BILBERRIES OR WHINBERRIES: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF BILBERRIES: WIMBERRY PLATE PIE RECIPE

BILBERRIES, WHINBERRIES, WIMBERRIES, VACCINIUM MYRTILLIS

There are at least 450 species of Vaccinium plants and where I come from in South Wales we call them wimberries, which is a corruption of the English name for these berries, whinberries. The word whin means furze or gorse and broom plants which grow on moors and mountains; the natural habitat of bilberries. The English word bilberry comes from the Danish “bollebar” which means ‘dark berry’. As I child I used to love going on a wimberry picking expedition, hoping that we got to the succulent berries before the sheep. It takes a lot of these berries to make a pie, so we used to fill a biscuit tin with them, if we could. It is back-breaking works as these berries grow low on the ground in sheep-grazing territory, and used to take four of us hours to fill a tin with them. Now, unfortunately the wimberry places have been victim of construction and forestation or deforestation, so we haven’t been picking them for many years. There are still places in Britain where they flourish though, so children still get their mouths stained with their purple-black juice.

   Dioscorides, in his Materia Medica written in the first century AD recommends them for diarrhoea and for mouth ulcers and sore throats, and they have been used in traditional medicine for centuries. They grow prolifically in Europe and Scandinavia, although not in Southern Italy or the Iberian Peninsula. They range from Europe to Western Mongolia, but are not found in other parts of Asia. They occur in the Pacific regions across to North America.

   They are known as Whortleberries, Huckleberries, Trackleberries, Black Whortles and Blaeberry in Scotland, and doubtless there are many other names for them. The leaves resemble myrtle leaves, hence the Latin name for this species.

   They have been found to be good for the eyesight, and this upholds one traditional remedy. It is said that the R.A.F. pilots were given whinberry preserves to eat before they flew on night missions, as it was thought that they cured “night blindness.” Modern clinical trials have shown that they are very good for the eyes the berries contain anthrocyanosides which have been found to boost the production of rhodopsin; a pigment which improves night vision, so perhaps the R.A.F. pilots and their medics were on to a good thing. Anthrocyanosides are plant pigments that have excellent antioxidant properties and can combat free radicals in the body which damage cells, so they help to prevent heart disease and cancer and reverse or prevent damage to cells. They also help to decrease the risk of blood clots forming, as they cause dilation of the blood vessels and the properties of whinberries make them potentially valuable in the treatment of varicose veins, haemorrhoids and damage to the capillary system. As far as eyesight goes research has shown that they help reduce the symptoms of an eye disorder called macular degeneration.

    They also contain vitamins A and C (which also has antioxidant properties) as well as iron and potassium and tannins which give them their astringent qualities. Their chromium content helps normalize collagen which helps to join the tissues of the skin which means that there is a potential for the bilberry to smooth wrinkles and slow the aging process of the skin. In fact the tisane can be used as a skin lotion and if you mix half wimberry juice and half witch hazel you have a very effective lotion for sunburn.

  The dried fruit and tisanes have been used to treat diarrhoea, nausea and indigestion and a gargle of the fresh juice soothes sore throats and mouths. A tisane of the leaves, stalks and berries has been effective for diabetes sufferers when taken over a prolonged period.

   A decoction of the berries was used in cases of typhoid fever; and the tisane made from the leaf and stem stops vomiting and stomach cramps. The fresh berries regulate bowel activity, and a tisane of the roots was once used to get rid of stones in the bladder. People suffering from anaemia were given the fresh berries to eat because of their iron content. The fresh fruit also aids digestion and helps to expel gas from the intestine.

   The glucoquinines in the fruit help to lower blood sugar levels, so this tiny fruit which looks a little like a blackcurrant is extremely good for you.

    The tisane of leaves and stems is made form 2 or 3 teaspoons of chopped leaves and stems and you pour a cup full of boiling water over them and allow them to steep for 15 mins, then strain before drinking. You can use this as a skin lotion for burns, wounds and other skin problems. The decoction is made with 2 tsp fresh berries or one tsp dried, Boil them in 2 cups of water until the water is reduced by half. Leave the fruit to steep for 8 hours and either drink it or use it as skin wash.

CACEN BLAT LLUS

(WIMBERRY PLATE PIE)

Ingredients

For pastry: -

225 gr plain flour

1 tsp salt

110 gr butter or margarine, cubed

200 gr sugar

For filling: -

400 gr wimberries

200 gr sugar

Method

First make the pastry by rubbing together the sieved flour and cubes of butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and salt and mix well. Make a well in the centre and add two tbsps water and mix with your hands. Continue adding water until you have pliable dough. Form a ball with the dough and cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for an hour.

Roll out half the dough and put on an oven-proof plate. Put the wimberries on top and sprinkle with the sugar.

Rollout the other half of the dough and place on top. Crimp the edges with your thumb and forefinger so that the pie is well-sealed. Rick the top with a fork and sprinkle with a little more sugar if you wish. Cook in a pre-heated oven at 170 degrees C for 25 mins or until the pie crust is golden.

Serve hot with custard or cold with vanilla ice cream or thick cream.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

  

LOTUS- LOTUS ROOT- LOTUS FLOWER: HOW TO USE THE LOTUS FOR HEALTH: LOTUS ROOT PICKLE RECIPE

THE LOTUS, NELUMBO NUCIFERA, KANWAL IN URDU

The lotus is a sacred plant to Buddhists, Hindus and Jains and has been cultivated for thousands of years. It is a symbol of everlasting life, resurrection, fertility, prosperity (material and spiritual), enlightenment amidst ignorance and one can understand why. This amazing plant has been used in traditional medicine for a number of diseases and infections and Western research has validated most of the traditional medicinal uses. The root or rhizome is edible, and rather like a crunchy water chestnut in taste, and these can be substituted for lotus root in cookery. It also tastes a little like coconut but you have to sample it to judge for yourself what it is like.

  The root will discolour quickly when exposed to air, so if you have a fresh root to cook, keep some water mixed with lemon juice near so that you can dip it into this so that it retains its creamy-white colour. You can batter and deep fry the cut tubers, boil, steam roast, pickle them or even eat them raw. They are crunchy so don’t overcook them thinking that they will go soft; they won’t. You can dry the root and then make meal from it which can be mixed to a paste to get rid of ringworm and other skin problems, or use it like flour.

  Lotus roots can grow up to 4 feet in length and be 2 to 4 inches wide. They can come in segments, each of which can be 8 to 12 inches long. They are cultivated in ponds which can be easily drained to harvest the root or in tanks. The root is the main part eaten, but the whole plant is edible and all of it is used in medicine for different purposes.

   The roots contain asparagines, tannin, nelumbine, carotene, thiamine, nicotinic acid, riboflavin, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C).The seeds contain protein and carbohydrates, and the minerals potassium, calcium and phosphorous among others. The flowers also contain iron and calcium among other constituents.

   Lotus plants are native to Asia, Australia, Egypt, the Middle East and New Guinea, and Nelumba lutea was used as food and medicine by the Native Americans.

Egyptian blue lotus

   The lotus is associated with Creation myths, and one myth tells of the god Vishnu, asleep in the primordial waters which had covered the first created world, and as he dreamed, a golden lotus flower grew from his navel. As it unfurled, it revealed the cosmic egg in which Brahma the creator lay sleeping. As Brahma stirred in the egg, so creation began once more and new worlds and life unfolded. In India today the lotus is viewed as the Cradle of the Universe, and there are similar myths about the lotus in Egypt where a “cousin” of the lotus grows. This is the blue lotus, Nymphaea caerula; the myth says that a new child god was born from this flower who was the Light that banished Darkness. The ancient Egyptians used it to invoke Isis, Osiris and Thoth. In India it is sacred to Lakshmi the goddess of prosperity and abundance.

   The lotus also symbolizes peace and serenity and the lotus position, adopted in meditation, signifies the person transcending the material world. The legs are crossed and the upper parts of the body are erect in an attempt to achieve a oneness with the gods.

   The lotus seeds can be very long lived as in north eastern China some were discovered in the sediment of a dried up lake in the 1920s and planted. No one realized at the time how old they were, but tests in the 1990s revealed that the seeds had germinated after lying dormant for 1300 years. Scientists have said that lotus seeds are “the oldest demonstrably viable and directly dated seed ever reported” and are using evidence from lotus seeds in an attempt to understand the ageing process of other species.

   Seeds are used to make prayer beads, and lotus leaves stalks are harvested in Myanmar for their fibre. This is made into threads and woven into cloth to make religious robes and altar cloths. The lotus leaf stalks are used in India to make wicks for temple lamps.

    Because the seeds can germinate from mud after the monsoon rains and give rise to new plants, they are symbolic of immortality and resurrection.

    In India honey made from the lotus flowers is valued because it is good to treat eye problems, and the large leaves are laid on the body during high fevers to bring the temperature down. The boiled roots, mixed with sesame oil are used to alleviate heat and applied to the head and eyes. A cough syrup is made with dried lotus flowers, and the leaves and stems may be pounded and made into a paste to help cure piles, leprosy, and other skin diseases as well as eaten to stop vomiting. The milky latex in the stems, leaves and flowers has antibacterial properties.

   The flower stamens are used in preparations to help with erectile dysfunctions such as premature ejaculation, and the seeds taken orally for 7 days with water from rice, is believed to improve female fertility. The stamens are also used to stop excessive urine and uterine bleeding. The seeds have sedative properties and can cure insomnia, as well as soothing the uterus muscles. The leaf juice when boiled with liquorice root is effective against sunstroke. The stalk is used to stem excessive blood flow during menstruation, and to halt the bleeding of gastric ulcers. Parts of the plant have been used to cure STDs and cancer, and research is continuing into the anti cancer effects of extracts from the plant.

   A decoction of the flowers is used to combat premature ejaculation and as parts of the plant contain a substance, L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase; it is thought that this might play a role in halting the ageing process in the skin, as it can repair protein damage. The flowers have also been used as a diuretic in traditional medicine.

   One of my favourite recipes is deep-fried lotus root; cut and blanch thin slices of lotus root and coat in a spicy matter, then deep fry for a few minutes. Delicious.

LOTUS ROOT PICKLE

Ingredients

3 tbsps rice vinegar or white wine vinegar

3 tbsps sugar

300 gr sliced lotus root

3 red chillies split from top to bottom

Method

Peel the root and cut into slices. Dipping each slice into water with lemon juice added to stop it discolouring. Boil a pan of water and blanch the root for 3 minutes.

Allow to cool.

Meanwhile boil the vinegar and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Put the lotus root and chillies into a glass jar and cover with the liquid. Seal the jar and put it in the fridge where it will keep for about a week.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

ORCHIDS AND SALEP - HOW TO USE: SALEP RECIPE

ORCHIDS AND SALEP

Orchids once grew wild and prolifically in Britain and other parts of Europe. Unfortunately wild orchids are now rare and protected, so you can’t dig up the tubers as you once could. The tubers contain a starch–like substance called salep which is mucilaginous and was known to Dioscorides in the 1^st century AD. The tubers were dried and powdered or stored and used to heal wounds, as well as to heal “The King’s Evil” which was the name given to scrofula, the primary stage of tuberculosis, which causes swelling of the lymphatic glands. It was believed that the touch of the king could cure the disease. Culpeper believed that orchids came under the “dominion of Venus” and they were considered an aphrodisiac in Europe, possibly because of the shape of the tubers. The word sahlep in Arabic is said to mean “fox testicles.” It is Culpeper who states that “they heal the King’s Evil.”  Earlier Gerard calls them the “Female Satyrion” and it was believed that satyrs were incited to their sexual excesses by the orchid roots, which began to grow when a satyr, Orchis, who was the son of a satyr and a nymph, insulted (possibly raped) a priestess of Bacchus or Dionysus. His father prayed that he would not be killed for his crime and so Orchis was metamorphosed into an orchid.

   Witches used the tubers in spells with the fresh tubers bringing true love and the withered ones used to stop adulterous passions.

    In the Renaissance the tubers were kept in ships’ stores to provide sustenance when other rations dwindled. One ounce of the powdered tubers in 4 pints of boiling water was considered enough for one man per day in times of shortage.

  Mucilage of salep (powdered tuber) is one of the official preparations in the German Pharmacopoeia. It is used as a cure for diarrhoea and bilious fevers.

   In Turkey salep is a warming winter drink flavoured with saffron, which tastes delicious, and powdered tuber is used to make the kind of ice cream that stretches and has to be cut with a knife. This also contains mastic gum. I once observed ice cream vendors stretching their ice cream across a wide road in Kusadasi, Turkey. The ice cream tastes very good, as does the salep drink you can buy there.

   You can also eat orchid flowers, as you can those from the kachnar tree and the hibiscus. They can be used as a garnish, or to flavour desserts such as ice cream. Vanilla, of course comes from an orchid. If you can get an orchid root, you should try this drink. However you can’t import orchid roots from Turkey, but you can get powdered salep in some gourmet shops, although you may not be getting the real thing.

SALEP

Ingredients

1 tsp salep powder

1 cup milk

1½ tsps sugar

a pinch of saffron

sprinkle of cinnamon powder

(optional dash of rose water, orange blossom water, chopped walnuts or pistachios)

Method

 The salep powder, sugar and saffron in a cup of milk, pour into a glass or cup and sprinkle with cinnamon powder.

If you wish you can top add a dash of each or either of the flower water and stir then top with the walnuts or fresh pistachios (not the salted ones).

This has Taste and is a Treat.

YUCCA AND CASSAVA OR MANIOC: EDIBLE ROOTS USES AND BENEFITS

yucca

YUCCA, CASSAVA, MANIOC

Yuccas are ornamental plants in Europe and North America, but they have edible tubers and flowers. Two yuccas that can’t be eaten are the Actaea rubra or banana yucca and the Actaea arguta. You can eat the flowers and the tubers of the other plants, although they have to be peeled and leached of toxins. Some can be eaten raw, but you have to know which type these are before you start chomping on a tuber.

   They originated in Central America, and the manioc or cassava is the source of what we know as tapioca, the stuff that looks a little like frog spawn when cooked as a dessert with milk. This comes from Manihot esculenta, which is also used to make flour which has the advantage of being gluten free. It is made by grating the raw tuber and then drying the grated root and grinding to a powder or meal. In Brazil, they make Farafa which is seasoned manioc meal which is used as a condiment on almost every cooked dish in Brazil.

cassava or manioc crop

   Manioc or cassava has been a staple crop for centuries, and archaeologists have found evidence that it was cultivated by the Mayans 1400 years ago in El Salvador. They discovered a field the size of a football pitch which had been preserved under a blanket of volcanic ash. Today the crop is also used to make alcoholic drinks including beer, as well as being a staple food. It has twice the protein value of a potato and is higher in vitamin content and potassium than the potato, so it has been a valuable food crop over the centuries.

   It was discovered by the Portuguese and Spanish explorers and they took it to the Caribbean, Africa and Asia, where it is also commonly used today.

edible manioc root

    The Witoto tribe of the Colombian Amazon use the water used to leach the toxins out of the bitter roots to poison fish and other tribes use the water to treat skin infections and as poultices to draw out foreign bodies from the skin. The Makura use it to get rid of scabies. It has antimicrobial properties and is used to heal wounds.

    The flowers of the yucca plants can be stuffed with breadcrumbs or a vegetable mixture and baked. In this they are similar to the edible buds of the kachnar tree and other edible flowers such as the rose, nasturtium and lavender. The tubers can be used like potatoes and baked, boiled or steamed after being peeled as there is prussic acid in the skins which gives them a bitter taste. You can make crisps or chips with them and they are good fried with garlic and chilli.

HORSERADISH: HEALTH BENEFITS, USES AND HISTORY OF HORSERADISH: HORSERADISH SAUCE RECIPE

HORSERADISH, ARMORACIA RUSTICANA, AMORACIA LAPATHIFOLIA

Horseradish is native to the Mediterranean, although it has been growing wild in Britain for centuries, as it has in the rest of Europe and Scandinavia. It grows virtually anywhere and we used to take a shovel and dig a root up when we needed it in Wales. You don’t have to go to those extremes, and it’s probably illegal to do so now; you can buy it in powdered or grated form or in ready-made sauces, including one with Roquefort cheese. It is related to the wallflower family and to mustard and Brassica, such as broccoli. It contains the same constituent (sinigrin) as black mustard seed, and is now used as a condiment in much the same way as mustard is. The French call horseradish Moutarde des Allemandes, or mustard of the Germans, as it was these people who first used it as a condiment in Europe.

   We can only speculate as to why it is called horseradish; some say that it is a misnomer from the German translation as it is called Meerrettich in German, meaning sea radish, but it was heard as mare radish (mare being a female horse). Some say that it is just called horse radish because it is a big tuber. However the roots resemble horse dung when they are first uprooted, so maybe that’s why it got its name. It actually looks a little like a parsnip or a mooli radish, and it tastes like the latter, although it is more pungent.

Other countries only used horseradish for its medicinal value. It was not until the mid 17^th century that Britons began using it in the same way as their German cousins.

   Horseradish was cultivated by the ancient Egyptians prior to 1500 BC, and Pliny recommended it (he called it Armoracia) as a diuretic. The ancient Greeks called it Raphanus agrios and Gerard, in his herbal of 1597 calls it Raphanus rusticana. He says that it was “commonly used among Germans for sauce to eate fish and such like meates as we do mustarde.” This comments shows that at Gerard’s time Britons did not use horseradish in this way.

    Culpeper says “If bruised and laid to a part grieved with sciatica, gout, joint-ache or hard swellings of the spleen and liver, it doth wonderfully help them all.” If it is scraped and secured by a bandage it will get rid of chilblains and if grated horseradish is applied to the face in cases of neuralgia that will go away too. However your hand may go numb if you hold the horseradish for too long. Infused in wine, horseradish makes a good stimulant for the nervous system and will bring on perspiration, so is good for a fever which accompanies flu. If you infuse horseradish in milk, this will help rejuvenate your complexion as it will stimulate blood flow in the face. Horseradish steeped in white vinegar used to be used to get rid of freckles. The root was also thought to be very effective in removing intestinal worms.

   Today horseradish is mainly used for respiratory problems, and it will get rid of mucus if you have a cold, cough or flu. It really does clear the sinuses, as you will know if you’ve unwittingly bitten into a beef sandwich without first knowing that it contained horseradish sauce. Horseradish is good with fatty foods as it aids digestion and seems to cut through the fat. It’s good with chicken, roast or boiled beef, tongue, cheeses and pork products.

   It is one of the five “bitter herbs” eaten by Jews at the feast of the Passover when they remember the bitterness of their enslavement in Egypt under the pharaohs. The other bitter herbs eaten at this time are coriander, lettuce, nettles, and horehound.

  Japanese horseradish is wasabi and you can buy this as a powder, which is pale green. This comes from a different family to the horseradish though, as it is Wasabi japonica. It is similar in taste to horseradish but not as pungent.

   Poultices of horseradish are good to clean infected wounds, as the root has antimicrobial and antiseptic properties. If you put fresh, grated horseradish on a part of the body that suffers from the pain of rheumatism or arthritis, it will help relieve it.

   If you buy powdered horseradish and mix it in water to reconstitute it. Leave it for 20 minutes or so for the full flavour to develop as you would with mustard prepared from a powder. You can mix the fresh grated root with yoghurt or soured cream or double cream to make a sauce, depending on the flavour you favour. Horseradish contains more vitamin C than an orange or a lemon so is good to ward off colds as well as to get rid of them. Cooked horseradish loses some of its pungency, but there’s nothing quite like the horseradish sauce below to perk up your appetite.

HORSERADISH SAUCE

Ingredients

¼ cup of fresh grated horseradish (freeze any remaining)

½ tbsp sugar

2 tsps Dijon mustard or green peppercorn mustard

1 tsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar

handful chopped chives

4 cloves garlic finely chopped or minced

1 cup natural yoghurt, soured cream or double cream

½ tsp paprika

Method

Mix all the ingredients together carefully, then chill for two hours or so before use.

Serve as suggested above, with meats, sausages, or cheeses.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

HOLLY TREE (ILEX AQUIFOLIUM): BENEFITS,USES AND HISTORY OF HOLLY TREE

THE HOLLY TREE, ILEX AQUIFOLIUM

The holly tree is native to Central and northern Europe although there are many species of holly tree all over the world. This post is concerned mainly with the one that grows wild in the British Isles. It can be seen growing with oak trees and an old legend tell of the fight for supremacy between the oak and the holly at Lammas time, the first harvest, or lughnassadh, when the holly tree wins as it is the evergreen tree of winter. At Yule, the oak, harbinger of light and the New Year triumphs and so the New Year brings the glimmers of spring and light. The holly tree was one of the sacred trees of the Druids and at Yule they would take holly branches into their huts for the use of the spirits of the woods so that they had a warm place to shelter during the cold winter months. The holly branches were banished from dwellings at the first hint of spring so that the elves and spirits of the woods would return to their natural places and not cause evil to befall the households. Starlings are associated with these trees, as they are frequently found eating the berries in winter. However the berries are poisonous, although in times past they were used as a purgative.

   Holly water was sprinkled on newborn babies to protect them from evil. In the Celtic Tree Calendar, Holly is the tree of July 8th  to 4^th August, and represents courage, male potency and energy. The female version of the holly tree is Ivy, and the two are mentioned in many Christmas carols, notably “The Holly and The Ivy” which states “Of all the trees that are in the wood the holly bears the crown”.

   One legend surrounding holly is that it sprang from Christ’s footsteps which is why it is sometimes called the Holy Tree and Christ’s Thorn. The spiky leaves represent the crown of thorns and Christ’s suffering and the bright red berries signify the blood of Christ.

    Holly, ivy and mistletoe are hung together at Christmas time, but this tradition is pagan, and the wreaths or hanging decorations of these plants signify fertility and eternal life. Holly was hung in homes in ancient Rome during the festival of Saturnalia, a riotous time of feasting and orgies, which began on 17^th December and lasted for a week. Early Christians were ordered not to decorate their homes with holly at the same time because of these pagan rites as the early church wanted to distance itself from such pagan practices.

    The Druids associated holly with fire and charcoal from holly wood was used to forge “true” steel. It was believed that tools and knives and swords made with holly charcoal could protect from evil and help fight evil. The twigs of the holly were used like incense and can still be used in this way today. They are especially useful when combined with sandalwood or frankincense. Ritually holly was used to help those mourning the death of loved ones and using a combination of holly and sandalwood, with dried jasmine flowers would be useful to ease the troubled.

   Pliny, in his “Natural History” calls holly aquifolius, the needle leaf (tree) and says that when one is planted near a house it protects it from lightning strikes and protects the household members against witchcraft. He also rather fancifully claimed that the holly flower freezes water and if the wood of the holly tree is thrown at (but does not strike) an animal, it will go away and lie down.

   Holly branches were once used as a remedy for chilblains; people would thrash their feet with the leafy branches to relieve their pain in much the same way as the Romans in wintertime Britain used nettles to get their circulation going.

   It is said that if rabbits lose their appetite they should be given a small branch of holly stripped of its leaves to gnaw on, as this will act as a tonic and promote their appetite. Cows are also said to be rather partial to the leaves and twigs and deer eat them in winter too when other food is scarce.

  The hard white wood of the holly tree is prized for decorative items and for inlaying and marquetry. Old country people believed that a walking stick made from holly wood would protect them from evil and give them renewed vigour. The old Holly king of Yule time is often portrayed with a wreath of holly on his head and a holly walking stick.

   Culpeper in the 17^th century in his Herbal thought that the holly berries were good for colic, although they cause violent vomiting, and are a purgative. He also says this; “the bark and leaves are good as fomentation for broken bones and such members as are out of joint”. For once he seems to be wrong. The berries can be dried and ground to a powder and used to stop bleeding externally, as they have astringent qualities, but should not be taken internally.

   Holly leaves however can be effective in the treatment of a number of ailments. In the Black Forest, Germany they were used as tea and in Brazil the leaves of Ilex paraguayensis are used in a tisane as a diuretic and to promote sweating during fevers. The leaves should be collected in May and June around noon when the dew has gone from them. Be careful to discard any imperfect ones. A tisane or decoction can be prepared from fresh or dried leaves to reduce the temperature of the body in a fever, when you have a cold, the tisane can help get rid of mucus and tisanes have been used as a diuretic. Juice from the leaves has been given to people with jaundice.    

   To make a tisane to bring down temperatures during a bout of fever you can soak holly leaves overnight in cold water, then boil them briefly, strain then drink the liquid. This also soothes coughs.

   If you have dried leaves then take 4 tsps of crumbled dried leaves and boil in water for ten minutes, strain and drink. This is good for fevers associated with flu and as a diuretic if you suffer from rheumatism or gout.

   For a purgative which is less violent than eating the berries, soak the bark of the holly tree in cold water overnight and take two cups a day after meals. If you put 2 tbsps dried bark on a pint of water and boil for ten minutes, this has a tranquillizing effect and calms hysteria.

 A decoction can be made with 2 to 4 tablespoons of leaves to 1 pint of water. Boil the water until it is reduced to half a pint then strain and drink. This is good for removing kidney stones, gout, urinary disorders, bronchitis and pleurisy. The recommended dose is one cup a day.

  Holly contains rutin (also found in rue), theobromine, ursolic and Ilexic acids, tannins, gum, ilexantine and ilicin.

   If you collect holly leaves wear gloves so that you don’t get scratched by their sharp points.

  

HIBISCUS TISANE HEALTH BENEFITS: MEDICINAL USES OF HIBISCUS

HIBISCUS (HIBISCUS ROSA-SINENSIS)

There are hundreds of varieties of hibiscus that grow around the world. They have particularly beautiful flowers, which come in all shades. The red variety is Hibiscus rosa- sinensis which is the one used to make herbal teas. In Greece these plants grow wild and adorn villages and waysides on the islands and the mainland.

  Apart from looking wonderful, the flowers are very beneficial. You can make a tisane with them by cutting 4 fresh flowers and steeping them in a pint of boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes, then straining the liquid off and adding honey if you want to, or a dash of lemon or orange juice which will enhance the flavour. This tisane, if taken daily for a month, should lower systolic blood pressure. The darker the colour of the tisane the healthier it will be as it contains antioxidants which combat the cancer producing free radicals in the body. As the flowers are also rich in ascorbic acid (vitamin C) they will help ward off colds and flu.

  Extracts of the flowers are also used in cosmetics to help rejuvenate the skin. The mucilage in the flowers helps to hydrate the skin and acts as a moisturizer, helping to prevent the formation of wrinkles and improving the elasticity of the skin.

  The flowers and leaves of the hibiscus plant have been used in traditional medicine in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean for centuries, and they are used to relax the uterus, as a mild laxative and diuretic as well as an expectorant. The tisane can be used as a wash for skin problems and will help stop sores weeping. You can use it for all skin problems as no adverse reactions have been reported. Remember to use the red hibiscus though.

  You can make a paste with the flowers and leaves by steeping them in water for 5 minutes and then blending this to a fairly thick consistency and use it as a shampoo to treat dandruff and act as a tonic for the scalp. Massage the paste into your hair and scalp and leave it for 5 minutes before rinsing off. It will make your hair feel softer and give it an extra shine as well as getting rid of any dryness of the scalp.

   Dry the flowers and use in a tisane, with 2 tablespoons of dried flowers to 2 cups of boiling water. Leave the dried flowers to steep for 10 minutes, strain and drink, flavoured as you wish.

  The flowers, when dried can be crumbled or ground to a powder and stored in an airtight jar for up to 6 months, and the powder can also be used as a tisane or as a skin wash.

   In Mexico the flowers are used in some dishes as they are edible like those of the kachnar tree and nasturtiums and lavender. Try them!

WHAT IS OKRA? BHINDI TORI IN URDU: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF OKRA: BHINDI GHOSHT KI RECIPE

OKRA, BHINDI TORI, HIBISCUS ESCULENTA

Okra is also known as gumbo in the southern US states and ladies fingers, and bhindi tori in Urdu. It is also known as Abelmoschus esculenta (Abelmoschus meaning father of musk in Arabic). It is in the mallow family and related to hibiscus.

   When you cook okra you have to be careful not to cut the green pod so that it stays intact and doesn’t release the gummy substance inside it. To clean it you should cut off the tops and the bottom of the pods. It contains a lot of white seeds, and these can be roasted or dry fried, then ground and made into a coffee substitute which is said to be very much like the real thing and much closer to the taste of coffee than other substitutes such as dandelion roots.

   Okra originated in West Africa, possibly in Ethiopia, and was either taken to the US with African slaves, or introduced by the French in the 18^th century. It is used in Creole dishes and is called gumbo, which is a derivative of the word nkrumo, perhaps. It is good with prawns and chicken and other meat too, as you will see if you try the recipe below.

   The gummy substance inside the pods thickens sauces naturally without the addition of flour or cornflour. However okra is not to everyone’s taste and you either like it or hate it. You can deep fry okra as well as adding it to soups and stews, and serve it as a side vegetable.

   Okra is packed with vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, C, a number of the B-complex vitamins, and vitamin K; the minerals include zinc, manganese, calcium, magnesium and iron. It also contains some of the essential amino acids. It is good to eat during pregnancy as it helps prevent neural deficiencies in the foetus. It has antioxidant properties and can help fight the free radicals which cause cancer. It also prevents constipation and cleans the colon, thus lessening the risk of colo-rectal cancer and piles. Okra has the best fibre content along with flax seeds and ispaghule (also called psyllium) or plantain. It helps regulate blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol.

   Try this recipe from the Indian subcontinent, okra with meat.

BHINDI GHOSHT

Ingredients

1 kg beef, cubed

½ kg okra

250 gr yoghurt

6 onions, chopped

1 tbsp garlic paste

1 tbsp ginger paste

1 tbsp chilli powder

1 tbsp ground coriander seeds

1 tbsp garam masala

2 tsps turmeric

1 tsp ground cardamom seeds

salt to taste

oil for shallow and deep frying

4 glasses of water

fresh coriander leaves as optional garnish

Method

Top and tail the okra as described above. Wash it thoroughly and dry it completely.

Heat the oil in a pan and fry 2 of the chopped onions until they are golden-brown. Add the chilli powder, salt, turmeric, coriander powder, and the two pastes (make garlic paste by grinding 10 cloves of garlic in a blender and 2 inches of peeled ginger root). Stir and fry for two minutes.

Add the meat and cook for 5-7 mins then add the remaining 4 shopped onions and 2 glasses of water.

Cook until the water has gone, then ad the yoghurt and cook for a further 5 mins.

Add two more glasses of water the garam masala and ground cardamoms.

Deep fry the okra for 3-5 mins. Add it to the meat.

Cover the pan and cook on a low heat for 10 mins.

Your delicious bhindi ghosht is now ready to serve with naan or roti (chapattis).

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves if you wish.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

GRAINS OF PARADISE: HEALTH BENEFITS OF GRAINS OF PARADISE, USES AND HISTORY: RECIPE RAS EL HANOUT, SPICE MIXTURE

GRAINS OF PARADISE, AFRAMOMUM MELEGUETA

Grains of Paradise have been traded since the 9^th century, and were very popular in Europe. They come from West Africa and were taken across the Sahara Desert by intrepid spice traders. They were used as a pepper substitute as they were cheaper than peppercorns, although now they are a rare commodity in Europe, and more expensive than pepper. There are actually two plants which produce these seeds or grains, Aframomum melegueta and Aframomum granum paradisi. They are also known as Guinea grains and Alligator pepper. The seeds are red-brown and have irregular shapes.

   They come from the same family as ginger and the plant looks a little like the one that produces cardamom seeds. They have a peppery flavour with hints of ginger, cardamom and citrus, and are faintly flowery. You can chew them to freshen your breath and get the full delightful flavour. You can put them in your pepper grinder with black pepper and use them as a condiment, which will give foods added interest. They are used in Ras el Hanout which means Top of the Shop, a Moroccan spice mixture which we give below. They are good to flavour vegetables and go well with potatoes, aubergines, pumpkins and okra. They are also good ground and rubbed into chicken or meat before it is cooked. Try some on your steak. They should be ground and added to dishes about 15 minutes before they are cooked to get the full flavour from them.

   The seeds and rhizomes are used in West Africa in traditional herbal medicines, and are reputedly aphrodisiacs, stimulants and diuretics. Studies carried out on lab rats support the idea that they increase the libido (in rats) and that they can reduce pain and inflammation so may be good to treat arthritis. However they have yet to be tested on humans.

  They were used to flavour the old wine, Hippocras along with cardamoms and ginger, and Gerard, the English herbalist, recommends them to be taken with “Sacke “for stomach problems. They are used in Scandinavian countries to flavour aquavit, and are one of the ingredients of Bombay Sapphire gin, and are used in the brewing of some beers.

   In 1629 they were used by the inhabitants of Norwich in north eastern England to flavour herring pies. They were one of Elizabeth I’s favourite spices and were very popular in the Renaissance. This may be because the wily traders gave them the exotic name of Grains of Paradise in the 14^th century as a marketing ploy so that they could make more money from their sale. In the 12^th century they were half the price of pepper, so clearly traders felt they were not making enough money out of them. 

   The spice mixture below can be added to meat dishes, especially those that have lamb as a main ingredient, but they perk up almost every dish.

RAS EL HANOUT

Ingredients

This recipe makes ½ a cup of spice mixture and you can add coriander seeds, or other spices of your choice to it

2 tbsps grains of paradise

¼ cup cinnamon or cassia pieces

2 tsps ground ginger

2 tbsps turmeric

1 tbsp black peppercorns

2 tsps cardamom seeds (husks removed and discarded)

2 tsps cloves

½ tsp cayenne pepper

Method

Dry fry the spices to release their aroma, then grind together and store in an airtight jar.

This spice powder will keep for up to 6 months.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

  

  

HOW TO MAKE SPICY FISH FINGERS: EASY AND TASTY RECIPE

SPICY FISH FINGERS

Ingredients

1 kilo boneless fish cut into strips

5 tbsps besan (chick pea flour)

5 tbsps cornflour

1 tsp garlic paste

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tbsp chilli powder

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp garam masala

salt to taste

2 eggs

oil for frying

Method

Clean the fish and wash then strain well.

Put the besan in a bowl together with the cornflour, spices and pastes and mix well with a very little water. Now add the eggs and stir well to make a batter.

Cover the fish with the batter mixture on all sides and leave for 1 hour.

Heat the oil in a pan and deep fry the fish, for 5 minutes (approximately).

Remove the fish fingers, dry on absorbent paper and serve with chips (French fries) etc.

These have Taste and are a Treat.

HOW TO MAKE DELICIOUS PRAWNS IN TEN MINUTES

TEN - MINUTE PRAWNS

Ingredients

250 gr prawns, shelled and de-veined

100 gr mushrooms, chopped

4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp oregano or ajwain

2 tbsps brandy

freshly ground black pepper

single cream for garnish

prawn stock

olive oil for frying

Method

Heat the olive oil in a pan, and add the garlic, mushrooms and prawns. Stir well and continue stirring for 5 mins, then add the other ingredients apart from the cream (or natural yoghurt). Cook for a further 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and serve on toast with a swirl of cream.

This has Taste and is a Treat.