CORIANDER HISTORY,USES AND SIMPLE SIDE SALAD

CORIANDER
Firstly, let me point out that here we are describing the coriander leaves, or fresh coriander and not the seeds. In US English it is known as cilantro.
This herb has had a bad press over the centuries, with Pliny the Elder calling it the “bug-smelling plant”. He called it Coriandrum, meaning just that; koros in ancient Greek means bug, or insect. In the 17th century, John Gerard called it the “stinking herbe”.

It has been known for centuries, and is referred to in an ancient Sanskrit text written over 7000 years ago. At least 3000 years ago it was used by the ancient Egyptians both in cooking and medicines. In Ayurvedic medicine it is used as an anti-inflammatory to aid digestion and relieve indigestion, heartburn and diarrhoea. Coriander leaf juice or tea is good to drink and also to put on the skin to relieve an itchy rash.
Women on the subcontinent add the leaves to sesame oil and let them steep in it for several days, then use it on their hair to give it body, and shine. It is said that it also prevents hair loss.
Its leaves are added to dishes such as potato soup to improve the flavour, to just about every dish in our cooking, and to salads.
We believe that it’s good for the blood and has soothing qualities.



Simple coriander side salad
1 bunch coriander leaves and a few stalks chopped
1 lemon squeezed
salt and pepper to taste

Pour lemon juice over the coriander leaves, add salt and pepper to taste and serve as a side salad to fish, or chicken dishes.
It is a Treat and has Taste!

GARLIC:HOW TO MAKE GREEK TZATZIKI

GARLIC

The word garlic comes from the Old English, garleac, meaning spear leek, or plant, describing the shape of its leaves. The first written mention of garlic shows that it was used for medicinal purposes by the Sumerians in the region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. It originated in Central Asia and has a long history of use in medicine, although it was not used in cooking by some Hindus and Buddhists. The ancient Egyptians revered garlic, but did not eat it, although they fed it to their slaves. Clay models of it were found in Tutankhamen’s tomb, and pictures of it were discovered in the Great Pyramid of Cheops. The ancient Egyptians used it for curing such things as lethargy, heart disease and tumours. An Egyptian papyrus dating back to 1500 BC recommends it as a cure for 22 ailments.

There is a legend from the Muslim world which tells us that when Satan left the Garden of Eden after the fall of man, garlic sprang up from where he had placed his left foot, while the onion appeared from the spot in which he had placed his right foot.
In ancient Greece garlic was known as a Theriac, or cure-all. It was used to treat infections, give strength to soldiers before battle and to Olympic athletes before the Games. Hippocrates, usually referred to as the father of modern medicine (460-370BC), used it to cure digestive problems, as a diuretic and to treat pneumonia, among other ailments. The Roman, Pliny the Elder, wrote that it was used for similar purposes in the Roman Empire. Dioscorides, in his De Materia Medica, recommended it as a treatment for bites from rabid dogs, snake bites, coughs, leprosy and clogged arteries.
Ayurvedic practitioners use it to improve blood circulation and cure digestive problems.
In the Middle Ages in Britain and France it was used to protect people from the plague, as well as from evil spirits and vampires.
In the language of flowers and herbs, garlic is a symbol for courage, strength, get well and ward off evil and illnesses.
Recent medical studies have shown that it can help lower cholesterol levels, improve blood circulation and boost insulin levels in the body, which means that blood sugar levels are also lowered.

Garlic has often had a bad press because of the smell, but if you eat fresh parsley or coriander after having food with garlic in it, your breath won’t have the distinctive garlic odour
The whole garlic bulb is either referred to as the ‘bulb’, or ‘head’; and the single piece of garlic is a ‘clove’ of garlic, so be aware of this when you try one of our recipes.

Tzatziki
ingredients

125 gr natural yoghurt
2 cucumbers
6-8 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1 handful fresh mint leaves, finely chopped (optional)

Peel and seed the cucumbers. Salt them and leave for 15 mins, or so until the water has come out of them. Dry them and grate them. Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve as a dip.
Fresh bread is good to dip in this. Enjoy the Treat and Taste! (Kali orexi as the Greeks would say.)
It is a Treat and has Taste!

HISTORY AND USES OF MINT

MINT
Spearmint, or Garden Mint was introduced into the British Isles by the Romans, and it originated in the Mediterranean area. It was mentioned by Pliny, who wrote that it “brings out a person’s desire for meat.” This certainly holds true, as lamb with mint sauce is a familiar dish these days.
In the 14th century it was used for whitening teeth, and nowadays we have mint-flavoured toothpastes.
John Gerard (1545-1612) and Nicholas Culpeper (1616 - 1654), who wrote herbals, talk about it as a herb which increases libido
However, today it is used to flavour boiled new potatoes; it is also boiled with green peas, and the Welsh boil it with cabbage too.
In the language of flowers, it symbolizes virtue.
You can drink boiled mint water to cure hiccups, and if you rub the leaves over your tongue, it will take away any feeling of roughness. You can use it as a mouthwash too, as it can soothe gums and sore mouths.
It is a good aid for digestion, and is good for the stomach. If you have lost your appetite, mint in your food will help you regain it. Try mint tea, which is a refreshing drink and will also help you get your appetite back.
Try one of our recipes which use mint, for different ideas of how it can be used.

Mint and Yoghurt Sauce
Ingredients
250 gr. natural yoghurt
50 gr. dried pomegranate seeds
1 handful of fresh mint leaves
l handful of fresh coriander leaves
Salt and pepper to taste.


Method
Grind the dried pomegranate seeds with the mint and coriander. Mix all ingredients together and blend.
It’s ready to serve, or you can put it in the fridge until needed. Serve with meat and chicken, or use as a dip.
Bon appetite! It has taste and is a treat!

GINGER ROOT: MEDICINAL BENEFITS, USES AND HISTORY OF GINGER ROOTS: MARINADED GINGER CHICKEN RECIPE

GINGER
Ginger has been used for centuries by people from nearly all cultures. It has been used for flavouring food and its medicinal properties. As long ago as 77 AD Dioscorides, in his De Materia Medica wrote that ginger “warms and softens the stomach”.
It was introduced into Britain by the Romans, but fell into disuse after the fall of the Roman Empire. It was reintroduced during the Renaissance, and Queen Elizabeth I is credited as the creator of gingerbread men, which are still given to children at Christmastime.
Its name originally comes from Sanskrit, srngaveran, which means horn root, aptly describing its appearance. It became gingivere in Middle English, and hence, ginger. Its young rhizomes are preserved or crystallized and are known as stem ginger. The root that we refer to here is root ginger, as opposed to the sweet stem ginger
It has several medicinal uses. In India and China it is used for its anti-inflammatory qualities, and Ayurvedic practitioners believe that it heightens the properties of other herbs when they are eaten with it.
Studies have shown that it lowers cholesterol levels, as well as blood pressure, and prevents blood clots, so it might prevent the onset of heart disease. These are big claims for a little root, but we know that it is good to gargle with an infusion of ginger root to help ease a sore throat when you have laryngitis. Again when drunk as a hot infusion, it increases perspiration, and is good if you feel a cold coming on. It is also an anti-spasmodic and helps to relieve muscle spasms in the legs and other parts of the body. It also stimulates blood circulation.
We use it almost every day in our cooking, for its taste, although of course we know that it can treat us too.
Why not try the recipe below, or one of our others which include ginger?



Marinaded Ginger Chicken
Ingredients
4 tbsp cooking oil of your choice
4 inches ginger root
6 cloves garlic
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
250 gr. tomatoes
7-8 hot green chillies
1 bunch coriander
1 small onion

Grind all the above ingredients to make a paste.
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp ground turmeric
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
4 green cardamoms
Grind these together to make a spice powder and mix into the paste.
4 chicken pieces.
Now make slashes in the chicken flesh (it’s better if you remove the skin) and cover it completely with the new paste. You should rub it into the cuts you have made so that the flavours will seep into the meat. Put it in the fridge for 2 hours.
You can either cook this on a low heat on the hob, in which case you should cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and leave it for 45 mins; or, you can put it in the oven on a low setting. In this case check it so that it doesn’t become brown. Depending on the heat of your oven it should be ready in half an hour to an hour
Serve garnished with slivers of ginger root, mint. and squeeze lemon over it to taste.
It’s a treat and has taste!

Herbs- Treat and Taste

Herbs-Treat and Taste

HERBS – TREAT AND TASTE



Before the Industrial Revolution, people all over the world knew about herbs; their healing properties; how to combine them to make tasty food; and how to prevent certain ailments. In the Indian subcontinent, at least one member of each extended family knows this lore. This has been passed on from generation to generation and has been modified over time so that it has kept up to date with the world and its technologies. If you wish to share in this knowledge, and go back to your roots, then this site is for you.
We can explain how to recognize herbs; which can be grown in pots indoors and out; which prefer more space and need a garden and which should be used to cure common ailments such as colds and flu. You can also learn how to ward off unforeseen illnesses. We believe that prevention is better than cure. We don’t, however, believe that the food you serve should be boring and bland. Our recipes, while being healthy, are not for ascetics.
On this site you will find some interesting snippets about herbs, spices and the other foodstuffs we use in our recipes, as well as some general advice about what to cook in different seasons. We encourage you to create your own recipes, adapting some of ours to suit your tastes and using the food that is readily available where you live.
Often we just add ingredients to our cooking without giving a thought to their properties; they just taste good. However each one has its own health value; for example, onions, garlic, ginger, coriander, mint, are ingredients we use almost every day, without thinking about their values. You can find this information on our site.