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 17th 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 4th 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 17th 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 17th 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 18th 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
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 9th 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 14th century as a marketing ploy so that they could make more money from their sale. In the 12th 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

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
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.




Fish Fingers

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
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.