Herbs for Health - Part 3

Have you ever considered growing your own herbs for curry or pasta sauce? Some of the herbs and spices that go into curry can be grown quite easily in a small space - even in a roof garden or on the windowsill.

Let’s start with garlic. It is not considered a herb by many gardeners, but leading herbalists list it as a medicinal herb and claim that it is wonderful for boosting the immune system. Here’s a story you won’t have heard before. When I was on one of my visits to Kenya, I was told about an amazing local cure for sick chickens. Whenever one of them wasn’t well, the bird was given a small clove of garlic and very soon it was up and running about perkily again.

The rapid recovery of the chickens shows garlic has some kind of curative power. It has been used in herbal medicine and cooking for centuries. Mention has been made in literature of garlic’s ability to ward off infections, lower blood pressure and prevent colds. According to herbalists, it has antiseptic and disinfectant properties and is even said to have a rejuvenating effect. Many people think that eating raw garlic helps to slow down the onset of arteriosclerosis and lower the likelihood of repeated heart attacks.

But please note that this is a gardening article. The information here is provided to make the growing of herbs more interesting and not intended as medical advice. It is always wise to consult your doctor before treating illness yourself. However, a balanced diet is generally recommended and eating homegrown vegetables and herbs can help towards the maintenance of good health.

Herbs and spices in curry

Curry contains a mixture of herbs and spices. There have been reports in the press recently from researchers who suggest that curry can give people a ‘natural high’ by raising blood temperature temporarily. But did you read the small print towards the end of some of the articles? Apparently regular eaters of curry were found to have lower blood pressure.

The herb and spice ingredients of curry have been well tried for generations. Some of the best known meat, fish and rice recipes contain herbs that have been found to aid digestion. And most of the herbs and spices used in traditional curries seem to have a therapeutic effect. I wonder if this was the reason they were originally added to the dishes. Was a liking for the tantalising and pungent taste gradually acquired? Or were herbs and spices added because they were thought to have curative powers?

Curry powder spices

Garam masala – one of the powders that goes into a curry – is made from a mixture of ground spices: cardamon, cloves, coriander seeds, cumin, cinnamon, mace, pepper. This powder usually goes into the curry towards the end of the cooking process.

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) leaves are also added to curry dishes as well as the seeds. A few fresh leaves can be sprinkled into curry for additional flavour, whereas the seeds are ground into a powder and mixed into the Garam masala. Young leaves are as easy to obtain by germinating the seeds indoors on the windowsill, in much the same way as mustard and cress. And the plant grows readily outdoors in summer in Britain.

Colour in curries

Yellow is supposed to be an appetising colour that draws us to food. Traditionally vivid red-orange saffron from Crocus sativus has been the spice chosen to colour rice dishes yellow. The red of the threadlike flower pistils turns yellow in water. The saffron crocus is also a traditional medicinal herb in China. But it is turmeric that gives most curries their yellow appearance.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa), when processed into a bright yellow/orange powder, is stirred into the lightly fried onions and garlic towards the beginning of the cooking time. Red chillies or chilli powder are then added. This spice makes curry taste hot, and more or less chilli is used, according to taste.

Chilli (Capsicum annuum) will grow, flower and produce numerous green fruits in a greenhouse in Britain. They will ripen to red on the plants or indoors, strung up on strings. If you prefer a milder capsicum, try the long variety ‘Fruit and Spice’ for a change. Capsicums can also be grown successfully outside in warmer areas.

Spices are preservatives. Pepper, cinnamon, mace, and whole cloves are sometimes mixed into savoury rice dishes that accompany curries. And chilli mango or tomato chutneys are served as side dishes.

Now is a good time to plant garlic

Garlic (Allium sativum) is a perennial plant. Each bulb consists of several cloves. Plant a few cloves of 1cm in diameter in a large pot this month (November), or directly into the ground. The harvest of new bulbs should be ready to lift next summer. Garlic requires a long growing time and is best planted in autumn, although on heavy soils wait until early spring. Garlic ‘White pearl’ is a variety that suits northern Europe and a British climate.

Beautiful basil for cooks and gardeners

People from most regions of the world value herbs for salads, cooking or food garnishes. Basil is a popular ingredient of Mediterranean dishes. Thompson & Morgan have an exclusive collection of six separately wrapped basil varieties known as ‘Basil Spice Boys’: ‘Basil cinnamon, Basil Lettuce Leaf, Basil Purple Delight, Basil Lemon and Basil Ararat’. Basil is grown as a companion plant for tomatoes, as sage is for cabbages and carrots. The herbs are said to deter pests and diseases.

Generations have recommended ginger for health

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a tender deciduous perennial with a tuberous rhizome. In herbal medicine, the thick, root-like stem is used to stimulate the circulation and it is sometimes recommended for rheumatism – although not for external application if there are any skin problems. In cooking, small pieces are peeled and added to curry, and as ground powder it is mixed into apple crumble, biscuits and other sweet dishes. A section of the rhizomes will grow and sprout new shoots if kept in the warm indoors.

New natural pesticide from garlic

Did you read in The Garden (November 2000) that garlic is being used against aphids? The latest product called Exorsect is based on garlic.