It is hard to choose which of the wonderful medicinal plants to write about when trying to decide which plants might have caught our eye but we’re not quite sure what to do with them. The durian is a well know fruit here in Southeast Asia along with the mangosteen and both have high medicinal value however I am trying to introduce some new ideas into the culinary tastes of our kitchen creations! The three plants I have chosen to speak of are all easily found in our wonderful outdoor markets here in Thailand but may not be all that well known; tamarind, bael and rambutan. Tamarind can be kept around the house as a natural ready-to-eat “candy” bar, dried bael fruit makes a wonderful tea and we see bags of this stuff at the markets and rambutan is a refreshing fruit that reminds one you are in a different country altogether! There are many health benefits to all three of these fruits in natural or prepared versions and incorporating these kinds of items into your market purchases is a way to bring the new experience of a new country into one’s life.
Tamarind, Tamarindus indica, grows on tall trees from the fabaceae family, the legume family. The fruit comes in a long brown curved pod with small brown seeds. The seeds are surrounded by a sticky pulp which is similar to a date. The name comes from the Persian “tamar-I-hind” which means “date of India”. The pulp can be dried to a paste and preserved easier that way. Formed into balls and covered with various toppings from shaved coconut to sugar or salt they make a sweet treat, of course the fresh “right out of the shell” is available to us here in Thailand markets and that will always have the most nutritional value. It is a sweet and sour food that is very good for you and fun to eat.
Tamarind is high in dietary fiber that binds with bile to help flush waste through the colon. It can be used as a laxative aiding digestion so is a good “after meal snack” that can ease a sweet tooth also. It is high in thiamin, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. It also includes niacin, calcium, which is unique for a fruit, vit C, copper, pyridoxine (vit B6) and is high in phytochemicals. These phytochemicals have been tested and been successful for abdominal pain, dysentery, constipation, fevers, inflammation, gonorrhea, eye diseases and parasitic infections. It is also antimicrobial, anti-venom, antioxidant, and effective against diabetes, malaria and asthma. One of the main phytochemicals is geraniol which is partially responsible for suppressing pancreatic tumor growth in lab studies which warrants further investigation as to cancer prevention. The future hold bright for tamarind as there are also studies for formulating a new tamarind seed extract herbal medicine for diabetes.
All the above are such powerful benefits for snacking on some tamarind pod sticky pulp/paste a few times a day as part of curing our sweet tooth needs and indulging in some innocent luxury. You simply crack open the pod, pull off the string, break off a piece and eat it by chewing around the pit without eating the seed. One can find them in huge baskets at the market in the pods and it is best if the pods aren’t broken open. You may want to try one first to make sure they are moist and fresh. Keeping them refrigerated is best if you can find fresh tamarind. Tamarind paste may be found in the condiment section but try to find it without added sugar and tamarind water can be added to your recipes for another way to enjoy this wonderful legume.
Bael fruit, Limonia acidissima, sometimes called the wood apple due to its hard grey/green shell, has been known as a sacred tree for Hindu’s and for its medicinal properties stemming back from 2000BC. It can grow places other trees cannot and the fruit takes 11 months to ripen. It is widely found in Indian temples since it is considered sacred to Shiva, lord of health. One can find big clear tied bags of the dried bael fruit in the local markets, it looks like sliced dried oranges but with a bit more of a red hue. This is primarily for a wonderful herbal tea however the raw fruit can be eaten also. To make the tea you take 2 slices of the dried bael and boil it for 5 minutes in a pot with 4 cups water, then add honey or sweetener if you like. You can add grated ginger or cinnamon just allow it to cool and keep it in the fridge plain. You can actually make it as strong or as weak as you like just by adding another slice or two but don’t boil more than 5 minutes or else you wipe out a lot of the good vitamins. It is a beautiful colored tea and has a soft woody taste.
The bael fruit can be eaten raw by opening the fruit with a hammer or machete; the shell is very hard obviously, I don’t normally have to use a machete on my fruits except for coconut! The inside has a brownish pulp with small white seeds. It tastes similar to a marmalade but smelling of roses, and also has been noted to taste of tamarind. The pulp can be scooped out and eaten plain or one can blend it with coconut milk and frozen into ice-cream. Jam can also be made from the pulp. The ripe fruit is sweet and the raw green is sour, good for
chutneys. The leaves are also of medicinal value but are used sparingly as a salad condiment.
This fruit is good for digestive issues similar to tamarind; constipation, ulcers, stomach aches and excess acid is soothed. The essential oils of the bael fruit has antimicrobial properties which is effective against 21 different types of bacteria. During research it has been shown to have anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. It can inhibit bacteria that clings to the gut and can help mouth ulcers and infections in the body. The oil extract of this fruit can aid with repertory problems such as asthma by loosening phlegm. An increase of milk production for nursing mothers, a reduction of inflammatory diseases, an immune system booster and a blood cleanser all make this fruit, which is actually classified as an herb, a real bounty of delicious nutrition. It is high in vit C and beta-carotene, contains thiamine and riboflavin and functions as an ingredient in cardiac tonics. For the future, it is being tested to aid against malaria. The pulp of the bael fruit tree is used as a cosmetic component by woman in the Thai-Myanmar border and as a neutral non-irritating repellant. This is one of the most prevalent fruits to see in the markets, both fresh and dried, so take advantage and use it!
Last but not least is the rambutan, Nephelium lappaceum, a wonderful funky looking fruit, with a similar taste and texture to lychee. The name is derived from the Malay language, the work for hair is rambut. In Vietnam it is called chom chom which means messy hair! In Thailand it is usually referred to as rambutan and one cannot miss this strange looking fruit at the markets. It is a round single seeded berry that grows in a cluster of 10-20 together. The skin is a leathery reddish color and and is covered with pliable spines. The fruit is translucent with a mild sweet flavor of roses and grapes. The seeds can be baked and eaten also, they have a nutty taste. It is one of the most recognizable fruits in the tropics. In Thailand, rambutan trees were first planted in Surat Thani in 1926 and there is an annual rambutan festival during august, which is harvest time.
Vit C, copper and magnesium are the most noticeable of vitamins and minerals that are highly represented in rambutan. In 100 grams (3.5 oz) fresh rambutan pulp carries with it 66% of the daily value (DV) for vit C. Not only does vit C protect against colds and flu but it increases the body’s natural ability to flush out heavy metals and promotes collagen production. Copper is necessary for healthy
hair growth and protects against anemia, elevated cholesterol levels and chronic fatigue. The fresh raw fruit is best and easy to eat, just crack and peel the skin off.
Eating rambutan during pregnancy is recommended due to the high levels of iron that can help to control oxygen levels in the blood which can help reduce dizziness and fatigue. It can also help with digestion, constipation and help prevent colon cancer. The high vit E will be an asset to pregnant woman that want to stay away from itchy skin or stretch marks. Pregnant woman often experience a swelling of the hands and feet but the rambutan is a natural diuretic and keep the blood circulation smooth. Phosphorous helps to repair tissue damage and can help to filter out impurities in the kidneys.
