When wondering about tarragon - what it is, people are far from aware that this intricate word means well-known tarragon - a fragrant and tasty spice that has been used for many years for culinary and medical purposes.
This perennial plant, growing in height by more than 1 m, has a branched stem and elongated dark green leaves. The root is quite dense and woody; during flowering, a golden yellow hue of flowers that look like a basket is characteristic. The plant blooms in July and August, after which it gives smooth brown seeds.
The origin of tarragon
Let's talk about where the tarragon came from. What is it, our ancestors still knew. This plant is one of the most popular in cooking. Its name comes from the Latin word drago, which means "already." Most likely, it was invented based on the appearance of the tarragon root, which is very similar to a reptile.
Other names for this plant are common: tarragon and tarragon. Asia can rightfully be called the homeland of tarragon. As a cultivated plant, eatable, tarragon is grown in the Caucasus, India and in the central parts of Russia, using it in cookery in fresh and dried form. To taste and smell, the plant is very fragrant and fragrant with subtle notes of anise, thanks to the essential oils that make up tarragon.
You need to know what tarragon looks like. What is this plant, the appearance of which resembles wormwood, herbalists know for sure. After all, it is very common not only in cooking, but also in medicine. Even in ancient times, ancestors used it as a drug that cleanses blood vessels, helps with upsets and diseases of the stomach, menstrual and toothaches and increases appetite.
The use of tarragon
The plant was widely used as a spice in the process of preparing various dishes and salads. A variety of omelets, lemon and sorrel sauces, steaks, cauliflower, beef stroganoff, zucchini and tomatoes during cooking can not do without adding tarragon. Vegetables, fish, meat, game, legumes and potatoes are also prepared using this spicy spice. Kazakh and Azerbaijani culinary specialists often put spices in their national dishes, adding tarragon to manti, pilaf and other foods. Its use is also listed in recipes of housewives engaged in harvesting for the winter, for example, they put spice in pickles and tomatoes, sauerkraut and apples. In the production of alcoholic beverages, a few drops of tarragon are added to the solution.
The use of plants in medicine
For medicinal purposes, it is recommended to drink tarragon tincture to improve the functioning of the stomach, digestive system, with gastritis and bloating, to increase appetite and improve health. For external diseases of the oral cavity, a solution based on the plant is prepared, and for eczema and dermatitis, a special ointment is mixed, which has an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect. It is prepared on the basis of butter mixed with powder, the main part of which is tarragon. Application occurs when necessary, and the finished product is stored in the refrigerator with a tightly closed lid.
The use of tarragon in the preparation of various dishes
What to cook using tarragon? The recipes for making drinks, dishes and treats with the addition of this herb are varied and are present in almost every modern kitchen. A drink made of tarragon with the same name is very common, which is prepared from fresh herbs, several lemons, sugar and water. All ingredients are washed, cut and brought to a boil with the addition of 1 liter of water, after which the drink is completely cooled. After filtering it is placed in the refrigerator and served to the table in a chilled form.
On dry tarragon leaves, the smell is much less pronounced than on fresh herbs, so it should be stored in a dry and dark place in a glass bowl with a tightly closed lid. Add tarragon to the finished dish, because when it is cooked, all its beneficial properties and smell are lost.
Tarragon: healing properties
From ancient times this plant is famous not only for its taste and spicy properties, but also for a large number of vitamins and minerals useful for human health. Tarragon consists of a quarter of proteins and almost half of carbohydrates. All useful elements are found not only in the stems and leaves, but also in the bitter oil, which is very useful and has a unique smell.
Dried tarragon is quite useful, but fresh herbs have a much wider range of vitamins and minerals: A, C, PP, B1, iron, calcium, iodine and phosphorus. In addition, unsaturated and saturated fats, ascorbic acid, essential oils, carotene and coumarins - all this has tarragon, whose properties are very diverse. The invigorating characteristics of the plant brought him the greatest fame: many tonic drinks are prepared from it. Tarragon invigorates well, improves mood and improves performance.
The beneficial properties of tarragon
The beneficial properties of tarragon include the following:
- It is useful not only because it tastes good and has a unique aroma, but also because it contains a large amount of vitamin C, which has a beneficial effect on the human body, strengthening the immune system.
- It is used as a means against anti-worms, which has a diuretic and restorative effect.
- Eliminates signs of insomnia, depression and nervousness.
- It enhances sexual desire, increases male potency.
- It is used in the treatment of bronchial pathways, lungs, pneumonia, tuberculosis, relieves headache and toothache.
- It normalizes blood pressure, has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular and nervous systems.
According to nutritionists, tarragon can be included in the diet, replacing them with salt. It will not only give a unique taste to the dish, but also remove excess water from the body, which contributes to rapid weight loss. Using tarragon in food during a diet, you can not only lose weight, but also cleanse your stomach of parasites, normalize fat metabolism and blood cholesterol, increase immunity and body resistance to various colds, viral and infectious diseases.
Tarragon contraindications
How can tarragon be harmful? Its contraindications apply not only to pregnant women, the use of which is strictly prohibited, because it can provoke a miscarriage, but also to epileptics. Tarragon should be used with caution, because it belongs to the group of toxic spices. After prolonged use of the product, hallucinations, dizziness, cramping, nervous breakdowns, depression and cramps can occur, so it should be consumed for no more than 1 month, and you should first consult your doctor. If tarragon oil was prescribed for medicinal purposes, it should be diluted with water, as tarragon can be harmful. Useful properties and contraindications your doctor can describe it in more detail.
Tarragon in folk medicine
Among people, tarragon (tarragon) has long been popular in the treatment of a large number of diseases. In dry form, the plant is used for the preparation of tinctures, ointments and powders. Tarragon tea is very common, increasing immunity and eliminating the symptoms of insomnia, weakness and malaise. To combat varicose veins, a compress is made on the basis of tarragon and kefir, after which it is applied to the affected areas. The main rule in the use of tarragon in folk medicine and self-medication is compliance with the dosage.
How to grow tarragon at home?
Having decided to grow such a useful crop in a summer cottage or even on a windowsill, you first need to buy tarragon seeds. The market offers a wide range of different varieties from different manufacturers, so finding tarragon is quite simple today. In the spring, this perennial plant quickly shoots and can grow in one place for up to 10 years in a row, but tarragon is considered the most useful for the first few years. Propagation of the plant occurs in several ways: by sowing seeds, dividing the bush and cuttings.
Tarragon seeds are quite small and flat, it is recommended to sow them for seedlings in late winter or early spring. By the end of April, the sprouted shoots are planted in open ground, in which they take root quite well and without much attention. The plant is unpretentious to the soil, grows well both in the shade and in the sun. Watering is necessary about 1 time in 10 days. In the spring, you should add to the soil in which tarragon will rise, several kilograms of humus and a small amount of ash as fertilizer.
Over the entire summer period, tarragon should be cut from 3 to 5 times, and the cutting height should not exceed 15 cm. The more often the leaves are cut, the more and more magnificent the bush grows.
How to dry tarragon?
After the final cut of the bush, tarragon is dried and harvested for the winter. For drying, cut off the top of the plant along with the leaves before it blooms. The leaves are separated from the stems and finely chopped. It should be remembered, when drying tarragon, that this is such a plant, the smell of which quickly lends itself to weathering. It is dried in several ways: using a grass dryer, because this process should be quick and the temperature should not exceed 35 degrees Celsius, or by hanging them bundled in a dark and dry place at low temperatures, without contact with direct sunlight. Otherwise, the seasoning will lose all its aroma, and the leaves will turn brown.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that tarragon, the use of which is obvious, is not only a fragrant and tasty spice, but also an extremely useful plant, which is indispensable in the kitchen and in the medicine cabinet of many housewives.