness.” Modern clinical trials have shown that they are very good for the eyes the berries contain anthrocyanosides which have been found to boost the production of rhodopsin; a pigment which improves night vision, so perhaps the R.A.F. pilots and their medics were on to a good thing. Anthrocyanosides are plant pigments that have excellent antioxidant properties and can combat free radicals in the body which damage cells, so they help to prevent heart disease and cancer and reverse or prevent damage to cells. They also help to decrease the risk of blood clots forming, as they cause dilation of the blood vessels and the properties of whinberries make them potentially valuable in the treatment of varicose veins, haemorrhoids and damage to the capillary system. As far as eyesight goes research has shown that they help reduce the symptoms of an eye disorder called macular degeneration.

    They also contain vitamins A and C (which also has antioxidant properties) as well as iron and potassium and tannins which give them their astringent qualities. Their chromium content helps normalize collagen which helps to join the tissues of the skin which means that there is a potential for the bilberry to smooth wrinkles and slow the aging process of the skin. In fact the tisane can be used as a skin lotion and if you mix half wimberry juice and half witch hazel you have a very effective lotion for sunburn.

  The dried fruit and tisanes have been used to treat diarrhoea, nausea and indigestion and a gargle of the fresh juice soothes sore throats and mouths. A tisane of the leaves, stalks and berries has been effective for diabetes sufferers when taken over a prolonged period.

   A decoction of the berries was used in cases of typhoid fever; and the tisane made from the leaf and stem stops vomiting and stomach cramps. The fresh berries regulate bowel activity, and a tisane of the roots was once used to get rid of stones in the bladder. People suffering from anaemia were given the fresh berries to eat because of their iron content. The fresh fruit also aids digestion and helps to expel gas from the intestine.

   The glucoquinines in the fruit help to lower blood sugar levels, so this tiny fruit which looks a little like a blackcurrant is extremely good for you.

    The tisane of leaves and stems is made form 2 or 3 teaspoons of chopped leaves and stems and you pour a cup full of boiling water over them and allow them to steep for 15 mins, then strain before drinking. You can use this as a skin lotion for burns, wounds and other skin problems. The decoction is made with 2 tsp fresh berries or one tsp dried, Boil them in 2 cups of water until the water is reduced by half. Leave the fruit to steep for 8 hours and either drink it or use it as skin wash.

CACEN BLAT LLUS

(WIMBERRY PLATE PIE)

Ingredients

For pastry: -

225 gr plain flour

1 tsp salt

110 gr butter or margarine, cubed

200 gr sugar

For filling: -

400 gr wimberries

200 gr sugar

Method

First make the pastry by rubbing together the sieved flour and cubes of butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and salt and mix well. Make a well in the centre and add two tbsps water and mix with your hands. Continue adding water until you have pliable dough. Form a ball with the dough and cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for an hour.

Roll out half the dough and put on an oven-proof plate. Put the wimberries on top and sprinkle with the sugar.

Rollout the other half of the dough and place on top. Crimp the edges with your thumb and forefinger so that the pie is well-sealed. Rick the top with a fork and sprinkle with a little more sugar if you wish. Cook in a pre-heated oven at 170 degrees C for 25 mins or until the pie crust is golden.

Serve hot with custard or cold with vanilla ice cream or thick cream.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

  

LOTUS- LOTUS ROOT- LOTUS FLOWER: HOW TO USE THE LOTUS FOR HEALTH: LOTUS ROOT PICKLE RECIPE

THE LOTUS, NELUMBO NUCIFERA, KANWAL IN URDU

The lotus is a sacred plant to Buddhists, Hindus and Jains and has been cultivated for thousands of years. It is a symbol of everlasting life, resurrection, fertility, prosperity (material and spiritual), enlightenment amidst ignorance and one can understand why. This amazing plant has been used in traditional medicine for a number of diseases and infections and Western research has validated most of the traditional medicinal uses. The root or rhizome is edible, and rather like a crunchy water chestnut in taste, and these can be substituted for lotus root in cookery. It also tastes a little like coconut but you have to sample it to judge for yourself what it is like.

  The root will discolour quickly when exposed to air, so if you have a fresh root to cook, keep some water mixed with lemon juice near so that you can dip it into this so that it retains its creamy-white colour. You can batter and deep fry the cut tubers, boil, steam roast, pickle them or even eat them raw. They are crunchy so don’t overcook them thinking that they will go soft; they won’t. You can dry the root and then make meal from it which can be mixed to a paste to get rid of ringworm and other skin problems, or use it like flour.

  Lotus roots can grow up to 4 feet in length and be 2 to 4 inches wide. They can come in segments, each of which can be 8 to 12 inches long. They are cultivated in ponds which can be easily drained to harvest the root or in tanks. The root is the main part eaten, but the whole plant is edible and all of it is used in medicine for different purposes.

   The roots contain asparagines, tannin, nelumbine, carotene, thiamine, nicotinic acid, riboflavin, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C).The seeds contain protein and carbohydrates, and the minerals potassium, calcium and phosphorous among others. The flowers also contain iron and calcium among other constituents.

   Lotus plants are native to Asia, Australia, Egypt, the Middle East and New Guinea, and Nelumba lutea was used as food and medicine by the Native Americans.

Egyptian blue lotus

   The lotus is associated with Creation myths, and one myth tells of the god Vishnu, asleep in the primordial waters which had covered the first created world, and as he dreamed, a golden lotus flower grew from his navel. As it unfurled, it revealed the cosmic egg in which Brahma the creator lay sleeping. As Brahma stirred in the egg, so creation began once more and new worlds and life unfolded. In India today the lotus is viewed as the Cradle of the Universe, and there are similar myths about the lotus in Egypt where a “cousin” of the lotus grows. This is the blue lotus, Nymphaea caerula; the myth says that a new child god was born from this flower who was the Light that banished Darkness. The ancient Egyptians used it to invoke Isis, Osiris and Thoth. In India it is sacred to Lakshmi the goddess of prosperity and abundance.

   The lotus also symbolizes peace and serenity and the lotus position, adopted in meditation, signifies the person transcending the material world. The legs are crossed and the upper parts of the body are erect in an attempt to achieve a oneness with the gods.

   The lotus seeds can be very long lived as in north eastern China some were discovered in the sediment of a dried up lake in the 1920s and planted. No one realized at the time how old they were, but tests in the 1990s revealed that the seeds had germinated after lying dormant for 1300 years. Scientists have said that lotus seeds are “the oldest demonstrably viable and directly dated seed ever reported” and are using evidence from lotus seeds in an attempt to understand the ageing process of other species.

   Seeds are used to make prayer beads, and lotus leaves stalks are harvested in Myanmar for their fibre. This is made into threads and woven into cloth to make religious robes and altar cloths. The lotus leaf stalks are used in India to make wicks for temple lamps.

    Because the seeds can germinate from mud after the monsoon rains and give rise to new plants, they are symbolic of immortality and resurrection.

    In India honey made from the lotus flowers is valued because it is good to treat eye problems, and the large leaves are laid on the body during high fevers to bring the temperature down. The boiled roots, mixed with sesame oil are used to alleviate heat and applied to the head and eyes. A cough syrup is made with dried lotus flowers, and the leaves and stems may be pounded and made into a paste to help cure piles, leprosy, and other skin diseases as well as eaten to stop vomiting. The milky latex in the stems, leaves and flowers has antibacterial properties.

   The flower stamens are used in preparations to help with erectile dysfunctions such as premature ejaculation, and the seeds taken orally for 7 days with water from rice, is believed to improve female fertility. The stamens are also used to stop excessive urine and uterine bleeding. The seeds have sedative properties and can cure insomnia, as well as soothing the uterus muscles. The leaf juice when boiled with liquorice root is effective against sunstroke. The stalk is used to stem excessive blood flow during menstruation, and to halt the bleeding of gastric ulcers. Parts of the plant have been used to cure STDs and cancer, and research is continuing into the anti cancer effects of extracts from the plant.

   A decoction of the flowers is used to combat premature ejaculation and as parts of the plant contain a substance, L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase; it is thought that this might play a role in halting the ageing process in the skin, as it can repair protein damage. The flowers have also been used as a diuretic in traditional medicine.

   One of my favourite recipes is deep-fried lotus root; cut and blanch thin slices of lotus root and coat in a spicy matter, then deep fry for a few minutes. Delicious.

LOTUS ROOT PICKLE

Ingredients

3 tbsps rice vinegar or white wine vinegar

3 tbsps sugar

300 gr sliced lotus root

3 red chillies split from top to bottom

Method

Peel the root and cut into slices. Dipping each slice into water with lemon juice added to stop it discolouring. Boil a pan of water and blanch the root for 3 minutes.

Allow to cool.

Meanwhile boil the vinegar and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Put the lotus root and chillies into a glass jar and cover with the liquid. Seal the jar and put it in the fridge where it will keep for about a week.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

ORCHIDS AND SALEP - HOW TO USE: SALEP RECIPE

ORCHIDS AND SALEP

Orchids once grew wild and prolifically in Britain and other parts of Europe. Unfortunately wild orchids are now rare and protected, so you can’t dig up the tubers as you once could. The tubers contain a starch–like substance called salep which is mucilaginous and was known to Dioscorides in the 1^st century AD. The tubers were dried and powdered or stored and used to heal wounds, as well as to heal “The King’s Evil” which was the name given to scrofula, the primary stage of tuberculosis, which causes swelling of the lymphatic glands. It was believed that the touch of the king could cure the disease. Culpeper believed that orchids came under the “dominion of Venus” and they were considered an aphrodisiac in Europe, possibly because of the shape of the tubers. The word sahlep in Arabic is said to mean “fox testicles.” It is Culpeper who states that “they heal the King’s Evil.”  Earlier Gerard calls them the “Female Satyrion” and it was believed that satyrs were incited to their sexual excesses by the orchid roots, which began to grow when a satyr, Orchis, who was the son of a satyr and a nymph, insulted (possibly raped) a priestess of Bacchus or Dionysus. His father prayed that he would not be killed for his crime and so Orchis was metamorphosed into an orchid.

   Witches used the tubers in spells with the fresh tubers bringing true love and the withered ones used to stop adulterous passions.

    In the Renaissance the tubers were kept in ships’ stores to provide sustenance when other rations dwindled. One ounce of the powdered tubers in 4 pints of boiling water was considered enough for one man per day in times of shortage.

  Mucilage of salep (powdered tuber) is one of the official preparations in the German Pharmacopoeia. It is used as a cure for diarrhoea and bilious fevers.

   In Turkey salep is a warming winter drink flavoured with saffron, which tastes delicious, and powdered tuber is used to make the kind of ice cream that stretches and has to be cut with a knife. This also contains mastic gum. I once observed ice cream vendors stretching their ice cream across a wide road in Kusadasi, Turkey. The ice cream tastes very good, as does the salep drink you can buy there.

   You can also eat orchid flowers, as you can those from the kachnar tree and the hibiscus. They can be used as a garnish, or to flavour desserts such as ice cream. Vanilla, of course comes from an orchid. If you can get an orchid root, you should try this drink. However you can’t import orchid roots from Turkey, but you can get powdered salep in some gourmet shops, although you may not be getting the real thing.

SALEP

Ingredients

1 tsp salep powder

1 cup milk

1½ tsps sugar

a pinch of saffron

sprinkle of cinnamon powder

(optional dash of rose water, orange blossom water, chopped walnuts or pistachios)

Method

 The salep powder, sugar and saffron in a cup of milk, pour into a glass or cup and sprinkle with cinnamon powder.

If you wish you can top add a dash of each or either of the flower water and stir then top with the walnuts or fresh pistachios (not the salted ones).

This has Taste and is a Treat.

YUCCA AND CASSAVA OR MANIOC: EDIBLE ROOTS USES AND BENEFITS

yucca

YUCCA, CASSAVA, MANIOC

Yuccas are ornamental plants in Europe and North America, but they have edible tubers and flowers. Two yuccas that can’t be eaten are the Actaea rubra or banana yucca and the Actaea arguta. You can eat the flowers and the tubers of the other plants, although they have to be peeled and leached of toxins. Some can be eaten raw, but you have to know which type these are before you start chomping on a tuber.

   They originated in Central America, and the manioc or cassava is the source of what we know as tapioca, the stuff that looks a little like frog spawn when cooked as a dessert with milk. This comes from Manihot esculenta, which is also used to make flour which has the advantage of being gluten free. It is made by grating the raw tuber and then drying the grated root and grinding to a powder or meal. In Brazil, they make Farafa which is seasoned manioc meal which is used as a condiment on almost every cooked dish in Brazil.

cassava or manioc crop

   Manioc or cassava has been a staple crop for centuries, and archaeologists have found evidence that it was cultivated by the Mayans 1400 years ago in El Salvador. They discovered a field the size of a football pitch which had been preserved under a blanket of volcanic ash. Today the crop is also used to make alcoholic drinks including beer, as well as being a staple food. It has twice the protein value of a potato and is higher in vitamin content and potassium than the potato, so it has been a valuable food crop over the centuries.

   It was discovered by the Portuguese and Spanish explorers and they took it to the Caribbean, Africa and Asia, where it is also commonly used today.

edible manioc root

    The Witoto tribe of the Colombian Amazon use the water used to leach the toxins out of the bitter roots to poison fish and other tribes use the water to treat skin infections and as poultices to draw out foreign bodies from the skin. The Makura use it to get rid of scabies. It has antimicrobial properties and is used to heal wounds.

    The flowers of the yucca plants can be stuffed with breadcrumbs or a vegetable mixture and baked. In this they are similar to the edible buds of the kachnar tree and other edible flowers such as the rose, nasturtium and lavender. The tubers can be used like potatoes and baked, boiled or steamed after being peeled as there is prussic acid in the skins which gives them a bitter taste. You can make crisps or chips with them and they are good fried with garlic and chilli.