GLORIOSA SUPERBA FLAME LILY

GLORIOSA SUPERBA FLAME LILY, KALIHARI OR MALABAR GLORY LILY


This plant is a climbing one which has the most amazingly attractive flower, orange at the base of the conical display of flowers moving to vivid red at the top. Like all such pretty things in nature though you have to beware of it. Although it is used by traditional healers in Asia, it is extremely dangerous for the novice. It is believed to be native to South Asia and Africa where it grows. Gloriosa superba is the national flower of Zimbabwe. Although it grows throughout India, in some regions, such as Patalkot, it is becoming endangered, and so there is a growing shortage of it for India’s drug industries. It is cultivated in India for its medicinal properties.

The major compound found in Gloriosa superba is colchicine which is isolated from the roots which are tubers or rhizomes. It has anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, arbortifacient and antileprotic properties. However colchicine is a highly active alkaloid and along with this is another toxic alkaloid in the plant, gloriosine.

The juice from the leaves has been used for poisoned arrows by some African tribes, and the gorgeous flowers are used in religious ceremonies. Juice from the leaves kills lice.

The powdered root mixed with coconut oil and rubbed onto the skin it gets rid of pimples and skin eruptions after 5 days of treatment. This is also used as a cure for snake bites and scorpion stings.

The roots are used in various ways in different countries. Crushed roots are used in water as a cure for baldness the tuber is used for bruises and sprains and to cure colic, chronic ulcers, cancer, impotence and leprosy in parts of Africa. However ingestion of the root can be fatal.

In both Africa and India paste made from the root and root pieces are put on the palms of a woman’s hands and legs and sometimes on the lower abdomen to ease labour pains and hasten a baby’s delivery. After the birth the paste is thoroughly removed, and this same paste can be used as a remedy for bites of all kinds.

The extracts from the plant can act as pesticides and so are useful in agriculture.

In traditional Ayurvedic medicine the plant is used as a remedy for stomach pains, inflammation, itching and thirst as well as a laxative and for the already mentioned reasons.

In Ethiopia it is used to treat leprosy and on the Ivory Coast it is a remedy for female sterility and also used for enemas and an aphrodisiac. Among the Suliei Ndorobo, the hunter-gatherers in the Mathew’s mountain range of Kenya put the dried bulb around their necks and use them in religious ceremonies.

In parts of India it is used as an aid for digestion, for respiratory and cardiovascular disorders and as a sedative. In Tamil Nadu the root juice is given as a cooling medicine for the treatment of gonorrhoea as healers mix juice from the root into fresh goat’s milk.

Like aak it has been used as a weapon in homicides, for suicidal purposes and for abortion. However traditional healers understand its toxic nature and use the plant to heal. In the wrong hands, though it is very dangerous.

WHAT IS MUGWORT? ARTEMISIA VULGARIS: MUGWORT STUFFING FOR ROAST GOOSE RECIPE

MUGWORT (ARTEMISIA VULGARIS)

Mugwort is known by many names, St John’s Plant-because a legend from the Middle Ages has it that John the Baptist wore a girdle of this herb when he was in the wilderness; Travellers herb, as it is believed to relieve fatigue; Common Wormwood, as it is related to that plant and moxa in Japan and China. However in the Far East the relatives of mugwort grow: Artemisia moxa and Artemisia sinensis.

It’s a common weed in Europe and North America and grows in hedge banks and at the sides of country lanes in Britain. It can be used in cooking and is used in Germany in a stuffing for the traditional Christmas goose (Weihnachtsgans). The stuffing recipe is given below. The young leaves can also be eaten raw in salads.

You can make an infusion from the dried leaves (15 gr of dried leaves to 500ml of boiling water) to take three times a day for painful menstruation cramps. In this way it’s rather like angelica and aak. It stimulates the menstrual flow by increasing the blood circulation to the pelvic area and the uterus. It also stimulates the appetite, and a tisane can be made of 1 or 2 tsps of the dried leaves, and 150 ml boiling water. Let this steep for 5 minutes, then strain, and drink 2 or three times a day before meals to increase appetite and aid digestion.

However you should be careful with mugwort if you are a hay fever sufferer as it can provoke severe reactions. If you are allergic to hazelnuts, don’t use it! You shouldn’t use it when you are breast-feeding or pregnant either as it acts on the uterus. It can have side effects such as a rash, itching, tightness in the chest, wheezing and hives. Don’t use it if you have been prescribed medication for thinning the blood either. In other words, consult a doctor before touching it if you have allergies to any food or ill health.

Before hops were used for brewing beer, mugwort was used for its slightly bitter aromatic flavour. In Britain in the early 20th century it was still used by people who lived in the countryside in brewing home made beer. Some people believe that this is how it got its name –from the beer mug. However there are far more plausible explanations.

One is that wyrt is the Old English word for plant or root and moughte was the word for moth or maggot and myia in Greek means fly or bug. Mugwort repels insects, such as moths (like patchouli). In the first century AD Dioscorides praised mugwort for its bug repelling abilities and he and Pliny agreed that if the leaves of mugwort were applied to the soles of the feet a traveller could walk further and faster without becoming fatigued.

There are many superstitions about mugwort, but the main ones are that it could protect people from evil spirits, could protect a traveller from sunstroke and attacks by wild beasts. In Germany it is known as St John’s Plant and the belief was that if it was gathered on St John’s Eve, it protected against misfortune and diseases until the following year. In Britain crowns were made from it and worn on St John’s Eve to prevent possession by evil spirits. Dioscorides recommended picking the flowering tops of this herb just before they came into bloom. On the Isle of Man, the leaves are worn on National day, 5th July, where they are known as Bollen Bane. It is believed that this custom is a throwback to pagan times, as July 5th was Midsummer in the Old Calendar.

People smoke the dried leaves or put them under their pillow at night or near the bed to give them “lucid” dreams. If you smoke it you will be reminded of the aroma of Cannabis sativa and people say that you will remember your dreams and be able to steer them if you smoke mugwort before going to sleep. You could also chew a leaf or two if you don’t like smoking. It’s used to clear the nasal passages in this way too. It used to be used in Cornwall when tea was very expensive as a substitute.

In traditional medicine it’s used for a cure for hysteria, a tonic, a diuretic and a diaphoretic as well as an emmenagogue. It’s useful as a diaphoretic at the onset of a cold.

To make an infusion with it, use 1 ounce of the fresh herb to 1 pint of boiling water, and take doses of ½ tsp while it’s warm. You can take this as a tonic cold in the same dosage. It has a slightly bitter, aromatic taste.

In the 17th century Gerard wrote that it cured “the shaking of the joints inclining to Palsie.” He also said that the powdered leaves were good for hysteria. The juice from the leaves and root were made into an infusion for intermittent fevers and agues, and the bruised leaves can be used for an invigorating bath. Culpeper wrote that “The juice of the large leaves which grow from the root before the stalk appears is the best against the dropsy and jaundice, in water, ale, wine or the juice only. The infusion drank morning and evening for some time helps hysteria, obstruction of the spleen and weakness of the stomach…the root should be accounted among the best stomachics.”

A volatile oil comes from the leaves and roots but this is not used in aromatherapy because of the possibility of allergic reactions to it.

It is used in Ayurvedic medicine for “women’s troubles” as it relieves stomach cramps caused by menstruation and can relieve menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes.

Dried mugwort leaves can be used along with dried lavender and chamomile flowers and a spray of the leaves over the doorway gives a room a pleasant aroma (and wards off bugs).

Some people have made extravagant claims for the benefits of using mugwort against cancer and HIV but none of these claims has been substantiated by medical science, which has tended to concentrate on the allergy enhancing properties of the herb.



MUGWORT STUFFING FOR ROAST GOOSE

Ingredients

500 gr cooking apples (a tart rather than sweet variety)

500 gr fresh roasted chestnuts, skins removed

4 large sprigs of mugwort, leaves shredded

4 sprigs thyme

3 sprigs rosemary

1 bay leaf

150 gr breadcrumbs

salt and pepper to taste





Method

Peel and core the apples and roughly chop them. Chop the chestnuts. Remove the leaves from the thyme and rosemary and crumble the bay leaf.

Mix all the ingredients together with a little water and stuff the goose with the mixture.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS AJWAIN? HEALTH BENEFITS OF AJWAIN: AJWAIN TISANE RECIPE: HOW TO MAKE NAMAK PARAY

AJWAIN, TRACHYSPRMUM AMMI BISHOP’S WEED


Ajwain is known in English as Bishop’s weed, although this may not be the correct name for this herb, as it also has discrepancies in its Latin name. The herb we use at home in Pakistan is Trachyspermum ammi, but there is a Trachyspermum copticum and Carum copticum. It is used for culinary purposes just like thyme, which is why we gave thyme that name in Urdu. However we stand corrected. Ajwain contains thymol, so is an anti-fungicide and also has antibacterial properties. It is believed to have originated in Iran and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Every household on the subcontinent probably has ajwain and its seeds, as it they are used in medicine as well as cooking. The seeds are carminative and classed as a spice. As a medicine it is used for a multitude of purposes, but if you dry fry the seeds and wrap them in cloth and put them near to you while you sleep they will clear nasal congestion if you have a cold. The plant is used for indigestion, diarrhoea, dyspepsia, dysentery, cholera, flatulence. The seeds are eaten with betel leaves to relieve dyspepsia, spasmodic disorders and flatulence. For colic take 3 grams of the following ingredients with warm water: 20gr Ajwain, 10 gr dried ginger and 5 gr black salt ground together.

The smoke from burning seeds is said to cure migraine, and ‘cigarettes’ made from ajwain seeds are used for respiratory disorders including bronchial asthma by villagers on the subcontinent. The seeds are also used in poultices with herbs to relieve asthma and arthritis.

The fresh herb is rubbed on warts to get rid of them. The boiled seeds cleanse the eyes and cure deafness it is said.

Another remedy is for earache: put ½ tsp seeds in 30 ml milk and heat this until the essence of the seeds starts to permeate the milk. Filter the milk and put it in the ear a drop at a time.

Ajwain is believed to have been known to the ancient Greeks and Romans and Dioscorides may have been describing ajwain when he mentioned “Ethiopian or Royal cumin”. It seems this plant has always been the subject of some confusion!
The sap from the plant is collected by traditional healers or hakims and dried and sold in a type of crystalline form. You need just 1 crystal to a cup of boiling water and add honey to taste in order to keep illness at bay during autumn and winter. It is said to cure colds and coughs too. It tastes fine once you get over the initial smell, so don't be put off. It seems to work too!

To make a tisane with ajwain you need ¼ tsp fresh ginger root finely grated, ¼ tsp ground green cardamom seeds, ¼ tsp powdered cinnamon and ¼ tsp ajwain seeds. Mix the ground spices together and pour a cup of boiling water over the mixture. Leave this to steep for 5 minutes then strain and drink. This helps the body generally and is good if you have a cold.

The Dangs, a tribe from Southern Gujarat in India, mix ajwain seeds with imli (tamarind) seeds and fry them in ghee with gur (jaggery) and preserve the mixture. They say that it increases the male sperm count cures premature ejaculation and increases the libido of both sexes.

Another belief from subcontinental folklore is that the ajwain seeds should be soaked in lemon juice and dried seven times before being eaten in order to cure impotence and erectile dysfunctions. As ajwain contains calcium, iron, phosphorous, carotene, thiamine and riboflavin, there’s no denying that it is a health-giving plant.





NAMAK PARAY
Ingredients

250 gr plain flour

1 tsp ajwain

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp oil or ghee

oil for frying



Method

Heat ½ cup water but don’t boil it, then mix the oil or ghee with it.

Mix all the other ingredients together and make a paste with the water. Leave the doughy mixture to stand for 1 hour.

You now need to roll out the dough until it is very thin and cut it into 3 inch length pieces (about ½ to 1 inch wide).

Heat the oil and fry them until they are brown pat dry on absorbent paper and eat while still warm.

Eat as a snack like crisps.

These have Taste and are a Treat.

PERSIMMON( AMLOK OR JAPANI PHAL IN URDU) HISTORY AND USES: SPICY PERSIMMON FRUIT SALAD RECIPE

PERSIMMON, (JAPANI PHAL or AMLOK in URDU) DIOSPYROS KAKI

Persimmon is known by many names including, Sharon fruit, Japani Phal or fruit in Urdu, and is Diospyros kaki in Latin. However there are different types of Diospyros, including one that bears a black fruit. The one we have in Pakistan is slightly different to the ones I’ve had in Europe. It’s the same vivid orange colour, but has more water in it - it’s squishier and so is unsuitable for export, which is sad, because it’s a sweet fruit, not like others which are more astringent in taste. The Pakistani variety (Diospyrus lotus) doesn’t leave you with a dry tangy after-taste.

Persimmons originated in the Far East, in China, Japan and Korea and the leaves form the persimmon tree have been used in tisanes for centuries. You can make a tisane from the fresh or dried leaves, and it has a lot more vitamin C in it than green tea (3.5-20.5 times as much in fact). The tea has been used for thousands of years to generally help the body. 
It is rich in fibre and the phenolic content of the leaves is now known to increase the metabolism and removes lipids (fat) from the body through faeces. Because of this action it can help in weight loss.

As with all orange fruit, persimmons are high in beta-carotene and this fruit is an excellent source of iron, so suitable for preventing anaemia. Just 100 grams of the fruit every day improves cardio-vascular health and lowers the risk of lung cancer in smokers. Persimmons also contain ascorbic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and calcium and have a high carbohydrate and protein content. They are packed full with substances the body needs for its health.

Persimmons have a high iodine content and regular consumption helps improve the thyroid gland’s functioning. Eating persimmons has many health benefits, but you should try to avoid eating the skin as when ingested the bezoars can react badly in the stomach. People who have had surgery for stomach ulcers shouldn’t eat the skins of the fruit (D Bennarroch 1993).
 In Hazira in North Pakistan it is believed that a surfeit of the fruit eaten with the skin on it caused a small bowel obstruction in 15 children one winter when the fruit was in abundance on the trees.

However, as long as you abstain from eating the skin, the fruit can be really beneficial according to recent medical studies. Persimmons can help to prevent cancer because they are high in vitamin A and the compounds shiboul and betulinic acid which have anti-cancer properties. The phytochemicals known as proanthocyandins are also present in the fruit and these may protect cells against oxidative damage to the skin associated with aging. It has been recommended that you use the fresh skin on your face as a skin toner as it brightens the complexion. It seems that daily applications may also smooth wrinkles, or stop them appearing.

They are so good for you that you have to try them if you haven’t eaten them before go out and buy some, as winter is the best time to find them. You can make ice cream or smoothies with them and try this recipe below.



SPICY PERSIMMON FRUIT SALAD

Ingredients

4 persimmon, peeled and chopped

1 large apple, peeled and chopped

2 bananas, chopped

1 bunch grapes, halved

2 green cardamom pods, seeds removed and husks discarded

5 or 6 cloves

¼ tsp finely grated nutmeg

1 tsp powdered cinnamon

1 small pot yoghurt

Chopped pistachios to garnish



Method

Grind the cardamom seeds with the cloves and a ½ inch piece of cinnamon stick if you prefer this to already ground cinnamon.

Put fruit in a bowl and mix the spices into the yoghurt.

Pour the yoghurt mixture over the fruit and stir. Garnish with chopped pistachio nuts.

This has Taste and is a Treat.