Spices & Medicinal herbs

HERBS	Angelica :: Aloe Vera :: Basil :: Chamomile :: Chives :: Coriander :: Dill :: Lemon Balm :: Musli :: Oregano :: Stevia
SPICES	Ajwain :: Allspice :: Bay Leaf :: Black Cardamon :: Green Cardamon :: Cinnamon :: Cloves :: Cumin :: Cayenne Pepper
VEGETABLES	Amaranth :: Breadfruit :: Brocolli :: Cauliflower :: Cucumber :: Drumstick :: Hijiki :: Garlic

Spices Classification of Spices List of Spices Ajwain Allspice Black Cardamon Green Cardamon Cinnamon Cayenne Pepper Cumin Bay Leaf Cloves Fenugreek seeds Other Spices Apiaceae Asteracea Betulaceae Brassicaceae Cactaceae Caryophyllaceae Cornaceae Cucurbitaceae Liliaceae Poaceae Orchidaceae Zingiberaceae Herbs Vegetables

Herb : Caper

(Botanical name: Capparis spinosa)

Classification

• Kingdom : Plantae
• Unranked : Angiosperms
• Unranked : Eudicots
• Unranked : Rosids
• Order: Brassicales
• Family : Umbelliferae
• Genus : Capparis
• Species : Cspinosa

Caper is a perennial spiny bush which bears an edible fruit used for pickes.

History

It is a perennial fleshy bush which bears pink-whitish color flower It is a native to a Mediterranean region, growing wild on walls or in rocky coastal areas.

It closely related to the cabbage family and also resembles to rose bush.

It is best known for edible bud and fruit which is consumed when pickled.

Plant Description

Caper is highly variable in nature in its natural habitat.

This shrubby plant has many branch with alternate leaves, thick and shiny round in shape The flowers are sweetly fragrant, showy with four sepals and four white-pinkish petals.

Capers are harvested regularly from May to July.

It prefers full sunlight and warm climate and much treated like cactus, requires frequent watering in summer and very little in winter.

Cultivation

It grows in Mediterranean region mainly on the walls and in coastal areas throughout, also cultivated in Spain, Italy and France .

It is also found in the parts of Asia and Africa.

Morocco is considered as the largest commercial producer of caper today.

Parts Used

Flower bud and root bark.

Culinary uses

• Capers can be used as sauces and salads in meat and other dishes.
• It gives a pepper taste when garnish on salad and other dish.
• It is a common ingredient in Mediterranean cuisines and the mature fruit of this plant is salted, prepared and marketed as capper berries.
• Capers are also a special ingredient in Italian cuisines It is added to pizza, pasta salads, chicken dishes and pasta sauces

Medicinal uses

• The root bark of caper has been considered and used as astringent, expectorant, diuretic and stimulating tonic.
• It is also considered healthy in gastro-intestinal infections, diarrhea, gout and rheumatism.
• The flower buds of caper are affective in cough and for eye infection.
• Its roots and bud makes a soothing herbal tea.

Names

• ARABIC: Assaf, Al kabara, Kabar, Kabbar, Lassaf, Lussef (Egypt),Taylulut (Berber)
• BENGALI: Kabra
• CHINESE: Ci shan gan
• CROATIAN: Kapari
• CZECH: Kapara
• DANISH: Kapers
• DUTCH: Kappertjes
• ENGLISH: Caper, Caperbush, Common caperbush, Fabagelle, Mediterranean caperbush, Spiny caperbush, Tapana, Tapera, Tapet, Tapenier (Provence), Taperier (Occitant)
• ESTONIAN: Torkav kappar
• FINNISH: Kapris
• FRENCH: Câpres, Câprier
• GERMAN: Echter Kapernstrauch, Doniger kaperstrauch, Kaper, Kapernstrauch
• HINDI: Kiari, Kobra
• HUNGARIAN: Kapri, Kapribogyó, Kapricserje, Kaporna
• ITALIAN: Cappero, Capperone (fruit)
• JAPANESE : Keepaa, Keipaa,Keppaa
• KANNADA: Mullukattari
• MALAY: Melada
• NORWEGIAN: Kapers
• POLISH: Kapar ciernisty, Kapary
• PORTUGUESE: Alcaparras
• PUNJABI: Kabarra
• RUSSIAN: Kapersy
• SANSKRIT: Himsra
• SLOVAKIAN: Kapary
• SLOVENIAN: Kaprovec
• SPANISH: Alcaparro, Alcaparrón (berries), Caparra, Tápana
• SWAHILI: Mchezo, Mruko
• SWEDISH: Kapris TAGALOG: Alcaparras
• TELUGU: Kokilakshmu
• TURKISH: Kebere
• URDU: Kabar
• VIETNAMESE: Cáp