JAMUN or JAVA PLUMS: HOW TO MAKE FRESH JAMUN JUICE

JAMUN or JAVA PLUMS

Jamun look like olives, but are a sweet, slightly sour fruit, with a stone like an olive. They are native to the subcontinent and Indonesia and there are two basic varieties. One Jamun tree has dark purple to dark blue fruit which have seeds, and the other is a seedless variety whose colours range from white to purple.

The fruit arrives in summer and it is believed that if you eat a lot of jamun in this season, you will be healthy for the rest of the year, and get through the winter months with relatively few illnesses. Some people eat jamun with a little salt to take away the astringency of its taste. You will see jamun translated as blackberries, which they are not, and black plums, again which they are not. They are known in the States as Java plums, although they are not popular in the UK, probably because they can’t be grown in the climate. On the subcontinent it grows wild as well as in orchards.

The whole tree can be used in medicine and the wood is strong and durable, so can be used as railway sleepers.

In traditional medicine jamun is used for a multitude of purposes. If you burn the fresh leaves, the resultant ash can be sieved and used as a substitute for toothpaste, and as a remedy for gingivitis. Jamun fruit are rich in minerals, carbohydrates and vitamins A and C, but should not be eaten on an empty stomach as they will cause stomach pains. You shouldn’t contemplate eating unripe jamun either. The dried, powdered seeds are used to lower blood sugar levels and the leaves are used to treat ulcerous colitis. A decoction of the leaves and bark of the jamun tree controls blood pressure levels, while a decoction of the bark is used as a general tonic.

The powdered dried seeds are also good to get rid of skin blemishes left by pimples or acne. The fruit has antibiotic properties, as do the leaves, and if you have a nagging wound, then you should make a paste from the fresh leaves of the jamun tree and apply it to the wound, so that it heals. The juice and pulp of a soft ripe mango can be mixed with jamun leaves and honey, and taken twice a day to stop the burning sensation produced by vomiting. It is said that this will also stop vomiting. A traditional remedy for diarrhoea is to mix gur (jaggery) with the dried powder from jamun seeds and mango seed powder and to take a small quantity twice a day.

In folk medicine people use the fruit and powder when it isn’t in season to help cure a whole range of ailments, including asthma, sore throats, bronchitis, dysentery, blood impurities and ulcers. The juice cools the body in the heat of summer and quenches thirst. The owner of this site once had a bad culinary experience when he was in Greece. He saw a jamun tree (or thought he did) and took a fruit. Unfortunately it was an olive which exacerbated his thirst rather than quenching it.

Recent medical studies have found that jamun fruit, particularly those from Pakistani’s Punjab region, may help in breast cancer treatments as it seems to inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cell lines, but more research is needed before this can be proved.

Like the Neem Tree, the Jamun Tree is a real Wonder Tree.

 FRESH JAMUN JUICE

Ingredients

10 jamun per glass, chopped and seeds removed

1 tsp honey

1 tsp lemon juice

Method

Blend the fruit, strain it, pour into a glass an add the honey and lemon juice. Chill in the fridge then serve with ice for a really cooling drink.
This has Taste and is a Treat.

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.