WHAT IS GAJER? CARROTS - HISTORY: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF CARROTS: HOW TO MAKE GAJRELA ( CARROT PUDDING)

CARROTS, GAJER, DAUCUS CAROTA SATIVA

In Pakistan carrots look very different to the ubiquitous orange ones on supermarket shelves in Europe and they are also a far cry from the disappointing woody ones that so often find their way into shopping bags. Here they are red or purple, and the red ones seem particularly red when seen on a barrow set against the white of a coconut. They look amazing and the taste doesn’t disappoint.

  Wild carrots still grow, but the domesticated strain began life as small tough spindly roots which over the centuries became the thicker, fleshier roots we have today. The wild carrot is indigenous to parts of Europe and Asia and seeds have been found in excavations of Mesolithic sites, which means that we have been using carrots for more than 10,000 years. It is thought that the domesticated carrot, sativa, originated in what is now Afghanistan about 5,000 years ago and these were either the purple or yellow varieties. Natural orange mutants occurred and these were taken by the Dutch so that the orange carrot we have today was produced.

  There has been some confusion over the centuries about the carrot as the wild one was white and so could be confused with the parsnip, to which carrots, as members of the Umbelliferae family are related. They are also related to dill, fennel, caraway and cumin. In fact it is so confusing that no one is really sure if, during mediaeval times, herbalists and others were writing about the properties of the wild carrot, Daucus carota carota or the parsnip. This article is not concerned with the wild carrot, only the domesticated types.

 There are various paintings from the Middle Ages and later that show the carrot in them and archaeologists believe that purple carrots feature in temple paintings from ancient Egypt, dating back to around 2,000 BC.

   In Rome the wild carrot was used as an aphrodisiac and as part of a potion which was given as an antidote to poisoning. Galen (2^nd century AD) named it Daucus to distinguish it from the parsnip and Dioscorides adequately describes the carrot. It is later that confusion sets in. In his cookery book of 230 AD Apicius gives the name carrots to this vegetable, and it is believed that the Romans introduced the carrot to Europe. After the fall of the Roman Empire, carrots inexplicably vanished into the mists of history, only to re-emerge in Europe in the 12^th century.

  The purple carrot spread into the Mediterranean area in the 10^th century and the yellow mutant carrot is believed to have been developed there. Both colours of carrot spread from the Med to the rest of Europe.

  In the reign of James I of England (James VI of Scotland) the green carrot fern-like tops were fashion accessories and worn in the hair. In 1633 Gerard calls this vegetable a carrot and says that it cured venomous bites and stomach problems.

  Red carrots, like tomatoes contain lycopene, especially the purple ones, and are rich in beta-carotene also possessing vitamins A, C, K and B-complex vitamins. They also contain the minerals manganese, zinc, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, copper, calcium, folate and selenium, so with all these nutrients they have potent anti-oxidant properties and anti-inflammatory ones. Molybdenum and falcarinol) a phytonutrients that may be responsible for reducing the risks of cancer) are also present in carrots. Amino acids and bioflavonoids, including myricetin, kaempferol, quercetin and luteolen, are also present and the humble carrot is indeed good for our eyesight as our grandmothers said. They, like wimberries, improve our night vision and prevent macular degeneration. The red and purple carrots have a high lycopene content and this is believed to have anti-cancer properties. The purple colour is produced by anthocyanins a group of flavonoids also present in grapes, blueberries and cranberries. There are attempts being made to breed red a Chinese carrots with a maroon strain grown by a carrot breeder, Dr. Leonard Pike PhD at the Texas A and M University. The maroon ones have a high beta-carotene and anthocyanin content and the lycopene from the red carrot would make hybrids a super potent carrot for our health. Carrots as they are, however, can help protect us from cardio-vascular disease, some cancers, including those of the larynx, oesophagus and lung cancer, which is good news if you are a smoker.

  On a more mundane level, carrots can also help to stop diarrhoea, and lower cholesterol levels. In Chinese medicine carrots are considered to be a neutral food having neither hot nor cold properties, and they are used for getting rid of coughs, including whooping cough, strengthening the spleen and pancreas, to improve the liver’s function, dissolve kidney and gall bladder stones, to cure tumours, to calm the stomach and get rid of heartburn and indigestion, to improve the hearing and stop earache, and to improve breast-feeding mothers’ milk flow. The juice is also expressed onto the skin for the relief of burns.

  Carrots also have their uses in cosmetics, as they help to combat dry skin, stop acne and get rid of pimples etc. You should grate the carrots and apply them to the face for a face mask, or apply them to eczema, or wounds or burns. Leave the mask on your skin for ½ an hour before rinsing off with warm water.

  Try our recipe for Carrot Halva which is delicious or the one below which is also a dessert recipe.

   If you have children, or want an unusual table decoration, slice the tops off the carrots and put them in water on a saucer and watch them row their fern-like leaves.

GAJRELA (CARROT PUDDING)

Ingredients

1 kg carrots, cleaned and grated

3 litres milk

¾ cup of broken rice (or any basmati rice)

2 cups sugar

10 green cardamom pods crushed a little so that the flavour is released

 50gr sultanas

50 gr desiccated coconut

a few drops of kiora essence (optional)

Method

Wash the rice and soak it for ½ hour in cold water. Drain.

Put carrots, rice and cardamoms in a heavy-bottomed pan and add the milk.

Simmer, uncovered, over a low heat for 2 hours. Scrape the sides and the bottom of the pan frequently, to incorporate the scrapings into the mixture and to prevent burning.

Stir continuously and scrape the sides and bottom of the pan until the carrots and rice are mushy (the consistency of thick porridge) and the milk has thickened.

Add the sugar stirring until it dissolves then add the sultanas and coconut.

Cook for a further 15-20 mins.

Remove from the heat and add kiora (kewra) essence if you are using it.

This dish can be served hot or cold.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WILD STRAWBERRY - HAVE USEFUL DIURETIC PROPERTIES: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF WILD STRAWBERRY

WILD STRAWBERRIES, WOODLAND STRAWBERRIES, ALPINE STRAWBERRIES, FRAGARIA VESCA

Before the strawberry we have today there were wild strawberries which still grow in temperate zones all over the world. They have a completely different taste to garden strawberries and are somehow more succulent despite their small size. They may be white or red, and grow in out of sight places like the shrinking violet. They are of course related to the strawberry and so are members of the rose family of plants.

   I used to be able to pick wild strawberries in the garden and along the roadside as well as in the woods, and know that they are best eaten freshly picked. Luckily I am not allergic to them as some people can be. Their leaves and roots as well as the flowers are similar to those o the garden strawberries and they have much the same medicinal value. Strawberry juice is astringent and can be used as a face whitener and diuretic.

    Traditionally tisanes were made of the leaves and roots to stop diarrhoea and dysentery. They have been used in many cultures over the centuries both for their medicinal properties and their flavour. Mediaeval stone masons carved strawberry motifs on pillars and cathedral and church altars and doorways as they were a symbol of purity and purification. During these times wild strawberries were cultivated for their medicinal value rather than to eat.

  The Romans had strawberries with grapes as fruit of choice in their festivals, and believed that they were good for the liver, spleen, throat infections, bad breath, gout and to dispel melancholia and fever among other ailments.

   In the Renaissance people were eating them for their taste, and Ben Johnson writing a play in 1603 mentions them in the way we know them now (especially when visiting the tennis tournament in Wimbledon).

   “A pot of strawberries gathered in the wood,

     To mingle with your cream.”

A later poet, George Peele has these lines in his poem “The Old Wives Tale”

    “Strawberries swimming in the cream

     And schoolboys playing in the stream.”

 Doctor William Butler, a writer in the 17^th century famously remarked, “Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless, God never did.”

  In Shakespeare’s play, “Othello,” Desdemona’s handkerchief, which was the indirect cause of her demise, was embroidered with a strawberry motif, the symbol of purity.

  Strawberries have vitamins, minerals, amino acids, bioflavonoids and phytonutrients which have potent antioxidant properties and are particularly good for preventing macular degeneration as are wimberries, being rich in vitamin A, C and E. They also contain zinc, potassium, copper, traces of selenium, and have been found to reduce the rate of reproduction of cancerous cells in the liver.

  Culpeper says that strawberries are “singularly good for the healing of many ills” and they were symbols of healing. However, poor Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife had a strawberry birth mark on her neck, which marked her, among the superstitious, as a witch. As strawberries are not only the symbol of purity, but also of passion, they were given to newly-weds in France along with powdered sugar, watery soured cream, and borage as an aphrodisiac, just in case they needed any extra help on their wedding night.

   Strawberries can be used to whiten the teeth and the skin, and are valuable in the cosmetic industry. They were once used to relieve sunburn, and were also considered to have anti-inflammatory properties and so good for arthritis and rheumatism. They also have useful diuretic properties. In other words, these delicious little fruit are very good for your health, so try to find some, but eat them in moderation as they can cause skin rashes and your tongue to become swollen.

 

WHAT IS KHARBOOZA? HONEY MELON: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF HONEY MELON

HONEY MELON, KHARBOOZA

It is now the middle of March, and the yellow melons called Kharbooza in Urdu, have arrived from the province of Sindh. These are not the same as honey dew melons although they look a little like them. They have creamy net patterns on their yellow rind and when opened release a fragrant aroma. They are really sweet and taste like honey. All melons and gourds are part of the Cucurbitaceae family just as the pumpkin, courgette and ash gourd (petha) do. They have a high water content so do not contain many calories, although they do contain sugars so are not the best fruit for those on a diet.

  It is thought that melons (in general) originated in the area that extends from Egypt, to Iran and through to the Indian subcontinent. In Pakistan many varieties of melon are grown, including the cantaloupe and watermelon, and other winter melons (Cucumis melo var. inodorata).

  When you buy a melon, don’t throw the seeds away, you can dry them and eat them as snacks as you can pumpkin seeds. They have been eaten in this way for centuries and are very good roasted.

   Melons were depicted in Roman frescoes and there is a wall painting in Herculaneum on Sicily which shows a melon split in half. This can still be seen if you visit this ancient site that was, like Pompeii, buried under volcanic lava. Galen used them for medical purposes, and the Romans imported their melons from Armenia. Apicius the Roman chef, wrote about the culinary uses of melons in his cookbook but as his recipe requires honey, the melons he used could not have been the honey melon we have here in Pakistan.

  The sweet melons contain vitamin C and K, and B-complex vitamins, as well as being rich in potassium with the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese phosphorous, selenium, copper zinc also present. They also contain amino acids, including tryptophan and have Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids in them, so they have potent antioxidant properties as well as being very tasty.

  In Greek all melons that are not water melons are called peponi which is perhaps an admirable attitude to have as to them it really doesn’t matter what a melon is called, they know what it is by looking at it. I have never seen these melons in Europe, but that doesn’t mean they don’t travel there now. These Pakistani yellow melons are among the best I’ve tasted and are very sweet and thirst-quenching. The Chinese use them to reduce fevers and to generally cool the body. They are used in this way here in Pakistan too. It’s good that something that tastes so good has health benefits too.

TOMATOES - THE WOLF PEACH: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF TOMATOES: HOW TO MAKE SPICY GREEN TOMATOES

TOMATOES, LYCOPERSICON LYCOPERSICUM

The tomato was once reviled because Europeans thought that it was the “wolf peach” described by Galen in the 2^nd century AD; that is what its Latin name means, lyco meaning wolf and persicum, peach. Galen was describing poison given to wolves in a wrapping that looked and presumably tasted delectable to wolves. They ate the “wolf peach” and met their demise.  For this reason, when Cortez the Spanish conquistadore brought it from South America, (he had first seen it in Montezuma’s garden) it was viewed with suspicion and grown for ornamental purposes only. Its English name comes from the Spanish “tomati” first mentioned in print in 1595. It is probable that the first tomatoes were yellow as the Italian and Spanish words for them were Pomi d’oro or golden apples. The Italians were the first Europeans to use the fruit (tomatoes are fruit, and because of the seeds a berry in botanical terms) although it is unclear where they got the idea from, perhaps what is now Turkey, or the area around Lebanon.

  Perhaps the Europeans were suspicious of tomatoes because they are members of the Solanaceae family which includes belladonna or the deadly nightshade, as well as potatoes, chilli peppers and aubergines (eggplants). Although people started eating them, (the French considered them an aphrodisiac and called them Pomme d’ Amour or Love Apples) physicians warned that they caused appendicitis (because of the seeds) and cancer because they thought that the skins stuck to the intestine walls up until the end of the 18^th century.

   Joseph Campbell first marketed his condensed tomato soup in 1897 and this was extremely popular, and his company went from strength to strength. Canned tomatoes are the world’s most best selling canned fruit or vegetable and you will be glad to know that lycopene, which makes them red, and gives them their cancer fighting abilities is increased in potency when heated during the manufacturing of tomato products, including ketchup (but the best is organic ketchup), tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, passata and puree.

  Tomatoes are rich in vitamins C and A, both of which have potent antioxidant properties and are immensely beneficial for our health. They also contain vitamins E, K and the B-complex vitamins as well as the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, 17 amino acids glucose and fructose, molybdenum and chromium.

  Recent medical research has shown that tomatoes when eaten with broccoli, together fight cancer very effectively. Professor John Erdman of the University of Illinois said “When tomatoes and broccoli are eaten together, we see an additive effect. We think that it’s because the different bioactive compounds in each food work on different anti-cancer pathways.” If you have 2 pints of green tea in your daily diet and eat tomatoes these are also thought to lower the risk of prostate cancer.

  Lycopene would seem to be the anti-cancer component in tomatoes and other foods which have a high lycopene content are apricots, pink grapefruit, watermelon, papaya and guava (amroot).

  Drinking tomato juice may reduce the risk of blood clots and is a natural anti-inflammatory so good for osteoporosis, arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. However you should choose a brand that has a low sodium content.

  In January 2011 a Japanese researcher, Dr. Teruo Kawanda from the University of Tokyo said “…the tomato allows people to easily manage the onset of dyslipidemia through their diets” thus reducing the risk of cardio-vascular diseases.

  Tomatoes can also help reduce the risks of thrombosis and Alzheimer’s disease, according to research.

  Tomatoes are a staple of the Mediterranean diet and there’s nothing quite like an Italian plum tomato or a Greek ‘beef’ tomato in sauces or stuffed, or just a huge tomato sliced and made into a salad with black olives, cucumber and feta cheese drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with basil and/or oregano. In 2010 the Italians faced a minor disaster when their staple tomato crop suffered because of a heat wave.

  Tomatoes may be red, yellow, orange, purple, green or even brown. However you shouldn’t eat green tomatoes raw, only when cooked or pickled.

  You can sun dry your own tomatoes as they are delicious in salads and perk them up in winter in a rocket salad. You should reckon on 10 tomatoes producing an ounce of sun dried ones. Slice the tomatoes in half and lay them on wire netting, raised off the ground so that air can get to all sides of them. Sprinkle them lightly with salt and basil or oregano for a full-flavoured effect, the cover them with cheesecloth so that it doesn’t touch the tomatoes. This will deter insects. Leave in a sunny place to dry, but remember to take them in at night before the dew falls. The drying process will take between 4 days to 2 weeks depending on the amount of sun you get in your part of the world. When they have dried, and are crumbly, you can store them in a jar with olive oil with cut garlic and more fresh herbs if you like.

  Below is a recipe for green tomatoes, which shouldn’t be rock hard. It’s a traditional Punjabi dish and really delicious.

 

SPICY GREEN TOMATOES

Ingredients

½ kg small green tomatoes

1tsp garlic paste (pounded garlic cloves)

1 tsp ginger paste (pounded ginger root)

1 onion, finely chopped

1 handful fresh coriander

1 handful fresh mint

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp garam masala

1 cup oil

Method

Make a deep cross in each tomato but don’t cut all the way through.

Mix salt and pepper, turmeric and garam masala and then rub this mixture into the slits with a knife.  Leave them to stand for ½ an hour.

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the garlic and ginger pastes until they become brown. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until it becomes soft.

Add the tomatoes to the pan, with the cut side uppermost. Put enough water in the pan so that the tomatoes are completely covered.

When the water begins to boil, cover and cook over a low heat for about ½ and hour or until only about ½ a glass of water is left in the pan.

Add the coriander and mint and cook for 2 minutes, then remove and serve with naan, roti or chapattis. It tastes superb.

This has Taste and is a Treat.