SUMAC: RHUS CORIANA: HOW TO USE SUMAC: SUMAC DRINK RECIPE

SUMAC, RHUS CORIANA

Sumac grows wild in many parts of the world and has different botanical names depending on the species. Rhus coriana is native to Sicily, Southern Italy and parts of the Middle East, notably Iran, and can also be found in Greece. It has been cultivated for centuries for its bitter astringent taste and has been employed in the tanning industry.

   The name sumac comes from the Aramaic word “summaq” meaning dark red, the colour of the crushed berries. In Greek it is called summaki, and is added to hummus. The colour of crushed sumac is rather similar to that of saffron, and should not be confused with it.

  Sumac berries grow in clusters on bushes and can be used fresh or dried. They are used extensively in Arabic cuisine instead of lemon juice and can often be found in shakers to be sprinkled on yoghurt for kebabs and to flavour rice. It can also be used in salads or cooked with meat in sauces, as Dioscorides recommended in the 1^st century AD. He used it as medicine to treat bowel problems and as a diuretic. In 1597 Gerard the herbalist wrote of it; - “The seed of Sumach eaten in sauces with meat, stoppeth all manner of fluxes in the belly…” and it is still used in traditional medicine to cure such problems, including flatulence.

   There are several sumacs which are native to North America including poison ivy, Rhus toxicodendron which should be avoided as it causes a painful skin rash. Others are Staghorn sumac, Rhus typhina and Rhus aromatica. Native Americans used the berries, dried as food for the winter months and also used the leaves, bark, milky sap and roots in medicine. Not only does it act as a diuretic, but it has antibacterial properties so is good for getting rid of yeast infections such as candida (thrush). It can also help to dry out the sinuses if you have a cold, and improve the circulation of the blood as it has antioxidant properties. This means that it can protect from cardiovascular diseases.

   In ancient Rome and in Italy today, the berries are boiled in water, drained and then pressed to extract the essential oils. These are then mixed with oil or vinegar and stored to be used over salads.

   In traditional medicine sumac has been used to cure nervous tension, tension headaches, and mental fatigue.

  You can find sumac and thyme in labni, a cheese made in the Middle East from yoghurt.

A word of warning: - if you are allergic to mangoes, cashews, or pistachios avoid eating sumac. If you are not sure test it by putting a little of the drink below onto your skin. If a rash doesn’t develop within 15 minutes, you should have no problems.

SUMAC DRINK

Ingredients

10 clusters of sumac berries

1 pint of boiling water

honey to taste

Method

Pour the boiling water over the berries and let them stand for 15 minutes. Squeeze the berries to extract all the juice and strain. Sweeten with honey to taste.

For a drink containing less tannin, soak the berries in cold water overnight.

This is good for stomach complaints.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS KHUS? VETIVER: ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH BENEFITS

VETIVER, KHUS, CHRYSOPOGON ZIZANIOIDES

Vetiver is known as khus in Urdu and is grown for a variety of purpose. It is native to Asia and gets its name from Tamil. In Sri Lanka the oil of vetiver, (Vetiveria zizanoides) is known as the oil of tranquility.

   It is a tall grass plant and the grass is used to make baskets, and other woven hand produced products. It grows in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Indian subcontinent, Japan, Haiti, China and Thailand. There are several projects in these areas which were initiated to stop soil erosion and to protect the land as well as to provide rural people with a livelihood from making items from the roots and grasses. The roots are valued for the essential oil they produce, which commands a high price in the perfume industry. It is also used in traditional medicines. It is reputed to have calming properties and can be used as a sedative, but it is especially useful for women’s reproductive health as it helps keep menstruation regular and painless. It also helps to promote fertility. In Ayurvedic medicine it is used to relieve the symptoms of arthritis and rheumatism and muscle pains and sprains. It is reputed to have antiseptic, antispasmodic, and vermifuge properties and to help cure insomnia and nervous tension. It is also used to treat fungal growths on the skin, such as ringworm.

   The roots are particularly valuable, not just for the essential oil that can be extracted from them but also because they can be used to construct dwellings and to make blinds and screens as well as handbags and fans. Women in Asia love these fans because they act as insect repellents as well as keeping the user cool.

   While still in the soil the roots help it by absorbing water but maintaining the moisture levels in it and by absorbing toxins from chemical pesticides and fertilizers, so restoring the soil to a more healthy state. They can also be used in insect repellents and in sprays to freshen rooms.

   Just like the prickly pear cactus in Turkey, vetiver can help prevent soil erosion and is planted as a hedge for this purpose now.

   The leaves are used to make handicrafts and as fodder for animals, for strewing on the floor of animal pens and stables, and they are also used as thatching material. They make excellent fibre for making paper and are also used for growing mushrooms and as compost material.

  In some parts of Asia brides are traditionally anointed and blessed with vetiver oil before their wedding ceremonies, and in Russia coats would contain sachets of vetiver to retain body heat. In the Middle Ages vetiver was mixed with lime and rosewood as perfume.

   Today oil of vetiver, which is woody and earthy, as you might expect from a grass root oil, and is mixed with jasmine, lavender, rosewood or geranium for use in aromatherapy.

SWEDE ( BRASSICA NAPUS): HEALTH BENEFITS OF SWEDE USES AND HISTORY: BASHED NEEPS AND TATTIES ( TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH RECIPE)

SWEDE (BRASSICA NAPUS)

I hadn’t realized that swedes were the subject of some confusion in the English-speaking world. They come from the same family as turnips and look like giant ones, but whereas turnips have white flesh, a peeled swede has a golden yellow flesh. These vegetables are known as rutabaga in the States but they are not genetically the same, it would seem.

   The rutabaga has 38 chromosomes, the swede 18 or 19 and the turnip 10. This information isn’t much use when buying a swede, but that’s the difference between them. Even in Britain now, people confuse swede and turnips and that is a little hard to understand. However it could have something to do with the Scots who call swedes “neeps”. They are served at Burn’s Night banquets with tatties (potatoes) and haggis.

    No one seems to be able to say for certain where the Swede originated, but the US name rutabaga comes from the Swedish name for this vegetable “rottabaggar,” meaning “turnip cabbage” It is believed by some that the swede came from Bohemia (Eastern Europe) in the 17^th century, but the English name would rather suggest that it came from Sweden. It might be a cross between kale and a turnip, hence the name “cabbage turnip” In 1768 a Mr. Reynolds was given “a Bounty of Fifty Pounds … for his introduction of the turnep rooted cabbage not heretofore made use (of) in this Country”, by the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce in Britain, now called The Royal Society of Arts.

    The swede was first described in detail by a Swiss botanist in 1620 and there are references to what were probably swedes in the late Middle Ages.

cut swede

   Like other members of the Brassica family which includes broccoli and brussel sprouts, the swede is good for your health. It contains high levels of potassium, which helps prevent cardiovascular disease and lowers blood pressure. The fibre content in swedes will relieve constipation and they are also a mild diuretic. They contain vitamins  C, E and K, as well as the B-complex ones, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, B6, folate, traces of selenium, pantothenic acid, choline, folate, phosphorous, magnesium, copper, zinc and are high in calcium. They also have Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. The young leaves are high in vitamin A and calcium and can be cooked as you would cabbage and eaten as a vegetable. When boiled they are a very good source of vitamin C.

   If you have kidney problems you should avoid eating swedes, but otherwise they are good for milk production in breast-feeding mothers, improve stamina and digestion, asthma and lower incidences of bruising. They also lower the risk of cataracts forming in the eyes. Because they contain both zinc and thiamin they are good for erectile dysfunctions too, although they are not well-known for their aphrodisiac properties!

   You can eat them boiled and then mixed with walnuts, raisins and honey, as they have a sweet taste. You cut them in cubes and boil in salted water for about 20 minutes. You can roast them too: parboil them (cubed and peeled) then toss in sunflower oil and roast for 45 mins in a moderate oven, or parboil them and put them around roasting meat, covering them with the meat juices. They are good mashed with carrots, turnips, potatoes and butter, or with any of those vegetables, singly. You can also add them to soups and they are especially good with turnips, carrots and parsnips

bashed neeps, tatties and carrots

BASHED NEEPS AND TATTIES

Ingredients

½ kg swede, peeled and cubed and boiled for 20 mins in salted water

¾ kg potatoes, boiled

40 gr butter

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Strain the potatoes and swede and mash together with butter, salt and pepper.

Serve with meat of your choice.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT ARE CHILGOZA? BIG PINE NUTS FROM PINUS GERARDIANA: HOW TO MAKE KISH MISH

CHILGOZA, PINE NUTS, (PINUS GERARDIANA.WALL)

Chilgoza pine nuts come from the Chilgoza pine tree which is found in the north western Himalayan region. Its range extends from Garhwal to Baluchistan in Pakistan and on to Afghanistan, and is mainly found in the upper valleys of the rivers Chennai, Ravi and Sutlej, at altitudes of between 5500 and 9000 feet. It is a hardy tree which can withstand cold and drought and requires little soil, so it is extremely valuable to the ecology of hilly regions as it helps prevent erosion. It has little commercial value for its timber, but can be used as fuel, which is why Chilgoza forests are being depleted. There are initiatives to replant trees that have been felled, and an educational program which is intended to promote the conservation of the trees in Himachal Pradesh in India and in the Suleiman mountain range of Pakistan. Chilgoza are exported all over the world.

    The seed is cylindrical and 2 to 3 centimetres long, with a dark brown outer skin, which has to be removed before eating. This is used by small children to make “windmills” with thin pieces of tree bark or twigs. They blow on the skin to make it turn like a fan. The seeds contain palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic fatty acids and contain the minerals calcium, phosphorous and iron, mainly. They also contain vitamins B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin). The tree exudes an oleoresin when tapped which is a good source of turpentine oil. In the subcontinent the pine nuts are used as a general tonic, a nutrient and an aphrodisiac, as they reputedly increase a man’s sperm count and help with erection problems. They are used to treat chronic arthritis, taken with honey, and are stimulants, and help with the treatment of a number of skin problems including ringworm, acne, eczema and dry skin. The seed oil is used as a dressing for sores, and wounds. The cones contain a white resin which is used to patch up wooden containers. The bark of the tree is used to make baskets and buckets as is the bark of the Shahtoot mulberry tree.

   Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is also found in other nuts such as almonds, pistachios and walnuts and is good for growth and the production of red blood cells. It promotes healthy skin and hair, the liver’s functions and good vision, reducing the risks of cataracts forming. It is an antioxidant and so neutralises free radicals in the body and helps prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer.

    Vitamin B3, (niacin) improves the sex hormones and cortisone, thyroxin and insulin levels in the body and also promotes a sense of well-being. It is also a memory booster. It also helps to lower blood pressure and promotes the flow of blood in the body. Other sources of riboflavin are peanuts, turnips and sunflower seeds.

     You can add Chilgoza or other pine nuts to the rice in our biryani recipe, or try this one below.

KISH MISH

Ingredients

100 gr peanuts, skins removed

100gr dried coconut, cut into small slivers

6 whole walnuts (remove them from the shell and chop)

100 gr Chilgoza with skin removed

200 gr sultanas

50 gr misri, pounded

Method

Mix all the ingredients together and use in winter as a healthy, delicious snack.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

PINE NUTS ARE DIFFERENT TO CHILGOZA: PESTO SAUCE RECIPE

PINE NUTS (PINUS PINEA)

Pine nuts are grown on several different types of pine tree, notably on the Stone Pine (Pinus pinea) which is native to the Iberian Peninsula and Italy. It takes along time before a tree can be commercially harvested and the process of extracting the pine nuts, which are really seeds, has to be done by hand. That makes the harvesting of pine nuts labour intensive and so they are expensive. There are pine nuts growing all over the world, and these are called Chilgoza in Pakistan.

   Pine trees are the source of turpentine oil used in paints and varnishes and also are used for their resin which may be added to varnishes or used to make rosin for violin bows. The resin is also made into “brewer’s pitch” which used to be used for coating the inside of beer casks, and which can be used for distilling resinous oils. Tar is obtained from the roots of Pinus sylvestris, and this is impure turpentine.

pine cone

   No doubt hunter-gatherers collected pine nuts and the trees have been cultivated for more than 6000 years. The Roman legions carried them with them to give them energy boosts and for nourishment. In ancient Rome they were a staple food for the ordinary citizens along with wheat or barley porridge, but the wealthier classes used them as aphrodisiacs and stuffed the dormice with them along with herbs, rice and honey. (The little mice were farmed for the purpose of eating and were considered a delicacy.) Galenus wrote in 200 AD that they were a great aphrodisiac and that a man wishing to get back his youthful sexual vigour should take “A glass of thick honey, plus 20 almonds, and 100 pine nuts, repeated for three nights.” As pine nuts contain zinc they will help with erectile problems. They were also mentioned as an aphrodisiac in the 16^th century Arab sex manual “The Perfumed Garden” which was translated into English in the 19^th century by Sir Richard Burton (not the actor). They were also used to boost the libido in Mediaeval times.

   In 1666 Pope Clement IX ordered that a pine nut plantation should be grown on the coast near Rome so that he could be sure of a plentiful supply. Archaeologists excavating Pompeii found stores of pine nuts underneath the volcanic ash. Even today they are much prized in Italian and Greek cuisine. In Greek they are koukounaria and pignoli in Italian.

   They contain the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese. The amino acids, and the following vitamins: - Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), the B-complex vitamins,thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B6, folate and B12, along with traces of selenium. They help protect from cardiovascular disease, cancer and the symptoms associated with ageing including delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

   Along with basil and Parmesan cheese they are the main ingredients of Pesto sauce. A traditional Greek and Turkish dish is mussels stuffed with rice, dill and pine nuts.

PESTO SAUCE

Ingredients

2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed into cup)

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup olive oil

3 tbsps pine nuts

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

freshly ground black pepper

Method

 Place a third of the basil leaves, Parmesan and pine nuts with a drizzle of olive oil into a blender and blend thoroughly. Repeat until all the ingredients have been blended then put them all together and blend once more.

This can be stored in the fridge for up to a week or frozen for a few months. If you freeze it in ice cube trays you can use it if you just want a meal for one person with pasta.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS SHELJUM? TURNIP: GHONGLO, BRASSICA RAPA: HEALTH BENEFITS OF TURNIP USES AND HISTORY: TURNIP AND POTATO SOUP AND A TURNIP GREENS RECIPE

TURNIPS, SHELJUM, GHONGLO, BRASSICA RAPA

Turnips have been cultivated for at least 4000 years but no one is certain where they came from; possibilities are western Asia and north eastern Europe. They like the cold British and Northern European climate though and were wonderful vegetables as they could be stored over winter They lost out in the popularity stakes when the potato began to be imported and grown but have recently undergone a rise in popularity in Britain mainly because they are cheaper than other vegetables.

   They belong to the Cruciferae family of leafy green vegetables and have similar health benefits to Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, kale and cauliflower. The Greeks and Romans developed and bred new varieties of turnips and they were valuable vegetables in the Middle Ages, when they were staples. They became known as the poor man’s vegetable throughout Europe and were fed to cattle to help fatten them and keep them over winter. In Germany during the economic blockade, the winter of 1915-16 is known as “The Turnip Winter” as the potato crop failed and so everything edible was made from turnips.

  Colonists took turnips to America, and they flourished. The wild turnip grew there as it does in Britain, Cuckoo-Pint and Jack-in-the-Pulpit are synonyms for it. In the Indian subcontinent it was cultivated for the oil from its seeds in 1500 BC.

   In Pakistan, around Lahore it is looked down on as the poor man’s vegetable and is given to animals to eat, but in Rawalpindi it is on display in vegetable shops now and sold with the greens which are used to make a different kind of saag, as they have a mild mustardy flavour.

   There is a Russian folk tale about an enormous turnip which a grandfather had planted. It grew so big that he couldn’t pull it out of the ground alone. He called his wife, who called her granddaughter, who called the dog which called the cat which called a mouse and only when they were all pulling together could they pull the turnip out of the ground.

   The Irish and Scots used to make Jack o’Lanterns out of turnips and the reasons for this are told in our pumpkin post.

   Just like other members of the Brassica family, turnips are very beneficial for our health and so are the tops, so don’t throw them away as it has been proved that they can help fight cancer. They also contain 4 times the amount of calcium than cabbage, and have a higher glucosinate content than it, kale and broccoli. The phyto-nutrients the tops contain are converted in the body to isothiocyanates (ITCs) which have cancer preventing properties. The greens can help prevent breast and prostate cancer, ovarian cancer and colon of the cancer and lungs. They also have antioxidant properties as they contain vitamins C, E, beta-carotene and manganese, as well as omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin K. the green tops can also help sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis and improve our cognitive functions.

   Turnips also have the ability when crushed or cooked to deactivate an oestrogen metabolite which promotes the growth of tumours especially in breast cells. They can also help prevent cancer cells spreading in the body. Sulforaphine is a type of isothiocyanates which increases the liver’s functioning and so improves its ability to detoxify carcinogenic compounds and free radicals and other harmful substances. The lutein contained in turnips helps prevent cataracts and cardio-vascular disease. They lower the risk of becoming obese, lower blood pressure and help diabetes sufferers.

  In Pakistan if you have burning soles in winter, or when the seasons change, you peel turnips and boil them then add salt to the cooking water and use it as a foot bath. Then you make a paste with the boiled turnips and apply it to the soles of your feet. You put socks on over the paste and leave them on while your feet sweat, thus getting rid of that irritating burning sensation at least for a few days.

  Throughout the ages they have been cooked in a variety of ways, including wrapped in wild garlic or onion leaves and roasted over a fire and used in salads instead of cabbage, for coleslaw. If you use the green tops then steam them for best results. Rinse them in cold running water then chop into ½ inch pieces and leave to rest for 5 mins having squeezed some lemon juice over them to make the enzymes active. Put 2inches of water in a pan and steam the leaves for 5 mins. When they are cooked pour lemon juice and olive oil over them and some lightly fried chopped garlic. Serve as a side dish.

TURNIP AND POTATO SOUP

Ingredients

½ kg turnips, peeled and diced

½ kg potatoes, boiled

1 large onion, sliced

4 cloves garlic

2 sticks celery, washed and chopped

l litre chicken stock

1 bay leaf, torn

olive oil

a handful of chopped parsley

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

50 gr. pumpkin seeds, husks removed and discarded

natural yoghurt or cream

Method

Fry the garlic and the onion for 5 mins in olive oil then add the turnips, pumpkin seeds and celery and fry for a few more minutes, in a large pan.

Add the chicken stock, bay leaf and parsley and bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 mins.

Add the potatoes and grated nutmeg and heat through.

Remove the pan from the heat and blend.

Serve with a swirl of natural yoghurt and freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste.

Serve with crusty bread or rolls.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS ALITCHI? LYCHEES ( LITCHI CHINENSIS): HEALTH BENEFITS OF LYCHEES USES AND HISTORY: LYCHEE LASSI AND BLUE CHEESE AND LYCHEE DIP

LYCHEES, ALITCHI, LITCHI CHINENSIS

Lychees are a fragrant fruit that has a flowery taste, which some people don’t like; but for others lychees are a fabulous tasting fruit and smell wonderful. When the fruit is ripe you can smell them as you walk past. In Pakistan they are cultivated in the Punjab and people wait eagerly for their first appearance in April or May. They originate from southern China and possibly Vietnam. In China they have grown for around 4000 years and there is a 2000 year old grove of lychee trees in Guadong province. The trees aren’t that old, that’s how long the grove has been in existence. However in some Chinese villages there are trees that are over a thousand years old. In Thailand where they are known as “lynchee,” there are lychee festivals all over the country in May. There are now teas which use lychees and rose petals, made in China and Thailand.

    In China they have the title, “King of Fruits”, but in Pakistan that title is reserved for the mango.

    If you have never seen a fresh lychee, they are one and a half to two inches long and have a shell, usually pink which protects the delicate white of pink-tinged fruit, with a stone in the middle. They are a symbol of love and romance in their native China, as one emperor had them transported 600 miles for his favourite concubine.

    The taste alone should encourage you to eat lychees, but they are also packed full of vitamins, minerals and being chock full of vitamin C help protect of fight off colds, flu, fevers and sore throats. They are a diuretic and aid digestion and the high level of potassium means that they are good for the blood and heart. They also contain traces of selenium, and have calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, copper manganese in them as well as vitamins B6, and E; thiamin, niacin, riboflavin and folate are also present in them.The zinc content means that they are good for erectile dysfunctions and explains why they are thought to have aphrodisiac qualities. Niacin also helps regulate the sex hormones and helps give you a feeling of well-being.Riboflavin is thought to protect against cancer by neutralizing the free radicals in the body. It also helps protect against cardiovascular disease.

   Lychees can help prevent the growth of some cancerous cells notably in breast cancer, and are good for the skin, bone and tissue. They also boost energy levels.

    They can be used as a glaze over meat such as chicken, and in drinks of the alcoholic kind. Here is a recipe for lychee lassi: 1 cup natural yoghurt, 1 cup chopped lychees, and honey to taste. Blend and serve chilled.

    The recipe below is for an interesting dip.

BLUE CHEESE AND LYCHEE DIP

Ingredients

60 gr blue cheese crumbled (Gorgonzola or Stilton are good)

1 cup soured cream

2 tbsps double cream

¼ cup chopped nut of your choice, (walnuts are good)

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

130 gr lychees, chopped

Method

Blend all the ingredients together, chill and serve with other dips.

This has Taste and is a Treat.