The Roselle/Gongura/Pulicheera
The Roselle or Hibiscus sabdariffa , is a member of the Malvaceae family of plants.It is a relative to the ornamental hibiscus,Hibiscus Rosa sinensis.
Other names:
Common Name :Roselle,Jamaica sorrel, Red sorrel
Malayalam – Puli Cheera
Sanskrit: Ambasthika,अम्बष्ठिका
Marathi: Laal-ambaari
Hindi: Lal Ambari,लाल अम्बाड़ी
Assamese: টেঙা-মৰা, Tengamora
So what’s it all about
There are two types of Rosella, green-stemmed leaf and red stemmed. The red stemmed one is more sour..
Its thought to have originated in India and introduced to Australia by Indonesian fisherman. It is enjoyed in the form of Jams ,jellies,Tea etc all over the world. The story of its place of origin is debatable I guess. But never mind, it’s still a wonderful plant.
The Rosella bush produces red edible calyxes that are high in vitamin C , these are usually made into the jams,jellies,cordial,tea etc. The tea apparently stabilises blood pressure. Back in India the young leaves are used in cooking too. They add a tart like or tangy flavour to the dish. Stir-fried with potatoes,its heavenly! In South India these leaves are made into chutney and had with rice.Its also made into pickle.The leaf is anti-inflammatory in nature. When there is someone sick in the family, usually that person would be given extra servings of the stir-fry. It’s also goes by the name Red Sorrel. The stalk of this plant produces a tough fibre resembling jute,there is a whole industry thriving on it.
This plants has been used as a traditional medicine due to its effects against kidney stones and urinary bladder stones. It is also antibacterial, antifungal, hypocholesterolemic, antispasmodic and anti-hypertensive
In Iran it is used as a folk medicinal plant called Chai torsh or sour tea.The sourness is due to the presence of citric acid,Vitamin C and anti lipid anti oxidents.
Medicinal benefits of Roselle
It has been found to lower blood pressure due to the abundant presence of anthocyanins in it.
Studies have revealed that the aqueous extract of the calices modulates the production of monocyte chemo-attractant protein-1 in humans which leads to the slower development of atherosclerosis.
Another study was conducted to establish the effect of anthocyanins content of Roselle and it was observed that extracts of the flowers prevents LDL oxidation and macrophage death .
Patients with metabolic syndrome showed anti-hypertensive and anti-hyperlipidemic effects for this plant during an investigation on the use of Hibiscus Sabdariffa extract along with preventative diet.
Here is a simple recipe for Chai torsh:
Chai Torsh is Iranian tea. India is not the only place where tea is called Chai. This tea can be had hot or cold.This drink is also usually served as a tradition at Christmas in Jamaica. It has a tart flavour much like cranberry.
