What is sorrel food?

Common sorrel has been cultivated for centuries. The leaves may be puréed in soups and sauces or added to salads; they have a flavour that is similar to kiwifruit or sour wild strawberries. The plant's sharp taste is due to oxalic acid. In northern Nigeria, sorrel is used in stews usually with spinach.

Simply so, what do you use sorrel for?

Sorrel is delicious used as an herb or as a salad green -- its tartness is really refreshing. A traditional way to enjoy sorrel is cooked into a sauce and served with fish, lending a lemony flavor without the use of lemon. It's also great cooked into soups or stews. Baby sorrel greens can be tossed into mixed salads.

Secondly, what is the health benefit of sorrel? Health Benefits of Jamaican Sorrel Indians, Mexicans, and Africans use it as a diuretic, to thin blood, and to lower blood pressure. Jamaican Sorrel is high in vitamins and minerals with powerful antioxidant properties. It helps lower elevated blood pressure, bad cholesterol and detoxify the entire body.

Also, what does sorrel taste like?

The closest taste to mature sorrel leaves is one you wouldn't expect: A tart, sour green apple. Sorrel is a very tangy, acidic herb. Its sour taste comes from oxalic acid, which also gives rhubarb its tartness. Personally, I like sorrel's tangy taste in salads.

Can you eat sorrel stems?

Sorrel Cooking Suggestions Cook sorrel in the same way as spinach, lightly steamed or boiled. Sorrel stalks can be cooked like rhubarb. The acidity of sorrel is tamed by cooking in butter or cream or by topping sorrel with a cream sauce.

38 Related Question Answers Found

Is Sorrel good for kidneys?

“Sorrel consumption can also be beneficial for the health of the kidneys due to the diuretic properties that it possesses,” she adds. “It is also said to help with regularising bowel movements when consumed.”

Is Sorrel good for cancer?

There is no evidence that sheep sorrel can treat cancer, diarrhea, scurvy, or any other medical condition. Scientific research has not been performed on sheep sorrel, but scientists are familiar with how some of the natural compounds found in this plant work.

What are the side effects of sorrel?

Sorrel in combination with other herbs can cause upset stomach and occasionally an allergic skin rash. In larger doses, sorrel can cause damage to the kidneys, liver, and digestive organs. Sorrel is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth in large amounts, since it might increase the risk of developing kidney stones.

Is Sorrel poisonous?

Red sorrel is not considered poisonous to humans, and is often eaten as a pot-herb or green. Red sorrel contains oxalic acid, which can poison livestock if consumed in sufficient quantity; the seeds are said to be poisonous to horses and sheep.

What is the difference between sorrel and hibiscus?

Sorrel leaves are typically bright green and elongated with a slight arrowhead shape. Hibiscus has variegated leaves and red stems. Note that there are some sorrel varieties that have red stems but most don't. With sorrel, the edible part of the plant is the leaf, which you can consume raw or cooked.

What is sorrel drink made of?

Sorrel Drink is dark red, a little sour, with a raspberry-like flavor; made from the petals of sorrel plant (flor de Jamaica)” or hibiscus plant flower as popularly known in West Africa. In Nigeria, it's referred to as Zobo drink, in Jamaica and throughout the Caribbean Island it's known as Sorrel Drink.

Is Sorrel the same as spinach?

Sorrel, also known as spinach dock, is quite similar to spinach in appearance, and similarly chock-full of nutrients.

How long can you keep sorrel drink?

3 days

Is there a substitute for sorrel?

Spinach is an especially effective sorrel substitute if what you need is a green for salad. Spinach can have a rich earthiness and subtle bitterness that can stand in for sorrel's flavor. While it does not have sorrel's characteristic acidity, the addition of lemon juice or vinegar can help in that respect.

Where does sorrel come from?

Like many popular plants grown in the Caribbean region, sorrel has its origins in West Africa. Known as Roselle, or less by its scientific name 'Hibiscus sabdariffa', sorrel is a species of the Hibiscus family.

Are there different types of sorrel?

There are three major varieties to know: broad leaf, French, and red-veined sorrel. Broad leaf sorrel has slender, arrow-shaped leaves.

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 is the herb sorrel?

Common sorrel or garden sorrel (Rumex acetosa), often simply called sorrel, is a perennial herb in the family Polygonaceae. Other names for sorrel include spinach dock and narrow-leaved dock. It is a common plant in grassland habitats and is cultivated as a garden herb or salad vegetable (pot herb).

Can you freeze sorrel?

Liquefy sorrel leaves in a blender, alternatively. Then freeze them in ice cube trays. After the cubes harden, remove them from the trays and transfer them to plastic zipper bags. Store them for up to several months in your freezer.

What do you do with red sorrel?

When the plant begins to toughen and mature, the leaves can be cooked like spinach or used in stir-fries. The lemony tang of sorrel makes a great addition to salads. As the leaves get bigger they can be cooked like spinach and used in soups, sauces and risottos.

What does red veined sorrel taste like?

Red sorrel is a leafy herb that grows low to the ground with slender stems. It has bright lime-green leaves with dark maroon stems and veins that run the entirety of the leaf. Red sorrel has a distinct lemony flavor and acidic bite. The taste is often described as “sour.”

Is red sorrel edible?

Common or Sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella): Although often considered a weed, it is edible and the small leaves are not bad tasting when they are young and tender. Red-veined sorrel (Rumex sanguineus): Does indeed have red veins. in height, with a flavor similar to garden sorrel, however, it is not often cultivated.