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How to use lemongrass
Lemongrass is a good medicinal plant that one should grow at
home. With lemon scented leaves the plant has many properties that is useful in
cosmetic, aromatherapy and cooking. It contains impressive number of phenolic
compounds, flavonoids and several antioxidants. Fresh or dried leaves or the
essential oil of lemongrass – all known to contain healing properties. Plant is
used in solving digestive problems, arthritis and fatigue.
Another name for lemongrass is citronella and citronella have
many applications in Western countries. It is used in Asian cuisine (especially
in Thai) as flavoring agent.
Health benefits of
lemongrass
Detoxification agent: Lemongrass tea is recommended for diuretic purposes and helps in detoxification of kidney, liver, pancreas. It increases urination and eliminates toxins. Elimination of toxins reduces chronic inflammation and better blood circulation.
Digestion promotion: Because of its cleansing properties, lemongrass is used in the treatment of stomach related problems – cramps, constipation, bloating, heartburn and nausea. Lemongrass behavior is like antiseptic medicine and it removes unwanted germs from body and keeps beneficial bacteria in digestive track.
Arthritis and joint pain: It contain anti-inflammatory properties and applying lemongrass essential oil for joints and aches helps to reduce the pain. Essential oil is useful in relieving joint pain and body aches. Many herbal balms contain lemongrass oil as one of the main ingredients.
In cosmetics: Because of its antiseptic properties, lemongrass is used in cosmetic products to reduce acne. In addition, the antioxidant property of lemongrass makes it a good skin remedy and helps in rejuvenating skin and in improving skin elasticity and overall health.
Reduces water retention: Drinking lemongrass tea helps to reduce bloating, nausea and abdominal cramps. It decreases edema and takes out excessive fluid collection.
Aromatherapy: Lemongrass contains a terpene called linalool that helps to calm the system. It is a good remedy for mood swings, anxiety and depression. It is a good stress buster! It is also a natural deodorant and cleanses breathing system.
As food ingredient: Adding lemongrass in cooking helps to relieve digestive disorders, lowers cholesterol, reduces cold and flu and supports immune system.
Different ways to use lemongrass:
It is easy to grow lemongrass in pot or directly in soil. Both fresh and dried lemongrass can be used for many purposes. One can store dried lemongrass for longtime and use it for different purposes. With fresh lemongrass inner part of the stalk and leaves are useful.
Lemongrass tea: Add fresh or dried few lemongrass pieces and crushed pepper in water, boil, strain and drink. Or steep leaves or dried stalks into hot water or tea, simmer it in syrups for mixing in various cocktails or lemonade.
In curries, dressings and stews: Chopped lemongrass tender stalk adds good flavor to vegetable curries, soups, stews and stir fries.
Lemongrass essential oil – used in aromatherapy, bath salts, bath soap. It is a good insect repellent.
For skin: Mix lemongrass essential oil with carrier oil like tea tree oil and apply on skin (proportion 1:2). You can add a drop of patchouli or clary sage oil to the mix.
If you are not fond of outside food, then you must also know how to prepare varieties of snacks at home that are tasty as well as healthy. Gram flour or besan supplies enough protein. However it can also affect our system by causing bloating and indigestion. One way to use besan is to cook it properly with several ingredients that minimize besan affect on our system. Gram flour rava pakora is an easy snack that contains gram flour, rava (broken wheat) and other ingredients like ginger, carom seeds, asafetida (all three will help reduce gas).
Ingredients:
Gram flour -1 Cup
Rava – 1 cup
Salt – 1 tsp
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Carom seeds – 1 tsp
Water – 4 cups
Grated ginger or ginger paste – 1 tsp
Asafetida – little
Green chilli – 4-5
Curry leaves – Few
Chopped cilantro -1/4 cu
Preparation:
In a vessel mix gram flour, rava, salt,
turmeric, carom seeds. Add water and mix well
On medium heat place a frying pan and add one tsp oil. To heated oil
add grated ginger, asafetida, green chilli and few curry leaves.
Add gram flour-rava mix to seasoning and
continue mixing on medium heat. As you mix water will start evaporating and all
ingredients will come together in the form of cooked dough
Remove the mix from heat. Allow it to cool.
Add chopped cilantro and mix the dough.
Take small ball size cooked gram flour-rava mix
dough and press in your palm to small patty shape.
Place a frying pan on medium heat, add oil and
heat. To heated oil slowly release the flattened besan-rava patties and fry
until the color turns golden brown
Serve hot besan-rava pakora with your choice of
chutney – coconut or green chutney.
There are many varieties of hot chilis in the world and hotness level of chilis distinguished by spice level. Chili peppers are most popular spice used in all types of cuisine in the world. Chilli, chile, chili or peppers are most wanted spices around the world. They are known to cause the sensation of burning or heat when consumed. The heat sensation that originates in our system is incited by the amount and type of group of phytochemicals names capsaicinoids. These are alkaloids present only in chilis. The amount of capsaicionoid in chili pods of various variety depends on the genetic makeup of the plant as well as the environment where they originated. Capsicin or capsaicinoids are used as defense mechanism from chili plants against its predators. Scoville scale or Scoville heat Units – SHU is the measurement of pungency or spiciness /heat of chili peppers. The more the unit is, capsaicin is predominant in the chilis. What is the amount of SHU in different varieties of worlds hottest chili peppers? Information available in next few slides.
Do you know – all chilis have medicinal properties and used in both modern and traditional medicinal system from many centuries? Here are benefits of consuming chilis-
Serrano : Word Serrano means “from the mountains” is chili variety native to South west America and Mexico. Serrano is couple of inches long and competitively small. The smaller the size of serrano, more hotter it gets. It is added to salsa, non vegetarian dishes and casserols. Serrano is cooked both in unripened and ripened stage. It is generally sold when it is green or greenish-yellow in color.
Scoville unit: 10,000-23000
Hotness: 6-7
Hotness Scale: 6-7
Tabasco chilis: If you are familiar tabasco sauce then you might be aware of the name it has originated from. Tabasco chili is one of the hottest chili variety. These chili plants bear fruits that point upwards unlike other many chili varieties. Neary 4-5 cm long and bright red in appearance.
Moruga scorpion : Moruga scorpion is chili variety from Tinidad. It is also one of the hottest chili variety in the world. New Mexico State university identified Moruga scorpion as hottest chili in 2012 based on its spiciness and hotness.
Scoville units: 2,009,231
Hotness scale :9-10
7 Pot Douglah: Originated from Trinidad this chili is another hottest chili in the world. One pod of this chili spice equals to spice of seven pots stew and hence the name 7 pot douglah. These chilis appear in dark brown color skin and has pimpled surface. Initially green and later color changes to dark brown at maturity.
Komodo Dragon chili :Originated from UK, this chili has blistering hot property and hence the name Komodo dragon pepper. This is super hot chili and is meant for extreme spicy eaters. When someone consumes it, body experiences slow heat or sneaky heat along with fruity flavor and creates sweat. It is one of the popular chili in UK. Flavor is simply hot and heat! While using it one should wear gloves. One Komodo dragon chili can replace almost one handful of regular hot chilis!
Scoville unit: 1,400,000 million to 2,20,0000
Hotness: 9-10
Habanero: Habanero is native to South America. It is one of the most popular chili in Mexicao. It is cultivated exclusively in Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and introduced to Cuba. Habanero is another hottest chili in the world. A small piece of Habanero can create havoc and suffering in the system! Habanero has fruity flavor that resembles apple and tomato flavor. It appears in few different color shades – yellow, green, deep red and scarlet. Habanero spice is considered to be blazing hot! The smaller the size, hotter it gets which means higher concentration of capsaicin. While using Habanero it is recommened to wear gloves. Discarding the veins and seeds from fruits can reduce the spiciness. Habanero is used in hot sauces
Cayenne chilis: One of the hot chili variety cayenne pepper is commonly available in Mexican and South American stores. It grows to a length of 6 to 10 inches. Unlike other hot chilis, it is less pungent. For this reason cayenne is more popular as dry chili. Dried cayenne is a popular spice in Mexican cuisine, It is also sold in other names such as Arbol, Thai, Bird etc.
Cayenne pepper is used in both food and medicine for more than 9000 years. It is known to stimulate blood circulation, reduces acidity and is a powerful spice that helps in detoxification!
Scoville units: 30,000-50,000.
Hotness Scale: 6-7
Naga Bhut Jolokia :Cayenne Diane or Naga Bhut Jolokia variety of chili from India. Here bhut mean Ghost, Naga bhut jolokia is also known as ghost chili. It is one of the hottest chili in the world. It is almost 400 times hotter than Tabasco sauce. It is grown in India in two regions. Naga Bhut jolokia from Assam is twice hotter than Gwalior’s variety. Ripe chilis measure about 2.5 to 3.3 inches long with a red, yellow, orange, white, purple or chocolate color. Flavor of these chilis in intense sweet in the beginning and heat kicks off literally in 30-40 seconds. Sweating, hiccups, teary eye, shortness of breath and severe burning in mouth and system is expected.
Thai chili: Thai chilis are small chilis that grow 1-3 inches longs and jus t1/2 inch wide. Don’t deceived by its appearance. Even though they appear small, thai chilis are also in hotness list. Thai chilis are bit curvy and appear bright green to red in color with pointed tip. It is common ingredient in Thai coconut soup and other noodle, rice dishes.
Scoville units: 50,000-100,000
Hotness scale: 8-9
Gandhari chili: Also known as Indian Bird’s eye chili or piri piri is a wild form of chili with small fruits and are dispersed by birds. These are small and highly pungent chilis. Unlike many other chili varieties, these contain high amount of B carotene, ascorbic acid and tocopheroal (Vit E). Plants look beautiful like small tree, sometimes grow up to 4 feet or more. Fruits appear green and upright up to maturity and appear above foliage. These chilis are known for high medicinal properties and dried powder is used in Indian pickles and cooking.
