African Wildlife & Environment Issue 76 FINAL

FAUNA, FLORA & WILDLIFE

and is an evergreen weed from the sedge family that is not a grass at all. It can be most irritating to remove from one’s garden, and grows wildly in water-soaked culverts and moist roadside verges. It is attractive when grown in marshy areas as the birds find it malleable to weave and nest in. It is as sweet tasting to wild pigs as it is to goats and cattle and guinea fowl, who dig energetically to find the tiny pea shaped nuts, naturally spreading the growth as they unearth the roots. The ‘nuts’ are harvested, well washed and sold in manyAfricanmarkets as ‘tiger nuts’with a sweet tasting flavour, high in nutrients and rich in carbohydrates and minerals. Medicinally the fresh tubers when chewed aid digestion, colic and flatulence as well as cleanse the mouth leaving a sweet taste and breath. The nutgrass ‘milk’, more commonly known as ‘tigers’ milk’, is traditionally made by pounding the fresh tubers to a mash and boiling until gloopy and soft. To remove the strands, pour the warm mixture through mutton cloth and squeeze out the liquid into a clean bowl. Discard the strands and add either cow or goats’ milk to the desired consistency. This milk is usually sweetened with honey and poured over mielie meal porridge eaten for strength and vitality. Many African culturesbelieve thedriedtubersareforprotectionagainst bad spirits and will ward off famine. Small bunches of tubers are bound together and stored in the roof above the front door for warding off the bad energy. It is also good to know these dried and roasted tubers ground up make the most delicious coffee when sweetened with red ivory berries and honey boiled over a slow burning fire. Even though nutgrass has many valuable uses and can be made into tasty dishes, the easiest way to eat them is as a plain snack. Wash well and scrub off the outer skin gently with a brush and then lightly dry roast them in a pot with a little salt. The nutgrass tuber when dried yields a nutritious oil remarkably like olive oil which also contains, amongst others, linoleic, oleic and palmitic acids. The crunchy, earthy almond taste is quite unforgettable.Alwaysmake sure that you are harvesting the nuts from a clean ground-water source and avoid stagnant muddy areas as the nuts could be toxic. It is essential to the environment to forage sensibly by not taking the whole plant and replanting a third of tubers back into the moist soil. The ultimate benefit to us all is that these amazing indigenous plants grow naturally and organically on our back doorstep. It is vital to remember the golden rule: you have to be 100 percent sure of the identification of a plant before using it for food or medicine, you must always let your doctor or health practitioner know if you are using a natural or home remedy. Never try a new plant if you are pregnant, have any allergic reactions or are suffering from any organ disease. When in doubt please leave out!

FURTHER READING: Indigenous Heal ing Plants (reviewed in Afr ican Wi ldl i fe & Envi ronment # 71).

NUTGRASS CURRY RECIPE

• 1 kg good stewing beef • 1 cup flour • Dash of sunflower oil • 4 onions, peeled and chopped • 1 litre of water • ½ to ¾ cup honey • 1 tablespoon curry (Sandy uses masala) • Salt and pepper to taste • 4 large potatoes, peeled and diced

• 4 carrots, peeled and diced • ½ cup raisins or sultanas • 2 cups nutgrass tubers, cleaned • ½ cup dried split peas • 2 mashed bananas • ½ cup coconut

DIRECTIONS Too much curry spoils the subtle, nutty flavour of the nutgrass, bananas andcoconut, so start with a scant tablespoon and add more if you prefer it stronger. Cut the meat into cubes, and roll each piece in flour. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and brown the onions and meat. Add the tomatoes, stir well and add a little water. Mix the honey vinegar, curry powder and the remaining flour and the salt and pepper and add. Once it is well mixed, add the remaining ingredients. Turn down the heat and simmer, stirring every now and then until the meat and vegetables are tender. Add more water if necessary to keep the stew moist and succulent.

The Herbal Centre Hartbeespoort 071 161 6441 or 012 001 4142 (mornings only) GPS: -25° 41’ 03.25”, +27° 55’ 04.06”

12 | African Wildlife & Environment | Issue 76 (2020)