WHAT IS SANGARAY? WATER CHESTNUTS: STIR - FRIED WATER CHESTNUTS

plant tops of water chestnuts

WATER CHESTNUTS


There are several species of water chestnuts, which aren’t of course actual nuts .They are the tuberous roots of an aquatic plant. The Chinese water chestnut, as it‘s called, is a relative of sedge, while the European water chestnuts are related to the Evening Primrose family. The Chinese water chestnut, whose Latin name is Eleocharis dulcis, originated in South and Southeast Asia. It grows on the Indian subcontinent although is not much used in Pakistani cuisine, as it is seasonal, coming into season with the monsoon. This is a wonderful natural ‘coincidence’ as it has cooling properties, and its juice can reduce the body’s temperature. The European water chestnuts are Trapa natans, and in the trepans family are also bicornia (two horns) and bispinosa (two spines). These names refer to the point on the outer casing of the water chestnut. They grow in fresh water, including in slow-moving rivers and streams.

If you’ve only eaten water chestnuts that come from a can you will not know why they are called chestnuts at all. However, if you ever get the opportunity to try a freshly boiled or steamed water chestnut, you will recognize the chestnuty taste. The fresh ones are really delicious, but you shouldn’t eat too many of these delightful vegetables as they have a mild laxative effect.

In Asia the water chestnut is used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of illnesses. They are rich in carbohydrates and also minerals, containing as they do, potassium, zinc, iron and calcium. They also contain fibre and some B-complex vitamins. If you are concerned about your diet then these are perfect; they are fat and cholesterol free and do not contain gluten. As they aren’t really nuts, people with a nut allergy can eat them without worrying about their side effects.

They can be powdered so that people can make roti (chapattis) with them if they have a problem with grains and gluten. Traditionally they are still used to prevent coughs during the monsoon season, and they are taken in powder form for this. If you have cystitis or any other painful urinary tract infection, a cup of water chestnut soup can relieve the symptoms. The juice from a water chestnut is used to cure indigestion and nausea and the water from boiled chestnuts plus a few liquidized ones is often given to children with measles to help them feel better. They also have detoxifying properties, so are very good for one’s health. They’re also extremely tasty.

The European water chestnut Trapa natans is now considered an invasive species in the US. It was imported in the late 1800s as an ornamental plant (this variety looks like a water lily) and is now threatening to take over from native species. On the other hand, Eleocharis dulcis is now an endangered species in Fiji, where the grass-like plants were woven into mats. However it seems to be alive and well on the Indian subcontinent.



STIR – FRIED WATER CHESTNUTS WITH MANGE TOUTS
Ingredients
250 gr water chestnuts boiled, peeled and sliced
200 gr mange touts or snow peas
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 inch piece of ginger root, finely chopped
150 gr bamboo shoots, sliced
100 gr baby sweet corn
1 star anise
3 tbsp soy sauce
oil
freshly ground black pepper
a few sliced green chillies or 1 tsp red chilli powder



Method

Fry the onion until soft along with the garlic, ginger and green chillies, if using.

Mix in the rest of the vegetables and the soy sauce and star anise. Fry over a low heat for about 10 mins. If you want to you can add half a glass of white wine. You probably won’t need salt because of the contents of the soy sauce, but taste and add if you wish.

Serve with noodles, rice noodles or jasmine rice.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

CELERY SEEDS: HOW TO MAKE CELERY SALT: CELERY SOUP: SOURED CREAM

CELERY SEEDS
Celery seeds are not too well known in Europe, although celery is widely used as a salad vegetable and in cooking. Beef and Celery go really well together on cold winter days when you want a really comforting stew. Celery seeds and celery salt (which is a mixture of ground celery seeds and fine grain salt) should always be added to a Bloody Mary to give it an extra bite.
Celery comes in many varieties, but the one found in supermarkets is Paschal. In Greece, the stalks are thinner and the leaves are used not in salads, but the whole thing is either cooked as a vegetable or just the leaves are used, not the thin, usually limp, stalks. This type of celery is more like the original celery which is believed to have come from the Middle East. However wild celery could also be found in many other parts of the world, including Europe, Scandinavia, and the Indian subcontinent, where the seeds, whole or ground are added to pickles, chutneys and curry sauces.
The Romans believed celery and its seeds were an aphrodisiac, and the Greeks used it in love potions. Modern medical research has shown that celery contains androsterone, a pheromone released by men to attract women, so maybe the ancients knew a thing or two. The Romans used the seeds as a condiment, but it seems that the Greeks didn’t see it as a food, only as a medicine and as a symbol of victory as athletes were crowned with celery leaf and bay crowns at the Corinthian Games.
In the Indian subcontinent it has been used for centuries to treat arthritis, some diseases of the liver and spleen, colds, flu, water retention and to aid digestion. The ancient Egyptians gathered it from salt marshes and used it as a vegetable.
Modern studies have shown that it is a good mosquito repellant, and celery seeds make a good diuretic. To make a tisane, crush 1 tsp celery seeds, and pour a cup of boiling water over them. Leave them to steep for 20 mins, strain and reheat, or drink cold. Do this 3 times a day for water retention problems.
Medical studies have also shown that celery seeds may help prevent growth of some cancerous tissues, and it probably lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels, but more tests are needed before there is real proof.
Celery has been cultivated for medicinal purposes since at least 850 BC, and the celery we eat today has been developed by human selection. It wasn’t cultivated in Europe until the 17th century, probably because it was gathered from the wild and cultivation wasn’t necessary.
Please don’t use seeds of celery which are meant to be planted in your cooking, as they will have been treated with chemicals that will be harmful. Only use culinary celery seeds.
The recipe below can be blended so that the soup is smooth or chunky. I prefer the smooth version, so that I can put it in a mug and drink it for a quick lunch, but that’s just a personal preference.


CELERY SOUP
Ingredients
1 head celery, washed, fibres removed and cut into chunks
2 apples, cored and cubed (not necessary to peel them unless you want to)
2 onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp celery seeds, crushed
a few sprigs fresh curly parsley, or a handful of flat parsley leaves
3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable)
olive oil

Garnish
soured cream or natural yoghurt
few sprigs of parsley


Method
Lightly fry the celery, onion, garlic, until onion is translucent and celery is well coated with oil. Add the crushed seeds and fry for a minute.
Transfer all ingredients to a large pan and cover with the chicken stock.
Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 20 mins.
Put in a blender and blend until it is the required consistency.
Reheat and then remove from the heat, pour into individual bowls and garnish with a swirl of natural yoghurt or soured cream, and a sprig of parsley.
Keep in the fridge to use later without the yoghurt or soured cream.
This has Taste and is a Treat.

SOURED CREAM
To make soured cream, buy a pot of single cream and add a few drops of lemon juice to it. Stir well to mix.
Soured cream is not cream that has past its sell-by date!!

LAVENDER HISTORY and USES: BEEF ITALIAN STYLE WITH LAVENDER

LAVENDER
Lavender is often thought of as a traditional English plant, but lavender is not a native species. The first recorded mention of lavender in Britain dates back to 1598. However it soon became popular and Queen Elizabeth I apparently insisted on having lavender conserve served at every meal, as did the herbalist John Gerard, who may, of course, just have been following Queen Elizabeth’s example. The Queen drank lavender tisane to relieve her migraine, and used it as a perfume too. If she had taken baths more frequently she may have used it to perfume her bath water, as did the Egyptians and Turks.

Lavender originated in the mountainous regions of Europe where you can sometimes still find white lavender, although the usual colour is blue-lilac, or lavender colour. The transliteration of lavender’s Urdu name is Halka Arghwani Rung. The Romans were a little wary of collecting lavender, as they believed that asps nested in its foliage. They didn’t use it in their garlands, but it was still expensive. It is mentioned in St Mark’s gospel in the Bible but called Spikenard. The Latin name for it was ‘nard’ at that time. The ‘spike’ was named after the shape of the leaves of the Mediterranean plant.

The lavender fields in Provence, France are famous, and sometimes dried lavender flowers are mixed into herbes de Provence, although they were not an original ingredient of this herb mixture. It’s believed that they were added to sell the herb mixture to tourists who were delighted at the sight of the lavender fields.
Lavender leaves and flowers can both be used in cooking, and the leaves can be used in beef dishes instead of rosemary. You can make lavender ice cream, or use fresh flowers to garnish salads or desserts. If you like floral tastes, you can use lavender in virtually anything, including bread, cakes and biscuits. French farmers graze their sheep in lavender fields so that the meat will have a delicate floral flavour.
Lavender is cultivated primarily for its essential oil, which is used in medicine as well as in herbal remedies and aromatherapy treatments. Aromatherapists use it to treat headaches, nervous disorders and exhaustion. It has long been used to treat nervous disorders including hysteria, and medical research has shown that the scent of lavender has a slightly calming, soothing and sedative effect when inhaled. It has traditionally been dried and used in ‘sleep’ pillows as a cure for insomnia. Lavender tisane has been approved in Germany as a remedy for insomnia and restlessness. To make a tisane, you need 1-2 tsps of the flower stems per cup of boiling water. Let this stand for 15 mins, strain and drink one cup three times a day for the best results.
Gerard recommended it ‘to comfort the stomach’ and herbalists thought that 1-4 drops of the oil on sugar or in a spoonful of milk could cure nervous spasms, giddiness, faintness and palpitations caused by nervousness. Culpeper mixed lavender flowers with Horehound, Fennel and Asparagus root with a little cinnamon to cure giddiness and the ‘falling sickness’ as epilepsy was known as.
The smell of lavender reminds me of my childhood, and the lavender we had growing in the garden, which was always swarming with bees. I used to ‘help’ my mother cut the lavender, then we’d dry it and my favourite part of the process was making sachets of lavender to go in our wardrobes and drawers to keep clothes and linen smelling fresh. I still like to have dried lavender mixed into pot pourris, as the smell permeates the whole house, if strategically placed. Lavender is a natural insect repellent too and keeps mosquitoes at bay.
To cook with it, try the recipe below and add some lavender flowers to your rice next time you make some. You can add them to jasmine rice too.



BEEF ITALIAN STYLE WITH LAVENDER
Ingredients
1½ - 2 kg sirloin of beef (boneless)
1-2 tbsps olive oil
2 tsps each of lavender flowers, rosemary, thyme and fennel leaves
freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste


Method
Brush beef with oil and rub the herbs and seasonings into it.
Cover with foil and cook in a medium oven for 1½ - 2 hours. Remove the foil for the last half an hour of cooking time and baste with the juices from the meat.
Remove form the oven and allow to stand for 15 mins before attempting to carve the meat.
This has Taste and is a Treat.

MANGO, AAM: AMCHUR: HOW TO MAKE AAM KA ACHAR / MANGO PICKLE

MANGOES (MANGIFERA INDICA)

A mango is a mango is a mango you might think, but this is not so. There are more than 500 types of mango and there may even be more than a thousand. Living in Pakistan I realize the truth in this. If you’ve never walked in a busy street, sucking the juice out of a small ripe mango, believe me, it’s quite a refreshing experience. You roll the small fruit between your hands to make the pulp soft, make a little hole in the top of the mango and suck out the juice. The alternative is to buy freshly squeezed mango juice from one of the many juice kiosks that line shopping streets. Then you may get a plastic cup or be given the juice in a plastic bag, with a straw. But it’s satisfying to suck the juice out of the fruit and then eat the pulp left on the stone.

Mangoes are native to India, Bangladesh and Myanmar, although there are mango groves all over south Asia now. Cultivation of the mango tree began amore than 4000 years ago, and as you can imagine with such a history, they are very much part of the culture. It’s monsoon time now and the mango has come into its own. In India it’s known as the King of Fruits, and is the national fruit of that country.

Buddhist monks took plants to Malaya and East Asia in the 5th and 4th centuries BC, and Persian traders took it to the Middle East and East Africa sometime before the first millennia (AD). When the Portuguese explorers reached the subcontinent in the 15th century, they introduced it into South America, the Philippines and West Africa.

The mango is associated with Hinduism and Buddhism. It is said that Buddha converted many people miraculously when he metamorphosed into various forms in front of a mango tree. This tale is told in the Jataka Tales, and Buddha is often portrayed with a mango tree in works of art. It is said that he liked to meditate in mango groves. He is also said to have caused a mango tree to sprout from a seed instantaneously to convince unbelievers that he was the Buddha.

In Hinduism, Shiva is said to have appeared in his Lingua (phallic) form under a mango tree, and where the manifestations occurred Hindu temples were built. Now many Hindus hang the leaves from the mango tree in their homes for good fortune to smile on them. In Hindu rituals of divine blessing, a clay pot is filled with water, with the pot symbolizing Mother Earth and water the life-giving force. The top is decorated with fresh mango leaves, representing vibrant life and a coconut, symbolizing divine consciousness. The whole entity is a symbol of Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune.

In art on the whole subcontinent, pictures of paradise almost always contain the mango tree because it provides both shade and the wonderful fruit. The mango represents love and fertility.

In the 18th and 19th century cows were fed solely on mango leaves so that their excretions could provide a yellow dye called “Indian yellow”, but this practice was banned in the 1920s as it was deemed cruel to feed cows solely on mango leaves. However the tree bark is still used as a dye, which is light yellow. The stems of the trees are beaten and the juice is collected from them is mixed with turmeric and lime to make a rose-pink dye for cotton. The wood from the tree is treated with preservatives (salt water in some cases) and used to build boats and for furniture. The flowers are very fragrant and their oil is used in perfumes. Gum from the trees is tapped and used instead of gum Arabic, so it has many uses apart from its medicinal and culinary ones.

Of course mango trees and the fruit have their role to play in traditional remedies. In Ayurvedic medicine the flowers are dried and used to cure dysentery, diarrheoa and inflammation of the urinary tract. It is believed that mangoes can strengthen the nervous system and the blood system, so can treat anaemia effectively. They also help to rid the body of toxins. In folk medicine they are used in the treatment of rheumatism and diphtheria. The bark is known to have astringent qualities. The gum from the tree trunk is put on cracked soles of the feet and is also used to treat scabies. Powdered seeds help stop bleeding, and it is believed that mangoes cure headaches an dare good for the kidneys. Western medical research tends to bear out all these properties, and it is said that eating mangoes can prevent colon cancer. The fruits contain a compound called mangiferin, which promotes heart action and production of urine. They also contain gallic acid and quercetene which protect against viruses. The powdered seeds have antimicrobial properties, and it has a whole host of other benefits.

Amchur

Peeled, sliced and dried mangoes are ground into a powder which is the spice amchur. This gives dishes an added tartness, and it can be used effectively in curry sauces lentil dishes, and anything that needs an extra tart addition.

You can eat green mangoes raw, and they are good cooked and pickled too. In fact, the mango is a miraculous fruit: no wonder it was so loved by Buddha.

MANGO PICKLE (AAM KA ACHAR)

Ingredients

1 kg green mangoes washed well, dried well then cut into quarters, stones discarded
150 gr salt
3 tsps fenugreek seeds

6 tsp anise
15 gr black seeds (Kalvanji, Kalonji, Nigella sativa)
7 gr turmeric
2½ cups mustard oil



Method
Rub all the ground spices, salt and turmeric onto the cut mango pieces, with about 12 tsps of the oil.

Put these in a jar in the sun and leave for 2 days, making sure to shake the jar every day.

Pour in the remaining oil and leave for two weeks in the house, not in the sun.

Remember to shake the jar on alternate days.

You can eat it after 20 days but it can be kept for about 2 years - if it isn’t eaten by then.

Keep the pieces of mango covered with oil.

Don’t throw the oil away when the pickle is finished; use it for the next batch of mango pickle.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

CHIVES: USE OF CHIVES: RECIPE CREAM CHEESE and CHIVE DIP

CHIVES

Chives are the smallest members of the onion family, and have been grown in British gardens since Elizabethan times. They were grown because they are herbs, and they have flowers, but not only are they attractive and good to eat; they also ward off unwanted insects. They are good to grow in your garden as they can be cut three or four times in a season, and can be saved for winter by chopping and freezing them.

Chives are native to the northern hemisphere and still grow wild in parts of Italy and Greece. They have been cultivated in Europe only since the 1500s. The first recorded use of chives comes from China, and where they were used 5000 years ago.

There are also ‘garlic chives’ or Chinese chives, which have star-shaped white flowers. The chive normally used in cookery has purple pom-pom flowers, something like those of a clover.

The Romans believed that they could cure sore throats and relieve sunburn. The ancient Greeks used them in baths, and in Mediaeval Europe it was thought that hanging a bunch of chives in the house would ward off evil and disease. They have been used in love potions, and in fortune telling, according to some. It is said that gypsies used them to tell fortunes but exactly how they did this has not been reported.

Their medical uses are still under investigation, but preliminary research has suggested that they might help to fight several types of cancer, and have mild antibiotic properties. They have anti-inflammatory properties, so the Romans may not have been wrong to use them as they did.

Chives are rich in vitamins A and C and contain the minerals potassium, calcium and folic acid. They are said to aid digestion and stimulate appetite. Oil from chives is rich in sulphur, as are other members of the onion family.

In cooking they can be used in soups, stews and sauces; as a garnish and in salad dressings. They are one of the ‘fines herbes’of French cuisine, along with tarragon, parsley and chervil. Chives can be added to scrambled eggs to give them a more interesting flavour and make good additions to dips. You can add them to boiled or mashed potatoes, or use them to garnish potato salads. Below is a dip using chives.

CREAM CHEESE AND CHIVE DIP
Ingredients
500 gr cream cheese
½ cup of fresh, chopped chives
1 tbsp olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

Method
Mash together the oil, cream cheese and pepper, and mix until smooth, then add the chives and mix thoroughly. Put in the fridge until required.
This has Taste and is a Treat.

SANDAL, CHANDAL, SANDAL WOOD TREE HISTORY and USES

THE SANDALWOOD TREE, SANDAL, CHANDAN OR CHANDAL

The sandalwood tree is probably native to Indonesia and/or the Indian subcontinent, although there is some evidence to suggest that it was introduced to India some 2000 years ago. It is mostly valued for its fragrance and resistance to insects although it is also used in religious ceremonies and in traditional medicine. In 1792 the Sultan of Mysore decreed that the Sandalwood tree was a royal tree, and as that decree still stands, all sandalwood trees in India and Pakistan technically belong to the government, whether they are on private property or not. Interestingly the trees are never felled but uprooted during the rainy season, so as to get the precious oil out of the roots as well as other parts of the tree.

Hindus have been using a paste made from the sandalwood tree for more than 4000 years, to make the tilak mark on the foreheads between the eyes, where the Third Eye is said to be located. It is mostly used by devotees of the gods Shiva and Vishnu and protects the spot where Hindus believe power resides, as it cools the spot and the smell when combined with that of smoked sandalwood, clears the mind so that meditation can begin. In religious ceremonies the paste from the tree and the ash, represent one of the four elements, earth.

The wood from the sandalwood tree (Santalum album) is burnt at funeral ceremonies to help the departed soul on its ascent to paradise and to give comfort to the grieving mourners.

The sandalwood tree and its spicy, pungent fragrance can ward off evil spirits, but it also attracts snakes. It is a symbol of indescribable sweetness which remains unchanged in spite of danger. In pictures in Hindu legends, it is usually depicted with its trunk completely covered by writhing serpents.

You have probably come cross joss sticks made from the sawdust of the sandalwood tree, or perfumes with a sandalwood base. People waft incense which comes from the sandalwood tree around their homes to keep evil spirits out.

It is used in traditional medicine for many purposes. Its paste, when applied to the forehead will reduce a fever, and it may be mixed with rose water to quench your thirst. An infusion of sandalwood powder mixed with rose water is said to be good for headaches, scorpion stings dry skin, dermatitis, psoriasis, prickly heat, warts and even some skin cancers. Clinical trials are currently being undertaken to see how effective it actually is.

Sandalwood powder mixed with honey, sugar and rice-water is used to aid digestion and treat some digestive disorders. The powdered wood has been used to treat snake bites, and an infusion of sandalwood is used as a mouthwash and a deodorant. Oil from the sandalwood tree can relieve itching and inflammation of the skin.

So far, medical research has shown that the sandalwood tree has antibacterial qualities. It has soothing effects on people who are distressed and /or mentally disturbed and is used to calm them in stressful situations, so if you’re feeling stressed. Or depressed, try lighting a sandalwood candle and see if you feel the benefits of its soothing qualities.

People don’t cook with sandalwood, but there is a concentrated sandal drink- much tastier than orange squash!

CHICKEN JAL FREZI RECIPE

Chicken Jal Frezi

Ingredients

½ kilo boneless chicken breasts

4 onions, sliced

4 tomatoes, peeled and diced

10 green chillies, finely chopped

1 inch ginger root finely chopped and crushed to a paste

6 cloves garlic, well chopped

1 handful of both mint and coriander leaves, fresh

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 cup cooking oil

6 eggs

1 tbsp garam masala (see recipe)

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 curry leaf

1 tbsp thyme

1 tsp turmeric

salt and pepper to taste.

Method

Put chicken breasts into a pan with 11/2 cups of water and boil them until only half a cup of water is left. Remove chicken from the water and allow to cool. Then shred the meat.

Cut the mint and coriander leaves into small pieces and mix half with the eggs and a pinch of salt. Reserve the rest until later.

Put half the sliced onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, spices, tomatoes and chillies along with salt and pepper into the remaining water and cook them over a medium heat, stirring until all the water has evaporated. Now add the oil to the pot and stir it into the mixture. Cook for a further2-3 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and the remaining onions and cook on a low heat for 5 mins. Now put the egg mixture into the pot with the other ingredients and cook for 5-7 mins.

Remove from the heat and mix in the mint, coriander and lemon juice, cover it and leave to stand for 5mins.

Now it’s ready to serve. Try it with pitta, chapattis, naan or other breads.

This has Taste and is a Treat.