Saffron: most expensive spice

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world.  This rich yellow spice has for centuries been worth its weight in gold.  Saffron was first used as a spice in Asia about 4000 years ago.

The Arabs introduced Saffron in Spain around the 8^th century and ever since then, Spain has been a major exporter.  Saffron flower is violet in color and it contains three yellow-orange stigmas which is the part that has all the economic value.  Since ancient times Saffron has been used as a dye, spice, medicine and perfume.  It takes about 75,000 flowers to yield a pound of saffron. It takes 13,125 threads or stigmas to weigh one ounce of saffron.  This is why this spice is so expensive.  However, only two or three flakes or threads are used at one time as a spice.

Saffron was a favorite of the ancient Egyptians.  The Egyptian nobility wore robes dyed with saffron and saffron perfumes, ate foods spiced with the herb and used saffron to treat head, respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders.

India’s Ayurveda physicians considered saffron as a circulatory stimulant, kidney and liver remedy, to treat cholera and menstruation problems and as an aphrodisiac.

Ancient Chinese physicians recommended saffron for depression and complications of childbirth.

Despite its cultivation in Spain, saffron was a rare spice in Northern Europe.  By the14^th

Century, spice merchants all over Europe turned into saffron grocers, probably due to the value of the spice.   Folk healers of that time recommended saffron for curing jaundice and insomnia.

Nicholas Culpeper, English herbalist of the17^{th century}, considered saffron a very elegant, exhilarating and useful spice for depression, digestion, and cough. However, Culpeper also warned of its potential hazard in case dose was too large it could cause heaviness of head and sleepiness.

One research supports that this herb provides protection against heart disease. Certain percentage of the population in Spain has little heart disease despite a high fat diet.  Some experts give credit to the liberal use of olive oil but in an article in the British medical journal, Lancet argued for saffron and its generous use in the Spanish cuisine as the heart protective factor.

The saffron of Kashmir has an exquisite lotus-like fragrance and is of high quality.

Saffron belongs to Iridaceae family and other members of the same family are iris and gladiolus.  Its botanical name is Crocus sativus and stigmas of the flower are used as cooking and healing herb.

Easy Chocolate Pie

I have a weakness for chocolate desserts.  So I did some experiment with this pie.  I have not added any sugar to it yet it is tasty enough for any dinner party and easy enough to be made any time of the day in a jiffy.  The combination of chocolate and whipping cream gives it a rich flavor.  In other words this pie is minimum effort and maximum indulgence.  So go ahead and tickle your taste buds.

Ingredients:
12 to 14 marie light biscuits, 1 ½  olive oil or canola oil,  1 cup shredded  semi sweet chocolate, ¾  cup any thick cream,  ¼ cup low fat milk,  1 tbsp thick cream, ½ cup shredded white chocolate
Method:

Break biscuits with your hand and then powder them in a mixer.

Take out this powder in a bowl, add oil and mix well.  Take a pie plate and put this mixture on the pie plate by pressing it with your hand. Bake it in 180C (300F) for ten minutes.
In a double boiler melt the chocolate on medium heat. Remove from the heat and mix ¾ cup cream into it.  Stir vigorously.  Spread this mixture on already cool baked pie crust.  Put the pie in the freezer so it is set.  After 45 minutes or so start working on the next layer.
Take a heavy pan, melt the white chocolate on medium heat.  Just a few seconds before it is completely melted, add milk and cream to this.  Mix very well.  As mixture starts to thicken, spread this on the already set chocolate pie.  put in the freezer for another two hours or so.
If you want you can decorate it with some fruits or any milk chocolate pcs.
Put in the refrigerator 10 minutes before serving so that it is not solid like ice.
Enjoy this on any summer day.

Wheat flour Shortbread Cookies

Shortbreads are melt in the mouth kind of cookies. Scottish in origin, this rich, tender and crumbly biscuit (cookie) was once only served during Christmas and New Year's Eve. In its most basic form, shortbreads are made with just four ingredients, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and flour. While today they are made in various shapes and sizes, at one time the dough was baked in a round mold and then cut into wedges that were given the name "petticoat tails". This name refers to the shape of the shortbread wedges which was similar to the bell-hoop petticoats worn by court ladies in the 12th century.

Shortbread dough is so versatile. Once you have made the basic shortbread batter, you can add about 1/2 cup (90 grams) of chocolate chips to make chocolate chip shortbread, or add 1 tablespoon of instant espresso powder for a coffee favor. All it takes to have a cinnamon flavored shortbread is to add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or 1 tablespoon of finely chopped orange or lemon zest will give you a nice citrus flavored shortbread.

 Here we shall make a cardamom flavored shortbread by adding cardamom powder to the dough.

 Ingredients:
1/3 cup sugar, ½ cup softened butter, ½ cup cooking oil, 1 ½ cup white flour, 1 cup wheat flour,  3 tsp cardamom powder, 1 tsp vanilla, 5 almonds roasted and powdered.
Ingredients for glaze:
3 tbsp brown sugar,  1 tsp milk, 1 tsp water, ¼ tsp vanilla
Method:
Heat oven to 350 degree F(200 degree C).
Grease two 9” pie pans.  In a big bowl, cream together sugar, butter and cooking oil. 
In another plate sift both the flours.  Blend flours, cardamom powder, vanilla and almond powder into creamed mixture.  This will make dough crumbly.  Divide dough in half and press in the bottom of the prepared pie pans.   Perforate with a fork. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until  light golden brown.  Cut each shortbread into wedges while they are still warm. Cool for ten minutes.
Glazing
In a small bowl combine glaze ingredients. Drizzle over baked wedges.
Enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.

Sesame bread sticks

Ever since I have been living in India, I often miss the taste of sesame sticks sold at Trader’s Joe in Chicago.  Other day I decided to try my hand on these bread sticks so I could have something to accompany my salad and go down the memory lane as well. They turned out to be pretty close but they were no match to Trader Joe sesame sticks.  Anyway, here is my recipe of sesame sticks.

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour(maida), ½  cup wheat flour, 4 tbsp cooking oil or melted butter, 1 tsp sugar, 1 ½  tsp salt or salt to taste, ¼ cup sesame seeds, ½ tsp baking powder,  ½ cup water.
 
Method:
Preheat oven to 325 degree F(200 degree C).
In a big bowl add flours, sugar, salt, baking powder, sesame seeds and cooking oil.
Now make like bread crumbs consistency of the mixture.  Add water little by little to make a stiff dough. Keep it aside for 30 minutes.
Divide dough into five-six portions.  Make a ball of one portion and roll it into a thick chapati with the rolling pin.  Using a knife, cut into small strips.  Put strips on a greased cooking sheet.  Bake for about 10 minutes until golden brown.  Turn them over and bake from other side for another 10 minutes.  Cool them for 15-20 minutes before eating or serving.  They are ideal to go with soup or salad.

Jackfruit (kathal) curry

Jackfruit is the spiky green “exotic fruit” growing in the tropical climates.  Although it is called fruit it is generally cooked like a vegetable.   The ripe jackfruit is eaten like a fruit and raw ones can be cooked as vegetable curry, chips and pickle.  This spiky vegetable has lot of nutrients which are essential for us.  Jackfruit has vitamin C in plenty which helps colds and infections.  It is rich in nutrients like magnesium and copper which prevents bone loss and keeps thyroid health.  One cup of jackfruit contains half of the potassium found in bananas and potassium helps in lowering the blood pressure.  Jackfruit is rich in Vitamin A and just like carrots is good for our eyes.  Eating this exotic fruit can help add the iron supply in the body to prevent the anemia.

This jackfruit curry is very exotically delicious and it makes a very good vegetarian  or vegan dish.  Once jackfruit is peeled and cut, it is very similar to chicken in consistency and is often referred as “vegetable meat” in some parts of  Asia.

Ingredients:
2 cups of peeled and chopped jackfruit (raw), ¾ cup of cooking rice soaked in ½ cup of water overnight, 1 big onion finely chopped, 1 tsp ginger minced, 1 tsp minced garlic, 2 green chilies chopped finely, 3 medium tomatoes chopped and pureed, ¼ tsp cumin seeds, 2 bay leaves, ¼ tsp whole black pepper, 3 or 4 cloves, 1 tsp of coriander powder, 1 tsp of garam massala or curry powder, ½ tsp of turmeric powder, ¼ tsp of red pepper or paprika (optional), salt to taste, oil for frying and cooking the curry, 1 cup of water.

Method:
Boil the cut pieces of jackfruit if they are fresh.  If you have chosen the frozen or canned jackfruit, there is no need to boil it.  Once boiled drain all the water. Make sure jackfruit does not turn too soft.
In the meanwhile, grind the soaked rice into a paste.  Add ¼ tsp of salt, coriander powder and curry powder to make this into a  batter.   Now dip every piece of drained jackfruit into this batter and deep fry till light brown in color.
Take a pan, heat 1 tbsp of cooking oil.  Add black pepper, cloves and bay leaves. After 10 seconds, add cumin seeds.  When they stop spluttering, add ginger, onion and garlic in that order.
When onion turn golden brown, add turmeric and salt to taste.  Keep in mind that fried pieces of jackfruit also have light salt in it.
Add pureed tomato and coriander powder to it and cook the curry till a boil.  Now add red pepper and a cup of water.  After 15 seconds add the fried jackfruit pieces to the curry.  Let it simmer for  10 minutes.  Sprinkle the garam massala or curry powder and cover it till ready to serve.
Enjoy with any Indian bread or rice.

Fenugreek a miracle spice

Fenugreek (methi in Hindi) has played a major role in herbal healing since ancient times.  In India fenugreek is used both in the form of leaves as a vegetable casserole and as a spice in the form of seeds. Kasoori Methi is sold as dry leaves that are used for flavoring. 

In earlier Greece, fenugreek plant leaves were mixed with animal forage to cure the sick horses and cattle. As fenugreek spread around the Mediterranean, ancient physicians learned that fenugreek seeds contained great deal of mucilage.  When mixed with water, mucilage becomes gelatinous thus soothing inflamed and irritated tissues.  Hippocrates and many ancient Greek and Roman physicians recommended the herb to treat fevers and respiratory and intestinal complaints.

Ancient Chinese healers also used fenugreek to treat fevers, hernia, gallbladder problems, muscle aches and impotence.

In India fenugreek is part of curry spice blend.  Ayurvedic physicians used fenugreek for treating arthritis, bronchitis and digestive upsets.  Concoction made of fenugreek seeds and water helps women in menstrual cramps.  One study showed Indian lactating mothers ate these seeds to increase milk production.

Arab women ate the roasted seeds to gain weight and attain beautiful skin.

Some of fenugreek’s traditional uses have been supported by modern science. Studies show that fenugreek reduces cholesterol.  For that, one can take two ounces of fenugreek seeds with warm water every morning before brushing teeth and in 24 weeks it will start showing the result.

It is believed that fenugreek helps in Type-2 diabetes.  Take fenugreek seeds twice a day every day and it will lower the blood sugar level.

Fenugreek seeds have dietary fibre.  Take a teaspoon of seeds with warm water before sleeping and it will help in case of constipation and some other stomach problems.

Fenugreek seeds are swallowed raw early in the morning with warm water to have healing effect on joint pains.

Fenugreek’s soothing mucilage may help relieve sore throat and cough.  For that boil a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds in a cup of water and gargle for throat ailments.

Fenugreek belongs to the Fabaceae family and other members of this family are lima beans.  Its botanical name is Trigonella foenum-graecum.  Seeds and leaves of the plant are used as healing herb.

BISCOTTI of wheat flour

Biscotti is a plural of biscotto.  The word originates from Latin word biscoctus, meaning "twice-cooked/baked." It defined oven baked goods that were baked twice, so they were very dry and could be stored for long periods of time. Such nonperishable food was particularly useful during journeys and wars.
Biscotti can be made with any dry fruits and nuts of your choice.  Here it is made with white chocolate, cherries, cashews and walnuts.

Ingredients:


1 ½ cup sugar, 2 eggs, ½ cup white flour, 2 cups wheat flour, pinch of salt, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 cup chopped cashews and walnuts, 1 cup dry cherries,  1cup white baking chocolate cut into small pieces, 1 tbsp cooking oil.

Method:


Preheat oven to 350degree F (200 degree C).  Beat eggs and sugar till well blended.  Add flours, salt, baking powder and vanilla and make the dough.  Add nuts, fruit and chocolate chunks to the dough.  Make a log of 3 inches by 9 inches but half an inch thick.  Place on baking sheet and bake for about 25 – 30 minutes.  Take it out.  Slice it and bake other side for about 20 minutes.  Cool and serve.  Dip it in a glass of milk or a cup of hot coffee to relish it.