GLOSSARY: CHILLIES

Chillies (or chilli peppers, chilli, chile) originated from Mexico in Central America and there are several species, all belonging to the capsicum genus.


Chillies have been a part of the human diet in the Americas since at least 7500 BC. There is archaeological evidence at sites located in southwestern Ecuador that chillies were domesticated more than 6000 years ago, and is one of the first cultivated crops in the Americas that is self-pollinating. Chillies are members of the solanaceae family, along with cousins potatoes, eggplants and tomatoes.

Christopher Columbus was one of the first Europeans to encounter chillies (in the Caribbean), and called them "peppers" because of their similarity in taste (though not in appearance) with the Old World black peppers of the Piper genus.


Chillies can be red, green, orange, purple or almost the colour of chocolate. They can be pointy, round, small, club like, long, thin, globular, tapered, or bell shaped. Their skin may be shiny, smooth or wrinkled and their walls may be thick or thin. They range from extremely hot to sweet and mild. Be assured that only a few varieties of chillies are as mild as capsicums.

The colour of chillies is no guide to the intensity of their flavour. Nor is the size. Yet they are utterly delicious and an essential part of the cuisine so many parts of the world. Some people (myself for one) believe they are mildly addictive in a nice and harmless way.


Chillies grow in a range of areas. They are short lived perennials in subtropical and tropical areas, but are normally grown as annuals in colder regions because the cold weather causes them to die off.

In Australia, most fruit is produced from December through to April. chillies like a warm, sunny spot, well drained soil and regular watering during dry weather. Over fertilising can lead to excessive foliage and fewer fruit, just like with tomatoes. I have grown chillies successfully in a hot house throughout the Canberra winter. Ensure that you do not over water during the winter period as the roots may freeze if the ground is too wet.

The substances that give chillies their intensity when ingested or applied topically are capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) and several related chemicals, collectively called capsaicinoids. Capsaicin is the primary ingredient in pepper spray.

When consumed, capsaicinoids bind with pain receptors in the mouth and throat that are normally responsible for sensing heat. Once activated by the capsaicinoids, these receptors send a message to the brain that the person has consumed something hot. The brain responds to the burning sensation by raising the heart rate, increasing perspiration and release of endorphins.

The "heat" of chillies is measured in Scoville heat units (SHU), which is the number of times a chilli extract must be diluted in water for it to lose its heat. Bell peppers rank at 0 SHU, New Mexico green chillies at about 1,500 SHU, jalapeños at 3,000–6,000 SHU, and habaneros at 300,000 SHU. The record for the hottest chilli was assigned by the Guinness Book of Records to the Naga Jolokia, measuring over 1,000,000 SHU. Pure capsaicin, which is a hydrophobic, colorless, odorless, and crystalline-to-waxy solid at room temperature, measures 16,000,000 SHU.

It is amazing how Capsaicin can get around; therefore care should be taken when handling chillies. Capsaicin can damage your eyes so always prepare chillies by wearing disposable gloves and by thoroughly washing all knives, cutting boards and anything else that has come into contact with a cut chilli. Also, do not allow chillies to come in contact with a cut or graze as it can burn the skin.

Most of chilli’s heat is in its seeds and membrane. You can ‘tone’ down the chilli’s heat by discarding these.


COMMON TYPES OF CHILLIES

 Sweet Chilli: A mild chilli that can be eaten even by children. About 6-8 cm long, bright yellow-lime green skin and pointed at one end.

 Bell Chilli Red/Green: This chilli is shaped like a bell. The red ones are hot the green variety can be medium to hot and are excellent for pickling.

 Green Chilli: A long slender green chilli, 6-8 cm long, pointed at one end. It has a medium flavour that is easily eaten by most people who are not use to chilli. Around 1,000 and 2,000 Scoville units on the heat index.

 Red Chilli: Similar in size and shape to the green chilli, but with more sting to its flavour. Good idea to mix the red and green chillies together in any dish.

 Thai Hot/Bird’s eye chilli: A very hot tiny chilli 1-2 cm long. The skin colour can range from green, lime yellow to orange and red. Most people will find these very hot even without the seeds. Used mainly in Thai, Chinese, Indonesian, Malaysian, Indian or Spanish dishes.

 Mexican Hot Chilli: One of the hottest chillies. It has a bright green skin, is 6 - 8 cm long and is pointed at one end.

 Jalapeño Chilli: This fiery hot chilli is the one by which all other chillies are judged. Ripened they can be dark green or red. They have a very thick fleshy skin and are sausage shaped with a blunt end. The Jalapeño rates between 3,000 and 8,000 Scoville units on the heat index.

 Serrano Chilli: It has thin walls and the Serrano chilli is green in colour at first, and ripens to red, brown, orange, or yellow. It is said to be about 5 times hotter than the Jalapeño and rates between 8,000 and 22,000 Scoville units on the heat index.

 Cayenne Chilli: This chilli is generally dried and ground, or pulped and baked into cakes, which are then ground and sifted to make the powdered spice known as Cayenne pepper. It is generally rated at 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville Units.

COMMON FORMS OF CHILLIES

Chillies are normally sold commercially in the following forms:

 Fresh whole
 Fresh minced
 Dried whole
 Dried flakes
 Dried flakes in oil
 Powdered/Ground
 Pickled in a variety of vinegars or wines and in brine
 Infused in a variety of oils
 Chilli Sauces and Sambals

COOLING DOWN REMEDIES

If you have been unfortunate and suffer from ‘chili burns’ to the mouth, don't be tempted to drink cold water as this can intensify the effect in the short term. Instead, have one of the following:

• Salt – put some common table salt on your tongue
• Milk
• Yoghurt
• Cucumber
• A couple of mint leaves
• Yoghurt with chopped mint

Source: Wikipedia, ABC Gardening and Apex

GLOSSARY: CORIANDER

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae. It is also known as cilantro, particularly in the Americas. Coriander is native to southwestern Asia right to the west to North Africa.

The name coriander derives from French coriandre through Latin “coriandrum” and in turn from the Greek “κορίαννον”. All parts of the plant are edible, but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are the most commonly used in cooking. Coriander is commonly used in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Indian, South Asian, Mexican, Latin American, Chinese, African and Southeast Asian cuisine.

Originally grown around present day Greece, coriander has been used as a culinary herb since at least 5,000 B.C. It is mentioned in Sanskrit text and the Bible. Pliny the Elder (23-79 A.D.) used the name Coriandrum after "coris", the Greek word for "bedbug" as it was said they both emitted a similar odour. Coriander is one of the herbs thought to have aphrodisiac qualities; the Chinese used it in love potions and in “The Thousand and One Nights” a man who had been childless for 40 years is cured with a coriander concoction. Spanish conquistadors introduced it to Mexico and Peru where it now commonly paired with chillies in the local cuisine.

The coriander leaves have a very different taste from the seeds, with citrus-like overtones. Some people perceive an unpleasant "soapy" taste or a rank smell and avoid eating the leaves. The fresh leaves are an essential ingredient in many South Asian foods (particularly chutneys), in Chinese dishes and in Mexican salsas and guacamole.


Chopped coriander leaves are also used as a garnish on cooked dishes such as dhal and many curries. As heat diminishes their flavour quickly, coriander leaves are often used raw or added to the dish right before serving. The leaves also spoil quickly when removed from the plant, and lose their aroma when dried or frozen.

The dry fruits are known as coriander seeds. In some regions, the use of the word coriander in food preparation always refers to these seeds (as a spice), rather than to the plant itself. The seeds have a lemony citrus flavour when crushed. It is also described as warm, nutty, spicy, and orange-flavoured. It is commonly found both as whole dried seeds and in ground form. Seeds can be roasted or heated on a dry pan briefly before grinding to enhance and alter the aroma. Like most spices, ground coriander seed loses its flavour quickly in storage and is best when ground as needed. For optimum flavour, whole coriander seed should be stored in a tightly sealed container away from sunlight and heat.


Coriander seed is a key in garam masala and Indian curries, which often employ the ground fruits in generous amounts together with cumin. Roasted coriander seeds, called dhana dal, are also eaten as a snack. It is also the main ingredient of the two south Indian gravies, sambhar and rasam.

Outside of Asia, coriander seed is an important spice for pickling vegetables, and making sausages in Germany and South Africa. In Russia and Central Europe coriander seed is an occasional ingredient in rye bread as an alternative to caraway. Coriander seeds are also used in brewing certain styles of beer, particularly some Belgian wheat beers. The coriander seeds are typically used in conjunction with orange peel to add a citrus character to these styles of beer. Having said this, it is not a common spice in Western cuisine.

Coriander roots have a deeper, more intense flavour than the leaves. They are used in a variety of Asian cuisines. They are commonly used in Thai dishes, including soups and curry pastes. In Malaysia, it is usually ground to make curry paste.

Coriander is considered an aid to the digestive system. It is an appetite stimulant and aids in the secretion of gastric juices. The essential oils of the cilantro leaves contain antibacterial properties and can be used as a fungicide. It is rich in vitamin C.

NAMES

Coriander - Europe, Asia, Australasia
Cilantro - Latin America and United States

French: coriandre
German: Koriander
Italian: coriandolo
Spanish: cilantro, culantro
Arabic: kizbara
Burmese: nannambin (leaves), nannamzee (seed)
Chinese: hsiang tsai, yen-sui, yuen sai, yuin si tsoi (leaves)
Indian: dhanyia, dhuniah, kothimbir, kotimear, kotimli (seed)
dhania patta, dhania sabz, hara dhania (leaf)
Indonesian: ketumbar
Lao: phak hom pom
Malay: daun ketumba(r) (leaves), ketumba(r) (seed)
Sinhalese: kottamalli (seed), kottamalli kolle (leaves)
Tamil: kothamilee
Thai: pak chee (met)

Source: Wikipedia and The Epicentre

GLOSSARY: CHINESE FIVE SPICE POWDER

The Chinese five spice powder is a mixture of five spices used in Chinese cuisine. Although the exact origins of five-spice powder are lost to history, there is some thought that the Chinese were attempting to produce a "wonder powder" encompassing all of the five elements. All of the five flavours - sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty - are found in five-spice powder. Then again, it's possible that a cook accidentally stumbled upon this particular combination of spices, and realized its power to enliven the blandest dish. Whatever the case, there is no doubt that five spice powder is unique.

This spice blend is a staple in Chinese cooking, and is often used in a technique called "flavour potting", where meat is steeped in a rich sauce and cooked for long hours. The spices and volumes used in five spice powders may differ slightly between recipes. However, the main ingredients are star anise, cloves, cassia, Szechwan pepper and fennel seeds. Some recipes use them in equal proportions, whilst others use more of one to heighten a specific flavour. Generally though, Chinese five spice powder is dominated by the aroma and flavour of the star anise.


It is used in many Asian recipes, its sweet tangy flavour going well with greasy meats like pork and duck. Stir-fried vegetables are enhanced by sprinkling about a teaspoon of the powder over the vegetables when cooking. Add a little salt to the powder, and it makes an excellent spice rub for chicken, duck, pork and seafood.

Here’s a recipe that I usually use (courtesy of the Epicentre)

1 1/2 tbsp star anise
2 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 1/2 tsp cassia
1/2 tsp Szechwan pepper
1/2 tsp cloves

Optional: 1/2 teaspoon white pepper and/or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger. Both will give added bite and depth to the flavour

Method

In a frying pan, over medium heat, dry roast the Szechuan pepper until aromatic. Ensure that the pepper is evenly roasted by continually shaking the pan. This should take about 3 minutes.

Add the roasted Szechuan pepper to a spice/coffee grinder along with the star anise, fennel seeds, cassia and cloves. Grind to a fine powder. Add in the white pepper and ground ginger. Store in an airtight container.


Source: Wikipedia, Chinesefood.About.Com and The Epicentre

GLOSSARY: SZECHUAN PEPPER

Szechuan or Sichuan pepper is native to the Szechwan province of China. Though they bear some resemblance to black peppercorns, they are not actually of the pepper family, but the dried berry i.e. the outer pod of the tiny fruit of a number of species in the genus Zanthoxylum (most commonly Z. piperitum, Z. simulans, and Z. schinifolium). It is widely grown and consumed in Asia as a spice. It is widely used in Chinese Szechuan cuisine, from which it takes its name, as well as Tibetan, Bhutanese, Nepalese and Japanese cuisines

Szechuan pepper has a unique aroma and flavour and is not hot or pungent like black or white pepper or chillies. It has lemony overtones and creates a tingly numbness in the mouth when consumed. Recipes often suggest lightly toasting and then crushing the tiny seedpods before adding them to food. Only the husks are used; the shiny black seeds are discarded or ignored as they have a very gritty sand-like texture. It is generally added at the end of the cooking process.

Szechwan pepper are rust coloured with hair-thin stems and open ends. The dried berries resemble tiny beechnuts measuring 4 - 5 mm in diameter. The rough skin splits open to reveal a brittle black seed, about 3 mm in diameter; however the spice mainly consists of the empty husks. It is available whole or ground. In Japan the leaves are used as spice — the ground dried leaves are known as sansho and the whole leaves, kinome, are fresh, vacuum-packed or pickled.

The berries should be gently roasted to release aromatics before crushing with a mortar and pestle or electric coffee grinder. If a fine powder is desired, sieve to remove the husks and stalks. Store in airtight containers, out of sunlight.

Other Names

Anise Pepper, Chinese Pepper, Fagara, Japan Pepper, Sichuan Pepper, Suterberry, Szechuan pepper, Toothache Tree, Yellow Wood
French: poivre anise
German: Szechuan-Pfeffer
Italian: pepe d’anise
Spanish: pepe di anis
Chinese: chuan-chiao, chun-chiu, shun-tsin, fa-chin, hua-chiao, hua jiao, jiao, ta-liao
Japanese: kinome (fresh leaves), sancho (powdered dried leaves)

Source: Wikipedia and Epicentre.com

GLOSSARY: BLACK PEPPER

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. In dried form, the fruit is often referred to as peppercorns. Peppercorns, and the powdered pepper derived from grinding them, may be described as pepper and depending on the colour of the powdered pepper, as black pepper, white pepper, red/pink pepper, and green pepper, though the terms pink peppercorns, red pepper, and green pepper are also used to describe the fruits of other, unrelated plants.


Black pepper is native to South India, particularly the Malabar Coast, in what is now the state of Kerala. It is still extensively cultivated there and in the tropical South-East Asia regions. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is a small drupe about five mm in diameter, dark red when fully mature, containing a single seed.

Black pepper has been known to Indian cooking since at least 2000 BC. Peppercorns were (and still is) a much prized trade good, often referred to as "black gold" and used as a form of commodity money. The term "peppercorn rent" still exists today.


Black peppercorns were found stuffed in the nostrils of Ramesses II, placed there as part of the mummification rituals shortly after his death in 1213 BC. Little else is known about the use of pepper in ancient Egypt, nor how it reached the Nile from India.

It is possible that black pepper was known in China in the 2nd century BC, if poetic reports on an explorer named Tang Meng are correct. Sent by Emperor Wu to what is now south-west China, Tang Meng is said to have come across something called “jujiang” or "sauce-betel". The traditional view among historians is that "sauce-betel" is a sauce made from betel leaves, but arguments have been made that it actually refers to black pepper.

In the 3rd century AD, black pepper made its first definite appearance in Chinese texts, as “hujiao” or "foreign pepper". However, it does not appear to have been widely known at the time. By the 12th century however, black pepper had become a popular ingredient in the cuisine of the wealthy and powerful, sometimes taking the place of China's native Sichuan pepper (the tongue-numbing dried fruit of an unrelated plant).

Black pepper is one of the most common spices in European cuisine, having been known and prized since antiquity. It is found on nearly every dinner table in the world, often alongside table salt.
It is the black pepper, along with other spices from India and lands farther east, that changed the course of world history. It was in some part the preciousness and exorbitant price of this spice that led to the European efforts to find a sea route to India and consequently to the European colonial occupation of India, South-East Asia and the Far East, as well as the European discovery and colonization of the Americas.

The monopoly on the spice trade held by Italy was one of the inducements which led to the Portuguese to seek a sea route to India. In 1498, Vasco da Gama became the first European to reach India by sea (via the Cape of Good Hope) and soon the Portuguese had exclusive rights to the spice trade between the East and Europe. However, by the 17th century, the Portuguese lost almost all of their valuable Indian Ocean possessions to the Dutch and the English.

Black pepper is produced from the still-green unripe berries of the pepper plant. The berries are cooked briefly in hot water, both to clean and to prepare for drying. The heat ruptures cell walls in the fruit, speeding the work of browning enzymes during drying. The berries are dried in the sun or by machine for several days, during which the fruit around the seed shrinks and darkens into a thin, wrinkled black layer. Once dried, the fruits are called black peppercorns.

White pepper consists of the seed only, with the fruit removed. This is usually accomplished by allowing fully ripe berries to soak in water for about a week, during which the flesh of the fruit softens and decomposes. Rubbing then removes what remains of the fruit, and the naked seed is dried. Alternative processes are used for removing the outer fruit from the seed, including removal of the outer layer from black pepper produced from unripe berries.
FYI, Sichuan peppercorn is another "pepper" that is botanically unrelated to black pepper and used mainly in Sichuan style Chinese cooking.

Peppercorns are often labeled by their region or port of origin. Two well-known types come from India's Malabar Coast: Malabar pepper and Tellicherry pepper. Tellicherry is a higher-grade pepper, made from the largest, ripest 10 per cent of berries from Malabar plants grown on Mount Tellicherry. Sarawak pepper is produced in the Malaysian sovereignty of Borneo and Lampong pepper on Indonesia's island of Sumatra. White Muntok pepper is another Indonesian product, which hails from Bangka Island (just off the Sumatran coast).


Pepper gets its spicy heat mostly from the piperine compound, which is found both in the outer fruit and in the seed. Pepper loses flavour and aroma through evaporation, so airtight storage helps preserve pepper's original spiciness longer. Pepper can also lose its flavour when exposed to light and also once ground, pepper's aromatics evaporate quite quickly. Most culinary sources recommend grinding whole peppercorns just before use for this reason. Pepper grinders and mortar and pestle are the commonly used implements.

Peppercorns are, by monetary value, the most widely traded spice in the world, accounting for 20 per cent of all spice imports in 2002. The price of pepper can be volatile, and this figure fluctuates a great deal year to year. The International Pepper Exchange is located in Kochi, India.

Vietnam has recently become the world's largest producer and exporter of pepper (82,000 tons in 2003). Other major producers include Indonesia (67,000 tons), India (65,000 tons), Brazil (35,000 tons), Malaysia (22,000 tons), Sri Lanka (12,750 tons), Thailand, and China. Vietnam dominates the export market, using almost none of its production domestically. In 2003, Vietnam exported 82,000 tons of pepper, Indonesia 57,000 tons, Brazil 37,940 tons, Malaysia 18,500 tons, and India 17,200 tons.

Source: Wikipedia

GLOSSARY: KAFFIR LIME

The kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix DC., Rutaceae) is a type of lime native to Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. It is commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine but is now grown worldwide as a backyard shrub.

The fruit of the kaffir lime is vibrant green and small (approx. 4 cm wide), rough and bumpy and grows on a very thorny bush with aromatic and distinctively shaped "double" leaves. It is well suited to container growing.

Other names for the Kaffir Lime:

• Burma: shauk-nu, shauk-waing
• Cambodia: krauch soeuch
• China: ning meng ye (Mandarin), fatt-fung-kam (Cantonese),
• Indonesia: jeruk purut, jeruk limo, jeruk sambal
• Laos: makgeehoot
• Malaysia: limau purut
• Philippines: Kubot, per-res (Sagada)
• Reunion Island: combava
• Sri Lanka: kahpiri dehi, odu dehi, kudala-dehi
• Thailand: makrud, som makrud

The rind of the kaffir lime is commonly used in Thai curry paste, adding an aromatic, astringent flavour. Its hourglass-shaped leaves (comprising the leaf blade plus a flattened, leaf-like leaf-stalk or petiole) are also widely used in Thai cuisine (for dishes such as tom yum), and Cambodian cuisine (for the base paste known as "Krueng"), and Lao cuisine. The leaves are also popular in Indonesian, Malaysian and Burmese cooking.

The leaves can be used fresh or dried, and can be stored frozen. The juice is generally regarded as too acidic to use in food preparation.


The zest of the fruit is widely used in creole cuisine and to impart flavor to "arranged" rums in the Réunion Island and Madagascar.

Note: You can buy established Kaffir and ordinary lime trees from Bunnings around spring time. I purchased my tree around a year ago for $24.95. You can plant it in pots (which I have) or in the ground. If grown in frost prone areas, the plant will need protection from the frost for a few years until it is very well established.

Source: Wikipedia

GLOSSARY: ONION

ONION is a term used for the many plants in the Allium genus (part of the lily family). It is one of the oldest vegetables known to humankind. It is strong yet sweet and don't just add flavour but also richness and complexity to dishes. ONIONS are found in a large number of recipes and preparations spanning almost the totality of the world's cultures.

It is thought that bulbs from the ONION family have been used as a food source for millennia. In Bronze Age settlements, traces of onion remains were found alongside fig and date stones dating back to 5000 BC. However, it is not clear if these were cultivated ONIONS.

The Ancient Egyptians worshipped it, believing that its spherical shape and concentric rings symbolized eternal life. ONIONS were even used in Egyptian burials as evidenced by ONION traces being found in the eye sockets of Ramesses IV. They believed that, if buried with the dead, the strong scent of onions would bring breath back to the dead.

In ancient Greece, athletes ate large quantities of ONIONS because it was believed that it would lighten the balance of blood. Roman gladiators were rubbed down with ONIONS to firm up their muscles. In the Middle Ages, ONIONS were such an important food that people would pay their rent with ONIONS and even give them as gifts. Doctors were known to prescribe ONIONS to facilitate bowel movements and erection, and also to relieve headaches, coughs, snakebites and hair loss. The ONION was introduced to North America by Christopher Columbus on his 1492 expedition to Hispaniola. ONIONS were also prescribed by doctors in the early 1500s to help with infertility in women and even to dogs and cattle and many other household pets. However, recent evidence has shown that dogs, cats, and other animals should not be given ONIONS in any form, due to toxicity during digestion.


The characteristic appearance of the ONION is well known, but there are many variations of colour, shape and size. The colour varies from white to red to purple, the shape from spherical to almost conical, and the diameter at the largest point from 10mm (1/2in) to 8cm (3in) or 'more. ONIONS should be firm, though not rock hard. The papery skin should be tight over the surface of the bulb. Spring onions, or scallions, are immature plants where the bulb has not completely formed. They may be cylindrical, the green stem shading into the white bulblet, which may be almost spherical.

ONIONS are available in fresh, frozen, canned, pickled, powdered, chopped, and dehydrated forms. ONIONS can be used, usually chopped or sliced, in almost every type of food including cooked foods and fresh salads and as a spicy garnish. They are rarely eaten on their own but usually act as accompaniment to the main course. Depending on the variety, an ONION can be sharp, spicy, tangy and pungent or mild and sweet.


ONION’S antiseptic properties as a juice or paste have been used for wound healing, skin complaints (acne), insect bites, hemorrhoids, boils, toothache, earache and respiratory complaints. The raw juice is diuretic and the whole ONION is an appetite stimulant and digestant. It has been used as a vermifuge. It is believed to stimulate the liver and is beneficial to the heart and nervous system.

We tend to tear when peeling or slicing ONIONS because of the release of sulphenic acid in ONIONS which are produced by the reaction of the enzyme alliinase on an amino acid. These substances are normally in separate cells in the ONION’S tissues, but when the ONION is cut and bruised, the cells rupture and the reaction takes place. Sulphenic acids are unstable and spontaneously rearrange into a volatile gas called syn-propanethial-S-oxide. The gas diffuses through the air and eventually reaches the eye, where it binds to sensory neurons, creating a stinging sensation. Tear glands produce tears to dilute and flush out the irritant. Cooking has the opposite effect, preventing the enzymatic action and thus, a milder and less pungent flavour is produced. To prevent the eyes from watering, peel ONIONS under cold water or put them in the freezer for ten minutes before chopping.

Other Names

French: oignon
German: Zwiebel
Italian: cipolla
Spanish: cebolla
Arabic: basal
Chinese: choong
Hindi: pe(e)az, piaz, pyaz
Indonesian/Malay: bawang merah, daun bawang (spring onion)
Japanese: naganegi (spring onion), negi, nira (chive), rakkyo (Chinese onion), tamanegi
Tamil: vungium, vunguim
Thai: hua horm, ton horm (spring onion)

Source: Wikipedia and The Epicentre

GLOSSARY: GARLIC

Allium sativum L., commonly known as GARLIC, is a species in the onion family Alliaceae. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, and chive. GARLIC has been used throughout recorded history for both culinary and medicinal purposes. It has a pungent, spicy flavor that mellows and sweetens with cooking. A bulb of GARLIC, the most commonly used part of the plant, is divided into numerous fleshy sections called cloves. Single clove GARLIC (also called Pearl garlic or Solo garlic) also exists; it originates in the Yunnan province of China. The leaves, stems, and flowers (bulbils) on the head are also edible and are most often consumed while immature and still tender.

The word GARLIC comes from Old English garleac, meaning "spear leek." Dating back over 6,000 years, it is said to be native to Central Asia. GARLIC has been cultivated for so long that it is impossible to determine precisely its place of origin.

GARLIC is recorded in Egypt from the earliest times and was eaten by the builders of the Pyramids. Egyptians worshipped GARLIC and placed clay models of GARLIC bulbs in the tomb of Tutankhamen. GARLIC was so highly-prized then that it was even used as currency! According to an Arab legend, GARLIC grew from the Devil's footprint as he left Eden. Folklore holds that GARLIC repelled vampires, protected against the Evil Eye, and warded off jealous nymphs said to terrorize pregnant women and engaged maidens. The most famous of all GARLIC folklore is its association with vampires, popularised in the West by Bram Stoker in the classic gothic novel Dracula.

GARLIC is grown globally, but China is by far the largest producer of GARLIC, with approximately 10.5 billion kilograms (23 billion pounds) annually, accounting for over 77 per cent of world output. India (4.1 per cent) and South Korea (2 per cent) follow, with Russia (1.6 per cent) in fourth place and the United States in fifth place (1.4 per cent). This leaves 16 per cent of global GARLIC production in countries that each produces less than 2 per cent of global output.


Culinary uses and storage

GARLIC is widely used around the world for its pungent flavor as a seasoning or condiment. It is a fundamental component in many or most dishes of various regions, including eastern Asia, south Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, northern Africa, southern Europe, and parts of South and Central America. The flavour varies in intensity and aroma with the different cooking methods. It is often paired with onion, tomato or ginger.

When buying GARLIC, make sure the heads are dry with plenty of paper covering. If you can see green shoots then the GARLIC is probably too old or wasn't dried properly. GARLIC that is too old will crumple under the slightest pressure from the fingers. It is traditionally hung; soft neck varieties are often braided in strands, called "plaits" or grappes. Keep heads of GARLIC in a cool dry atmosphere, to keep it dormant (so that it does not sprout). Processed GARLIC must be kept in airtight containers.

Other Names

German: Knoblauch
Italian: aglio, capo d'aglio (clove)
Spanish: ajo
Arabic: toom
Burmese: chyet-thon-phew
Chinese: suen tau
Hindi/Punjabi: lassan, lassoon, lusson
Indonesian/Malay: bawang puteh or bawang putih
Japanese: ninniku

Source: Wikipedia, About.Com and The Epicentre

GLOSSARY: VIETNAMESE MINT

This is my Vietnamese mint which I have been growing in a pot for 8 years now. I will give a full description of the herb in the coming days.

GLOSSARY: TURMERIC

TURMERIC (Curcuma longa) is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is an ancient spice, native to South East Asia and used from antiquity as dye, condiment and medicine. It is cultivated primarily in Bengal, China, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Java, Peru, Australia and the West Indies. It is still used in Hindu rituals and as a dye for holy robes, being natural, unsynthesized and cheap. TURMERIC is in fact one of the cheapest spices.

Its use dates back nearly 4000 years, to the Vedic culture in India where it was used as a culinary spice and had some religious significance. The name derives from the Latin terra merita “meritorious earth” referring to the colour of ground TURMERIC which resembles a mineral pigment. In many languages, TURMERIC is simply named as “yellow root”.


The rhizomes are boiled for several hours and then dried in hot ovens, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow powder commonly used as a spice in curries and other South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine, for dyeing, and to impart colour to mustard condiments. Its active ingredient is curcumin and it has an earthy, bitter, peppery flavour and a mustardy smell.

TURMERIC is nearly always used in ground form however it is used fresh in Malay and Indonesian cooking where the leaves are also used in cooking. The powder will maintain its colouring properties indefinitely though the flavour will diminish over time so buy in moderation. Store in airtight containers, out of sunlight.

TURMERIC (coded as E100 when used as a food additive) is used to protect food products from sunlight. In combination with annatto (E160b), TURMERIC has been used to colour cheeses, yogurt, ice cream, orange juice, cakes and biscuits, popcorn, cereals, salad dressings, gelatine, winter butter, margarine etc. TURMERIC is also used to give the yellow colour to some prepared mustards, canned chicken broths and other foods (often as a much cheaper replacement for saffron). It is a significant ingredient in most commercial curry powders.

MEDICINAL USES

In Ayurvedic practices, TURMERIC is thought to have many medicinal properties and many in South Asia (particularly India) use it as a readily available antiseptic for cuts, burns and bruises. Practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine say it has fluoride which is thought to be essential for teeth. It is also used as an antibacterial agent.

It is taken in some Asian countries as a dietary supplement, which allegedly helps with stomach problems and other ailments. It is popular as a tea in Okinawa, Japan. Pakistanis also use it as an anti-inflammatory agent, and remedy for gastrointestinal discomfort associated with irritable bowel syndrome, and other digestive disorders. In Afghanistan and North West Pakistan, TURMERIC is applied to a piece of burnt cloth, and placed over a wound to cleanse and stimulate recovery. Indians, in addition to its Ayurvedic properties, use TURMERIC in a wide variety of skin creams that are also exported to neighboring countries. It is currently being investigated by Western medicine for possible benefits in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, multiple myeloma, Alzheimer's and colorectal cancer. TURMERIC is also used in the formulation of some sunscreens.

TURMERIC paste is applied to bride and groom before marriage in some places of India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, where it is believed turmeric gives glow to skin and keeps some harmful bacteria away from the body.

OTHER NAMES

Indian Saffron, Tumeric, Yellow Ginger

French: curcuma, saffron des Indes
German: Gelbwurz
Italian: curcuma
Spanish: curcuma
Arabic: kharkoum
Burmese: fa nwin
Chinese: wong geung fun
Indian: haldee, haldi, huldee, huldie
Indonesian: kunjit, kunyit
Malay: kunyit
Sinhalese: kaha
Tamil: munjal
Thai: kamin

Source: Wikipedia and The Epicentre


PS: I have successfully grown TURMERIC in Canberra. I cultivated it from fresh TURMERIC bought from the green grocers.

Look for turmeric with small rhizomes. You will need a small pot with some seed raising mix, bury the root about 2 to 3 cm from the top and hope for the best. Do not over water, as it would rot the fresh turmeric. Leave in a warm sheltered position. When the plant is about 12 to 18 cm high, (providing the temperature is right), you will need to transfer it to a garden bed…. and watch it grow!

However you will need to protect the plant from mid April to Mid October, preferabably in a hot house as Canberra weather will be too cold for it.

GLOSSARY: GINGER

GINGER is native to India and China. It takes its name from the Sanskrit word stringa-vera, which means “with a body like a horn”, as in antlers.

GINGER has been important in Chinese medicine for many centuries, and is mentioned in the writings of Confucius. It is also named in the Koran, the sacred book of the Moslems, indicating it was known in Arab countries as far back as 650 A.D. It was one of the earliest spice known in Western Europe, used since the ninth century. It became so popular in Europe that it was included in every table setting, like salt and pepper. A common article of medieval and Renaissance trade, it was one of the spices used against the plague. In English pubs and taverns in the nineteenth century, barkeepers put out small containers of ground GINGER, for people to sprinkle into their beer — the origin of ginger ale. In order to ’gee up’ a lazy horse, it is the time honoured practice of Sussex farmers to apply a pinch of GINGER to the animal’s backside!!!

Although often called “ginger root” it is actually a rhizome. It is available in various forms. Fresh GINGER is essential to Indian, South-East Asian and oriental cookery. It is used in pickles, chutneys and curry pastes and the ground dried root is a constituent of many curry powders. In the West, dried and crystalised ginger is mainly used in cakes, biscuits, puddings, jams, preserves and in some drinks like ginger beer, ginger wine and tea.

In Asian cooking, GINGER is almost always used fresh, either minced, crushed or sliced. Fresh GINGER can be kept for several weeks in the salad drawer of the refrigerator. Dried GINGER should be ‘bruised’ by beating it to open the fibers, then infused in the cooking or making ginger beer and removed when the flavour is sufficient. Store dried and powdered GINGER in airtight containers.

MEDICINAL QUALITIES

GINGER has long been ascribed aphrodisiac powers, taken either internally or externally. It is mentioned in the Karma Sutra, and in the Melanesian Islands of the South Pacific it is employed ‘to gain the affection of a woman’. Conversely, in the Philippines it is chewed to expel evil spirits. GINGER is a known diaphoretic, meaning it causes one to sweat. It was recorded that Henry VIII instructed the mayor of London to use ginger’s diaphoretic qualities as a plague medicine.

GINGER is most commonly known for its effectiveness as a digestive aid. By increasing the production of digestive fluids and saliva, GINGER helps relieve indigestion, gas pains, diarrhea and stomach cramping. The primary known constituents of GINGER Root include gingerols, zingibain, bisabolenel, oleoresins, starch, essential oil (zingiberene, zingiberole, camphene, cineol, borneol), mucilage, and protein. GINGER root is also used to treat nausea related to both motion sickness and morning sickness. Ginger has been found to be even more effective than Dramamine® in curbing motion sickness, without causing drowsiness. GINGER 's anti-inflammatory properties help relieve pain and reduce inflammation associated with arthritis, rheumatism and muscle spasms. GINGER 's therapeutic properties effectively stimulate circulation of the blood, removing toxins from the body, cleansing the bowels and kidneys, and nourishing the skin. Other uses for GINGER Root include the treatment of asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory problems by loosening and expelling phlegm from the lungs. GINGER Root may also be used to help break fevers by warming the body and increasing perspiration.

OTHER NAMES

East Indian Pepper, Jamaica Ginger, Jamaica Pepper

French: gingembre
German: Ingwer
Italian: zenzero
Spanish: jengibre
Burmese: cheung, chiang, jeung
Indian: adruk (green), ard(r)ak(h) (green), sont(h) (dried)
Indonesian/Malay: aliah/halia
Japanese: mioga, myoga, shoga
Thai: k(h)ing (green)

Source: The Epicentre


PS: I have successfully grown GINGER in Canberra. I cultivated it from fresh GINGER bought from the green grocers and also through mail order from ALL RARE HERBS.

Look for GINGER with small rhizomes. You will need a small pot with some seed raising mix, bury the root about 2 to 3 cm from the top and hope for the best. Do not over water, as it would rot the fresh GINGER. Leave in a warm sheltered position. When the plant is about 12 to 18 cm high, (providing the temperature is right), you will need to transfer it to a garden bed…. and watch it grow!

However you will need to protect the plant from mid April to Mid October, preferabably in a hot house as Canberra weather will be too cold for it.

GLOSSARY: LEMON GRASS

LEMON GRASS or Cymbopogon is a genus of about 55 species of grasses, native to warm temperate and tropical regions of the Old World and Oceania. It is a tall perennial grass. Common names include lemongrass, barbed wire grass, silky heads, citronella grass, fever grass or Hierba Luisa amongst many others.Not all varieties are edible.

The LEMON GRASS that is suitable for cooking is the ‘Cymbopogon citratus’ and is native to Malaysia. It has a citrus flavour and can be dried and powdered, or used fresh. The lower portion is sliced, pounded or bruised (to release its flavour and essential oils) and used in cooking. As a spice, fresh LEMON GRASS is preferred for its vibrant flavour. The dried spice is available in several forms: chopped in slices, cut and sifted, powdered, or as oil.

LEMON GRASS is commonly used in teas, soups, and curries. It is also suitable for poultry, fish, and seafood. It is often used as a tea in African and Latino-American countries.

If using fresh LEMON GRASS, use only the lower bulbous portion of the stem. It can be pounded and used whole or cut in slices. When using the ground powder (sereh) use one teaspoon as an equal to one stalk of fresh. It is advisable to soak dried sliced lemon grass for two hours before using.

When wrapped in a paper bag, LEMON GRASS stems can last 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator. The stems can also be frozen for several months. Always wrap and store separately, as LEMON GRASS will impart its flavour to other foods.

OTHER USES

Citronella Grass (Cymbopogon nardus and Cymbopogon winterianus) is similar to the species above but grows to 2 m and has red base stems. These species are used for the production of citronella oil, which is used in soaps, as a mosquito repellent in insect sprays and candles, and also in aromatherapy, which is famous in Bintan, Indonesia. The principal chemical constituents of citronella, geraniol and citronellol, are antiseptics, hence their use in household disinfectants and soaps. Besides oil production, citronella grass is also used for culinary purposes, in tea and as a flavoring. The essential oil is used in perfumery too.

LEMON GRASS Oil is said to be an excellent pesticide and the Oriental Research Institute in Mysore, India apply it on ancient manuscripts to preserve them. The oil also keeps the manuscripts dry from humidity hence delaying the decay process of humidity. Research also shows that LEMON GRASS oil has antifungal properties.
LEMON GRASS also has medicinal properties and is used extensively in ancient Indian Ayurvedic medicines. It is supposed to help with relieving cough and nasal congestion.

The GRASS is considered a diuretic, tonic and stimulant. It promotes good digestion, and a preparation of LEMON GRASS with pepper has been used for relief of menstrual troubles and nausea. It induces perspiration, to cool the body and reduce a fever.

OTHER NAMES

Camel’s Hay, Citronella, Geranium Grass, Cochin Grass, Sereh (powder)

French: herbe de citron
German: Zitronengras
Italian: erba di limone
Spanish: hierba de limon
Indian: bhustrina, sera
Indonesian: sere, sereh
Lao: bai mak nao
Malay: serai
Sinhalese: sera
Thai: takrai

Source: Wikipedia and The Epicentre


PS: I have grown LEMON GRASS in Canberra. You can buy the plant from Bunnings from mid November to February. For a better yield, I’d recommend planting it in the ground and protecting it from the cold from mid April to mid October, preferably in a hot house.

Give it a feed of potassium nitrate in summer to 'fatten' up the stalks. Make sure you do not pour the potassium directly on the roots but about 6 inches away from the roots.

GLOSSARY: GALANGAL

The GALANGAL plant is a rhizome with culinary and medicinal uses. It is known as “kha or krachai” in Thailand. “lengkuas or kencur” in Malaysia, “laos or kencor” in Indonesia and “barakalinjan or kulanjan” in India . It used in various oriental cuisines (for example in Thai cuisine in Tom Yum soups and throughout Malay and Indonesian cuisine, for example, in Nasi Goreng). Though it resembles the ginger (which it is related to), there is little similarity in taste. GALANGAL is widely cultivated in South East Asia in a similar manner to ginger.

In its raw form, GALANGAL has a citrus, earthy aroma, with hints of pine in the flavor. It is available as a fresh whole root, or dried sliced or powdered. The whole fresh root is very hard, and requires both a sharp knife and care to slice. A mixture of GALANGAL and lime juice is used as a tonic in parts of Southeast Asia. It is said to have the effect of an aphrodisiac, and act as a stimulant. In the Indonesian language, greater GALANGAL is called lengkuas or laos and lesser GALANGAL is called kencur.

The word GALANGAL is used as a common name for all members of the genus Alpinia, and in common usage can refer to four plants, all in the Zingiberaceae (ginger family):

* Alpinia galanga or greater galangal
* Alpinia officinarum or lesser galangal
* Kaempferia galanga, also called lesser galangal or sand ginger
* Boesenbergia pandurata, also called Chinese ginger or fingerroot

Alpinia galanga is also known as Chewing John, Little John Chew and GALANGAL root. It is used in African-American folk medicine and hoodoo folk magic.

Greater GALANGAL is native to Java. It is widely used in Indonesia and Malaysia as a food flavouring and spice. Lesser GALANGAL is native to China, growing mainly on the southeast coast. It is also grown in India and the rest of South East Asia. Although barely used in Europe today, both GALANGAL were formerly imported in great quantity, as medicine and spice. GALANGAL was known to the ancient Indians, and has been in the West since the Middle Ages. Its stimulant and tonic properties are recognized by the Arabs who ginger up their horses with it, and by the Tartars, who take it in tea. In the East, it is taken powdered as a snuff, and is used in perfumery and in brewing.

Use GALANGAL like ginger – either powdered, sliced, bruised or crushed. One slice of the root is equivalent to half a teaspoon of powder. Generally small quantities are specified in recipes, greater GALANGAL being used in larger amounts than lesser GALANGAL. The powders should be stored in airtight containers and used within a short space of time.

The use of greater GALANGAL is confined to local Malaysian and Indonesian dishes such as curries. Although known in Europe since the Middle Ages, GALANGAL is now used only in Far Eastern cookery from Indonesia, Indochina, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Like ginger, GALANGAL is a ‘de-fisher’ and so appears frequently in fish and shellfish recipes often with garlic, ginger, chilli and lemon or tamarind. GALANGAL powder is used in a wide variety of dishes such as sauces, soups, satays and sambals, chicken, meat and vegetable curries. Although used in the often searingly hot Indonesian cookery, GALANGAL powder enhances dishes such as chicken delicately spiced with fennel and lemon grass and gently cooked in coconut milk. However, these mild dishes are usually accompanied by vegetable or fish sambals fiery with chili.

MEDICINAL QUALITIES OF GALANGAL

Resembling ginger in its effects, GALANGAL is an aromatic stimulant, carminative and stomachic. It is used against nausea, flatulence, dyspepsia, rheumatism, catarrh and enteritis. It also possesses tonic and antibacterial qualities and is used for these properties in veterinary and homeopathic medicine. In India it is used as a body deodorizer and halitosis remedy. Both GALANGAL have been used in Europe and Asia as an aphrodisiac for centuries.

GLOSSARY: PANDANUS/PANDAN LEAF

The edible Pandanus Leaf (Pandanus amaryllifolius) or commonly know as PANDAN, is a leaf that is used extensively in South Asian (Sri Lanka and India) and Southeast Asian (predominantly in Malaysian, Singaporean, Indonesian and Thai) cooking. The leaves are used in both savoury and sweet dishes.

PANDAN leaves are used in Southeast Asian cooking to add a distinct aroma to rice and curry dishes such as NASI LEMAK, kaya (a coconut jam) and desserts such as PANDAN cake. PANDAN leaf can be used as a complement to chocolate in many dishes, such as ice cream. If using whole, fresh leaves are typically torn into strips, tied in a knot to facilitate removal, placed in the cooking liquid and then removed at the end of cooking. It can also be ground with some water in a blender to extract the juice as flavouring for desserts and to make PANDAN cake.

In Thailand, pieces of marinated chicken are enclosed in the PANDAN leaf and grilled or deep fried. In the Southeast Asian countries, the leaves are pounded and strained (or blended with a little water) to yield flavour and colour for cakes and sweets.

Kewra which is popular in the Indian sub continent, is distilled from the Pandanus flower, and is used to flavor drinks and desserts in Indian cuisine.

The PANDAN flavour is delicate, and as important to Asians as vanilla is to Westerners. In Canberra, you can find fresh and/or frozen PANDAN leaves at most oriental grocers. I usually get my PANDAN leaves fresh from LAE Grocers, Southlands Shopping Centre in Mawson, Woden. I then freeze the leaves whole, in a plactic bag for later use.


To make PANDAN flavoured desserts, the PANDAN leaves are usually shredded and are either pounded or blended in a blender with some water to obtain its juice which is then used as the flavouring. Nowadays, there are PANDAN paste and PANDAN essence that can be used instead and are sold at most Asian grocers. The PANDAN paste comes complete with the green colouring of the PANDAN and is used to make Asian desserts that are traditionally green. If you can't find PANDAN paste, subsitute with PANDAN essence and add a few drops of green food colouring to get the same results. You can find Kewra at all Indian grocers in Canberra.

The non edible variety of PANDAN is also used for handicrafts in Malaysia. Craftswomen collect the PANDAN leaves from plants in the wild. The young leaves are sliced in fine strips and sorted for further processing. Later, the weavers will produce basic pandan mats of standard size or roll the leaves into PANDAN ropes for other designs. This is followed by the coloring process, in which the pandan mats are placed in drums with water-based colors. After drying, the colored mats are shaped into the final product, for instance a place mat or a jewelry box. Final color touch-ups are applied to assure a product of high quality. The whole process from harvesting of raw materials to finished product is handled by craftswomen, making this a truly community-based handicraft product.

GLOSSARY: CLOVES

Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum, syn. Eugenia aromaticum or Eugenia caryophyllata) are the aromatic dried flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae. The word ‘clove’ is from the Latin word for ‘nail’ – clavus. The clove is native to the North Moluccas, the Spice Islands of Indonesia. The Chinese wrote of cloves as early as 400 BC and there is a record from 200 BC of courtiers keeping cloves in their mouths to avoid offending the emperor while addressing him. Arab traders delivered cloves to the Romans.

Cloves are harvested primarily in Indonesia, Madagascar, Zanzibar, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Indonesia produces almost 80% of the world's clove, followed by Madagascar and Tanzania. It is called laung, lavang or lavungamin in India and bunga cengkih in Malaysia.

Cloves can be used in cooking either whole or in a ground form, but as they are extremely strong, they are used sparingly. The spice is used throughout Europe and Asia and is smoked in a type of cigarettes locally known as kretek in Indonesia. The largest brand of kreteks sold outside of Indonesia is Djarum Black. Cloves are also an important incense material in Chinese and Japanese culture.

Cloves have historically been used in Indian cuisine (both North Indian and South Indian) as well as Mexican cuisine (best known as "clavos de olor"), where it is often paired together with cumin and cinnamon. In north Indian cuisine, it is used regularly in sauces or side dishes, mostly ground up along with other spices. They are also a key ingredient in tea along with green cardamoms. In south Indian cuisine, it is used extensively in biryani (similar to the pilaf, but with the addition of local spice taste) and is normally added whole to enhance the presentation and flavor of the rice.

Cloves can easily overpower a dish, particularly when ground, so only a little needs to be used. Whole cloves are often used to “stud” hams and pork, pushing the tapered end into the meat like a nail. A studded onion is frequently used to impart an elusive character to courts-bouillons, stocks and soups. Cloves are often used to enhance the flavour of game, especially venison, wild boar and hare. They are used in a number of spice mixtures including ras el hanout, curry powders, mulling spices and pickling spices. Cloves also figure in the flavour of Worcestershire sauce. They enjoy much popularity in North Africa and the Middle East where they are generally used for meat dishes, though rice is often aromatized with a few cloves.

Cloves are best bought whole. As a powder its flavour quickly deteriorates. Being extremely hard, it is difficult to grind cloves with a mortar and pestle so an electric spice or coffee grinder is recommended. Store in an airtight container out of direct light.

MEDICINAL QUALITIES OF CLOVES

Folklore says that sucking on two whole Cloves without chewing or swallowing them helps to curb the desire for alcohol. Traditional Chinese physicians have long used cloves to treat indigestion, diarrhea, hernia, and ringworm, as well as athlete's foot and other fungal infections. India's traditional Ayurvedic healers have used Cloves since ancient times to treat respiratory and digestive ailments. The medieval German herbalists used cloves as part of anti-gout mixture. Early American Eclectic physicians used cloves to treat digestive complaints, and they added it to bitter herbal medicines to make them more palatable. They were also the first to extract clove oil from the herbal buds, which they used on the gums to relieve toothache.

A few drops of the oil in water will stop vomiting, and an infusion will relieve nausea. Essential oil of clove is effective against strep, staph and pneumomocci bacterias. Contemporary herbalists recommend cloves for digestive complaints and its oil for toothache. Cloves are said to have a positive effect on stomach ulcers, vomiting, flatulence, and to stimulate the digestive system. It has powerful local antiseptic and mild anesthetic actions.

Japanese researchers have discovered that like many spices, clove contains antioxidants. Antioxidants help prevent the cell damage that scientists believe eventually causes cancer. On the other hand, in laboratory tests, the chemical eugenol, has been found to be a weak tumour promoter, making clove one of many healing herbs with both pro- and anti-cancer effects. At this point, scientists aren't sure which way the balance tilts. Until they are, anyone with a history of cancer should not use medicinal amounts of clove. For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults, powdered clove is considered non-toxic.

Additionally, dentists have used clove oil as an oral anesthetic. They also used it to disinfect root canals. Clove oil still is an active ingredient in several mouthwash products and a number of over-the-counter toothache pain-relief preparations. Cloves kill intestinal parasites and exhibits broad anti-microbial properties against fungi and bacteria, thus supporting its traditional use as a treatment for diarrhea, intestinal worms, and other digestive ailments. Like many culinary spices, Cloves helps relax the smooth muscle lining of the digestive tract. And finally, cloves is said to be an aphrodisiac!

GLOSSARY: CARDAMOM

Cardamom is one of the world’s ancient spices. The ancient Egyptians chewed cardamom seeds as a tooth cleaner; the Greeks and Romans used it as a perfume. Vikings came upon cardamom about one thousand years ago, in Constantinople, and introduced it into Scandinavia, where it remains popular to this day.

Cardamom is an expensive spice, second only to saffron. The name cardamom is used for herbs within two genera of the ginger family Zingiberaceae, namely Elettaria and Amomum.

Elettaria, commonly called cardamom, green cardamom or true cardamom, is distributed from India to Malaysia. Elettaria pods are light green in colour. This is the ‘true’ cardamom and the highly priced variety.

Amomum, commonly known as black cardamom, fat cardamom, brown cardamom, Java cardamom, Bengal cardamom or Siamese cardamom is distributed mainly in Asia and Australia. Amomum pods are larger and dark brown.

Both varieties take the form of a small seedpod, triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped, with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds.

In Urdu/Hindi/Gujarati and some Southern Indian languages, it is called "elaichi" or "elchi." In Malay, it is called buah pelaga .

Both forms of cardamom are used as flavourings in both food and drink, as cooking spices and as a medicine. Elettaria cardamomum is the most popular variety used in cooking.

Cardamom has a strong, unique taste, with an intensely aromatic fragrance. Black cardamom has a distinctly more astringent aroma, though not bitter, with a coolness similar to mint, though with a different aroma. It is a common ingredient in Indian cooking, and is often used in baking in Nordic countries, such as in the Finnish sweet-bread pulla. It is one of the most expensive spices by weight and little is needed to impart the flavour.

Cardamom is best stored in pod form because once the seeds are exposed or ground they quickly lose their flavour. However, high-quality ground cardamom is often more readily (and cheaply) available and is an acceptable substitute. With all spices, keep in a cool dark place and buy in small quantities.

For recipes requiring whole cardamom pods, a generally accepted equivalent is 10 pods equals 1½ teaspoons of ground cardamom.

In the Middle East, green cardamom powder is used as a spice for sweet dishes as well as traditional flavouring in coffee and tea. In South Asia, green cardamom is often used in traditional Indian sweets and in Masala chai (spiced tea).

Black cardamom is sometimes used in garam masala (a mixture of ground spices) for curries. It is occasionally used as a garnish in basmati rice and other dishes. It is often referred to as fat cardamom due its size ('Moti Elaichi'). Individual seeds are sometimes chewed, in much the same way as chewing-gum. In Northern Europe, cardamom is commonly used in sweet foods, pastries or cakes. It has also been known to be used for gin making.

MEDICINAL QUALITIES OF CARDAMOM

Green cardamom in South Asia is broadly used to treat infections in teeth and gums, to prevent and treat throat troubles, congestion of the lungs and pulmonary tuberculosis, inflammation of eyelids and also digestive disorders. It is also reportedly used as an antidote for both snake and scorpion venom bite. Amomum is used as a spice and as an ingredient in traditional medicine in systems of the traditional Chinese medicine in China, in Ayurveda in India, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

Species in the genus Amomum are also used in traditional Indian medicine. Among other species, varieties and cultivars, Amomum villosum cultivated in China, Laos and Vietnam is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat stomach-aches, constipation, dysentery, and other digestion problems. "Tsaoko" cardamom Amomum tsao-ko is cultivated in Yunnan, China and northwest Vietnam, both for medicinal purposes and as a spice. Increased demand since the 1980s, principally from China, for both Amomum villosum and Amomum tsao-ko has provided a key source of income for poor farmers living at higher altitudes in localized areas of China, Laos and Vietnam, people typically isolated from many other markets. Until recently, Nepal has been the world's largest producer of large cardamom. Guatemala has become the world's largest producer and exporter of cardamom, with a staggering export total of US$137.2 million for 2007.

GLOSSARY: MIXED SPICE AND ALLSPICE

Mixed spice, also called pudding spice, is a British blend of sweet spices. This spice mixture can be purchased ready-mixed, but some cooks prefer experimenting and emphasizing different flavours and therefore make their own.

It is used in a variety of cakes and puddings, such as fruit cake, gingerbread and Christmas pudding. Buy or make in small quantities as the mixture loses its full rich flavour if stored for long periods of time. Keep in a cool dark place to prolong its shelf life. Allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger are the usual blend of spices, but some cooks add a few cardamom and coriander seeds.

The term "mixed spice" has been used for this blend of spices in cookbooks going back as far back as 1828. This date could probably be much earlier.

Do not confuse mixed spice with allspice and if a recipe calls for mixed spice, do not substitute with allspice. The flavours are completely different.

Allspice, also called Jamaica pepper, Kurundu, Myrtle pepper, pimento, or newspice, is a spice derived from the dried unripe fruit of the Pimenta dioica , a tree native to the West Indies, southern Mexico and Central America. It is available ground or in seed form, and used in a variety of dishes such as pickles, casseroles, cakes and puddings.


The name "allspice" was coined by the English, who thought it combined the flavour of several aromatic spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

Therefore, ground allspice is not, as some people believe, a mixture of spices. Rather, it is the dried fruit of the Pimenta dioica plant. The fruit is picked when it is green and unripe and traditionally dried in the sun. When dry, the fruits are brown and resemble large brown peppercorns. The whole fruits have a longer shelf life than the powdered product and produce a more aromatic product when freshly ground before use.

The leaves of the allspice plant are also used in cooking. For cooking, fresh leaves are used where available. They are similar in texture to bay leaves and are thus infused during cooking and then removed before serving. Unlike bay leaves, they lose much flavour when dried and stored. The leaves and wood are often used for smoking meats where allspice is a local crop. Allspice can also be found in essential oil form.

Allspice is one of the most important ingredients of Caribbean cuisine. It is used in Caribbean jerk seasoning (the wood is used to smoke jerk in Jamaica, although the spice is a good substitute) and in pickling. It is also an ingredient in commercial sausage preparations and curry powders. Allspice is also indispensable in Middle Eastern cuisine but throughout the world, allspice is commonly used in cakes and puddings. Allspice is also a main flavor used in barbecue sauces.

GLOSSARY: GARLIC CHIVES

Garlic chives are also known as Chinese chives, Chinese leek, kucai, jiu cai or Oriental garlic chives. The leaves are similar to onion or garlic leaves, except that it is totally flat and not hollow like conventional chives. It is used as a vegetable and herb, unlike the normal chives, which is used as a herb. It also has attractive flowers, which are also used in stir fries.

The flavour of garlic chives is more like garlic than chives, though much milder. In China, Malaysia and Singapore, they are often used to make dumplings. As a vegetable, it is usually fried with bean curd or with bean curd and bean sprouts. It is also widely used as a vegetable to accompany fried noodle dishes in Malaysian style cooking.(Source: Wikipedia)

Garlic Chives Flowers