SWEET CICELY HERB - BENEFITS , USES AND HISTORY: PRAWN AND SWEET CICELY RISOTTO RECIPE

SWEET CICELY (MYRRHIS ODORATA)

This Sweet Cicely (Myrrhis odorata) is native to the British Isles, and should not be confused with the herbs of the Osmorhiza family which are native to Asia and the American continent. It actually looks a little like cow parsley or Queen Anne’s Lace about which there is also confusion in names between Britain and the US. Sweet Cicely is sometimes confused with hemlock as is cow parsley, but as Culpeper wrote “It is so harmless you cannot use it amiss.” It is a much brighter green than hemlock and doesn’t have the purple blotches on its stems. It was formerly used as a salad herb or the root was boiled and used as a vegetable. Its leaves taste sweet and are used with tart fruit such as rhubarb. If you use sweet cicely in cooking, reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe. You can use its seeds instead of cloves in apple pies, or grind them and add them to spice mixtures. If you chew a leaf the flavour is reminiscent of anise or liquorice, and smells like lovage, another bee plant.

   Sweet cicely used to be grown in kitchen gardens near the door, and it is famously used by Carthusian monks to make the liqueur, Chartreuse. In the plague years it was used to prevent infection as was angelica. All parts of the plant can be used and it has been used in cookery and medicine for centuries. It has some associations with the Virgin Mary and Saint Cecilia, and the pagan summer goddesses of the Celts, but the benign ones only.

  Culpeper and Gerard both agree that the roots, when boiled and then dressed with oil and vinegar are “…very good for old people that are dull and without courage; it rejoiceth and comforteth the heart and increaseth their lust and strength.” A tisane can be made with 1 tsp of dried (1tbsp fresh) leaves to 1 cup of boiling water. Steep the leaves in the water for 10-15 minutes then strain and drink a small cup three times a day to help with anaemia and menstrual pains. It will also lift the spirits, and banish gloomy thoughts.

   Sweet Cicely is good for the digestive system and if you add finely chopped ginger to the boiling water you make the tisane with, it will relieve flatulence and aid digestion. The root in a decoction is mildly stimulating and relaxing as it has antispasmodic properties. It is used in cough medicines as an expectorant. The volatile oils and flavonoids in the plant are antiseptic, and will purify the blood, act as a carminative and will improve appetite. You can boil the root with the leaves to make a tisane too. You won’t need to use sugar or a sweetener such as honey.

  Cook the roots as you would parsnips and use them to flavour soups and stews, and use the leaves as a garnish and in salads. Use the root to make a decoction in wine, brandy or water and use for all the ailments mentioned above. Apparently these decoctions are good for bites from vipers (the only venomous snake in Britain) and for cleaning putrid wounds that are not healing. The decoction made with wine was often given to people with consumption.

  If you make a paste with the roots and leaves and apply it to the skin, it will cure skin problems. The seeds when pounded into a paste have been used to make a sweet-smelling furniture polish. You can chew the fresh seeds to aid digestion too. They taste like liquorice.

  These photos of the plant were taken by Aldo De Bastiano.

  

PRAWN AND SWEET CICELY RISOTTO

Ingredients

500 gr prawns, shelled and the shells reserved

1.25 litres chicken stock (or water or vegetable stock)

75 gr butter or oil for frying

1 glass of white wine (dry)

300 gr Arborio rice

300 gr tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

3 tbsp sweet cicely leaves, shredded

1 sprig rosemary

1 bay leaf, torn

3 cloves garlic finely chopped

1 large onion, finely sliced

2 tbsp flat-leaved parsley, finely chopped

freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Sweet cicely leaves to garnish

Method

Make a stock with the shells and heads of the prawns adding a little brandy if you wish. You won’t need to add salt. Reserve ¼ pint of it for this recipe and freeze the rest.

Melt butter and fry garlic and onion. Add the prawns and then the rice with the rest of the ingredients. Bring to the boil, then simmer on a low heat for 20-25 mins until the rice is cooked.

Garnish with sweet cicely leaves and serve.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS HALWA KADU? PUMPKIN: KIA KADU (CUCURBITA): PUMPKIN SOUP RECIPE

PUMPKIN, HALWA KADU, KIA KADU (CUCURBITA) 

Pumpkins are members of the Cucurbita family which includes melons and gourds. The word pumpkin comes from the Greek “pepon” meaning large melon. They are native to North America, and pumpkin seeds dating from between 7000 and 5500 BC have been found in Mexico. They were cultivated by the Native Americans who used them for food and medicine and dried the fibres to make mats.

  The heaviest pumpkin in the world (so far) according to the Guinness World Records was grown by Chris Stevens of New Richmond, Wisconsin, USA, and went on display with two less heavy ones in New York’s Botanical Gardens in the Bronx in October 2010.It weighed 1,810 ½ lbs and the others weighed 1,725 lbs and 1,674½ lbs.

turnip carving

   Pumpkins are associated with Halloween when people carve faces in them and place lighted candles in them. Although pumpkins come from the New World, the tradition of carving faces into them actually comes from very ancient Celtic traditions when people carved faces and put lights into hollowed out turnips and beets. These were especially used for Samhain, pronounced “sow-ween” which occurred at the end of the old year and marked the transition from summer to winter and the start of the New Year. The Celts believed that the days between the seasons were a time of transition, when the thin veil between the corporeal world we live in and the spirit world was at its thinnest. Such times were the day of Beltane (May 1^st) and Samhain at the end of October. So time did not exist on these days particularly on Samhain, which was when fairies, souls of the dead and other spirits wandered the Earth freely. It was a time for divination and there are many superstitions regarding this, but the Celts would put milk and food outside their houses for the fairies and the souls and light their way to it with Jack o’lanterns. They believed that they could communicate with their dead loved ones on Samhain nights.

   There is another Irish legend which was taken with the Irish immigrants to the US about “Stingy Jack” who thought he could outwit the Devil. This man Jack met the Devil in a bar and offered to buy him a drink. Of course the Devil accepted the offer with alacrity, but Jack wasn’t nicknamed “Stingy” for nothing. When the time came to pay for the drinks, Jack managed to persuade the Devil to turn into a coin and instead of paying for the drinks with it Jack put it into his pocket next to a silver crucifix. This prevented the Devil from changing back into himself and Jack struck a deal with the Devil, that if he freed him the Devil wouldn’t bother him or take his soul if he died, for a year.
   The Devil kept his side of the bargain and returned to Jack after the year was up. This time, Jack persuaded the Devil to climb a tree to pick an apple, and while he was in the tree, Jack carved a cross into the bark so the Devil couldn’t descend. He and the Devil struck another bargain similar to the first except that the time was extended to ten years. During those years Jack died and God wouldn’t have such a man in heaven and the Devil, who was sticking to his side of the bargain, refused to have Jack in Hell. Instead he gave Jack a burning coal to light his way and sent him out into the world. Jack put the coal in a hollowed out turnip and has been roaming the world ever since, unable to go to either heaven or hell. In Ireland and Scotland people made scary faces out of turnips and beets and put candles inside them to keep Jack away from their homes. This tradition was taken to the US and Halloween was born. The turnip was replaced by the ubiquitous pumpkin and now pumpkin contests along with scarecrow ones take place all over America in autumn.

   The colonists in America made the precursor to the pumpkin pie which is served at Thanksgiving meals in the US in November by removing the seeds from pumpkins, filling the cavity with milk, spices and honey and baking them in hot coals in their fires.

  Pumpkins are 90% water, but are high in dietary fibre and low in calories, making them ideal for dieters. The orange colour indicates that they have a high carotene content and they are also packed full of minerals and vitamins, making them one of nature’s superfoods. They contain Alpha and Beta-carotene which are powerful antioxidants and the body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A which boosts the immune system. Beta-carotene reverses damage to the skin and protects from sunburn (as so orange-fleshed sweet potatoes) and is also an anti-inflammatory. Alpha-carotene is believed to slow the ageing process and reduce the threat of cataract growth in the lens of the eyes and reduce the risk of heart disease.

  The fibre in pumpkins ensures the body regularly dispels waste materials, so preventing constipation. It also lowers cholesterol levels, controls blood sugar levels and protects against heart disease .It aids digestion and plays a role in weight loss.

  Vitamin C which is also found in pumpkins, also boosts the immune system, reduces the risk of high blood pressure and lowers cholesterol levels. Vitamin E in pumpkins promotes healthy skin, protects from sun damage to it and may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as some cancers.

  Pumpkins also have a high potassium level and this helps balance the fluids in the body, promotes healthy bones and helps control blood pressure. Pumpkins can also be used as a diuretic. The magnesium in a pumpkin again helps the immune system and bones and is good for the heart. Pantothenic acid, or vitamin B6, helps reduce stress and balances the hormone levels in the body. So pumpkins are very good for you and a healthy winter diet should include them, as they will help to stave off colds and flu.

   Pumpkin is a fruit not a vegetable, and can be used in sweet or savoury dishes. Its flesh can be pulped and used as a face mask and this is said to be good to get rid of pimples and too many freckles. It is an emollient and is also good to put on burns.

  The pumpkin featured in the fairy tale Cinderella, which was changed into her coach, and this nursery rhyme which American children all know:

     “Peter, Peter, Pumpkin eater

     Had a wife and couldn’t keep her.

     He put her in a pumpkin shell,

     And there he kept her very well.”

PUMPKIN SOUP

Ingredients

1 lb pumpkin flesh, pureed

2 large onions, finely sliced

4 sticks celery, finely chopped

3 green chillies, finely chopped

4 spring onions, finely chopped

½ cup vegetable oil

1½ litres chicken stock

1 bay leaf, torn

1 tsp ground cumin

small carton of single cream or use milk

salt and pepper

parsley

Parmesan cheese

Method

 Fry the onions, celery and chillies in the oil, then when the onions are transparent, add the chicken stock, pureed pumpkin, bay leaf and cumin.

Stir well and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 mins. Stir occasionally.

Add the cream and stir in well, then cook for another 5 mins on a very low heat, not allowing the mixture to boil.

Remove from the heat and serve garnished with parsley and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

COW PARSLEY ( ANTHRISCUS SYLVESTRIS) BENEFITS, USES AND HISTORY:

COW PARSLEY (ANTHRISCUS SYLVESTRIS)

Cow parsley is a common sight in Britain and grows just about everywhere. It is also known as Queen Anne’s lace, apparently because it flowers in May and this is when she used to travel around the country. It was said that the cow parsley flowered just for her. Cow parsley can be confused with hemlock (and yarrow and sweet cicely), so if you go looking for it (if you live in the UK it won’t take you long to find some) make sure you are looking at the right plant. It is distinguished from Hemlock (Conium maculatum) because it doesn’t have purple blotches on its stems. These are said to be the stains of the blood of Abel, killed by his brother Cain, who wiped the blood from his hands with the hemlock stalks. This is poisonous, but cow parsley is edible, although the seeds are tastier than the leaves which were eaten in times of famine only. The leaves can be eaten raw or used as a herb for flavouring. It is included in this site for information only, so that it is not confused with hemlock or angelica, yarrow or valerian.

   In the US Queen Anne’s Lace is the name given to the wild carrot (Daucus carota) but this is just another example of the Brits and Americans not really speaking the same language.

   Cow parsley has three or four subspecies and about 15 different varieties. The oil from Anthriscus sylvestris subspecies nemorosa has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries. This cow parsley also grows in Tibet, Nepal and Pakistan.

   The name Anthriscus comes from a Greek and Latin name for a plant which hasn’t been definitively identified, but which might be cow parsley, as it is native to Europe and western Asia. It was introduced into North America and is now classed as an invasive species in some US states. Pliny writes about Anthriscus in his Natural History written in the late 2^nd or early 3^rd century AD, in which he calls it “some sort of plant”. Clearly it wasn’t a very important one.

   Some people say that the name comes from Theophrastus, a successor of Aristotle who was the first to recognize (or at least to write down) that the climate and soil affects plants and how and where they grow. He also noticed how plants germinated and his two books, “Enquiry into Plants” and “On the Causes of Plants” were influential on the study of sciences in Mediaeval times.

    Cow parsley is said to get rid of stones and gravel in the gall bladder and kidneys but very little research has been done on the common plant. It has been used by amateur dyers for obtaining a green or yellow dye depending on which mordents are used. However it is not permanent. The most common use for the stalks is for pea-shooters as the stems are hollow, so children love them. The foliage used to be sold by florists in Victorian times and used in flower arrangements.

CHESTNUTS (CASTANEA SATIVA): FRESH CHESTNUTS: CHESTNUTS HISTORY: PORTUGUESE ROAST CHESTNUTS RECIPE

CHESTNUTS (CASTANEA SATIVA)

Chestnuts (Castanea sativa) should not be confused with water chestnuts (sangaray) or horse chestnuts otherwise known in Britain as conkers, which are not edible, hence the name. They are native, to China, Japan Europe and North America, and there are four main varieties: - Castanea dentate in the US, Castanea mollissimo in China, Castanea crenata in Japan and Castanea sativa in Europe. In Portugal, Greece and Italy they are called by a derivative of the Latin, Castanea. Right now, at the end of October and the beginning of November they can be found on the streets of Europe. All you have to do is follow your nose and buy a bag of roasted chestnuts to help you get through your Christmas shopping expeditions.

It is supposed that the sweet chestnuts (as opposed to horse chestnuts) came from Sardis in Asia Minor which is why they were sometimes called Sardian nuts. They have also been referred to as Jupiter’s nuts, and were planted by the Roman armies as they went on their campaigns. They were planted in order to feed the armies, but as they don’t bear fruit for 40 years, this was an exercise in forward planning. These trees can become giants and have been known to live for more than 500 years. The nuts typically grow in twos or threes inside their prickly burr, but marrons grow singly and are sweeter than the chestnuts that are normally bought on the street. You can but marrons glace in cans which can be used in desserts, and the unsweetened chestnut puree can be used in stuffings. Traditionally chestnuts are used to stuff the Saint Martin’s Day goose in Germany and for turkeys and pheasants.

   In Italy and Portugal as well as other Catholic countries in Europe, chestnuts are traditionally eaten on Saint Martin’s Day which is in the 11^th November. Saint Martin was a soldier in the Roman army and the legend has it that at the gates of Amiens (France) he saw a beggar on that date and he tore his military cloak in half and gave half to the beggar. The sun came out and this is why in November on Saint Martin’s Day there is what we call an “Indian summer.” That night Martin dreamed that Jesus appeared wearing the half of the cloak he had given to the beggar and thanked him for his generosity.

   In Italy there is an old saying “A San Martino ogni mosto diventa vino” which means “On Saint Martin’s Day all the wine must becomes wine” so this is the day when the new wine is celebrated. It’s combined with eating chestnuts and the other delights of the Italian countryside (truffles and cheeses with preserves). In some parts of Italy chestnuts are soaked in wine before roasting. Pieter Breughel the 16^th century Flemish artist painted “The Wine of Saint Martin” after being in Italy on this day and taking part in the celebrations.

  France has a “Delicious Week” which begins on the third Monday of October and chestnuts figure in this quite prominently.

   In Italy and other parts of Europe gluten-free flour was made with chestnuts and they were a delicacy in the Renaissance. Later they were spurned by the wealthy as peasant food and by the 19^th century this conception of them as well as deforestation meant that they almost fell into oblivion in Italy. In the early 20^th century the trees were attacked by a fungus both in Europe and North America, and it is only in recent years that there has been a resurgence in interest in growing chestnuts again in the US. They have imported them from Italy and Japan.

   They have been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Culpeper commented: - “If you dry the chestnut, both the barks being taken away, beat them into a powder and make the powder up into an electuary with honey, it is a first rate remedy for cough and spitting of blood.”

  Chestnuts are low in calories and rich in minerals and have a high starch content. They also contain phyto-nutrients and are a good source of dietary fibre. They also contain vitamins C, D, E, K, and B6 and 12. They are also providers of Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, so are well worth adding to your diet.

  The leaves can be dried and saved for infusions as remedies for troublesome coughs including whooping cough. You will need 1 ounce of the dried leaves to 1 pint of boiling water. Pour the water over the leaves and allow them to steep for 20 minutes, then strain and use the infusion (or tisane) three or four times a day, hot, in small cupfuls. This infusion will also help reduce the body’s temperature if you have a fever.

  An infusion of the bark (1 ounce to 1 pint of water, boiled together) will reduce a temperature and if you boil the leaves, bark and chestnuts together, over a low heat for 30 minutes, you can use the water to soothe pains of rheumatism and chilblains. You can also just use a few handfuls of chestnuts to do the same thing. 5 handfuls of chestnuts to 1 ½ litres of water, boil until the water has reduced by half and wash the painful places with the strained water. (Then eat the chestnuts or puree them.)

  The sweet chestnut contains selenium and potassium which seem to help lift the spirits and are used as a tonic for the muscles, nerves, veins and reduce capillary permeability by repairing microscopic holes and leaks in the blood vessels and capillaries, helping the vein walls regain elasticity and preventing damage and swelling. They are used in the treatment of varicose veins and piles in traditional medicine. If you eat one bowl of sweetened chestnut puree with honey every day before breakfast and dinner for several weeks, this will help with these problems.

   A chestnut and honey face mask left on for 30 minutes then rinsed off with warm water will help improve dry skin and this delays the ageing process that causes wrinkles. Make it by boiling ½ lb of chestnuts, then grinding them and adding honey to make a paste.

  If you boil the bark, nuts and leaves together and then strain the liquid, you can use it to soothe an itching scalp, and bring out golden highlights in your hair.

   The recipe below comes from Portugal, but you can use the Italian one too, soak chestnuts in red wine after shelling them. Leave them to soak overnight and then roast them in the oven for 45 mins at 350 degrees. If you want to feel nostalgic, then listen to the Mel Torme Christmas song  which contains the words “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire” which probably brought tears to many eyes as people remembered the good old days when you could actually do this at Christmas time.

  The phrase “ an old chestnut” probably originates in the fact that chestnut trees can live for so long. It means a well-known story or joke of the sort that elderly relatives tell at family gatherings where everyone knows the story by heart.

PORTUGUESE ROAST CHESTNUTS

Ingredients

30-40 chestnuts in their shells, washed and the shells slit

sea salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the chestnuts on a baking tray.

Make sure you cut a small slit in each shell or they will explode and make a mess in the oven.

Rub the slits with sea salt and bake for 45 mins.

Serve hot with a little butter if you wish, and perhaps a sprinkling of paprika. Serve with new wine.

These have Taste and are a Treat.

  

WHAT IS AMBA HALDI? WHITE TURMERIC OR MANGO GINGER: HOW TO MAKE AMBA HALDI PICKLE

AMBA HALDI (CURCUMA AROMATICA), WHITE TURMERIC OR MANGO GINGER

Amba Haldi is native to the eastern Himalayan region and is cultivated in India for its use in medicine. It is apparently a seasonal plant and is only available during the monsoon season unless it is cultivated. It contains curcumin, vitamin A, protein, fatty acids, minerals and carbohydrates and has anti-inflammatory properties as well as strong antibiotic ones. It is used for the skin primarily in India and Pakistan, and to help get rid of throat infections and nasal and trachiobronchial congestion. It is supposed to smell like mango and is a close relative of the ginger root. In fact it is difficult to tell ginger root and amba haldi apart, but amba haldi is a less colourful root. Apparently it looks similar to the ginger plant above ground.

   It is used to relieve hiccups in an infusion and the most common recipe for it is a pickle.

If you manage to get hold of the fresh root you can boil it then dry it and grind it to a powder to use for skin problems. This paste is very good for the skin: - 10 drops of fresh lemon juice, a pinch of powdered amba haldi, 1 tablespoon of chickpea flour and a little milk. Use it as a face mask once a week, your skin will be free of pimples and blackheads and have a healthy glow to it. It is used as a base for some perfumes too.

   Curcuma is a blood revitalizing agent as it removes lipids (fatty substances) from the blood and regulates platelets which prevent dangerous blood clots. In Chinese medicine it is used to treat some cancers, but there is little evidence that it is effective in such treatments.

AMBA HALDI PICKLE
INGREDIENTS

½ kg amba haldi, peeled, washed then sliced (not too thinly) 

1 large or 2 medium sized tamarind fruit (imli) stones removed

6 green chillies split down the middle

2 tbsps chilli powder

salt to taste

½ tsp finely ground fenugreek (methi) seeds

2 tsps black mustard seeds

¼ cup oil

Method

Soak the tamarind in a fair amount of water, for at least ½ hour the pound it to a pulp.

Heat the oil in a pan and when it is hot, add the mustard seeds, amba haldi and chillies. Fry for 5mins or until the aroma is released.

Add the pulped tamarind, chilli powder and salt.

Let the mixture boil and simmer over a low heat. If you have one its best to use a splatter guard.

When the oil rises to the surface stir in the fenugreek powder and mix it well.

Cook for a further 2-3 mins then remove it from the heat and let it cool completely.

Store it in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

SHAKARKANDI : WHAT IS SHAKARKANDI? SWEET POTATOES: MEDLEY OF VEGETABLES WITH SWEET POTATO RECIPE

 SWEET POTATOES, SHAKARKANDI (IPOMOEA BATATAS)

Sweet potatoes have been cultivated on the South American continent since 2500 BC and are now grown in many countries. There are more than 400 varieties which range in colour from white through to a deep orange, depending on the beta-carotene content of the variety. They are sometimes erroneously called yams, but the yam is a member of the Dioscoreae family and the sweet potato is a member of the convolvulus family, and this can be seen in the upper part of the plant which is a creeper.

   You will be glad to know that these tasty vegetables are good for you as long as you are not overweight. They contain beta-carotene which produces vitamin A in the body and vitamin C, both powerful antioxidants which can eliminate free radicals, the chemicals which damage the cells and their membranes and are associated with colon cancer, atherosclerosis and heart disease associated with diabetes. They are also anti-inflammatory so are good in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and asthma.

  They are good for smokers to eat too as they contain vitamin B6 and along with the vitamin A they produce, can help prevent smoking-related diseases such as emphysema. They also contain the minerals iron, manganese, copper, potassium and have a high fibre content. Eating them can also help your skin and keep it pimple free as the vitamin A they create in the body helps new skin cells grow and keeps skin looking young and healthy. They boost the immune system too and the white-skinned variety has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity in type-2 diabetes sufferers as it decreases insulin levels in the body.

  Sweet potatoes or Shakarkandi are ‘hot’ foods so good for the winter and they can help cure bronchitis. If you suck a piece of raw sweet potato, it will get rid of a cough. If you feed children sweet potatoes they will help protect their skin from sunburn, because of the beta-carotene content.

  Christopher Columbus took these to Europe in 1492, along with the common potato, and the Spaniards introduced them to the Philippines. The Portuguese explorers later took them to Africa, India, Indonesia and southern Asia. In the 16^th century they were cultivated in North America too.

 Because they contain so much starch they are easily digested and soothing for the intestines and stomach. The fibre they contain prevents constipation, which in turn prevents the build-up of acids and so reduces the risk of ulcers; and it can help balance the body’s water content. They also protect the walls of veins and arteries from hardening. The high levels of beta-carotene and phosphorous make sweet potatoes good for the eyes and heart too.

  A good use for a sweet potato is to bake one and then puree it with bananas, maple syrup and cinnamon then top the puree with chopped walnuts-tasty and healthy. They retain their nutritional content better if baked, roasted or steamed rather than boiled. You can roast them in a fire wrapped in foil too. If you do this you can make a sauce with imli (tamarind), lemon juice and salt and pepper in a little water, cook for 10-15 mins.

MEDLEY OF VEGETABLES WITH SWEET POTATO

Ingredients

1 sweet potato (orange) chopped

1 yellow pepper, roughly chopped

1 red pepper, roughly chopped

1 red onion, sliced

½ bulb of garlic

1 sprig rosemary

a few sprigs of fresh thyme

4 tbsps olive oil

aluminium foil

Method

Make a packet of all ingredients with the foil and put the garlic in a separate packet of foil.

Make sure all the vegetables and herbs are coated with oil and if desired, add a little white wine. Close the packets and bake in a moderate oven for an hour.

This is a side dish, to make more, use the same quantities in separate foil parcels.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

YARROW : YARROW HERB BENEFITS, USES AND HISTORY: SPICY YARROW TISANE RECIPE

YARROW (ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM) BIRANJASIF,OR  SULTANI BOOTI

Yarrow has been around for thousands of years and its properties were even known to Neanderthals we think, as a bunch of yarrow was found lying besides a human skeleton in a Stone Age burial site in Shanidar Cave, in Iraq. The skeleton dated back to more than 100,000 BC and it is thought that it was used as a funerary herb.

   It was considered a sacred plant in ancient China, because it was thought to embody the perfect balance of yin and yang, with the outer stalk being hard, with a soft substance inside it. The Chinese form of divination, the I-Ching, consists of 50 sticks which are thrown to reveal your future. These sticks used to be made from the stalks of the yarrow plant.

multi yarrow

  Yarrow is native to Europe and western Asia, and grows wherever it is allowed to in Britain. It has a number of names, some of which describe the plant, such as Milfoil, (a thousand leaves) and its Latin names, millefolium means the same and refers to the fact that the leaves have many segments.. It is believed that it is called Achillea because the legendary Greek hero Achilles is said to have staunched his soldiers’ wounds with this plant. In English it is also called Soldier’s Woundwort, which describes one of the uses yarrow was put to in the past. The Romans used it to heal wounds and staunch the flow of blood from wounds as well as the Greeks. They called it the Herbis Militaris or the military’s herb. In Scotland the plant was made into an ointment and used to dress wounds.

yellow yarrow

  The name yarrow comes from the Anglo-Saxon gearwe and the Dutch, yerw. It is also called Nosebleed because it can stop one and it can also start one if the leaf is rolled up and applied to the nostrils. It was thought that a nosebleed was an effective form of relieving a headache.
  It wasn’t just the Chinese who used it for divination purposes though, in England it is called yarroway in Eastern counties such as Norfolk, and this is a little rhyme that was recited while tickling the inside of the nostrils with a yarrow leaf to find out if love was reciprocated: -

        “Yarroway, yarroway, bear a white blow,

          If my love love me, my nose will bleed now.”

People used to collect the leaves and sew them into a small pouch and sleep with then under their pillow so that they would dream of their future spouse. Some recited this verse from Halliwell’s “Popular Rhymes” while laying it under the pillow: -

        “Thou pretty herb of Venus’ tree

          Thy true name it is yarrow,

          Now who my bosom friend must be,

          Pray tell me thou tomorrow.”

It was also called “Devil’s Plaything” and “Devil’s Nettle” because it was thought to have some malignant properties perhaps because of its ability to cause nose bleeds. It was also used as snuff and called Old Man’s Pepper because of this use. It is good for clearing nasal congestion. All you have to do is sniff the bruised leaves or the flowers.

   The whole plant used to be collected when it was in flower and all the parts can be used. In the 17^th century the leaves were used in salads and you can do this as long as you blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes, and then refresh them under cold water.

    If you have piles, you can put yarrow leaves in a bath of very hot water – as hot as you can bear – and sit in it until it grows cold. This is supposed to be very good for bleeding piles. Boiling water, fresh yarrow leaves and rosemary are a good mixture for helping to prevent baldness, according to tradition. You should boil the leaves in the water for 5-10 minutes and let the liquid reduce and then cool and rub it onto the scalp.

  A plain tisane is good for stomach aches and menstrual cramps, and you should use 1 once of the dried herb to 1 pint of boiling water. Drink this warm with a little honey or sugar to taste in small cupfuls. Culpeper recommended this for all stomach cramps and it is used as a digestive aid too.

  The essential oil of yarrow is usually made from the flowers, and has a bitter astringent aroma and taste. Yarrow leaves are called Field Hops in Sweden and have been used in brewing beer before the use of hops became more acceptable.. The leaves were also added to beer in Britain when villagers made their own homebrew. The oil has been used to treat eczema and for other skin problems. You can chew the leaves to freshen your mouth and to relieve toothache.

   In Pakistan’s Siran Valley, the fresh plant is used as a poultice for healing wounds, chapped or rough skin, rashes and mouthwash. A tisane made form it is used in the treatment of T.B., stomach ache, and headache. The fresh and dried leaves are ground and used for headaches and to increase the appetite when people are suffering from chronic weight loss .It’s also used to relieve constipation.

  In North America it was widely used by the indigenous people and the Flathead Indians used to rub it under their armpits and elsewhere on their bodies as a deodorant.

  The tannins in the yarrow plant assist in the healing of wounds, and the alkaloids help lower blood pressure. The flavonoids in the oil dilate the peripheral arteries and promote sweat, so this is useful in intermittent fevers, or in the sort we get in Pakistan when the seasons change, when we know we should sweat but don’t. The essential oil consists chiefly of azulene, which has strong anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties. It calms the nervous system and strengthens the immune system. Yarrow also contains coumarins, lactones, triterpines, eucalyptol and camphor. It also has a high potassium content which stimulates kidney activity and so is a diuretic.

  Yarrow stimulates the uterus and although this may help in childbirth it should not be taken if you are pregnant. Also if you take yarrow orally over a long period of time it may make your skin sensitive to sunlight.

  However you can safely use it as a facial steam treatment. Put 1 tablespoon of fresh yarrow leaves in a bowl half full of boiling water, and put a towel over your head, while leaning over the steam reduced for several minutes. When you have finished splash cold water on your face and pat it dry. For a more aromatic steam, use lavender and rosemary in the water.

   You can use yarrow as a herb with shell fish, and this tisane recipe is especially good for colds and fevers, as it will make you sweat.

SPICY YARROW TISANE

Ingredients

25 gr dried yarrow leaves or 75 gr of fresh

1 pint water

1 stick of cinnamon or several of cassia bark

½ tsp cayenne pepper

6 cloves

1 green cardamom pod, split open

honey to taste

Method

Put everything into a pan apart from the honey and bring to the boil. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes, leave to steep for 20 minutes the strain and drink hot. You will have to reheat it perhaps.

This has Taste and is a Treat(ment).