WILD STRAWBERRY - HAVE USEFUL DIURETIC PROPERTIES: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF WILD STRAWBERRY

WILD STRAWBERRIES, WOODLAND STRAWBERRIES, ALPINE STRAWBERRIES, FRAGARIA VESCA

Before the strawberry we have today there were wild strawberries which still grow in temperate zones all over the world. They have a completely different taste to garden strawberries and are somehow more succulent despite their small size. They may be white or red, and grow in out of sight places like the shrinking violet. They are of course related to the strawberry and so are members of the rose family of plants.

   I used to be able to pick wild strawberries in the garden and along the roadside as well as in the woods, and know that they are best eaten freshly picked. Luckily I am not allergic to them as some people can be. Their leaves and roots as well as the flowers are similar to those o the garden strawberries and they have much the same medicinal value. Strawberry juice is astringent and can be used as a face whitener and diuretic.

    Traditionally tisanes were made of the leaves and roots to stop diarrhoea and dysentery. They have been used in many cultures over the centuries both for their medicinal properties and their flavour. Mediaeval stone masons carved strawberry motifs on pillars and cathedral and church altars and doorways as they were a symbol of purity and purification. During these times wild strawberries were cultivated for their medicinal value rather than to eat.

  The Romans had strawberries with grapes as fruit of choice in their festivals, and believed that they were good for the liver, spleen, throat infections, bad breath, gout and to dispel melancholia and fever among other ailments.

   In the Renaissance people were eating them for their taste, and Ben Johnson writing a play in 1603 mentions them in the way we know them now (especially when visiting the tennis tournament in Wimbledon).

   “A pot of strawberries gathered in the wood,

     To mingle with your cream.”

A later poet, George Peele has these lines in his poem “The Old Wives Tale”

    “Strawberries swimming in the cream

     And schoolboys playing in the stream.”

 Doctor William Butler, a writer in the 17^th century famously remarked, “Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless, God never did.”

  In Shakespeare’s play, “Othello,” Desdemona’s handkerchief, which was the indirect cause of her demise, was embroidered with a strawberry motif, the symbol of purity.

  Strawberries have vitamins, minerals, amino acids, bioflavonoids and phytonutrients which have potent antioxidant properties and are particularly good for preventing macular degeneration as are wimberries, being rich in vitamin A, C and E. They also contain zinc, potassium, copper, traces of selenium, and have been found to reduce the rate of reproduction of cancerous cells in the liver.

  Culpeper says that strawberries are “singularly good for the healing of many ills” and they were symbols of healing. However, poor Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife had a strawberry birth mark on her neck, which marked her, among the superstitious, as a witch. As strawberries are not only the symbol of purity, but also of passion, they were given to newly-weds in France along with powdered sugar, watery soured cream, and borage as an aphrodisiac, just in case they needed any extra help on their wedding night.

   Strawberries can be used to whiten the teeth and the skin, and are valuable in the cosmetic industry. They were once used to relieve sunburn, and were also considered to have anti-inflammatory properties and so good for arthritis and rheumatism. They also have useful diuretic properties. In other words, these delicious little fruit are very good for your health, so try to find some, but eat them in moderation as they can cause skin rashes and your tongue to become swollen.

 

WHAT IS KHARBOOZA? HONEY MELON: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF HONEY MELON

HONEY MELON, KHARBOOZA

It is now the middle of March, and the yellow melons called Kharbooza in Urdu, have arrived from the province of Sindh. These are not the same as honey dew melons although they look a little like them. They have creamy net patterns on their yellow rind and when opened release a fragrant aroma. They are really sweet and taste like honey. All melons and gourds are part of the Cucurbitaceae family just as the pumpkin, courgette and ash gourd (petha) do. They have a high water content so do not contain many calories, although they do contain sugars so are not the best fruit for those on a diet.

  It is thought that melons (in general) originated in the area that extends from Egypt, to Iran and through to the Indian subcontinent. In Pakistan many varieties of melon are grown, including the cantaloupe and watermelon, and other winter melons (Cucumis melo var. inodorata).

  When you buy a melon, don’t throw the seeds away, you can dry them and eat them as snacks as you can pumpkin seeds. They have been eaten in this way for centuries and are very good roasted.

   Melons were depicted in Roman frescoes and there is a wall painting in Herculaneum on Sicily which shows a melon split in half. This can still be seen if you visit this ancient site that was, like Pompeii, buried under volcanic lava. Galen used them for medical purposes, and the Romans imported their melons from Armenia. Apicius the Roman chef, wrote about the culinary uses of melons in his cookbook but as his recipe requires honey, the melons he used could not have been the honey melon we have here in Pakistan.

  The sweet melons contain vitamin C and K, and B-complex vitamins, as well as being rich in potassium with the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese phosphorous, selenium, copper zinc also present. They also contain amino acids, including tryptophan and have Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids in them, so they have potent antioxidant properties as well as being very tasty.

  In Greek all melons that are not water melons are called peponi which is perhaps an admirable attitude to have as to them it really doesn’t matter what a melon is called, they know what it is by looking at it. I have never seen these melons in Europe, but that doesn’t mean they don’t travel there now. These Pakistani yellow melons are among the best I’ve tasted and are very sweet and thirst-quenching. The Chinese use them to reduce fevers and to generally cool the body. They are used in this way here in Pakistan too. It’s good that something that tastes so good has health benefits too.

TOMATOES - THE WOLF PEACH: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF TOMATOES: HOW TO MAKE SPICY GREEN TOMATOES

TOMATOES, LYCOPERSICON LYCOPERSICUM

The tomato was once reviled because Europeans thought that it was the “wolf peach” described by Galen in the 2^nd century AD; that is what its Latin name means, lyco meaning wolf and persicum, peach. Galen was describing poison given to wolves in a wrapping that looked and presumably tasted delectable to wolves. They ate the “wolf peach” and met their demise.  For this reason, when Cortez the Spanish conquistadore brought it from South America, (he had first seen it in Montezuma’s garden) it was viewed with suspicion and grown for ornamental purposes only. Its English name comes from the Spanish “tomati” first mentioned in print in 1595. It is probable that the first tomatoes were yellow as the Italian and Spanish words for them were Pomi d’oro or golden apples. The Italians were the first Europeans to use the fruit (tomatoes are fruit, and because of the seeds a berry in botanical terms) although it is unclear where they got the idea from, perhaps what is now Turkey, or the area around Lebanon.

  Perhaps the Europeans were suspicious of tomatoes because they are members of the Solanaceae family which includes belladonna or the deadly nightshade, as well as potatoes, chilli peppers and aubergines (eggplants). Although people started eating them, (the French considered them an aphrodisiac and called them Pomme d’ Amour or Love Apples) physicians warned that they caused appendicitis (because of the seeds) and cancer because they thought that the skins stuck to the intestine walls up until the end of the 18^th century.

   Joseph Campbell first marketed his condensed tomato soup in 1897 and this was extremely popular, and his company went from strength to strength. Canned tomatoes are the world’s most best selling canned fruit or vegetable and you will be glad to know that lycopene, which makes them red, and gives them their cancer fighting abilities is increased in potency when heated during the manufacturing of tomato products, including ketchup (but the best is organic ketchup), tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, passata and puree.

  Tomatoes are rich in vitamins C and A, both of which have potent antioxidant properties and are immensely beneficial for our health. They also contain vitamins E, K and the B-complex vitamins as well as the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, 17 amino acids glucose and fructose, molybdenum and chromium.

  Recent medical research has shown that tomatoes when eaten with broccoli, together fight cancer very effectively. Professor John Erdman of the University of Illinois said “When tomatoes and broccoli are eaten together, we see an additive effect. We think that it’s because the different bioactive compounds in each food work on different anti-cancer pathways.” If you have 2 pints of green tea in your daily diet and eat tomatoes these are also thought to lower the risk of prostate cancer.

  Lycopene would seem to be the anti-cancer component in tomatoes and other foods which have a high lycopene content are apricots, pink grapefruit, watermelon, papaya and guava (amroot).

  Drinking tomato juice may reduce the risk of blood clots and is a natural anti-inflammatory so good for osteoporosis, arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. However you should choose a brand that has a low sodium content.

  In January 2011 a Japanese researcher, Dr. Teruo Kawanda from the University of Tokyo said “…the tomato allows people to easily manage the onset of dyslipidemia through their diets” thus reducing the risk of cardio-vascular diseases.

  Tomatoes can also help reduce the risks of thrombosis and Alzheimer’s disease, according to research.

  Tomatoes are a staple of the Mediterranean diet and there’s nothing quite like an Italian plum tomato or a Greek ‘beef’ tomato in sauces or stuffed, or just a huge tomato sliced and made into a salad with black olives, cucumber and feta cheese drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with basil and/or oregano. In 2010 the Italians faced a minor disaster when their staple tomato crop suffered because of a heat wave.

  Tomatoes may be red, yellow, orange, purple, green or even brown. However you shouldn’t eat green tomatoes raw, only when cooked or pickled.

  You can sun dry your own tomatoes as they are delicious in salads and perk them up in winter in a rocket salad. You should reckon on 10 tomatoes producing an ounce of sun dried ones. Slice the tomatoes in half and lay them on wire netting, raised off the ground so that air can get to all sides of them. Sprinkle them lightly with salt and basil or oregano for a full-flavoured effect, the cover them with cheesecloth so that it doesn’t touch the tomatoes. This will deter insects. Leave in a sunny place to dry, but remember to take them in at night before the dew falls. The drying process will take between 4 days to 2 weeks depending on the amount of sun you get in your part of the world. When they have dried, and are crumbly, you can store them in a jar with olive oil with cut garlic and more fresh herbs if you like.

  Below is a recipe for green tomatoes, which shouldn’t be rock hard. It’s a traditional Punjabi dish and really delicious.

 

SPICY GREEN TOMATOES

Ingredients

½ kg small green tomatoes

1tsp garlic paste (pounded garlic cloves)

1 tsp ginger paste (pounded ginger root)

1 onion, finely chopped

1 handful fresh coriander

1 handful fresh mint

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp garam masala

1 cup oil

Method

Make a deep cross in each tomato but don’t cut all the way through.

Mix salt and pepper, turmeric and garam masala and then rub this mixture into the slits with a knife.  Leave them to stand for ½ an hour.

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the garlic and ginger pastes until they become brown. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until it becomes soft.

Add the tomatoes to the pan, with the cut side uppermost. Put enough water in the pan so that the tomatoes are completely covered.

When the water begins to boil, cover and cook over a low heat for about ½ and hour or until only about ½ a glass of water is left in the pan.

Add the coriander and mint and cook for 2 minutes, then remove and serve with naan, roti or chapattis. It tastes superb.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS PURSLANE? KULFA IN URDU - INFORMATION: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF PURSLANE: PURSLANE AND MARIGOLD SALAD RECIPE

PURSLANE, KULFA, PORTULACA OLEOROSA

There are different types of purslane including the common purslane (Portulaca oleorosa) and Golden Purslane (Portulaca sativa). They are both weeds and grow in abundance once they take hold in a garden or in the wild. The Latin name Portulaca means little doors, referring to the way the seed pods burst open. They are native to the Indian subcontinent and the Western Himalayan region through to Russia and Greece, and were indigenous to the Persian Empire, so grow in North Africa, Iran and the Middle East. Golden purslane is so called because it has golden coloured leaves, rich in beta-carotene. Common purslane has green leaves and yellow flowers.

  They can be used in salads, especially the young leaves and tender tips of stems. This is perhaps the best way to use purslane to take full advantage of its many health benefits. It has been traditionally used as a herb for soups and stews and is famously used in the French soup Bonne Femme with equal quantities of sorrel. However, when purslane is overcooked it goes slimy and is not at its best. It tastes a little like watercress or spinach.

  In Pakistan we eat purslane or Kulfa or Kulfa falooda in saags with methi (fenugreek leaves) and spinach and it tastes delicious. It is full of vitamins including vitamin A (good for eyesight), the B-complex vitamins, and vitamins C and E and also contains Omega-3 fatty acids which are usually found in some fish oils. This makes purslane ideal for vegetarians who normally wouldn’t get Omega-3 from many foodstuffs. Omega-3 fatty acids are good for the skin and help to prevent the ravages of the aging process, as well as strengthening the immune system. It also helps to lower cholesterol levels and helps to reduce the incidence of heart disease. It also contains the minerals; calcium magnesium, potassium, folate and lithium. Glutathione is also present (this boosts the immune system and is a detoxifying agent) as well as many bioflavonoids and amino acids, and because of its constituents it has a powerful antioxidant effect in the body. Betatin is also present in purslane and this also has potent antioxidant properties. Coenzyme Q10 has been identified in this plant and this helps to reduce the visible signs of aging. Pectin is also present in purslane and this helps to lower cholesterol levels too.

   Purslane was cultivated as a vegetable and a medicinal herb in ancient Egypt and was used as both in ancient Greece and Rome. The ancient Greeks made flour for bread from the ground seeds. Hippocrates used it as a wound healer as well as to bring down the temperature in fevers, for ‘female problems’ stomach aches and piles. Later, in the first century AD Dioscorides used it for inflamed eyes, to relieve headaches and fevers and to get rid of internal worms. He also mentioned that it “reduces the desire to fornicate” and as it contains norepinephrin which causes a reduction of the blood flow around the body by contracting the main arteries, it probably does lower the libido.

  In mediaeval times the Arabs referred to purslane as “the blessed vegetable” and it was cultivated as one in Europe in the 13^th and 14^th centuries. In the 17^th century in Britain it was combined in salads with basil, cress, rocket and garlic as a cure for the common cold.

Golden Purslane

  Gerard says that purslane is good to chew if you have sensitive teeth after they have been set on edge by something you have eaten, lemons for example. Culpeper has this to say about purslane:

  “If the herb is placed under the tongue, it assuageth thirst. Applied to the gout, it easeth the pains thereof and helps harden the sinews, if it come not of the cramp or a cold cause.”

In the 16^th and 17^th centuries the seeds were boiled in wine and given to children to get rid of worms. It has had a number of uses in traditional medicine in Asia and Europe and has been used to treat burns, to relieve headaches, to help problems of the liver and help with arthritis. It has also been used as a heart tonic as a diuretic, an anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant. Zulus use it as an emetic, and the ancient Romans believed it could cure dysentery. In the Indian subcontinent it is used as a remedy for liver complaints, dysentery and a general health tonic. It is currently used in men’s skin care preparations to soothe razor burn and irritated skin and to tone down redness of the skin.

Golden Purslane

   Juice can be extracted from the leaves and stems and used in combination with rose oil as a mouthwash. The juice has anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties.

 You can use it in sandwiches instead of lettuce and pickles, and an old Italian recipe mixes purslane with fresh coriander, garden cress, borage and mint. If you use fresh purslane you need to wash it thoroughly as soil sticks to it, and you may need to use several changes of water. It can be pickled in cider vinegar with garlic and black peppercorns, and the recipe below comes from the chefs of Charles II’s court in the 17^th century.

PURSLANE AND MARIGOLD SALAD

Ingredients 

2 handfuls of purslane, cleaned thoroughly and dried

4 handfuls lettuce leaves

small bunch of chervil, chopped

borage flowers

marigold petals

olive oil

lemon juice or wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Method

Mix the olive oil and lemon juice and put all the other ingredients into a salad bowl.

Toss thoroughly in the lemon and olive oil dressing.

Serve.

This has Taste and is a Treat.