POTATOES OR ALOO - HISTORY: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF POTATOES: WARTIME POTATO RECIPE

POTATOES,ALOO, SOLANUM TUBEROSUM

The common potato has an extremely long history and something of a checkered past. The name potato comes from the Peruvian Quechua language’s batata which is one of the Latin names of the yam and the sweet potato. The potato is a member of the Solanaceae family along with nightshade, tomatoes, aubergines and chilli peppers. Solanum means ‘soothing’ in Latin, so the potato’s name actually means ‘soothing root,’ thus aptly describing the favourite comfort food of many. Potatoes originated in the Andes Mountains in South America around 8,000 years ago, and were cultivated by the indigenous peoples there around 6,000 years ago. The Spanish explorers found them in the 16^th century and took them to Spain. Because of their vitamin C content they were taken on long voyages to prevent scurvy.

   They come in a range of shapes, sizes and colours of flesh and skin, ranging from the usual white or yellow fleshed ones through to blue and purple-fleshed varieties such as the Purple Peruvian and Purple Majestic, Congo is a blue-skinned blue-fleshed variety. In Pakistan they grow Rodeo, Spunta and Diamond varieties for export, but these are the usual colour.

   Potatoes have been spurned in the past, as when they were first introduced into Europe, people-especially the French believed that they were the cause of all fatal diseases, from leprosy and syphilis through to any disease which caused an early demise. This edict was passed in Besançon, France, “In view of the fact that the potato is a poisonous substance whose use can cause leprosy, it is hereby forbidden, under pain of fine, to cultivate it.” Later Antoine-Auguste Parmentier, who had been imprisoned in Germany and fed only on potatoes, popularized the poor tuber by a few ruses. He persuaded Louis XIV to grow potatoes and put guards around the patch. The peasants naturally enough then believed that they were valuable and stole them. He also made mashed potatoes from these edible tubers and so they became popular as they tasted divine and didn’t look anything like the root that “caused leprosy.” Marie-Antoinette and the ladies of her court wore potato flowers in their hair rather like the women in James I’s (James VI of Scotland) court, who wore carrot leaves in their hair.

   Sir Walter Raleigh the English explorer or buccaneer, depending upon which way you look at his role in history, brought the potato back to Britain with him from the New World in 1589, and took them to his estate in Ireland near Cork where he planted them. One story is that he presented a potato plant to Queen Elizabeth I who was highly pleased with the gift (along with tobacco) which her favourite had brought. She held a royal banquet in which every course featured potatoes, but the chefs had not been told that it was the tuber they should prepare, so they threw these away and served the stems and leaves of the plant which are poisonous. The wealthy aristocrats all became deathly ill and potatoes were subsequently banned from the royal court.

  John Gerard ( 1545-1612), the English herbalist had a more open-mind attitude and grew potatoes in his garden which he called the “potato from the Virginia” although in fact they came from South America, not Virginia in the US. They were grown in London by 1597 and soon became popular in Scotland and Ireland.

  Attitudes gradually changed towards the edible root, but in Russia as late as 1774, the peasants refused to eat the free potatoes sent them by Frederick the Great to relieve the famine, and only ate them when he sent troops to “persuade” them to do so.

   The German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) had this to say of the potato “A diet that consists predominantly of rice leads to the use of opium, just as a diet that consists predominantly of potatoes leads to the use of liquor.” Of course this is a sweeping generalization but vodka comes from potatoes and the Irish moonshine Potcheen does too.

  The Irish cultivated the potato extensively and after the Industrial Revolution it was a popular staple of the working classes who needed a cheap, energy-giving food, so potatoes were the answer. In 1845-49 the Irish suffered from the potato famine and by 1849 the population had been halved, with more than a million people dying at the height of the famine and the rest emigrating to North America and Australia. It was the Scots and the Irish immigrants who began growing potatoes in New Hampshire, USA thus popularizing the vegetable there. Benjamin Franklin had been present at one of Parmentier’s potato feasts so knew the value of this root, and in his presidency (1801-9) Thomas Jefferson served “French Fries” at the White House.

  Crisps were said to have been invented by a disgruntled chef, George Crum. Legend has it that the railway magnate, Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt was dining at an up-market restaurant in Saratoga Springs, USA and sent back his potatoes back because they were too thick. Mr. Crum gave vent to the sarcastic side of his nature and cut the offending potatoes extremely thinly, fried them in oil and threw salt over them and sent them back. Commodore Vanderbilt loved them and so the Saratoga Crunch Chips were the precursors to the crisps we have all over the world today.

  Potatoes have won several distinctions; in 1995 they were the first vegetable to be grown in space; 2008 was the UN International year of the Potato. Mr. Potato Head was introduced to the children of the world in 1952.

  In the UK alone 94 kilograms of potatoes are consumed every year by each person, and more than 80 varieties of potatoes are grown on a commercial basis and there are more than a thousand varieties grown throughout the world.

  Potatoes, especially baked in their skins are very good for our health. They have received a bad press because of the ways they are cooked- particularly when deep-fried in oil that isn’t changed as often as it should be, or cooked in beef dripping (Harry Ramsden’s chips). They are delicious mashed especially with parsnips and/or swede or carrots.

  Apart from vitamin C they contain the B-complex vitamins, Vitamins E and K, folate, pantothenic acid, amino acids and the minerals, calcium, iron, copper, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, sodium and zinc as well as a little Omega-3 and -6. So far researchers have identified 60 different kinds of phytochemicals and vitamins in their skin and flesh, and the phenolic compounds in some varieties rival that of broccoli, spinach and brussel sprouts. They have bioflavonoids which have protective activity against cardio-vascular disease, respiratory problems and some cancers. A compound found in some varieties (not all have been investigated), kukoamines, has so far only been found in the wolfberry/Goji berry Lycium chinensis, and it is believed that this might lower blood pressure. To get the full health benefits from potatoes you should eat them with their skin, and baking them is the best way of doing this. You can top them with almost anything or scoop out the flesh and mash it with boiled eggs, and grated cheese; sprinkle grated cheese on top of the refilled shells and put them back in the oven until the cheese melts. This is a real “comfort food” especially when served with hot baked beans. It’s simple too and packed full of goodness.

  There is a lot of folk lore about the potato; one story is that pregnant women wouldn’t eat them in case their babies were born with big heads. If you cut a potato and rub it on a wart then bury the potato, as the potato decays, so the wart will disappear. If someone put a potato peeling on a young girl’s doorstep on May Day it meant they disliked her.

  In Britain during the Second World War, people had to survive on what could be grown in Britain (which meant there were no bananas or citrus fruits), and below is one of the recipes that kept people going. Lord Woolton was Minister for Food during the war years and this recipe is named after him.

WOOLTON’S WARTIME PIE

Ingredients

For the topping

2 lbs potatoes, peeled, chopped, boiled, drained and mashed with butter and milk

Filling

1 lb potatoes, with skins, diced

1 head of white cauliflower, cut into small florets

1 lb swede, peeled and diced

1 lb carrots, scarped and diced

4 spring onions, finely sliced

½ bunch parsley, chopped

1 tsp Marmite/Vegemite/other yeast extract or beef or game stock

1 tsp fine oatmeal

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 200˚C/400˚F/gas Mark 6.

Put all the vegetables into a pan and cover with water, so that they are covered to half an inch higher than the layer of vegetables. Stir in the yeast extract and oatmeal. Or use stock in which case you just need to add the oatmeal.

Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes stirring frequently.

Transfer the contents of the pan to a pie dish and top with the mashed potatoes.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25 minutes, or until the potatoes have browned.

You could also top this with grated cheddar cheese.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS GAJER? CARROTS - HISTORY: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF CARROTS: HOW TO MAKE GAJRELA ( CARROT PUDDING)

CARROTS, GAJER, DAUCUS CAROTA SATIVA

In Pakistan carrots look very different to the ubiquitous orange ones on supermarket shelves in Europe and they are also a far cry from the disappointing woody ones that so often find their way into shopping bags. Here they are red or purple, and the red ones seem particularly red when seen on a barrow set against the white of a coconut. They look amazing and the taste doesn’t disappoint.

  Wild carrots still grow, but the domesticated strain began life as small tough spindly roots which over the centuries became the thicker, fleshier roots we have today. The wild carrot is indigenous to parts of Europe and Asia and seeds have been found in excavations of Mesolithic sites, which means that we have been using carrots for more than 10,000 years. It is thought that the domesticated carrot, sativa, originated in what is now Afghanistan about 5,000 years ago and these were either the purple or yellow varieties. Natural orange mutants occurred and these were taken by the Dutch so that the orange carrot we have today was produced.

  There has been some confusion over the centuries about the carrot as the wild one was white and so could be confused with the parsnip, to which carrots, as members of the Umbelliferae family are related. They are also related to dill, fennel, caraway and cumin. In fact it is so confusing that no one is really sure if, during mediaeval times, herbalists and others were writing about the properties of the wild carrot, Daucus carota carota or the parsnip. This article is not concerned with the wild carrot, only the domesticated types.

 There are various paintings from the Middle Ages and later that show the carrot in them and archaeologists believe that purple carrots feature in temple paintings from ancient Egypt, dating back to around 2,000 BC.

   In Rome the wild carrot was used as an aphrodisiac and as part of a potion which was given as an antidote to poisoning. Galen (2^nd century AD) named it Daucus to distinguish it from the parsnip and Dioscorides adequately describes the carrot. It is later that confusion sets in. In his cookery book of 230 AD Apicius gives the name carrots to this vegetable, and it is believed that the Romans introduced the carrot to Europe. After the fall of the Roman Empire, carrots inexplicably vanished into the mists of history, only to re-emerge in Europe in the 12^th century.

  The purple carrot spread into the Mediterranean area in the 10^th century and the yellow mutant carrot is believed to have been developed there. Both colours of carrot spread from the Med to the rest of Europe.

  In the reign of James I of England (James VI of Scotland) the green carrot fern-like tops were fashion accessories and worn in the hair. In 1633 Gerard calls this vegetable a carrot and says that it cured venomous bites and stomach problems.

  Red carrots, like tomatoes contain lycopene, especially the purple ones, and are rich in beta-carotene also possessing vitamins A, C, K and B-complex vitamins. They also contain the minerals manganese, zinc, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, copper, calcium, folate and selenium, so with all these nutrients they have potent anti-oxidant properties and anti-inflammatory ones. Molybdenum and falcarinol) a phytonutrients that may be responsible for reducing the risks of cancer) are also present in carrots. Amino acids and bioflavonoids, including myricetin, kaempferol, quercetin and luteolen, are also present and the humble carrot is indeed good for our eyesight as our grandmothers said. They, like wimberries, improve our night vision and prevent macular degeneration. The red and purple carrots have a high lycopene content and this is believed to have anti-cancer properties. The purple colour is produced by anthocyanins a group of flavonoids also present in grapes, blueberries and cranberries. There are attempts being made to breed red a Chinese carrots with a maroon strain grown by a carrot breeder, Dr. Leonard Pike PhD at the Texas A and M University. The maroon ones have a high beta-carotene and anthocyanin content and the lycopene from the red carrot would make hybrids a super potent carrot for our health. Carrots as they are, however, can help protect us from cardio-vascular disease, some cancers, including those of the larynx, oesophagus and lung cancer, which is good news if you are a smoker.

  On a more mundane level, carrots can also help to stop diarrhoea, and lower cholesterol levels. In Chinese medicine carrots are considered to be a neutral food having neither hot nor cold properties, and they are used for getting rid of coughs, including whooping cough, strengthening the spleen and pancreas, to improve the liver’s function, dissolve kidney and gall bladder stones, to cure tumours, to calm the stomach and get rid of heartburn and indigestion, to improve the hearing and stop earache, and to improve breast-feeding mothers’ milk flow. The juice is also expressed onto the skin for the relief of burns.

  Carrots also have their uses in cosmetics, as they help to combat dry skin, stop acne and get rid of pimples etc. You should grate the carrots and apply them to the face for a face mask, or apply them to eczema, or wounds or burns. Leave the mask on your skin for ½ an hour before rinsing off with warm water.

  Try our recipe for Carrot Halva which is delicious or the one below which is also a dessert recipe.

   If you have children, or want an unusual table decoration, slice the tops off the carrots and put them in water on a saucer and watch them row their fern-like leaves.

GAJRELA (CARROT PUDDING)

Ingredients

1 kg carrots, cleaned and grated

3 litres milk

¾ cup of broken rice (or any basmati rice)

2 cups sugar

10 green cardamom pods crushed a little so that the flavour is released

 50gr sultanas

50 gr desiccated coconut

a few drops of kiora essence (optional)

Method

Wash the rice and soak it for ½ hour in cold water. Drain.

Put carrots, rice and cardamoms in a heavy-bottomed pan and add the milk.

Simmer, uncovered, over a low heat for 2 hours. Scrape the sides and the bottom of the pan frequently, to incorporate the scrapings into the mixture and to prevent burning.

Stir continuously and scrape the sides and bottom of the pan until the carrots and rice are mushy (the consistency of thick porridge) and the milk has thickened.

Add the sugar stirring until it dissolves then add the sultanas and coconut.

Cook for a further 15-20 mins.

Remove from the heat and add kiora (kewra) essence if you are using it.

This dish can be served hot or cold.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

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.