WHAT IS SHIMLA MIRCH? GREEN PEPPER: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF SWEET PEPPERS: YEMISTA, ASIAN- STYLE RECIPE

GREEN PEPPERS, SWEET PEPPERS, BELL PEPPERS CAPSICUM ANNUM

There seems to be some confusion about these types of peppers which should be cleared up before we start. In British English we call these peppers by their colour, so we have green peppers, red peppers, yellow and orange ones as well as brown, purple and white peppers. In American English they are Bell peppers because of their shape, or sweet peppers, to distinguish between these and chilli peppers. These peppers are in the Solanaceae family so are related to baingan (aubergines or eggplants), potatoes, nipple fruit, nightshade and tomatoes.

  Not all red peppers start off green some begin by being white, and not all green peppers will turn red, as they are harvested when ripe and dark green and glossy. However, most red peppers are ripe green ones. Yellow peppers start off green but are supposed to be yellow; they are sweeter and juicier and taste more like fruit than all other peppers. Equally orange peppers are meant to be orange and are sweet and mild. Purple peppers are green inside, and turn green when cooked, so they are best used to make a colourful salad. Basically peppers come in various shades because they variants of Capsicum annum.

  These peppers contain no capsaicin which is found in green chillies and red ones. This is the substance that makes chillies hot and spicy. Sweet peppers and chillies are in the same family but are in no way related to black pepper. Columbus discovered these peppers in South America when he was looking for black pepper, and they were first known in Spanish as pimiento. The pimiento pepper is actually a sweet one, but is heart-shaped rather than bell shaped, and this is the pepper used to stuff green olives. There are other pepper varieties including the banana pepper, so-called because it is yellow and shaped like a banana.

   The red pepper is the best in terms of health benefits as it contains more vitamins and nutrients than the other peppers. It is best used raw in salads to get the full health benefits. It has 9 times more carotene in it than a green one, and twice the vitamin C content. These also contain lycopene which is what makes them red, the same substance is found in watermelons and tomatoes. This is good for a man’s prostate health and for erectile dysfunctions. It also seems to help lower the risk of heart diseases. It may also help the eyes by helping to prevent cataracts.

  When green peppers are subjected to a high heat, such as when grilled they lose most of their lutein content, so they are best cooked for a short period on a low heat. Add them to dishes just before they are ready (about 15 minutes before).

  The pepper has been cultivated for more than 9,000 years in South and Central America to which it is native. Mexico is now the world’s second largest commercial producer after China, with the US third.

  In China these peppers are used in traditional medicine for digestive problems and to improve blood circulation.

  Tomatoes and sweet peppers are the only two vegetables which contain two-thirds of all listed nutrients; they have 18 amino acids, Omega-3 fatty acid, are rich in vitamins A and C, and contain the minerals iron, copper, calcium, molybdenum, zinc, selenium, manganese and magnesium as well as zeaxanthin and lutein (carotenoids) among other substances including dietary fibre.

  Use the coloured ones in salads and as garnishes and the green ones for cooking and try this tasty recipe below; it is fusion food, being typically Greek with added Asian influences.

YEMISTA, ASIAN - STYLE

Ingredients

4 green peppers

4 Mediterranean beef tomatoes

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

¼ cup olive oil

1 heaped tbsp rice per vegetable to be stuffed

50 gr pine nuts, dry fried

2 tsps cumin seeds dry fried and ground

50 gr sultanas

1 handful of fresh mint leaves shredded

2 handfuls shredded fresh coriander leaves or flat-leaves parsley

100gr grated Parmesan cheese, or kephalotyri, or Graviera

½ inch piece of cassia bark for each vegetable

1 pint chicken stock

1 glass white wine

olive oil

a little sugar

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to Gas mark 5, 180°C / 375° F.

Remove the tops from the vegetables and reserve for later use.

Remove the seeds and membranes from the peppers, keeping them in tact.

Remove the pulp from the tomatoes and puree it.

Mix the rice, onions, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, sultanas, cumin seeds, fresh herbs, and Parmesan cheese together with the tomato puree and stuff this into each vegetable leaving about ¼ inch from the top so that the rice can expand.

Put a small piece of cassia bark in the middle of each vegetable stuffing.

Top with lids which you have in reserve.

Place all the vegetables, upright in a baking tray and pour the chicken stock and white wine into the tray so that it comes a quarter of the way up the vegetables.

Baste the vegetables with a little olive oil and the stock.

Cook for 1¾ hours of until the peppers are tender.

Turn off the oven and leave the vegetables to settle for another hour.

Serve with a Greek salad and extra Feta cheese.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

  

RAGGED ROBIN - NOT JUST A PRETTY FLOWER: HISTORY AND USES OF CUCKOO FLOWER

RAGGED ROBIN, CUCKOO FLOWER, LYCHNIS FLOS-CUCULI

Ragged robins are native to the British Isles, Europe and western Asia, and love to grow in damp ground. They can be found growing in buttercup fields and along with Bugle, meadowsweet and marsh mallow. I loved to see them when I was very young because I had been told fairies made dresses from their ragged petals and this annoyed the goblins whose flowers they were. Apparently they are associated with goblins and evil spirits in some parts of the British Isles. I had thought that my grandfather was making up tales to amuse me.

  They can grow to heights of 75 cms but they are more often about knee height. There are white ones as well as the pink ones, and they attract bees and butterflies, which feed on the nectar.

  Writing in his Herball Gerard refers to them as Crowsfoot, says that they have no medicinal value, “but they serve, for garlands and crownes and to decke up gardens.” However, along with other Lychnis varieties they were, albeit unbeknownst to Gerard, used as a remedy for jaundice. Ragged Robins were also used along with Common or English ivy for common ailments such as stomach aches, toothache, headaches and muscle strains among other things, and were known as ‘magical’ herbs.

  The Latin name, Lychnis comes from the Greek word, for lamp, and these flowers stand out against a green background, attracting both people and insects. Flos -cuculi means cuckoo flower, and the ragged robin is sometimes known by this name, as is Lady’s Smock, to which it is not related nor is it related to the Cuckoo pint. Its pink (or white) petals have ragged edges, and perhaps it gets the name robin from the red-breasted bird, or Robin Goodfellow or Puck a mischievous imp or goblin in British folklore (and Shakespeare). It is a member of the carnation family of plants, the Caryophyllaceae.

  There are two superstitions surrounding ragged robin; the first is that bachelors would carry it in their pockets and if they didn’t die, but thrived, they believed this was a sign that they would be lucky in love. Young girls would give ragged robin plants the names of village boys and the flower that came out first bore the name of the boy the girl who had named the flower would marry.

  In the Language of Flowers, the ragged robin is a symbol of ardour and wit.

  The root contains saponins and has been used in the past as a soap substitute mainly for washing clothes. The flowers were also used, boiled in water and the water used to rinse hair after shampooing, to make it soft and fragrant.

  It may not be the most beneficial plant, but it is a pretty sight in the countryside.

ANNATTO ( LIPSTICK TREE): HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF ANNATTO TREE

ANNATTO, ACHIOTE, THE LIPSTICK TREE BIXA ORELLANA

The Lipstick tree which bears the fruit from which we get annatto is native to the Caribbean and Latin America. The tree grows to heights of around 9 metres, with rose- pink and sometimes white flowers. Now it is cultivated for its seeds from which we get the food colouring. . It was found in Latin America by the Spanish explorers in the 16^th century and named Orellana after one of them, Francisco de Orellanna. Bixa comes from the Carib name for the tree, bya or biche. There are only two known trees in the Bixa genus and both of them are native to South America. The pod containing the seeds looks a little like a red beech mast, and the seeds inside are small triangles 3-5 mm in size.

   Like gum Tragacanth (gond katira) annatto has its own E number, E610b as it is used as a food colouring. It is used in margarine and cheeses such as Red Leicester and Cheshire, and to colour smoked herring (kippers) and cod. .

  It is now cultivated in India, and Kenya as well as in the countries of its origin. In some of the Pacific islands, it is an introduced species which has become an invasive one, and it is classed as invasive in Hawaii too. It is cultivated in the Philippines where the seeds are ground and used as a condiment. It is from the seeds that a red food colouring comes, and this is easy to obtain by steeping the seeds in water. The resulting red liquid can be used to colour rice, and is known, as is turmeric (haldi), as “poor man’s saffron.”

  It is used in the cosmetics industry as well as the food industry and has traditionally been used as lipstick, rouge and to make the sandour mark on Hindu women’s foreheads in India.

  The pulp from the fruit which covers the seeds has been used as an insect repellant and when rubbed on the skin it is said to get rid of pimples and other eruptions. The leaves pulp and seeds have been used in traditional medicine for centuries to cure a number of ailments. A decoction of the leaves can be made with 8-10 leaves to a litre of water. Boil together for 10 minutes then leaves to cool and drink half a cup three times a day for liver problems. If applied to the skin the decoction can soothe burns and promote wound healing. The decoction is a diuretic and can also calm minor stomach upsets, as well as aiding digestion. In Brazil the decoction is used for heartburn, and prostate problems as well as a vaginal antiseptic.

In tribal medicine it has been used as an aphrodisiac and as a mild laxative, not as strong as senna or jamalgota or the castor bean’s action.

  Annatto can reduce inflammation and protects the liver it is believed after clinical trials. It can also kill bacteria in the lab, and research is underway to ascertain if it can be beneficial to our health. It seems also to raise blood sugar levels but lower blood pressure.

  The seeds are said to be expectorants so they can clear phlegm and mucous and the roots of the tree have been used as a digestive aid and cough suppressant.

  Annatto contains vitamins C and E as well as some B-complex vitamins, amino acids, minerals such as calcium, iron and phosphorous and bet-carotene. Annatto seeds also contain tocotrienols which are potent antioxidants with cholesterol lowering abilities, and which also have a neuro-protective action. These also have anti-inflammatory actions, so many of the traditional uses have their basis on a solid foundation according to medical scientists.

  The rainforests of the Amazon Basin and the South American continent have yielded amazing medicinal species, such as the quinine or fever tree, although sadly we may have lost some of these plants due to the wanton destruction of the rainforests that has gone on in the past.

ELEPHANT'S HEAD PLANT - HEALTH BENEFITS AND HOW TO USE

ELEPHANT’S HEAD, RED SPINACH, AMARANTHUS GANGETICUS OR A. TRICOLOR

This species of amaranth is not cultivated for its grain as are others in the Amaranthus species, but for its leaves which are a traditional food in Bangladesh. Other amaranths are currently being investigated for their grain for example A. caudatus, A. cruentis and A.  hypochondriacus as this is very nutritious, so could help stave off malnutrition in still-developing countries, and also may be a useful biofuel.

   There are seeds, of course from the elephant’s head amaranth, (also known as pigweed, Joseph’s coat and a number of other names) and these may be eaten, but the main reason for its cultivation is its leaves which are eaten like spinach. It is said to be a substitute for asparagus. The leaves are rich in vitamin A and contain B-complex vitamins as well as vitamin C. It contains the minerals phosphorous, calcium, iron, manganese and potassium. These make it useful for bones, blood and to help cure anaemia.

  The seeds from this plant contain saponins so before it is eaten it should be soaked for 12 hours and then the water should be discarded before they are boiled. They are very gelatinous, and need to be cooked slowly.

  The plant is used in traditional medicine in a number of countries, and in China the leaves are used to treat dysentery. The leaves are simmered for a few minutes, then honey is added and this is cooked for a few minutes longer, before it is eaten.

  A tisane can be made with a teaspoon of the leaves, chopped then boiled with a cupful of cold water. You should allow the leaves to steep for 10 minutes before straining and drinking.

  It is thought that the galactosyl diacylglycosides present in the plant can inhibit the growth of some cancer cells, although more research is currently needed.

  Traditionally the plant is used with Cucurbita moschato, winter squash, to stop haemorrhaging after abortions, while a decoction of very old leaves is taken to improve night vision and to strengthen the liver.

  It is thought that it may boost the immune system, but more research is needed, and it may also help to reduce the risk of heart disease.

   In Jamaica it is used as a salad green, and is believed to have diuretic properties and be useful in cases of oedema. In Ayurvedic medicine it is also used for menstruation problems, and for general weakness, and this makes sense as it contains protein as well as the vitamins and minerals needed in our diets.

  In many countries it is grown for purely ornamental purposes, so you may have it in your garden.