Ground bird cherry: its composition and calorie content, the beneficial effect of the plant on the body, can the product be harmful. Recipes for dishes with bird cherry flour. Bird cherry fruits contain useful bitterness - substances necessary for the healthy functioning of all organs of the digestive system and strengthening the walls of the stomach. However, the content of these elements in cultivated varieties is less than in the fruits of wild bird cherry, since breeders deliberately strive to make them sweeter, as a result, wild fruits are bitter, but their healing effect is higher.
Harm and contraindications to ground bird cherry
Any product, no matter how useful it may be, has its own contraindications. Unfortunately, ground bird cherry is no exception. In this case, contraindications, like the healing properties, are explained by the peculiarities of the composition.
Eating bird cherry flour in food can harm people:
- Immunocompromised … The fruit of the bird cherry tree contains amygdalin, which, when decayed, releases poison - hydrocyanic acid. And although the content of amygdalin in the plant is small, for those whose immunity is weakened (people who have had serious diseases, pregnant and lactating women) or are not formed (children under 3 years old), bird cherry is still contraindicated in any form.
- Constipated … As we said above, the fruits of bird cherry contain a large amount of tannins, they have astringent and fixing properties, which helps to fight diarrhea, but with constipation, the situation can only worsen.
- With severe diseases of the digestive system … Ground bird cherry slightly irritates the mucous membranes, and therefore, with an exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases, it is prohibited.
- Diabetic … The fruits contain a lot of sugar, which means that diabetics are undesirable to use them.
- Allergy sufferers … Certain components that make up the fruit of the bird cherry tree can cause allergies against the background of individual intolerance to the components, in which case the use of the product is strictly prohibited.
Bird cherry has an ambiguous effect on reproductive abilities. In ancient times, healers prepared special potions based on this plant, which were recommended for women to use in order to avoid unwanted pregnancy. Some doctors still assure that bird cherry can work as a contraceptive, although this effect is not scientifically substantiated. One way or another, if you are planning a child, it is better to refuse the use of bird cherry flour. However, at the same time, we do not recommend using ground fruits as a reliable method of contraception; it is better to use modern proven methods to prevent unwanted pregnancy.
Recipes with ground bird cherry
The use of ground bird cherry in recipes is especially important when preparing various baked goods. Fruit flour turns a dessert into not only a tasty, but also a healthy dish. So, in fact, you can add it in small amounts to the dough for any cake, pie, cookies, pancakes, etc. A familiar dish will acquire a light nutty and blueberry flavor.
Bird cherry flour is often added to drinks: non-alcoholic - syrups, compotes, kvass; and alcoholic - a variety of liqueurs and liqueurs. Let's take a look at the best recipes with ground bird cherry:
- Siberian cake with bird cherry flour … Take a saucepan, put salt on the bottom (1 tablespoon), cover it with a clean piece of cloth (you can use cheesecloth, but you need to fold it in 2-3 layers). Pour sour cream (500 grams) on top, close the pan and refrigerate - preferably overnight, at least - for 4 hours. Bring milk (1 glass) to a boil, pour it, without cooling, into a deep bowl and pour the ground bird cherry on top (1 glass), leave the mixture to swell for several hours. In a new bowl, beat eggs (2 pieces) with sugar (1 cup), then add wheat flour (1 cup) and baking soda (1 teaspoon), quenched with vinegar. Take a bowl of swollen bird cherry, if necessary, drain the remaining milk, and add it to the main dough. Put parchment paper in a tall baking dish, brush with oil, pour the dough into it and bake at 180 degrees for 40 minutes (check readiness with a dry match). Remove the sour cream from the refrigerator, it should have given off excess liquid and become thicker. Transfer the sour cream to a bowl (it is advisable to pre-cool it in the freezer), add powdered sugar (200 grams) and beat with a mixer for 5-7 minutes until stable peaks. Remove the "pie" from the oven and cut into two cakes, grease both with cream. Sprinkle nuts on the cake to taste or decorate in another way and let it brew in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
- Pancakes with mascarpone and berries … Whisk eggs (2 pieces) with sugar (30 grams) in a deep bowl, add milk (250-300 ml), kefir (100-150 ml), salt (5 grams), soda (3 grams) and mix thoroughly. Slightly add a mixture of bird cherry (60 grams) and wheat (100 grams) flour. If you cannot achieve uniformity, use a mixer. Preheat a skillet and start baking pancakes. On each pancake, put mascarpone and any berries to taste, roll into a roll. Sprinkle the pancakes with powdered sugar on top.
- Bird cherry bread in a bread maker … Pour whey or milk (300 ml) into a bread maker, add salt (1 teaspoon), sugar (1 tablespoon), sifted wheat flour (500 grams), then bird cherry flour (50 grams). Make a well in the flour and add yeast (fast-acting, dry - 1 sachet). Select main mode (bread baking mode) and bake. You can cook this bread in the oven, then you first need to let the dough come up. Bread in the oven should be baked at 180 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Willingness to check with a match.
- Bird cherry coffee … Pour boiling water (200 ml) into a mug, add ground bird cherry (2 teaspoons), brew for 5-7 minutes. Add sugar and milk to taste.
- Kissel from bird cherry flour and honey … Pour boiling water (0.5 liters) into flour (100 grams) and mix thoroughly. Add another liter of boiling water, honey (2 tablespoons) and starch (1 tablespoon) to the resulting mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil and immediately remove from the stove. When the jelly cools down, you can drink it.
- Bird cherry kvass … Pour ground bird cherry (500 grams) with water (4 liters), bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes. Cool the mixture, add sugar (300 grams), mix thoroughly and leave to brew for 12 hours. Add more sugar (200 grams) and add more water (2 liters) and yeast (10 grams). Leave the mixture for another 12 hours. Strain the kvass and pour it into closed containers - after 2-3 days it will be drinkable.
It is not easy to find bird cherry flour on sale, but you can make it yourself - this is not a problem, given that the plant is present everywhere in our strip. However, when making flour on your own, you must follow a number of important rules for drying and processing fruits so that the berries do not lose their healing properties.
Interesting facts about bird cherry
There are many legends about the origin of the tree. One of the most beautiful legends says that an unfortunate girl suffering from unrequited love turned into a bird cherry. Her heart froze from unrequited feelings. Therefore, when the bird cherry blossoms, the days and nights are cold.
Bird cherry in our country has always been considered a symbol of love, youth, tenderness and innocence. Amulets made of fruits and other parts of the tree patronized lovers - they saved them from disputes, quarrels, betrayals.
It was also believed that the plant protects from evil spirits, and therefore there was always special care for bird cherry trees.
Archaeologists have recently found evidence that bird cherry was used by people as early as the Stone Age. The first written mention is found in the writings of the ancient Greek botanist Theofast, who described the beneficial properties of the tree's fruits, as well as its bark and leaves. In Russian writing, the first mentions of the plant appeared in the 15th century.
Bird cherry, along with mountain ash, is the favorite of Russian poets and songwriters; many poems, songs, proverbs and sayings have been written about the plant. The tree has a dark bark - almost black. It is believed that it was this feature that gave the plant the name that it has, because in the old language “cherma” means “dark”, “dark-skinned”.
The fruits of bird cherry can also be eaten fresh, but it is important to get rid of the seeds, in which the concentration of hydrocyanic acid is quite high. Also, you can not brew the fruits together with the seeds.
It is noteworthy that bird cherry is used not only in cooking and folk remedies for the treatment of certain diseases. The plant is also used in cosmetology and … the production of paints. Despite the delightful aroma and beauty of the flowers, it is not worth bringing bird cherry into the house for a long time, from prolonged inhalation of its smell, a headache may hurt, and one or another disorder of the nervous system may appear. However, if you want to disinfect the air in the room and / or get rid of insects, put the bouquet in the house for half an hour.
Watch a video about ground bird cherry:
Ground bird cherry is a unique product. It is extremely healthy, and if you have no contraindications for eating it, be sure to add flour to baked goods and drinks from time to time. As we have already said, it is not easy to get it on sale, but it is not at all difficult to cook it yourself. In extreme cases, ground bird cherry can be ordered on the Internet, on sites that sell useful products.
