With the end of the winter cold and the arrival of spring, the citizens of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and other countries look for a plant with five green leaves and pink or purple flowers to be a main dish on their tables. It is a small-flowered mallow plant, its scientific name is Malva parviflora, which is commonly called “mallow” in many countries.
This plant follows the marshmallow family and is native to the Levant, Palestine, Egypt, the Maghreb and most of the Mediterranean regions. Drill bits vary in height from 6 to 10 cm and are planted.
According to diegobonetto, the Australian site that studies plant varieties, the hibiscus was known as an important food source as early as the 3rd century BC. C., when the Greek doctor Devilos praised the hibiscus as part of a healthy diet. Since then, it has been consumed by many cultures in the Mediterranean region, where the plant is fried with onion and olive oil in Palestine, or wrapped and stuffed with rice or bulgur in Greece, or used in the ingredients of vegetable salads. in Turkey. .
The mallow flower contains five petals and its flowers vary in color from white to pink, and there is another plant that looks like it, but has red flowers and belongs to the same family, but differs in taste, it is not toxic, but its taste is bitter. Even if it is picked and eaten with the mallow plant, it does not harm.
According to the Australian site, this plant has great importance in Arab culture, as some call it the poor plant, or Arab bread, because when conditions were bad and food was scarce, local people used to turn to this plant, especially because it remained leafy for many months.
Amazing benefits
On the other hand, the German site pflanzen-vielfalt, which specializes in herbal studies, indicates many benefits for this plant, since it contains 5 percent mucilage and is made up of sugar molecules, such as galactose, glucose and glucuronic acid. It also contains flavonoids in the form of sulfates in smaller amounts. The flowers contain approximately the same amount of mucilage in a composition similar to that of the leaves.
The resin is used in mallow to make medicine as a protective film, so it has a calming effect. In herbal medicine, plant extracts are used to treat infections of the mouth, throat, and digestive system. It is also used to treat colds and dry coughs, and also to relieve symptoms caused by hemorrhoids.
Immature green hibiscus seeds are also known for their effect on sexual desire. As for traditional Chinese medicine, it uses the mallow plant to treat disorders of the large intestine, stomach and lungs, and in many countries of the world the petals of the plant are dried and drunk as tea, and it is called by names like ” Malvin Tea “or” Hibiscus Tea “.
Alaa gomaa
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Vegetables on the German market that you might not recognize!
swede
Cabbage or kale belongs to the cabbage family. It is very popular throughout Germany. Soft, crisp and juicy when eaten raw and tender when steamed and served in a broth or in a sauce, soup or garnish. It is often called “colrabi” in English and German.
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Vegetables on the German market that you might not recognize!
Kale cabbage
It is a leafy vegetable, crisp, contains a lot of vitamin C and has a distinctive flavor. Savoy cabbage is cooked as a soup and stew, or steamed as a garnish. What the Germans call “Wirsing” is a staple of German farmers markets and supermarkets as it is grown throughout the year.
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Vegetables in German markets you might not recognize!
Green turnip
Green turnip – German for “Rübstiel”. It is very common in the Rhineland region of western Germany, as well as in the Netherlands. Its tender stems are cut, steamed and mixed with potatoes or added to soups. Turnip greens lovers can get it in two seasons a year: spring and fall.
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Vegetables in German markets that you might not recognize!
Wild garlic
From the “allium” garlic family – known as Rasmon, wild garlic, woody garlic, bear’s leek, or bear’s garlic – a plant close to onion, chives, and garlic. It grows in the forest and gives a great flavor to food. It smells like garlic and tastes like garlic too. Known in Germany as “Bärlauch”, it is very popular. It is often added to soups, salads, sauces, and some cheeses.
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Vegetables in German markets you might not recognize!
Black asparagus
Black salami or black asparagus is a long, thin white root covered in a dark coating. Known in German as “Schwarz Würzel”, which means “black root”, it is therefore known as “poor man’s asparagus” or “winter asparagus”, since it is a typical winter plant. Serve steamed with boiled potatoes and butter when Germans’ favorite white asparagus is out of season.
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Vegetables in German markets you might not recognize!
White asparagus
This type of white vegetable (pictured) is actually asparagus. While the green variety is popular in other countries, Germans prefer white asparagus and eagerly await its arrival in spring. In late April, they search for stems of their “white gold” in local shops and markets.
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Vegetables in German markets you might not recognize!
Parsley root
Parsley root, which is often mistaken for simply parsnips, is represented among the vegetables in the third order from the left, along with black asparagus. It is a winter vegetable that has been used in Europe for centuries, in soups, stews, and various vegetable dishes. Experts say that the smaller the root, the softer it is. Parsley root is also a rich source of vitamin C.
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Vegetables on the German market that you might not recognize!
white radish
In Bavaria, pieces of white radish can be served as an aperitif alongside beer. White radish is a horseradish that is very rich in vitamin C and is always eaten raw. Dagmar Brightenbach / Rim Doua.
