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Dainty Dose of Delightful Information

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I Looked up for COCONUT SHELL PRODUCTS.

Why would I look up for wind instruments
when my topic is coconut shell products???

I saw all the coconut shell products including monkey bird feeder,
monkey (piggy) bank, coconut shell bra and many other things besides.

This glorious musical instrument was the ONLY one posted in that page
and it was clearly labelled as a wind instrument.

I may be old but I am not senile yet.

I remember very well what I saw and what I did not.

I also remember what I did and what I did not do.

Machines are machines and work on the data
provided by the wits and the nitwits alike.

I remember the classic example in Google images - where
a peacock was given as the vaahana of Sarawati Devi.
 
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I got the picture ONLY when I searched for Wind instruments and not for coconut shell products!

I will not interfere in this thread here after! :sorry:
 
My dear Raji,

You are most :welcome: to interact!

I make it a point never to bluff. :lie:

As a result, I am not trusted!!! :hand:

Oxymoron of the 21st century!!!! :peace:
 
It is the same story..... always...everywhere.

Speak the truth... and become the one to be suspected.

Wish well and Do good ....and get battered!!!

Think good..... and be made the cause for

everything going wrong everywhere!!!
 
When both people are talking the TRUTH and yet the truth differs
there can be only one possible explanation.

They have watched through different windows
or in other words have used different search engines!

Mine is called AVG Secure search and is NOT GOOGLE search engine.

May be this is the cause of the disparity!!! :noidea:
 
These search engines are tricky.
Change the words used and everything changes.
Change the order of the words used; still everything changes.
As for different search engines.. the less said the better.
 
KNOW YOUR FOOD

#68. Common Violet





Viola is a genus of flowering plants in the violet family Violaceae. There are about 400–500 species distributed around the world. Most species are found in the Northern Hemisphere as well as in Hawaii, Australasia and the Andes.

Viola species may be perennial plants or annual plants or small shrubs. A large number of species and varieties are grown in gardens for their ornamental flowers.


The multicolored, large-flowered cultivars which are raised annually or biennially from seeds are called pansy. The terms “viola” and “violet” are normally reserved for small-flowered annuals or perennials.

When newly opened, Viola flowers may be used to decorate salads or in stuffing for poultry or fish. Some desserts are flavored with essence of Viola flowers. The young leaves are edible raw or cooked and taste rather bland.


‘Rebecca’ one of the Violetta violets has a distinct vanilla flavor with a touch of wintergreen. The perfume of V.odorata suits all desserts, teas and fruit salads. The flavor of V. tricolor suits sweet as well savory food. The heart-shaped leaves of V.odorata is a free source of greens throughout the growing season.


Viola odorata is candied or crystallized by giving a coating of egg white and crystallized sugar. Alternatively, the flower is immersed in the hot sugar syrup and stirred until the sugar recrystallizes.


Candied violets are made commercially in France, where they are known as violette de Toulouse. They are used for decorating or included in aromatic desserts.


The French also make violet syrup from an extract of violets. In the United States violet scones and marshmallows are made with this French violet syrup.


Viola essence is used to flavor the confectionery and liquors. Violets are rich in vitamin A and C and contain the antioxidant anthocyanin. Viola flowers are used to make a herbal tea.


Viola odorata is used as a source for scents in the perfume industry. Ionone in the flowers turns off our ability to smell the fragrant compound for moments at a time making the scent appear flirty.


 
KNOW YOUR FOOD

#69. Coriander seeds

Coriander is one of the most used and versatile of all the spices and herbs. Coriander seeds are considered a spice while coriander leaves, or cilantro is an aromatic herb.


The flavor of the leaves and the seeds are completely different.Outside of Asia, coriander seed is used for pickling vegetables, and making sausages in Germany and South Africa.


In Russia and Central Europe coriander seed is an occasional ingredient in bread made of rye. Coriander seeds are used in brewing certain styles of beer. The coriander seeds are used with orange peel to add a citrus character.


Medical benefits:

1. Is an anti oxidant.
2.contains fatty acids and essential oils.
3.Contains dietary fiber 42 percent by weight.
4. Protects colon.
5. Contains Iron, Copper, Calcium, Potassium, Manganese, Magnesium and Zinc.
6.Contains Vitamin C, B complex with Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin.


 
KNOW YOUR FOOD

#70. Cornflower




Centaurea cyanus / Cornflower / Bachelor’s button / Bluebottle / Boutonniere flower / Hurtsickle / Cyani flower – all represent a small annual flowering plant, native to Europe in the family of Asteraceae.

It grows from 16 – 35 inches in height and has grey-green branched stems. The flowers are of an intense blue color. A ring of a few large, spreading ray florets surround a central cluster of disc florets. The blue pigment is protocyanin.

Fields growing grains such as wheat, barley, rye, or oats are known as corn fields in the UK. In the past this plant often grew in the crop fields as a weed. Hence its name as corn flower.

It is grown as an ornamental plant in gardens. Several cultivars have varying pastel colors, including pink and purple. Centaurea is also grown for the cut flower industry in Canada for use by florists.

The most common color variety for this use is a doubled blue variety such as ‘Blue Boy’ or ‘Blue Diadem’. White, pink, lavender and black (actually a very dark maroon) are also used but less commonly.

It is also occasionally used as a culinary ornament. Cornflowers have been used and prized historically for their blue pigment. Cornflowers are often used as an ingredient in some tea blends and tisanes.

Wild cornflower floral water is produced in Provence, France. It is obtained by steam distillation which can be used as a natural mild astringent and antiseptic to prevent eye infections as well as an alcohol-free natural toner.

Cornflowers germinate quickly after planting. The cornflower is the official flower of France. It flowers from June until August. The cornflower is considered a useful weed. Is edible flowers are used to add lovely color to salads.
 
And here is 'know your drink':
:biggrin1:
Do you struggle to get your eyes open in the morning without a cup of tea or coffee? If so, then you are not alone. More than half the planet does. Most of the planet runs on coffee and wars have been fought over tea. Although the Boston Tea Party was less about tea than it was about taxes and asserting independence, it shows just how important tea and coffee are to us.

But how much do you really know about your tea or coffee?

Black gold (Coffee)

The discovery of the magical properties of coffee beans is shrouded in myth. One favourite legend is that after a goat herder observed his goats’ reaction to some beans he decided to taste them – and got so excited that he ran around telling all the monks about them. Legend has it that the goat herder who began it all was either from Yemen or Ethiopia (depending to whom you speak) in the eighth century. Soon coffee spread across Asia, the United States, and the rest of the world until today and it is estimated that 1.6 billion cups of coffee are drunk worldwide every day.

Today, you can consume coffee by chewing on the beans, raw or roasted. Or you can brew them into a drink using a filter coffee machine, a percolator, a coffee plunger or press, or any manner of other machine. There are beans available from anywhere in the world, in any strength from light to dark roasts. You can even buy coffee with less caffeine in it thanks to researchers from Germany in 1903.

We have also gone to great lengths to design specialty coffee drinks (hot and cold), which find interesting ways to mix steamed milk, espresso shots, milk foam, water, chocolate syrup, filter coffee, and cream (both whipped and smooth). Add some hazelnut or vanilla sugar and the humble coffee bean has become something both special and expensive.

Is coffee good for me?
There are many myths about the health benefits of coffee – if your grandmother ever told you that coffee gives you worms, you can rest assured that it does not. Although too much coffee can have serious side effects, drinking a controlled amount of coffee is actually quite good for you. For instance, the number one reason people drink coffee is to wake them up and help them focus, but coffee has all sorts of other advantages too:

•Coffee is good for your brainDrinking between one and three cups of coffee every day has been shown to improve memory. It has also been linked to reduced incidences of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. It also really does help you focus and concentrate and because caffeine is a stimulant, it does wake you up. Be careful though – too much can cause insomnia and anxiety, as well as agitation.

•Coffee can help you lose weightCoffee is chock-full of caffeine, which can help to speed up your metabolism and help you burn calories faster by increasing your energy expenditure. This makes coffee a very useful sports supplement. Coffee has been shown to increase endurance, reduce pain and tiredness, and increase muscle strength.

•Coffee could reduce the risk and incidence of medical conditionsRegular coffee drinkers are less likely to develop certain kinds of cancer – including liver, breast, rectal, and colon cancer. Coffee (without milk) can help to reduce the severity of asthma attacks. It can reduce strain on the heart and lessen the severity of heart disease. Coffee can help to prevent gout and is part of a healthy diet for those suffering from type 2 diabetes.

Although human beings on the whole tend to drink more than twice the coffee as we do tea, this beverage is actually quite an extraordinary liquid.

Liquid gold (Tea)

You’ve probably already heard about how good green tea is for you: it is simply packed with antioxidants which can help to prevent nerve damage that can cause Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. It also helps to increases metabolism and so helps you to burn calories faster. In addition, it helps reduce bad cholesterol, and protects your heart from disease. The fact is that all kinds of tea are good for you, and although some are better for you than others, none of them is bad for you. In fact, all tea is a good addition to your diet because any leaf tea helps your body to deal with glucose better.

•Black teas
Black tea is brewed from fermented leaves and is almost as high in caffeine as coffee. These kinds of tea are the most drunk and most commercially available. They are good for preventing damage to the circulatory and respiratory systems. Many black teas (provided that they contain caffeine) have the same advantages that coffee does, except that you can drink more cups without overdosing on caffeine.

•Rooibos tea
Rooibos tea is a firm favourite in many South African households, and its popularity is spreading rapidly throughout the world. Rooibos is a particularly healthy tea because it contains a remarkably high concentration of antioxidants, some of them unique to rooibos. Although it does not contain any caffeine, it also has very little tannin and this means that you can drink a lot of it without experiencing tremors or other side effects. Rooibos is now available in all sorts of interesting variants (like red cappuccino and red espresso) and as a base for herbal and other flavoured teas.

•Other teas
White teas and oolong teas also have interesting health benefits. White tea is packed with antioxidants and oolong tea is a good addition to your diet if you’re trying to lose weight.

Keep your caffeine intake to a safe level whether you drink tea or coffee (or any other caffeine-containing drink). The recommended dosage for men is about 400mg and 300mg for women. There’s about 100mg in a cup of coffee and slightly less in a cup of tea.

So drink up and enjoy the health benefits!
 
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Thank you Mr. Siva! :yo:

I am yet to read your long post. :ranger:

But I am sure it is a source of usueful info. :thumb:

I think coconut water is the real elixir of life!!! :love:
 
I really really wish that people
who are connoisseurs of food
will add interesting subheadings like
Know your pachchadis (How cool to have one everyday)
Know your chutneys ( I believe there are so many!)
Know your paruppu podis ( I know there are many!!)
Know your kuzhambus (I am sure there are so many!!!
Know your rasams (I am eager to know more about this!!!!)
I myself know only minimal cooking - enough to make
tasty, healthy and saadhu food fit for saadhus!!!
 
KNOW YOUR FOOD

# 70. Couscous


Couscous is a dish of semolina traditionally served with a meat or vegetable stew spooned over it. Couscous is a staple food in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Libya.

Couscous was elected as the third favorite dish of French people in 2011 in a study. The name is derived from Arabic language meaning well rolled, well formed, rounded. Numerous different names and pronunciations for couscous exist around the world.

The semolina is sprinkled with water and rolled with the hands to form small pellets. They are sprinkled with dry flour to keep them separate, and then sieved.

Any pellets which are too small to be finished granules of couscous and fall through the sieve will be again rolled and sprinkled with dry semolina and rolled into pellets. This process continues until all the semolina has been formed into tiny granules of couscous.

These would then be dried in the sun and used for several months. Couscous was traditionally made from the hard part of the durum, the part of the grain that resisted the grinding of the relatively primitive millstone.In modern times, couscous production is largely mechanized, and the product is sold in markets around the world.

Properly cooked couscous is light and fluffy, not gummy or gritty. Traditionally, North Africans use a food steamer. The base is a tall metal pot shaped rather like an oil jar in which the meat and vegetables are cooked as a stew. On top of the base, a steamer sits where the couscous is cooked, absorbing the flavors from the stew.

The lid to the steamer has holes around its edge so steam can escape.
Couscous is among the healthiest grain-based products. It has a superior vitamin profile to pasta, containing twice as much vitamins as pasta.

In terms of protein, couscous has 3.6 g for every 100 calories, equivalent to pasta, and well above the 2.6 g for every 100 calories of white rice. Furthermore, couscous contains a 1% fat-to-calorie ratio, compared to 3% for white rice and 5% for pasta.
 
KNOW YOUR FOOD

#72. Culantro


Culantro (Eryngium foetidum) is a culinary and medicinal leafy green herb commonly used throughout the West Indies, Latin America and many Asian countries.

The herb is mainly used as a seasoning in the preparation of a range of foods including vegetable and meat dishes, sauces, chutneys and preserves.

In addition to its culinary usage, E. foetidum is commonly used for its medicinal properties, among them as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic.

Culantro is a tender perennial and is grown as an annual in the Northeastern U.S. Since it is frost sensitive and can take up to three weeks to germinate, transplants are recommended for the cultivation of Eryngium foetidum in the Northeast.

Germination can take 3 weeks or longer even with bottom heat supplied at 75°F. The plants should be set out after the danger of frost has passed.

Transplants should be spaced 4 – 6 inches within the row and no closer than 6 inches apart between the rows. It is recommended to use the same fertilizer used for other leafy greens.

When culantro begins to produce flowers, the leaves become tough and less suitable for eating. The harvest is achieved by cutting the entire rosette at soil level. The flower stalks must be pruned regularly in order to maintain vegetative growth and maximize yields.
 
KNOW YOUR FOOD

# 73. Cumin


Cumin is said to be the second most popular spice in the world after black pepper. The Indian name for Cumin is Jeera and as the name itself suggests cumin is good to the digestion in more than one way.

Cumin seeds are used as a spice for their distinctive aroma in many cuisines like Nepalese, Pakistani, Indian, Sri Lankan, Mexican, Cuban, and North African.


Cheese made by the Dutch and french breads contain cumin. Cumin can be used ground or as whole seeds. Cumin was also used heavily in ancient Roman cuisine.


Cumin adds an earthy and warming feeling to cooking, making it an essential ingredient in certain stews and soups, as well as curries.


In South Asia, cumin tea (dry seeds boiled in hot water) is used to distinguish false labor (due to gas) from real labor.


In Sri Lanka, toasting cumin seeds and then boiling them in water makes a tea used to soothe acute stomach problems.


People in parts of South Asia commonly believe cumin seeds help with digestion. Some scientific evidence suggests cumin may aid digestion by stimulating enzymes to break down foods.


Although cumin seeds contain iron, extremely large quantities of cumin would need to be consumed for it to serve as a significant dietary source.
 
KNOW YOUR FOOD

#74. Curry leaf

The curry tree கறிவேப்பிலை,ಕರಿಬೇವು, కరివేపాకు is an Indian tropical to subtropical tree.The Tamil name kariveppilai’ ( kari-curry, veppu- neem and ilai-leaf ) which is the literal translation of curry leaves.

The name means “leaf that is used to make curry” and it is present in almost all the South Indian dishes in addition to coriander leaves. Without curry leaves, curry seems to lack both taste and flavor!

The name in Kannada means “black neem”, since the appearance of the leaves is similar to the unrelated bitter Neem tree.

Same way in Gujarati it is known as “limdo” or “meetho leemdo” (means Sweet neem). Curry leaves are also entirely unrelated to the aromatic leaves from the Mediterranean namely Bay leaves and Basil leaves.

The leaves are highly valued as seasoning in southern and west-coast Indian cooking and in vada, chutney, tuar dhal powder etc.

In their fresh form, they have a short shelf life, and they don’t keep well in the refrigerator. They are also available dried, though the aroma is largely inferior.

These leaves are used in many Ayurvedic preparations. Their medical properties include much value as an anti-diabetic, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hepatic protective etc.

Curry leaves are also known to be good for hair, for keeping it healthy, black, shiny and long. They are rich in iron.

Although most commonly used in curries, leaves from the curry tree can be used in many other dishes to add spice.
 
[h=1]# 75. Dandelions[/h]



T. officinale is considered a weed in lawns and along roadsides. Common dandelion is best known for its yellow flower heads that turn into round balls of silver tufted fruits and get dispersed in the wind.

Though dandelion is considered as a weed by gardeners and lawn owners, the plant has several culinary and medicinal uses. The name ‘officinalis’ refers to its value as a medicinal herb. The word is derived from the word officina, meaning a workshop or pharmacy.


Dandelion wine is made from the flowers and the greens are used in salads. Dandelion roots baked and ground into a powder is used as a substitute for coffee. The Native Americans used the plant as a food and medicine.


Dandelions are wild crafted or grown on a small scale. The leaves or the dandelion greens can be eaten cooked in soups or raw in salads. They closely resemble the mustard greens.


Usually the young leaves and unopened buds are eaten raw in salads, while older leaves are cooked. Raw leaves have a slightly bitter taste. Dandelion salad is often accompanied with hard boiled eggs. The leaves are rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C. They contain more calcium and iron than even spinach.


Dandelion wine and saison ale are made from the dandelion flowers. Dandelion and burdock is a popular soft drink in U.K! Dandelion flower jam is another popular recipe using the flowers.


In some parts world, dandelion flowers are used to make May-honey, a syrup of honey substitute with added lemon. This “honey” is credited with a medicinal property against liver problems. Ground roasted dandelion root can be used as a decaffeinated coffee.


In herbal medicine, Dandelion is used for increasing appetite, improving digestion and as a mild laxative. The milky latex has been used as a mosquito repellent and as a folk remedy to treat warts
 
#76. Dates




Phoenix dactylifera or the date palm is a palm in the genus Phoenix, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. Although its place of origin is unknown, it probably originated from lands around the Persian Gulf.


It is a medium-sized plant, 15–25 m tall, growing singly or forming a clump with several stems from a single root system. Their leaves are 3–5 m long, with about 150 leaflets. The leaflets are 30 cm long and 2 cm wide. The full span of the crown ranges from 6 to 10 m.


The fruit is known as a date. The fruit’s English name, as well as the Latin species name dactylifera, both come from the Greek word for “finger,” dáktulos, because of the fruit’s elongated shape.


Dates are oval-cylindrical, 3–7 cm long, and 2–3 cm diameter, and when unripe, range from bright red to bright yellow in color, depending on the variety.


Dates contain a single seed. The three main cultivar groups are soft, semi-dry and dry. Dry and soft dates are eaten out-of-hand, or may be pitted and stuffed with delicious fillings.


Pitted dates are also referred to as stoned dates. Partially dried pitted dates may be glazed with glucose syrup for use as a snack food. Dates can also be chopped and used in a range of sweet and savory dishes.


Date nut bread, a type of cake, is very popular in the United States, especially around holidays. Dates are also processed into cubes and paste.


Recent innovations include dates covered with chocolates and products such as sparkling date juice, used in some Islamic countries as a non-alcoholic version of champagne, for special occasions and religious times such as Ramadan.


Dates can also be dehydrated, ground and mixed with grain to form a nutritious stock feed. Dried dates are fed to camels, horses and dogs in the Sahara. In northern Nigeria, peppers and dates are added to the native beer to make it less intoxicating.


Young date leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable, as is the terminal bud or heart, though its removal kills the palm.


The finely ground seeds are mixed with flour to make bread in times of scarcity. The flowers of the date palm are also edible. Traditionally the female flowers are the most available for sale and weigh 300–400 grams. The flower buds are used in salad or ground with dried fish to make a condiment for bread.


Dates may be considered as an ideal food, providing a wide range of essential nutrients and potential health benefits.”


Dates are a very good source of dietary potassium. The sugar content of ripe dates is about 80%; the remainder consists of protein, fiber, and trace elements including boron, cobalt, copper, fluorine, magnesium, manganese, selenium, and zinc.


Date palms are tapped for the sweet sap which is converted into palm sugar or alcoholic beverages. Special skill is required when tapping the palm tree so that it does not die.
 
Hello VR Mam, past couple of days we happen to see an unwanted add with :doh: :shocked: photos stated as try it now. OMG proper measures has to be taken.
 
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