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Daily Dose Of Interesting Information

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# 69.YELLOW MUSTARD

Yellow mustard is the most commonly used mustard in the United States and Canada where it is sometimes referred to simply as "mustard".

Outside North America it is called American mustard. This is a very mild mustard colored bright yellow by the inclusion of turmeric.

It was introduced in 1904 as "cream salad mustard". by George T French. This mustard is closely associated with sandwiches, hot-dogs and hamburgers.

Along with its use on various sandwiches, yellow mustard is a key ingredient in many salad dressings, potato salads, barbecue sauces.


 
# 70. KOKAM SEED (INDIAN).

Arcinia indica, a plant in the mangosteen family (Clusiaceae), commonly known as kokum, is a fruit tree which has culinary and pharmaceutical uses.

The tree is also ornamental, with a dense canopy of green leaves and red-tinged, tender, emerging leaves. It is indigenous to the Western Ghats region along the western coast of India.

It is found in forest lands, riversides, and wasteland, and also gets cultivated on a small scale. It does not require irrigation, spraying or fertilizers.

The outer cover of fruit is dried in the sun to get aamsul or kokam. It is used as a slightly sour spice in Maharashtrian recipes to yield peculiar taste and dark red color. It is a preferred substitute in Konkan for tamarind.

Kokam tree is rain fed, does not have any pest or diseases apart from the monkey menace, and is almost a "zero-attention" crop.[SUP]
[/SUP]
For paralysis, the clean-chopped stem bark is finely powdered and is added to boiling water. After two to three minutes, a lightly cooled decoction is used for washing the affected parts, two to three times a day.

Kokum juice is also thought to be effective against allergies due to bee stings and other insect bites, sun exposure symptoms and acidity.

 
# 71. CAROM SEED.

Trachyspermum copticum or Carom seed is commonly known as ajwain, ajowan caraway.

Carom seeds is a plant of India and the Near East whose seeds are used as a spice.

Name in Hindi...........ajwain.

Name in Marathi.......owa.

Name in Punjabi........jawain.

Name in Oriya...........juani.

Name in Telugu.........vaamu.

Name in Tamil...........omam.

Name in kannada......ajwana.

Name in Gijarathi......ajmo.

Name in Bengali........jowan.

Name in Nepali..........jwano.

Name in Malayalam...ayamodakam.

Raw ajwain is more aromatic, less subtle in taste than thyme and is slightly bitter as well as pungent.

In Indian cooking ajwain is either dry-roasted or fried in oil /ghee. This develops a subtle and complex aroma, similar to but brighter than caraway .

Among other things, it is used for making ajwain ka paraatha. It is known to aid digestion and relieve abdominal discomfort.

In southern parts of India, dry ajwain seeds are powdered and soaked in milk, which is then filtered and fed to babies.

Many assume it relieves colic in babies, and for children it also improves digestion and appetite. In the northern part of India, it is often consumed after a heavy meal.

A study conducted using the essential oil suggests that it has some use in the treatment of dysbiosis of the intestine.

It benefits by inhibiting the growth of undesired pathogens while not harming the beneficial ones.
 
# 72. ALMONDS.

The almond is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree.

The fruit of the almond consists of an outer hull and a hard shell with the seed inside. Shelling almonds refers to removing the hard shell.

Almonds are commonly sold shelled or unshelled. Blanched or White almonds are shelled almonds from which the seed coat has been removed.

Uses of almond:-

Almond is often eaten on its own, raw or toasted, it is also an important component of various other dishes.

Almonds are available in many forms, such as whole, sliced (flaked, slivered), and as almond butter, almond syrup, almond milk and almond oil. These variations can be used in both sweet and savory dishes.

Along with other nuts, sweet almonds can be sprinkled over desserts, particularly ice cream based dishes.

Sweet almonds are used in many pastries, cookies and cakes and other sweets and desserts.

They are also used to make almond butter. The young green almonds can be eaten whole when the inner shell has not yet hardened.

They may be pickled in increase their shelf life. The sour fruit may be eaten dipped in salt to balance the sour taste.

In China almonds are mixed with milk and served hot as a dessert.

In Greece, ground blanched almonds are used as the base material in a great variety of desserts.

Blanched almonds are used to make traditional wedding sweets.

A tasty soft drink is made from almonds. Various drinks made from almond are supposed to have cooling properties. 'Sherbet-e-Badaam' is a popular summer drink.

Almonds are also sold as a snack with added salt. Badam Halwa is a very popular sweet made with almonds, ghee and sugar.

Almonds milk is a new option for the vegans and people with milk allergy.

Marcona almonds from Spain which are shorter, rounder and sweeter have become popular all over the world.
 
# 73. ACORNS
The acorn is the oak nut. It usually contains a single and rarely two seeds in a tough, leathery shell in a cup-shaped cupule.

Acorns may vary from 1–6 cm in length. They need 6 and 24 months to mature.

Acorns are one of the most important wildlife foods in areas where oaks are abundant. Acorns along with other nuts are termed mast.

Birds like Jay, pigeon and ducks, as well as mammals like mice, squirrels and rodents feed on acorns.

Acorns are attractive to animals since they are large and rich in nutrients. Proteins, carbohydrates, fat, minerals are present in acorns. Energy given by acorns is high compared to the other nuts and other wild food.
Acorns were a source of food for many cultures around the world. In Korea, an edible jelly and noodles are made from acorns. During the world wars acorns were one of several ingredients of coffee.

Acorns were a traditional food of Native Americans[SUP]
especially the Californians native Americans.[/SUP]

Unlike many other plant foods, acorns may be stored for a long time before being used. Native Americans collect and store acorns for two years when their production is good.
 
# 74. TERMINALIA CHEBULA

Terminalia chebula is a species native to southern Asia, Nepal, India, south west China, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Vietnam.

It is a tree growing to 30 m tall, with a trunk up to 1 m diameter. The fruit is blackish with five longitudinal ridges.

The nut-like fruits are picked when still green. They are either pickled or boiled with sugar, or used in concoctions.

The seed is elliptical in shape and is enveloped by a fleshy and firm pulp. It is regarded as a universal panacea in Ayurvedic medicines and Tibetian medicines.

It can cure blindness and inhibit malignant tumors.

Names in Indian languages:-

1. Urdu.............Harad, Harada.

2. Marathi........Hirada

3. Kannada.......Alalekaayi.

4. Tamizh..........Kadukkai,

5. Bengali.........Horitoki

6. Assamese.....Hilikha

7. Telugu...........Karakkaaya.

The bark/peel of the nut is placed inside the cheek.
The resulting saliva, bitter in taste has medicinal qualities to cure cold related coughs.

Its fruit promotes digestion, has anti-inflammatory, aphrodisiac and restorative properties. It controls flatulence, constipation, piles, cough and colds.
 
# 75. CASHEW APPLE AND CASHEW NUT.

The fruit of the cashew tree is an accessory fruit or false fruit. What appears to be the fruit is an oval
structure called the cashew apple.

It is edible and has a strong "sweet" smell and a sweet taste. The pulp of the cashew apple is very juicy, but the skin is fragile, making it unsuitable for transport.

In Latin America, a fruit drink is made from the cashew apple pulp which has a very refreshing taste having notes of mango, raw green pepper and grapefruit.

The true fruit of the cashew tree is a kidney shaped drupe that grows at the end of the cashew apple.

Within the true fruit is the cashew nut the real seed. The seed is surrounded by a double shell.

Roasting cashews destroys the toxin, in the shells. Some people are allergic to cashew nuts. The cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL), a byproduct of processing cashew, is used to treat tooth abscesses. Many parts of the plant are used by the medicinally.

The bark scraped, soaked overnight and boiled to controls diarrhea. It also yields a gum used in varnish.

Seeds are ground into powders used to treat snake bites.

The cashew nut is eaten on its own, lightly salted or sugared or dipped in chocolate.

The nut can be used whole for garnishing sweets or curries, or ground into a paste to form a base for curries and sweets.

It is also used in powdered form in the preparation of several Indian sweets and desserts.

Both roasted and raw kernels are used whole for making curries and sweets in Goa. The cashew apple is eaten raw or used in curries.

The cashew nut can also be harvested in its tender form, when the shell has not hardened and is green in color. In Thai and Chinese cuisines they are used whole.

In Brazil, the cashew fruit juice is popular all across the country. In Panama, the cashew fruit is cooked with water and sugar to get a sweet, brown, paste-like dessert

In Goa, India, the cashew apple is mashed, the juice is extracted and kept for fermentation for 2–3 days. Fermented juice then undergoes a double distillation process to get feni.

In Tanzania, the cashew apple is fermented, then distilled to make a strong liquor gongo.

In Mozambique strong liquor from the cashew apple which is called "the burning water."
 
# 76. POPPY SEEDS.
Poppy seed is obtained from the opium poppy. The tiny seeds have been harvested from dried seed pods by various civilizations for thousands of years.

The seeds are used, whole or ground, as an ingredient in many foods, and to yield poppyseed oil.

The seeds are used as a spice, a garnish, as a thickening agent, an ingredient or a condiment.

Poppy seeds are often a component of bird seed mixtures. Compared to the seed pod and straw, the seeds contain very low levels of opiates.

Poppy tea is obtained by washing the poppy seeds.
Whole poppy seeds are widely used as a spice and decoration in and on top of many baked goods.

Across Europe, buns and soft white bread pastries are often sprinkled on top with black and white poppy seeds

Poppy seeds are used in various German breads and desserts as well as in polish cuisines.

Like sesame seeds, poppy seeds are often added to hamburger buns and make hot dog buns extra crunchy.

Whole poppy seeds also have a few medical uses too!
 
# 77. LONG PEPPER
Long pepper (Piper longum), (Pippali) or Indian long pepper is cultivated for its fruit, which is used as a spice and a seasoning agent.

Long pepper has a similar, but hotter taste than black pepper.

The fruit of the pepper consists of many minuscule fruits embedded in the surface of a flower spike.

Today long pepper is an extremely rare ingredient in European cuisines.

Indian vegetable pickles, North African spice mixture still use this. So also the cooking in Indonesia and Malaysia.

It is readily available at Indian grocery stores, where it is usually labeled pippali.

Pippali is one of the most widely used Ayur Vedic herbs.

Indian naming:-

Malayalam.......tippali, pippali

Sanskrit.........Pippali rasayana.

Tamil..... கண்டந்திப்பிலி (kandanthippili)

Kannada.....hippali

Telugu........pippali.

Bengali........pipul


 
# 78. DILL

Fresh and dried dill leaves (sometimes called "dill weed" to distinguish it from dill seed) are used mainly in Sweden, the Baltic, in Russia, and in central Asia as an AROMATIC HERB.

Dill weed is best when used fresh and loses its flavor rapidly if dried. Dill leaves preserve their flavor well, when freeze dried.

Dill seed used as a spice has a flavor similar to caraway and dill weed.

Dill seeds were traditionally used to soothe the stomach after meals. From the leaves, stems and seeds of the plant dill oil is extracted.
In Arabia, dill seed is used as a spice in cold dishes and pickles.

Dill is known in English as Laotian coriander. In Laos cuisine, the herb is used in steamed fish and several coconut milk-based.

Vietnamese dishes use Lao coriander as an essential ingredient

Names in other Indian languages:-

Kannada.......sapsige soppu.

Telugu...........soya-kura/soya

Hindi....savaa

Punjabi.....soa.

In Serbia dill is used in soups, potato salads and French fries.

In Gujarat, India, dill is prepared in the manner of yellow Moong dal as a main-course dish.

It is considered to have very good anti-gas properties, and is used as mukhwas, or an after-meal digestive.

It is also traditionally given to mothers immediately after childbirth.

In Canada, dill is a favorite herb to accompany poached salmon.
 
# 79. SESAME SEED.

Sesame is grown primarily for its seeds ranging from cream-white to charcoal-black in color.

In general, the paler varieties of sesame seem to be more valued in the West and Middle East, while both the pale and black varieties are prized in the Far East.

The small sesame seed is used whole in cooking for its rich nutty flavor.

Sesame seeds are sometimes added to breads,
bagels and buns. Sesame seeds may be baked into crackers in the form of bread sticks.

Sesame seeds are also sprinkled onto sushi style foods. Whole seeds are found in many salads and baked snacks in Japan.

In Greece the seeds are used in cakes and as a main ingredient in soups. The seeds are also eaten on bread in Sicily and France.

About one-third of Mexico's sesame crop is purchased for sesame seed buns by MacDonald.

A favorite sweet made from the seeds is called

Pinni in Urudu,

'Ell urundai' in Tamil,

"Ellunda"in Malayalam,

"Yellunde" in Kannada, and

tilgul in Marathi.


It is made of sesame seeds mixed with sugar or jaggery.

Sesame oil used in Tamil Nadu with the hot spicy Milagaai podi to enhance flavor of foods such as Idli and dosa and also in making pickles.

Sesame seed cookies and wafers, both sweet and savory, are still consumed today in South California.

Ground and processed seeds can a be used in sweet confections, sesame candy, hummus and halvah.

Names in Indian languages:-

Sanskrit and Hindi.......Til.

Oriya...........................Rashi.

Telugu.........................Nuvvulu.

Tamil...........................Ell.

Malayalam..................Ellu.

Kannadam..................Ellu

 
# 80. BRAZIL NUT

The saturated fat content of Brazil nuts is among the highest of all nuts and so they are used for extracting their oil.

Because of its rich taste, Brazil nut can replace coconut in recipes. Nutritionally, Brazil nuts are a good source of some vitamins and minerals.

Strict regulations are imposed by the European union, on the import of Brazil nuts in their shells, since the shells contain high levels of aflatoxins , which can lead to liver cancer.

Brazil nuts contain small amounts of radium, most of which is not retained by the body. But this is 1,000 times higher than in other foods.

Brazil nut oil is used as a lubricant in clocks, for making artists' paints, and in the cosmetics industry.

The lumber from Brazil nut trees is of excellent quality, but logging the trees is prohibited by law in all three producing countries (Brazil, Bolivia and Peru).

Illegal extraction of timber and land clearances present a continuing threat.

The tendency of the larger items to rise to the top of a mixture of items of various sizes but similar densities, (e.g Brazil nuts mixed with peanuts) is called the Brazil nut effect.


 
# 81. WALNUT.

A walnut is the edible seed of any tree of the genus Juglans, especially Juglans Regia- the Persian walnut.

Broken nutmeats made with the eastern black walnut and the food made with butternut meats are commercially available.

A study has suggested that consumption of walnuts increases fat oxidation but reduces carbohydrate oxidation.

So walnut consumption may improve the use of body fat in overweight adults.

Aged rats fed diets containing 2% to 6% walnuts showed reversal of age-associated motor and cognitive function.

But the higher 9% walnut diet impaired performance.
Compared to certain other nuts, raw walnuts contain the highest level of antioxidants.
 
Except for the crispness of the inside edible portion of the walnut,there is absolutely no taste in it. One has to take this only for the sake of its good medicinal property.
 
# 82. CANDLE NUT.

Aleurites moluccana, the Candle nut, is a flowering tree. Its other names are Candleberry, Indian walnut, Kemiri, Varnish tree and Kuki nut tree.

The nut is round, 4–6 cm in diameter; the seed inside has a very hard seed coat and a high oil content, which allows its use as a candle.
Kemiri is the name of the nut used in Indonesian cuisine and buah keras in Malay. It is used to make a thick sauce that is eaten with vegetables and rice in Java and Indonesia.

Outside of Southeast Asia, macadmia nuts are substituted when candle nuts are not available. They have similar oil content and texture when pounded. But candle nut is more bitter in taste.

Several parts of the plant have been used in traditional medicine in most of the areas where it is native. The oil is an irritant and a laxative like Castor oil.

Candle nut oil is used in hair treatment system. In Japan the bark is used on tumors. In Malaya pulped kernels are used to treat fever, ulcer and swollen joints. In Java the bark is used for diarrhea and dysentery.

kukui nuts were burned to provide light in ancient Hawaii. The nuts were strung in a row on a palm leaf midrib, lit one end, and burned one by one every 15 minutes or so.

This led to their use as a measure of time. One could instruct someone to return home before the second nut burned out.

Hawaiians also had many other uses. Ink for tattoos were obtained from charred nuts and a varnish with the oil. A red-brown dye is made from the inner bark.


The ripe nuts are pounded into a paste, and used as soap or shampoo in Tonga. Their scent was also used for making various sweet smelling oils for the skin.

Modern cultivation is mostly for the oil. Each tree will produce 30–80 kg of nuts, and the nuts yield 15 to 20% of their weight in oil. Most of the oil is used locally rather than in international trade.


 
# 83. CHESTNUT

Chestnut is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce. The chestnut fruit has a pointed end with a small tuft at its tip called "flame" and a pale brown attachment scar at the other end.

In many varieties, the fruit is flattened on one or two sides. It has two skins. The first one is a hard outer shiny brown hull.The other is a thinner skin sticking to the seed.

European chestnuts have good size, sweet taste and easy-to-remove inner skins. American chestnuts are usually very small (around 5 g), but sweet-tasting with easy-to-remove inner skins.

Some Japanese varieties have very large nuts (around 40 g), with typically difficult-to-remove inner skins.

Chinese chestnut inner skins are usually easy to remove, and their sizes vary greatly according to the varieties, although usually smaller than the Japanese chestnut.

The fruit may be eaten raw after peeling the skins. Another method of eating the fruit involves roasting, which does not require peeling.


Once cooked, its texture is similar to that of a baked potato, with a delicate, sweet, and nutty flavor.

This method of preparation is popular in northern China as well as in Spain, Turkey, Greece, France, Korea and Southeast Asia.

Chestnuts can be dried and milled into a flour, which can then be used to prepare breads, pancake, cake or pasta. it can be used as a thickener or fried into dough nuts. Chestnut bread can stay fresh for as long as two weeks.

The nuts can also be eaten candied, boiled, steamed, grilled, or roasted in sweet or savory recipes.

They can be used to stuff vegetables, poultry and fowl They are available fresh, dried, ground or canned.

 
When we visit the Supermarkets in U.S.A, we will not be able to recognize most of the nuts being sold there! :popcorn:

So may varieties of unfamiliar 'nutty' nuts!

One whole section will comprise of these.

I have an interesting anecdote to share with you.

The nuts are usually left unattended, with a scoops and small bags for packing them.

The people can scoop out as much as they want of any nut they like!

It will be weighed and added to his bill. But what we do not bring out, we don't have to pay for- isn't it???.

So one fine day we saw a man (much to my and our shame an Indian Iyer mama in half pants)
half inside and half outside the drum of nuts! :hungry:

He was gobbling them like an ostrich gobbling pebbles!:faint:

He does not have to pay since he is not visibly bringing out anything with him!

But suppose we find his weight before and after the raid... and charge him for that much of nuts...

He will be broken financially, morally and even physically since he will never be able to foot the bill- in case he is a regular 'nutty' nut raider!

I have seen kids stealing and eating candies and chocolates with the permission of their parents
(sadly they too were Indians and Tamilians on top of that!) :doh:
 
# 84. COCONUT
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the palm family. It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos.

The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm or the seed or the fruit.

It is not a botanical nut. The old spelling was cocoanut . Early Spanish explorers called coconuts/cocos nucifera "coco" meaning "monkey face".

Found across much of the tropics, the coconut is known for its great versatility as seen in the many domestic, commercial, and industrial uses of its different parts.

Coconuts are part of the daily diet of many people. The edible "flesh" of the coconut when dried is called copra.

The oil and milk derived from coconut are used in cooking and frying. Coconut oil is also widely used in soaps and cosmetics.

The clear liquid within a coconut is a refreshing drink and can be processed to create alcohol.

The husks and leaves can be used as material to make a variety of products for furnishing and decorating. It also has cultural and religious significance in many societies that use it.

The various parts of the coconut have a number of culinary uses. The nut provides oil for frying, cooking, and making margarine.

The white, fleshy coconut meat is edible and used fresh or dried in cooking especially in confections and desserts

Desiccated coconut can be used as an ingredient or to produce coconut milk which is frequently added to curry dishes and other savory viands.

Coconut flour has also been developed for use in baking and to combat malnutrition.
 
Visalakshi Ramani said:
# 84. COCONUT
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the palm family. It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos.

The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm or the seed or the fruit.

It is not a botanical nut. The old spelling was cocoanut . Early Spanish explorers called coconuts/cocos nucifera "coco" meaning "monkey face".

Found across much of the tropics, the coconut is known for its great versatility as seen in the many domestic, commercial, and industrial uses of its different parts.

Coconuts are part of the daily diet of many people. The edible "flesh" of the coconut when dried is called copra.

The oil and milk derived from coconut are used in cooking and frying. Coconut oil is also widely used in soaps and cosmetics.

The clear liquid within a coconut is a refreshing drink and can be processed to create alcohol.

The husks and leaves can be used as material to make a variety of products for furnishing and decorating. It also has cultural and religious significance in many societies that use it.

The various parts of the coconut have a number of culinary uses. The nut provides oil for frying, cooking, and making margarine.

The white, fleshy coconut meat is edible and used fresh or dried in cooking especially in confections and desserts

Desiccated coconut can be used as an ingredient or to produce coconut milk which is frequently added to curry dishes and other savory viands.

Coconut flour has also been developed for use in baking and to combat malnutrition.
Click to expand...


The Malay word for Coconut Tree is Pokok(Tree) Kelapa(Coconut).
I read before the word Kelapa is derived from the Sanskrit word Kalpa since the Coconut Tree is Multipurpose and literally a Kalpa Vriksha hence the name Pokok Kelapa.
 
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