Sorrel is a leafy green vegetable grown for its pleasantly tart, lemony flavor. The plants have smooth to crinkled, arrow-shaped leaves that grow from a center rosette. The plant will send up a tall flower stalk as the temperature warms, but it’s best to remove this to promote leaf growth for a better harvest.
Is sorrel a fruit or flower?
The “flower buds” are actually seedpods of red sorrel, Hibiscus sabdariffa, enclosed in their fleshy calyces (plural of “calyx,” a collective term for the sepals of a flower). The red pods—technically the fruits—and calyces are fused and difficult to distinguish from one another.
What kind of plant is sorrel?
| Sorrel | |
|---|---|
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Polygonaceae |
| Genus: | Rumex |
| Species: | R. acetosa |
Is sorrel a herb or vegetable?
herb
Sorrel is a leafy green plant, use alternately as an herb and a vegetable, with a distinctive sour, lemony flavor. It’s from the knotweed family, or Polygonaceae, the same botanical family as buckwheat and rhubarb. It also goes by the name “dock.”
Can you eat sorrel flower?
You can eat the stalks, flowers, and leaves, raw or cooked. They have a fresh, lemony flavour that makes them perfect for mixed salads. In South Australia, wood sorrel is known as ‘soursob’ and is a common snack for children on their way to school.
Whats the difference between sorrel and hibiscus?
West Indians call hibiscus sorrel or sorrel, Africans call the plant Roselle, and it’s known as hibiscus in other locales. It’s the exact same plant, Hibiscus sabdariffa, an edible species of hibiscus. Agua de Jamaica literally translates into the term Jamaica water.
What flower is sorrel made from?
hibiscus sabdariffa flower
In the Caribbean, the popular terms are hibiscus or sorrel, as it is made from the hibiscus sabdariffa flower. The plant is native to India, but can grow as an annual in all climates. The fleshy, red calyxes that surround the base of the flowers are what we brew to make sorrel, the drink.
What is sorrel used for?
Sorrel is used for reducing sudden and ongoing pain and swelling (inflammation) of the nasal passages and respiratory tract, for treating bacterial infections along with conventional medicines, and for increasing urine flow (as a diuretic). Sorrel is also an ingredient in the herbal cancer treatment Essiac.
Does garden sorrel flower?
Sorrel is a leafy green vegetable grown for its pleasantly tart, lemony flavor. The plants have smooth to crinkled, arrow-shaped leaves that grow from a center rosette. The plant will send up a tall flower stalk as the temperature warms, but it’s best to remove this to promote leaf growth for a better harvest.
Is sorrel good to eat?
Sorrel Nutrition
Lemony sorrel is super high in Vitamin C; just 1/2 cup of the leafy green provides you with about half of your daily Vitamin C needs. It is also high in Vitamin A and potassium and is a good source of iron.
Is sorrel good for kidneys?
In larger doses, sorrel can cause damage to the kidneys, liver, and digestive organs. Sorrel is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken in large amounts, since it might increase the risk of developing kidney stones.
What is a sorrel in English?
sorrel in American English
(ˈsɔrəl, ˈsɑr-) noun. any of various plants belonging to the genus Rumex, of the buckwheat family, having edible acid leaves used in salads, sauces, etc. any of various sour-juiced plants of the genus Oxalis.
Does sorrel raise blood pressure?
It’s full of minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. It also has key B-vitamins like niacin and folic acid, and can lower blood pressure. Sorrel is a known anti-inflammatory: The ascorbic acid and other compounds in sorrel make it a potent anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drink.
What part of the sorrel do you eat?
Leaves
Both varieties of sorrel pair well with egg dishes, depending on your palate. Leaves of this tender spring green are often used fresh; however, you can also cook them down — this produces leaves similar to the consistency of cooked spinach.
What part of sorrel is edible?
leaves
Yellow wood sorrel is also known as sour grass because its leaves have a mildly sour taste. In fact, every part o this flower, including the leaves, flowers, and seed pods, are edible. Sorrel is a common addition to salads, soups, and sauces and can be used to make tea.
Does sorrel make you poop?
Relief constipation. Sorrel contains diuretic properties that increase bowel movement, which relieves constipation.
How do you eat sorrel flowers?
Like many other spring greens (like broccoli rabe or stinging neetles), sorrel has a pronounced flavor. You wouldn’t want to eat just a salad of sorrel, so mix young leaves with milder lettuces. Blanching also helps tone down the bitterness. Think of the way a zippy, acidic white wine cuts through a fatty or oily fish.
How do you use sorrel flowers?
In Afghanistan, sorrel herb leaves are dipped into a batter and then deep fried and served either as an appetizer or during Ramadan, to break the fast. Cooking with sorrel is popular in Eastern Europe where it is used in soups, stewed with vegetables, or added to meat or egg dishes.
What is another name for sorrel in jamaica?
Jamaican sorrel is in fact what many of us know as hibiscus blossoms, which can be found dried online and at Latin American or natural food stores, where they are sometimes also called flor de jamaica.
Is sorrel toxic?
The sorrel plant is toxic, and it is important to know the alternate names for the same plant. Alternate names for the sorrel plant include: Oxalis. Purple shamrock.
Is hibiscus flower sorrel?
In the Caribbean, the drink made from the calyces (sepals) of the roselle (hibiscus sabdariffa) flower is called sorrel drink and is made in Caribbean countries including Jamaica, St.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.