BLACK TURMERIC PLANT/KUNYIT HITAM

I had a pleasant surprise from I went to check on the plants in the school Herb Garden. The Black Turmeric Plant or Kunyit Hitam was bearing flower. And what an exquisite bloom it was. We had planted it for more than 5 years and only now it has begun to flower. This has gotten me so excited that I will spend more time in the Herb Garden tomorrow. Heh! Heh!

VERSI BAHASA MELAYU

Saya amat gembira bila mendapati bahawa pokok kunyit hitam di Taman Herba sekolah sedang berbunga. Cantiknya bunga itu. Kami telah menanam pokok itu selama lima tahun dan sekarang baru berbunga. Saya akan pergi lagi ke Taman Herba esok pagi untuk menjenguk bunga yang cantik ini.

Here is information about the Black Turmeric Plant/Maklumat Kunyit Hitam

Common names/Nama Tempatan: Black Turmeric, Kunyit Hitam, Kali Haldi (Tamil), Black Zedoary
Scientific name/Nama Saintifik: Curcuma Caesia
Family/Famili: zingiberaceae
Genus : Curcuma

Medicinal uses/Kegunaan untuk perubatan

It is claimed to be able to:/ Dipercayai boleh:

1. treat joint tumour/mengubati tumor joint
2. treat leprosy/mengubati penyakit kusta
3. to give longevity to human beings/memanjangkan usia seseorang
4. to treat hemorrhoids/ mengubati hemorrhoids
5. to treat bronchitis and asthma/ mengubati penyakit bronkitis dan asma
6. to treat gonorrhoea/ mengubati penyakit gornoohoea

References:
http://kelapadara-bioaslidesaku.blogspot.com/2008/04/herba-kunyit-hitam.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Turmeric
http://www.greencover.org/Herbs/Black%20Turmeric.html

CREPE MYRTLE (LAGERSTROEMIA INDICA)

When I went to the State Education Department in the morning, I noticed the Crepe Myrtle Plant by the roadside and just couldn't resist whipping out my camera to take pictures of it. This is one of my habits. My friends and familiar who know me well will know that I will stop the car whenever I see a plant that gets my attention. The ones I saw this morning had pink flowers with crimped petals. There are also white, mauve, purple or carmine flowers.

Scientific name: Lagerstroemia indica

Common names: Crepe Myrtle, Crape myrtle, Rose of India

Genus: Lagerstroemia.

MEDICINAL USE OF THE SAGA TREE

This is the saga tree (Adenanthera pavonina L.) where we get all the lovely red bead-like saga seeds. Do you know that in India the leaves are boiled and the water is used to treat rheumatism and gout? The saga seeds which are pounded into powder form is used to treat boils, headaches and rheumatism. Its wood is made into a tonic. In Malaysia, the leaves are also used as herbal cures.There are few such saga trees outside the workshops in the school where I teach and there is always an abundance of saga seeds to be found on the ground.

Hmm ... I must start collecting the saga seeds and pound them into powder so that I can use it to treat my headaches. As an afterthought, I better stick to visiting the Massage Uncle as it is too troublesome.

Reference: http://wannura.wordpress.com/2010/03/04/saga-adenanthera-pavonina-l-merawat-reumatik-dan-gout/

COMMON PEPEROMIA

I am sure that many of you in Malaysia would have seen this herb before. Many would have considered it as a weed as it can be found growing near the drains and by the roadside. As a matter of fact, it can be found in most of our gardens. In Malay it is known as ketumpangan or tumpang air.
It can be eaten as a vegetable and is also used a a medicinal herb. The plant can be eaten raw or cooked. You can actually buy it from the small time Chinese farmers who sell their produce at the wet markets in Malaysia. It is considered a Yang Herb by the Chinese.

VERSI BAHASA MELAYU

Saya amat pasti anda yang berada di Malaysia pernah melihat herba ini. Ramai mungkin menganggapnya sebagai rumput liar yang boleh dijumpai di longkang atau di tepi jalan. Ia juga tumbuh secara liar di taman bunga kita. Ia dikenali sebagai ketumpangan atau tumpang air.

Ketumpangan boleh dimakan sebagai sayur dan juga sebagai ubat. Ia boleh juga dimakan sebagai ulam atau dimasak. Anda boleh membelinya juga dari petani-petani Cina yang menjual hasil tanaman mereka di pasar. Orang Cina menganggapnya sebagai Herba Yang (mempunyai sifat panas).

INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMMON PEPEROMIA/MAKLUMAT TENTANG COMMON PEPERONIA

Common Name/Nama tempatan :Common Peperomia, Man-to-man, Ketumpangan, Tumpang Air

Scientific name/Nama Sainfitifk: Peperomia pellucida

Family/Famili : Pepper family (Piperaceae)

Medicinal uses/Kegunaan Perubatan: To treat glaucoma and eyes diseases

How to use/Cara menggunakan:

1.Use the whole plant (4-5 mature plants)/Semua bahagian pokok boleh digunakan (4 -5 pokok matang).

2.Use Chinese Wolfberry (3 table spoons)/3 sudu besar Chinese Wolfberry.

3.Use brown sugar (1 table spoon)/1 sudu besar gula perang.

Method/Cara :

1.Put 4 bowls of water in a pot/Masak 4 mangkuk air dalam periuk.

2.Put peperomia plants, Chinese wolfberry and brown sugar into the pot/Letak ketumpangan air, Chinese wolfberry dan gula perang dalam periuk.

3.Boil the water. When the water is boiled, let it simmer over a slow fire/Masak air. Bila air mendidih, perlahankan api.

4.Boil in slow fire till 8/10 of a bowl/Masak atas api perlahan sehingga tinggal 8/10 mangkuk.

5.Drink the tea when cool/Minum teh bila sejuk.

Prescription/Preskripsi

1.Drink every two days/Minum dua hari sekali.

2.There should be improvement after a week/Boleh dilihat kesannya dalam masa seminggu.

3.Continue until cured/Sambung sampai sembuh.

4.During the course, you could be expected to get watery eyes/Semasa perubatan, air mungkin berair.

Other uses of Common Peperomia/Kegunaan lain Ketumpangan air

1.Can be eaten raw (use it as ulam/salad)/Boleh dimakan sebagai ulam

2.Can be fried as vegetable/Boleh dimasak sebagai lauk.

Sources/Sumber:
http://www.yinyangherbs.com/peperomia2.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peperomia_pellucida

HOW TO MAKE ROSELLE JAM

1. Wash the Roselle petals thoroughly.

2.Then separate the red calyx (the fleshy cover surrounding the seedpod) from the seedpod

3.Mix in brown sugar, 1 part of roselle petals to 1 part of brown sugar.

4.Leave for 2-3 hours to let the brown sugar become liquid.

5.Next cook the mixture for about 15 to 20 minutes.

6.Let it cool and then blend.

7.Add lime to crystallize the jam.

8.Store in bottles and then refrigerate.

CELOSIA ARGENTEA PLUMOSA

Common name: Plumed Cockscomb

Botanic name: Celosia Argentia Plumosa

Genus: Celosia

Family: Amaranthaceae

Uses

The leaves and flowers are edible. The leaves are eaten as vegetables in some South East Asian countries.

GATHERING INFORMATION ABOUT HERBS

I like learning about medicinal herbs. If I find magazines on herbs, I would buy them and start reading the moment I reach home. However, I take longer to read those magazines that are in Chinese as I am not that proficient. I don't have much trouble with the Malay language mags and I breeze through those in English.
I find the information very fascinating and would use them when writing post for this blog.

VERSI BAHASA MELAYU
Saya minat belajar tentang herba untuk perubatan. Kalau terjumpa majalah tentang herba, saya akan beli dan membaca bila sampai sahaja di rumah. Tetapi, saya mengambil masa yang lebih lama membaca majalah Bahasa Cina kerana saya lambat membaca bahasa ibunda. Saya tidak ada masalah membaca majalah Bahasa Melayu dan Bahasa Inggeris.
Maklumat dalam majalah-majalah ini sangat menarik dan saya boleh menggunakan untuk menulis untuk blog ini.

KANGKUNG AIR

Kangkung adalah sejenis tumbuhan yang tumbuh di kawasan berair. Ada dua jenis kangkung, basah dan kontang. Kangkung di atas adalah kangkung air - jenis basah. Ia mudah didapati di kampung, di kawasan sawah padi dan paya.

Nama botani: Ipomoea aquatica.
Famili: Convolvulaceae.
Nama umum: kangkung air, kangkung, water morning glory, kangkong, water spinach, water morning glory, water convolvulus.

CURE FOR MIGRAINE

I have been suffering from migraine since the age of 19 and still am suffering from it. Sometimes I am really worried that the amount of painkillers I consume would be bad for my body but then the pain gets so intense that I have to take them.

Recently I read an article in a magazine on Herbs about the use of the Oriental Arbovitae leaves (Platycladus orientalis aurea) to cure migraine. In Cantonese we refer to this as Pien Pak. In Mandarin it is known as Bai Zi Ren 柏子仁) . In traditional Chinese medicine, this herb is also used to calm the mind; to treat palpitation and poor memory.

It seems that preparing the Oriental Arborvitae leaves for consumption is very simple and easy. All one needs to do is to wash one palm size leaf and then put them in a glass of hot water, let it brew for ten to twenty minutes and then it is ready to be drunk. It seems that after drinking the concoction for a few times, one will notice that the migraine attacks will become lesser and lesser.

One thing to remember is that there are several species of the Oriental Arborvitae and not all of them can be used as a cure. The one we are looking for is the ones which are flat in shape. Look at the pictures above and you will have an idea.

Luckily for me, my mum has planted such a tree in our garden. So I have collected quite a lot of the leaves and will start to try them out today. If I am free of migraine, I will certainly let you all know.

VERSI BAHASA MELAYU

Saya menghidap penyakit migraine semenjak saya berusia 19 tahun. Sehingga kini saya masih lagi menghidap penyakit tersebut. Apabila saya mengambil pil penahan sakit penyakit saya akan berkurangan tetapi ubat itu akan memberi kesan sampingan kepada kesihatan saya.

Baru-baru ini saya terbaca satu artikel daripada satu majalah bernama "Herbs" yang menceritakan tentang kebaikan daun Oriental Arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis aurea) yang dikatakan dapat mengubat penyakit migraine. Dalam loghat Cantonese ia dikenali sebagai Pien Pak. Dalam bahasa Mandarin dikenali sebagai Bai Zi Ren. Dalam perubatan tradisi Cina, ia digunakan untuk menenangkan fikiran, jantung berdegup kencang dan peringatan yang lemah.

Saya dapati cara untuk menyediakan daun Oriental Arborvitae ini untuk diminum adalah sangat senang. Hanya perlu daun yang sebesar tapak tangan, basuh dan kemudian letak dalam segelas air panas. Biar untuk 10 hingga 20 minit sebelum minum. Dengan minum air ini untuk beberapa kali, penyakit migraine akan berkurangan.

Terdapat beberapa spesis Oriental Arborvitae tetapi bukan semua boleh digunakan sebagai ubat. Hanya jenis yang bentuk leper yang boleh digunakan.

Saya bernasib baik kerana ibu saya menanam pokok ini di taman bunga rumah. Saya telah mengambil beberapa helai daun ini dan akan cuba gunakannya sebagai ubat hari ini. Kalau migraine saya hilang, saya akan maklumkan kepada anda.

IN SEARCH OF THE PUCUK RAWAN

I managed to find the pucuk rawan growing in a kampung in Tanjung Karang last weekend. This plant grows where there is water. It grows wild and can be found near paddy fields. One can make kerabu with it or ulam. The stem part that I am holding is supposed to be the tastiest.

VERSI BAHASA MELAYU

Mencari pucuk rawan

Saya dapat menemui pucuk rawan di sebuah kampung di Tanjung Karang pada minggu lepas. Tanaman ini tumbuh di kawasan yang ada air. Pucuk rawan tumbuh secara liar dan boleh dijumpai di sawah padi. Boleh dijadikan kerabu atau ulam. Bahagian batang yang saya pegang adalah yang paling sedap.

PADDY FIELD/SAWAH PADI

I went to Tanjung Karang last Friday and managed to visit a paddy field. Tanjung Karang is paddy growing town in the state of Selangor. It is known as the rice bowl of Selangor. It was a wonderful feeling being able to look at the wide expanse of greenery and be one with nature.

VERSI BAHASA MELAYU

Saya pergi ke Tanjung Karang pada hari Jumaat minggu lepas dan dapat melihat sawah padi di sana. Tanjung Karang juga di kenali sebagai jelapang padi negeri Selangor. Saya berasa amat berpuas hati melihat kehijauan sawah padi yang terbentang luas di sana.

BUNGA TAHI AYAM (LANTANA CAMARA)

I spotted this pot of lovely camara flowers on sale at the Farmer's Market in Ipoh. The plant has multi-coloured flowers as a result of bud-grafting.

Medicinal uses:

Research has shown that the leaves of the camara contains sineol (a type of oil)

Lantana bark is astringent and used as a lotion in ulcers and other eruptions of the skin. Lantana camara leaves are boiled and applied for swellings and pain of the body. It is also said to be effective in treating asthmatic symptoms.

VERSI BAHASA MELAYU

Saya nampak pasu bunga tahi ayam ini dijual di Pasar Tani di Ipoh. Pokok ini ada bunga yang berwarna-warni hasil daripada cantuman tunas.

Kegunaan Bunga Tahi Ayam sebagai ubat
Menurut kajian, daun bunga tahi ayam mengandungi sejenis minyak (sineol) yang amat berkesan untuk mengeluarkan lendir dan kahak daripada penyakit asma. Lendir yang menghalang saluran pernafasan dapat dikeluarkan dengan menghidu bau yang terhasil dari ramasan atau tumbukan daun yang telah dijemur sehingga setengah kering. Daun pokok bunga tahi ayam juga boleh mengurangkan bengkak akibat daripada infeksi kuman. Ini disebabkan oleh kandungan turpineol (minyak atsiri yang bersifat antiseptik yang boleh membunuh kuman) dan furfurol (bersifat fungisida yang berkesan merawat penyakit kulit yang diakibatkan oleh kulat) di dalamnya. Daunnya perlu ditumbuk halus dan ditampal pada bahagian yang sakit.

Sources/Sumber:
http://pkukmweb.ukm.my/~ahmad/tugasan/s3_99/juliana.html
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/223

POOR MAN'S FOOD

I had only recently eaten this vegetable at the Tasik Raban restaurant. To me it tastes delicious. In Malay it is known as Paku Rawan (Limnocharis flava). This type of plant grows wild and can be found in paddy fields and also places where there is water. It is also known as Genjer. This vegetable is known as the poor man's food especially in the villages. When the poor do not have enough money, they would eat this vegetable.
In the English language it is known as limnocharis, sawah-flower rush, sawah-lettuce, velvetleaf, yellow bur-head, atau cebolla de chucho.
This afternoon I went with my friend, Puan Kamariah to have a look at the Paku Rawan that could be found growing in drains in Manjung. I had initially wanted to pluck some to cook but after seeing how dirty the water in the drains were I changed my mind. Perhaps, I would go hunting for them near the paddy fields.

VERSI BAHASA MELAYU

Saya hanya baru makan sayur ini di Restoran Tasik Raban di Ipoh. Hmm... sedap rasanya. Nama saintifik paku rawan adalah Limnocharis flava. Ia adalah sejenis tumbuhan rawa yang banyak dijumpai di sawah atau perairan dangkal. Paku Rawan atau Genjer adalah sumber sayuran "orang miskin", yang dimakan orang kampung apabila tidak ada sayuran lain. Ia juga dikenali sebagai limnocharis, sawah-flower rush, sawah-lettuce, velvetleaf, yellow bur-head, atau cebolla de chucho.

Petang ini saya bersama kawan saya Puan Kamariah mencari Paku Rawan dekat longkang-longkang di kawasan Manjung. Pada mulanya saya bercadang nak memetiknya tetapi ubah fikiran apabila mendapati air longkang itu kotor. Ada kemungkinan, saya akan carinya di sawah padi.

Reference/Rujukan: http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genjer

KING OF BITTER TO TREAT SORE THROAT

Whenever I have a sore throat, I'd go to my garden to pluck the leaves from a plant called "Hempedu Bumi" (Andrographis paniculata) or "King of Bitter" . In Chinese it is called Chuan Xin Lian 穿心蓮. All I need to do is to pluck about 5 to 6 leaves, wash them and then eat them raw. After a while, the sore throat goes away. Seriously, it works!

Versi Bahasa Melayu

Bila saya sakit tekak, saya pergi ke taman bunga di rumah saya untuk memetik daun hempedu bumi (Andrographis paniculata) atau King of Bitter. Herba ini dikenali sebagai Chuan Xin Lian dalam Bahasa Cina. Saya hanya perlu memetik 5 hingga 6 helai daun, basuh dan makan sebagai ulam. Selepas makan, sakit tekak akan hilang. Percayalah, ia mujarab!