Turkish Orchids Plant
Orchid is one of the ornamental plants of the Orchid species (Orchidaceae) widespread in the mountainous areas of the Levant, Egypt, and Turkey. It is distinctive for its violet and white flowers most of which are of a special fragrance especially in evening hours, grows in the beginning of summer each year.
Turkish Orchids Plant’s Way of Extraction
Wild orchid plant parts of which Turkish salep, in addition to some other beneficial medicines and drugs, is made of are its roots and tubers. Each plant has two tubers; one main and the other is small and secondary.
The oval shaped and branched sub-tuber is picked off. Roots and tubers are washed thoroughly with water then doused with boiling water or milk for a while to clear out the bitter taste thereof and deactivate the enzymes therein. Tubers and roots are then left to dry and be stored in full after grinding.
Turkish Salep Beverage
A traditional hot drink mostly consumed during winter to assist alleviating symptoms of cold. It assists improving the mood and has got many benefits for health. It is consisted of orchid powder to which milk and sugar are added and sometimes nuts and other flavorings such as cinnamon and mastic are added, too.
Turkish Salep Components
Turkish Salep usually consists of:
- Protein
- Starch
- Glucose
- Glucomannan
- Nitrogenous substances
- Ferulic acid
Turkish Salep Usage
It’s got several usages; nutritional and therapeutic. Most prominent uses:
Hot Winter Beverage
Salep is the most popular beverage in Turkey during cold winters where it is sold in stores and in coffee and hot drinks selling kiosks usually put in brass jugs to keep it hot.
Salep was known since the Ottoman era. It was served for the Sultans flavored by ginger, coconut, anise, and other group of herbs and spices. Salep in the main ingredient that gives Turkish ice cream it dense texture.
Salep beverage is made in the Levant and in the Middle East too. In Lebanon, you can have Salep in the early morning as it is the case in Egypt as it is considered the most famous beverage sold on the sides of the streets in winter.
Therapeutic Usage
Salep beverage is used nowadays as a medication for some digestive problems such as indigestion, flatulence, and to alleviate heartburn and treating diarrhea especially in children.
Most Prominent Turkish Salep
- Salep with raisins
- Salep with rosewater
- Salep with starch and mastic
Turkish Salep Way of Preparation
Salep beverage can be made at home easily via following the following steps:
- 4 cups of milk
- Teaspoon of orchid
- 3 teaspoons of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of rosewater
- Cinnamon for ornament
Preparation Steps:
- Mix 3 teaspoons of sugar with 3 of milk in a bowl
- Put the mixture on a low fire with continuous stirring
- Dissolve a spoonful of orchid powder in the milk cup left then add it to the mixture
- Continue stirring the mixture until having a condensed and homogenous texture
- Rosewater is added optionally
- Pour salep in cups and serve it hot with some cinnamon on top for ornament.
How Many Calories Are There in Turkish Salep?
100 g of salep contain 95 calories with the possibility of increase or decrease according to substances added thereto, i.e. nuts or other flavorings.
Turkish Salep benefits
The original Turkish salep has got many benefits for health, as per studies, most prominent of which are:
- It is beneficial in cases of cold
- Enhances blood circulation
- Useful in treatment of digestive system disorders
- Boosts the immune system
- Strengthens bones and teeth structure
- Raises the sexual ability of men
- Assists in the process of relaxation and temper improvement
It Salep Harmful for Pregnant Women?
We receive, in our blog, many questions on the influence of salep on the pregnant woman’s health. Therefore, we stress that natural orchid is not harmful, on the contrary, it has got tonic nutritional substances provided that it’s consumed moderately without adding cinnamon in which case it may lead to miscarriage especially during the first months of pregnancy.
How to Buy Turkish Salep?
You can have the original Turkish Salep from Hafiz Mustafa via Sweet Saray Store, the first Arab electronic store specialized in sweets and all Turkish products from its country of origin and delivering it to you wherever you are within a few days.
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