Food For Thought - Spices PDF Print E-mail
Health
Written by Shrii P. R. Sarkar   


Ginger (Ada)

Ginger is a popular cooking additive. Many products can be made from ginger including syrup, sauce, marmalade, liquid extract, etc. Ginger processed in cow dung water is called “sout ada” and is used in Ayurvedic medicine.
Ginger can grow in either the sun or the shade, but it should be planted in the month of Pha´lguna. Ginger stalks, like onion stalks, should be twisted down so that within 15 days the plant dies and the tuber is ready for harvesting. The best ginger is found in Tripura and Mizoram.

Chilli (Lanka)

Chilli is very common in India. There are many varieties which vary in size, spiciness and growing conditions. For example, the kacha lanka variety is a three year crop. In the first year it will produce a good yield, in the second year a medium yield, and in the third year a very low yield. Thus, the plants should be removed after the second year and new ones grown. Dhani lanka is not suitable as a blended crop because it grows very large and affects the nearby plants. The indigenous and suryamukhi varieties have similar yields, but the dhani lanka variety produces more than either of these two. The indigenous, suryamukhi and dhani lanka varieties are all summer varieties of green chilli. There is also a red winter variety which is often dried and made into powder. Chilli can also be made into a spicy sauce.

Turmeric (Halud)

Turmeric is commonly made into powder and used as a spice. When taken raw, it is poisonous. It should be taken only after it has been processed in cow dung water. Raw turmeric can be converted into sunte halud by boiling it with cow dung. Turmeric requires half sun and half shade. The best turmeric tubers are found in Patna.

Radish (Mula)

Radish is a 45 to 60 day crop. Its original home was Japan and it first came to India 3,000 years ago. Its food value is less than that of
potato, although it is rich in mineral salts and is good for the blood. It is a general purifier. It is not easily digestible, but it helps digestion because it stimulates saliva secretion. It can be eaten raw, cooked, pickled, etc. The leaves of mustard and radish are similar, but all varieties of mustard have yellow flowers while radish has white flowers. The green leaves of radish (mula sha´k) are a good food, but the green leaves of mustard (sars´e sha´k) are not. Where there is a dense growth of radish plants, they should be thinned out. The leafy off-cuts can be eaten as a vegetable (mula sha´k).
The varieties of radish include : Summer season, Rainy season Radish seeds are larger than mustard seeds and can be used to produce oil, although they are not usually used for this purpose. Radish oil is pungent, like mustard oil. Radish oil cake makes a good manure. If radish tops are planted, they will produce seeds and flowers. The summer variety of radish can also be grown with a´us paddy.
Radish can be grown as a blended crop with potato and other crops. The root is not wide, so it can be grown with a tuber such as potato without disturbing it.
The soil for growing radish should have a very light texture. Sandy alluvial soil is good, but it should contain a lot of calcium. Radish require 1 tillings. In Guazipur and Juanpur radish grows quite large. Radish seedlings should be planted in such a way that the roots go straight down.
Two techniques can be used to grow radish seeds. If soil is available, cut off the top one to one and a half inches of the radish and plant the top in wet soil. Use the remainder of the radish as a vegetable. After some time plenty of flowers and seeds will grow. If soil is not available, cut off the top of the radish as above, but hang the top upside down in a sheltered place. Gouge a cup-shaped cavity in the pulp and pour water into it. When the water dries up, wash the pulp and refill it with water. After some time, flowers and seeds will grow profusely downwards. Radish seeds should not be sown within a radius of three miles from where they were produced. Seeds should always be brought from outside the locality, otherwise the radish crop will be prone to disease. 

Shrii P. R. Sarkar