SAFFRON HISTORY and USES: RECIPE FISH SOUP

SAFFRON
Saffron, from the crocus, Crocus sativa, is the most expensive spice in the world, and probably always has been. This is because it is still hand-picked, and each crocus flower produces only 3 stigmas. These have to be dried and allowed to ferment a little before saffron is produced. It is labour-intensive, and it takes 14,000 stigmas to make 1 ounce of saffron spice, which sells at $50 for a quarter of an ounce. This being said, you only need a couple of saffron threads in a dish, so for $10 you can make one dish. Its best to buy it if you holiday in Greece, where it is cultivated, as it’s cheaper there.
The crocus is native to southwest Asia, the wild crocus known as Crocus cartwrightianus, and Crocus sativa was bred from this by choosing croci with unusually large stigmas to cross-pollinate. It is believed that this species may have started in Bronze Age Crete. It was found depicted on frescoes at Knossos by Sir Arthur Evans, and also at Akrotiri and on Thera or Santorini.
The first text which mentions saffron was an Assyrian one, written at the behest of Ashurbinapal. Much later Herodotus and Pliny both recommend saffron from Assyria, and Babylon, believing it the best to treat gastric ailments. Long before, however, the ancient cave artists used saffron based pigments to paint the walls of caves in Iraq. These have been dated and are believed to be around 50,000 years old.

It was used as a dye, and the saffron coloured robes of Buddhist monks are traditionally dyed with saffron, because it was a colour so beloved of Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. It has been cultivated in Kashmir for centuries, although there are conflicting stories regarding how long, as historians believe it was introduced from Persia and first harvested in Kashmir in 500BC.However there is a story that it was introduced in the 11th or 12th century Ad by two Sufi saints who gave a local chieftain a crocus bulb in return for his having cured them of their illness. Whatever the case, there is a shrine to these two Sufis in the town of Pampore, India, to Khwaja Massood Wali and Hazrat Sheikh Shariffudin.
The Romans and Greeks both used saffron to mask smells of the hoi polloi when attending theatres, and other public entertainments. The Greeks associated with high class prostitutes, and it was thought to be an aphrodisiac. Cleopatra made use of it in her baths. It was cultivated in Gaul, where it was taken by the Romans until the fall of Rome in 271 AD.
It returned to Europe with the Moors who reintroduced it to the Iberian Peninsula, southern Italy and parts of France.
In the years between 1347 and 1350 the Black Death ravaged Europe, and saffron was much in demand, as it was believed to be effective against the plague. Unfortunately trade in saffron was interrupted by the Crusades. The Greek island of Rhodes, where saffron was cultivated became a major supplier of the expensive spice.
The Greek myth about the crocus flower is perhaps worth mentioning here. Crocus, a handsome youth, fell in love with the nymph Smilax, and they enjoyed a brief affair. However, Smilax tired of her lover, and left him. He pursued her, and she grew tired of this and turned him into a crocus flower. Ovid tells the story much better in his ‘Metamorphoses’.
The market town of Saffron Walden in Essex got its name from the fact that it began to cultivate saffron in the 16th and 17th centuries. Up until that time it had been called Chipping Walden, and had prospered due to the wool trade.
If you buy saffron, don’t buy the powdered form as this will probably have been adulterated with turmeric. Buy the saffron threads. It’s good to flavour rice dishes such as biryanis, paellas and can be added to soups and sauces. One or two threads is sufficient.
Below is a recipe for fish soup, but you can work out the quantities for your needs, and use any white fish with any of the other ingredients. What is important is the stock.


FISH SOUP
Ingredients
Fish stock
2/3 litres water
250 gr onions whole and stuck at top and bottom with 2 cloves each
250 gr carrots peeled and quartered
12 black peppercorns
3 sprigs thyme
small bunch parsley
3 bay leaves
1 tsp coriander seeds
trimmings of all fish and shells of shellfish used

Fish and seafood
1 kg sea bass (head, bones and skin in stock)
1kg John Dory (head, bones skin in stock
1 kg coley
250 gr prawns (shells in stock)
1 small octopus, Beak removed and discarded, then cut into 2 inch pieces
500 gr squid, backbone removed and used in stock, cut squid into pieces
1 lobster flesh removed from shell, and shell used in stock
3 glasses white wine
1 glass brandy
2 threads saffron
freshly ground black pepper


Method
First clean all the fish and seafood so you have the trimmings for the base of the soup. Put all the ingredients into a large pan and bring to the boil. You can tie the herbs together in a bunch if you want to. Remove any scum, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Check every so often and remove any further scum. If you think it’s really necessary to add more water, do so.
Next strain the liquid and put al the other ingredients into a large pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for a further1½ hours.
And your delicious, but expensive fish soup is ready to serve.
This has lots of Taste and is certainly a Treat.

WHAT is ANAR DANA? POMEGRANATE SEEDS.RECIPE,ANAR DANA CHUTNEY

POMEGRANATE or ANAR (HINDI/URDU) and POMEGRANATE SEEDS (ANAR DANA)

The pomegranate tree originated in Persia and the Himalayas was taken to Syria in 1600 BC and was cultivated in the Mediterranean region, the subcontinent, Africa and Europe. It is mentioned in the Eber Papyrus, and was found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs, being one of the food items that were needed in the afterlife. In many cultures it is a symbol of immortality and fertility. (In Rome wreaths of the pomegranate tree were worn by brides.) In 700BC it was imported from Carthage to Rome, and it gets its Latin name from these origins; Punicum malum means Carthage, or Punic apple. Its botanical name is as unique as its properties, as so far, it is the only plant known to contain estron.

It was recommended by Dioscorides, in the first century AD, as a treatment for mouth ulcers and those that are found on the genitals and in the anus. As it has astringent properties its juice was used for binding wounds and staunching the flow of blood. Pliny said it was good for women during pregnancy. The leaves and seeds were used in decoctions in the ancient world to get rid of intestinal worms and the tree bark was used to flush tapeworms out of the intestines.

In traditional medicine the rind of the fruit is used in decoctions to stop dysentery and diarrhea, while the pulp and seeds are used as a laxative and to reduce stomach pain.

Modern medical research has shown that it is high in antioxidants, so it can help patients with cardiovascular diseases. However, research is still continuing into the possible uses of the pomegranate.

The pomegranate features prominently in the myths of Persephone and Hades. There are many versions of the abduction of Persephone to the underworld, but to cut a long myth short, Persephone was unable to return to her mother Demeter because she had eaten seeds of the pomegranate while in the underworld. She was allowed to return to the upper world for spring and summer, but had to return to the underworld in autumn and winter.

It has been a potent symbol throughout history, and was popular as a design on cloth in the Italian Renaissance, as Eleonora di Toledo, wife of Cosimo de Medici was depicted in paintings wearing dresses decorated with the pomegranate motif. It is said that as she was the mother of seven sons, the pomegranate symbolized her role as valued mother, or possibly her fecundity.

Henry VIII is reputed to have planted the first pomegranate tree in England, and Shakespeare refers to it in three of his plays, All’s Well that Ends Well, Romeo and Juliet and Henry IV. It was also mentioned by Chaucer in his Canterbury Tales.

If you’ve been to the Alhambra in Grenada you will have seen the pomegranate motif in archways and mosaics, as the Moors used it as their symbol of their Grenada kingdom. It was a royal fruit, perhaps because of the ‘crown’ on top of the fruit, left over from the blossom.

The French called the ‘grenade’ after the seed-splattering properties of the pomegranate. Greeks splatter a pomegranate on the threshold of houses at New Year, to bring luck in the coming year.

You may never have eaten a pomegranate, but if you’ve had a cocktail containing grenadine (Tequila Sunrise for example), then you’ll have an idea of what they taste like; sour-sweet.

We use the seeds in our pakora and chutneys (these are more like thick sauces, than what we call chutney in English-see recipe below) and sometimes cooked in vegetable dishes. Fresh seeds are used to garnish sweet dishes in many cuisines, including Turkish and Greek. The juice is refreshing, and here you can buy cordial of pomegranate to dilute. It’s very refreshing on swelteringly hot days. The seeds are usually dried, but if you soak them in water for 15 mins and then crush them they add a piquant flavour to a dish. Try the recipe below.

ANAR DANAR CHUTNEY
Ingredients
2 tbsps dried pomegranate seeds (anar dana) soaked in water for 2 hours

2 green chillies, chopped

½ handful mint leaves

2 tbsps fresh coriander leaves, shredded

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp black pepper

salt to taste

Method

Grind the seeds very well, and then grind all the other ingredients with the seeds. Add a little water, mix thoroughly and the chutney is ready to serve with meat of fish.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

KACHNAR or ORCHID TREE,EXOTIC SPRING MINCED MEAT RECIPE

THE KACHNAR TREE or ORCHID TREE

The kachnar tree is known as the Orchid tree, Mountain Ebony, Pink Butterfly tree, Bois de Boeuf, and the Purple Orchid tree. Its Latin name is Bauhinia variegata. In Indian mythology it is associated with Shiva one of the principle Hindu gods.

It has many uses in traditional medicine on the subcontinent. Its bark is used as an astringent and a tonic. It is good for skin diseases, and has been used to treat leprosy. A decoction of the bark is used to cure dysentery, while the dried buds are used to cure diahorrea. A decoction made from the root of the kachnar is said to prevent people becoming obese. An infusion of the flower buds is good to get rid of coughs.

The kachnar tree grows all over the subcontinent, and is even to be found lining the roads in parts of the capital city of Pakistan, Islamabad. The flowers of this tree vary in colour from white with pink veins to almost purple, and when in bloom it can take your breath away with its beauty and aroma.

Apart from its aesthetic value, the flower buds are considered a delicacy. They are relatively expensive as they are only available in spring for a limited period. When cooked, they taste a bit like liver. And are good with beef or as a vegetarian dish-that way you get to taste the real unadulterated flavour of this bud. You can faintly taste the perfume of the flower still captive inside the green sheath, and that is delicious. Apparently the flowers themselves are good in pakora.

In Pakistan there is a movement to plant more of these trees in an effort to help the environment, whereas in places like Florida, where these trees have been imported, they are considered a threat to the ecology.

KACHNAR SPRING MINCED MEAT

Ingredients

½ kilo minced meat

2 onions, finely chopped

1 tomato, finely chopped

4 green chillies, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 inch ginger root, finely chopped

½ handful mint leaves, shredded

½ handful fresh coriander leaves, shredded

1 tbsp garam masala

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp thyme

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp black pepper

salt to taste

½ cup oil

½ kilo kachnar buds

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional)

Method

Heat the oil in a pan and add the garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, thyme and coriander seeds. Fry on a low heat for 3 mins.

Add the minced meat, tomato, green chilli and all the spices, stir occasionally, and cook for about 10 mins.

Now add 2 glasses of water and the kachnar buds. Stir well then cover the pan and cook for about 30 mins. After this time, check and if there’s water left, cook for a further 5 mins.

Remove from the heat and sprinkle in the mint and coriander leaves. Stir well to mix, cover and leave to stand for 5 mins.

Serve and sprinkle with lemon juice if this is to your taste. (We think it improves the flavour.)

It’s good with naan, chapattis, or any other kind of bread, and our mint and yoghurt sauce (See recipe)

This has Taste and is a Treat.

What is IMLI? TAMARIND. SPECIAL SWEET and SOUR SAUCE with IMLI

TAMARIND or IMLI in URDU

The tamarind tree is not native to the subcontinent, although its history there is very ancient. It originally came from Africa, and was introduced from Europe into Mexico in the 16th century, where it is now cultivated. It is also grown in the West Indies.

It is mentioned in the Hindu epic the Ramayana, which dates back to the 4th century BC. There it is written that its leaves were split by the hero, Lakshmana, hence their appearance. Krishna is said to have had an intense spiritual experience while sitting in the shade of the tamarind tree. He had become separated from his beloved Radha and as he was sitting, he was infiltrated by her spirit, which permeated his whole being.

It is believed to be an unlucky tree, as it is associated with Yama, the god of death; its name in Sanskrit is Yamadutika, or the messenger of death. It is considered to be unlucky and unsafe to sleep under a tamarind tree, perhaps because it makes the soil high in acidity, so that few plants can grow under it. Its leaves fold at night, and even now some people believe that the tamarind trees are haunted by ghosts of the departed, so stay away form it at night.

Tamarind can be used as a dye, red coming from the leaves and yellow from the flowers. It’s used in turmeric and henna based hair dyes to boost the colour. Indian silversmiths use an infusion of the roots to clean their wares. It’s used to make varnish and a gum used for binding watercolour paints, used to paint miniatures in Iran and the subcontinent. Extract of the tamarind’s fruit and leaves are used in cosmetics, body lotions, soaps etc. The tamarind tree is host to lac insects, whose shells are used to make shellac. (The same is true of the Banyan tree, or Bohar tree as it’s called in Urdu.) The wood from the tree is also used in construction and fuel for fuel. Its leaves are used for animal fodder. People say that the honey produced from tamarind flowers is superb.

Of course tamarind is used in traditional medicine and Western research has now shown that it strengthens the immune system, can be effective in reducing fever and is good as a mild laxative. This research bears out what ancient medical practitioners believed. However in subcontinental traditional medicine, it is believed that tamarind can help treat diabetes and intestinal infections. To relieve fevers it is given in a drink made from milk, honey, lime and spices. The pulp from the seeds is mixed with salt and used as a gargle for sore throats. The leaves are boiled and applied to the joints to relieve swellings and sprains. These can also treat boils.

These days young girls eat the sweet fruit as they are convinced that they will grow large breasts if they eat enough of it. They do this in secret though, as their mothers would take a dim view of this practice.

In most countries you can buy the sticky pulp made from the fruit of the tamarind, or the thick paste. When the fruit is picked unripe, the taste is sour, and this is what is made into the paste we flavour meat dishes with.  It is used in Worcestershire sauce, and here it is used to make drinks, soups and dips, as well as an additional ingredient to savoury sauces.However, here in Pakistan we can eat the fresh,ripe fruit,which is sweet.

Below is our own recipe for a savoury sauce that goes well with all types of meat and fish.



SPECIAL SWEET and SOUR SAUCE with IMLI (TAMARIND)
Ingredients

½ cup tamarind pulp, stones removed

1 onion, finely chopped

3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

6 green chillies, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ inch ginger root, finely chopped

½ handful mint leaves, shredded

½ handful fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped

2 tbsps sugar

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsps oil

2 green cardamoms

salt to taste

2 tbsps fresh lemon juice

Method

Heat the oil in a pan, and fry onion, garlic, ginger and green chillies for 5 minutes over a low heat. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 mins.

Now add the sugar, garam masala, black pepper and salt and cook for a further 2 mins. Now pour in 2 glasses of water, the tamarind and green cardamoms.

Stir well and cook over a medium heat until the water has reduced, so that ½ a glass of liquid remains.

Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and fresh herbs, and stir to mix well.

Cover the pan and leave to cool.

Serve cold with meat, chicken or fish. It goes with everything, and is really delicious.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

VANILLA HISTORY, RECIPE: CARROT, GINGER and VANILLA SOUP

VANILLA
Vanilla is the second most expensive herb after saffron. It is a seed pod which looks like a fresh green bean hence the name given to the pod, which is misleading. If you split a pod you will see thousands of tiny seeds, which can be ground and used to flavour soufflés, custards, and of course ice cream. The name comes from the Latin, vagina, meaning sheath or scabbard, and became vaina in Spanish, meaning the same thing. The pod resembles a sheath for a knife, or a sword’s scabbard- or that’s what Cortez thought.

It originated in Mexico and is the fruit of an orchid, which only flowers for a day. So to produce the pods, the orchids must be pollinated quickly. The Mexican and Madagascan varieties of vanilla are considered to be the best, although it is grown in the Pacific region now.
The Totonacs were probably the first to enjoy the taste of vanilla, but they were conquered by the Aztecs, and this is how we got vanilla in Europe. The Emperor, Montezuma gave Cortez, the famous Spanish conquistador a drink that was considered fit for royalty. This was xocolatl, which consisted of cocoa beans, honey and vanilla. Cortez brought it to Europe and Queen Elizabeth I’s apothecary declared that it was wonderful, so it quickly gained popularity.
Throughout history it has been used as an aphrodisiac and this was ‘proved’ in 1762 in a German study which found that a medication based on vanilla ‘cured’ more than 300 men of impotence.
It is believed to boost activity in the brain, increase muscle power and keep you awake. However it seems not to be used in modern medicine as a cure, only as a flavouring to make medicines more palatable. It was believed that vanilla cured fevers, but there is no proof of this.
It is usually used in desserts, and you can make your own vanilla sugar by storing a pod in a jar of sugar. Actually this is good for the vanilla pod as they should be stored in cool dark places. Some recipes call for vanilla extract or essence (cake recipes) for example, but if you are making a sauce that requires vanilla you can use a whole pod and when cooking is finished, remove it from the sauce wash it carefully, dry it thoroughly and replace it in your jar of sugar. There is no need to throw it away if it is still intact.



CARROT, GINGER and VANILLA SOUP
Ingredients
2 tbsps olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1½ inch piece ginger root, finely chopped
1 kilo carrots, roughly chopped
1 ltr chicken or vegetable stock (see recipe for chicken stock Bay Leaves)
2 inch stick of cinnamon

1 vanilla pod, whole
100 ml natural yoghurt



Method
Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onions for 5 mins with the ginger, then add the carrots and stir to coat them in the oil. Add the stock, cinnamon stick and vanilla pod. Stir to mix and bring to the boil. Cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove pan from the heat and cool a little.
Remove the vanilla pod, wash and dry it, then store it in the sugar jar again.
Pour the soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Return the soup to the pan and reheat, stir in the yoghurt and allow to simmer but not boil.
Pour into a serving dish and serve.
This has Taste and is a Treat.

REETHA, SOAP NUT, SOAP BERRY: MAKE YOUR OWN NATURAL LIQUID SOAP

REETHA, SOAP NUT, SOAP BERRY
Reetha in Urdu and Hindi is known in English as the Soap Nut or Soap berry, which are apt names. It was native to China and Japan, but is now cultivated in Pakistan and northern India. It grows on a deciduous tree, and the fruit can be picked any time after October. It stays on the tree, hanging in distinctive clusters of brown and orange when the leaves of the tree have been shed.
It’s included here because of its novelty value rather than any serious intention. However, its good for your hair and skin and you can also wash clothes with it as the husk surrounding the seed contains saponin which is a natural soap.
So if you ignore the carbon footprint you would leave, here’s how to make your own liquid soap.

LIQUID SOAP

Ingredients

1 litre water

50 gr soap nuts (reetha) without seeds

Method

First buy your return ticket to China, Pakistan or northern India. Before you leave do some research into the exact location of Reetha (Soap Nut) production. Hire a jeep or SUV to get you there. Refuse all offers from taxi drivers who would like to rip you off wherever you want to go!

When you get to within sight of the Himalayas, it’s fair to assume you may find the Soap Nut tree (Sapindus Mukorossi). Get out of your chosen vehicle and ask around for the Reetha tree, or Ritha tree.

Having located several Soap Nut trees, gather the Soap nuts. Remember not to take them all from one tree, and apologize for taking them. Leave some of the seeds, as they might germinate and eventually produce little Reetha trees. This will help redress the damage you have already done to the environment by being adventurous enough to find a Reetha tree.

You now fill your sack and take it back to your vehicle. If you prefer, you could sit in the freezing temperatures and remove all the seeds from the husks, as what you need is the husk. The seeds are only used as fertilizer. You may, of course have already provided the area with some of your own, after eating some of the fiery food you encountered on your travels.

Now all you have to do is get your haul through customs. Very good luck to you!

Seriously folks! The ingredients are right, and you should boil the water and husks for about 30 mins. Leave to cool overnight strain and use as liquid soap. You can use it as an all-purpose cleaner, as shampoo- it’s great for your hair, and for pet shampoo. You can also put 6- 8 Soap Nuts in a muslin bag and throw in the washing machine instead of washing powder. It’s effective at temperatures of between 30-60 degrees C and is good for coloureds but not as good for whites as it doesn’t contain bleach.

So it really is good for the environment, and you can buy the Reetha or Soap Nuts from an Asian shop or a wholesaler.

This is a homemade Treat add vanilla oil to Taste.

GOOSEBERRIES or AMLA in URDU; USES and RECIPE - GOOSEBERRY CRUMBLE

GOOSEBERRIES or AMLA in URDU
Gooseberries are native to southwestern Asia and Europe. It’s believed that they grow right up to the foothills of the Himalayas. However the so-called Indian gooseberry, or Amla, is Emblica officinalis, but the gooseberry that we know is Ribes grossularia and the one that grows on the subcontinent, is Ribes uva. So they are closely related although not exactly the same. The wild variety is a straggly little thing compared to the cultivated variety. In northern England there have been huge gooseberry bushes. One was 12 feet in diameter, apparently.
In the Middle Ages, the gooseberry was referred to as the Feaberry or feverberry as it was believed to help cure fevers. It is rich in vitamins A and C, and so would be good to ward off colds and flu. It was first cultivated in Britain in the 16th century when physicians recommended it as a cure for the dreaded plague.
John Gerard, writing of the Feaberry said it was ‘greatly profitable to such as are troubled with a hot, burning ague.’ In Ayurvedic medicine the gooseberry has many uses and is often used in powder form. Traditional practitioners believe it has cooling properties, so agree with Gerard. However, they use the gooseberry for a whole host of cures. They say it’s good for diabetes, heart problems, illnesses related to old age, gastric problems and believe it gives a boost to the immune system. The gooseberry helps to balance the body’s nitrogen levels so can help those who need to gain weight, too. Basically if you eat Amla every day, you will ward off a number of illnesses.
If you make a paste with Amla by boiling 6 with a cup of milk, then removing the seeds and mashing them to a pulp, you should rub the paste onto your hair roots. Leave it on your scalp for 20 minutes, then wash your hair. This is supposed to prevent hair loss.
Acne sufferers should mix 20 grams of Amla powder with a little honey and ghee. The mixture should be taken internally to clear the blood and so rid the skin of unsightly spots.
In spring it is said that the gooseberry is more valuable in herbal medicine than rhubarb.
Gooseberries were extremely popular by the early 19th century in England. People grew bushes in their gardens and held fairs to celebrate the gooseberry. Fairs and gooseberry shows are still held in the Midlands and northern England, where people compete for the best gooseberry pie or tart and see who has produced the biggest gooseberry etc.

The phrase ‘to play gooseberry’ is believed to have originated in the 19th century, when young couples were carefully chaperoned. Often the chaperone would distract herself by picking gooseberries in the hedgerows. So a chaperone was known as a gooseberry. And as for the tale of babies being found under gooseberry bushes, perhaps this was because in Victorian times every coy middle class family had a gooseberry bush in their garden, so babies could be left under one. Who knows?



GOOSEBERRY CRUMBLE
Ingredients
500 gr gooseberries, topped and tailed
2 tbsps sugar
water
125 gr butter
250 gr plain flour
2 tbsps sugar


Method
Put the gooseberries in a saucepan with a little water and 2 tbsps sugar, bring to the boil then simmer for 20 mins.
Make the topping. Rub the flour into the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and mix well
Preheat the oven to a medium heat.
Put the gooseberries in an ovenproof dish, you don’t need to thicken the mixture as gooseberries contain pectin, a thickening agent. Pour the crumble topping over the gooseberries. Dot here and there with butter and place in the preheated oven
Cool for 20-30 mins until the topping is golden brown, but not burnt.
Serve with custard or cream.
This has Taste and is a Treat.