Did you know that dandelions are perfect not only for tea, but also for stews, wine, mead, coffee, soap, syrup, jam and lemonade?

Dandelion or dandelion?

Taraxacum officinale

(Old or other known names: pig’s-blue, pig’s lettuce, milk thistle, dandelion, night-glow, man’s fidelity, dandelion, dandelion, dandelion-grass, dandelion-grass, vomit-grass, cowslip, cuckoo flower, chickweed, chickweed, dandelion-grass, bald-faced dandelion, dog-flower,

Persian name: talk chakok – “bitter-grass”

Arabic name: tarakshagog

English name: dandelion

French name: dent de lion (lion’s tooth)

Medicinal properties
Tea making
Other uses (19 interesting tips)
Collecting
Varieties

Nesting Flies – Compasitae

Dandelion is a perennial plant, which, when it germinates from seed, produces in the first year a clump of only a few leaves with a few stamens; from the second year onwards it flowers. Its roots grow straight down into the ground, thick, fleshy, reddish brown outside, white inside, and when broken in two it emits a white milky fluid. The stems are very short, so that the leaves are all erect and form a dense rosette. The leaves are tongue-shaped, fanged and mostly lanceolate in circumference.

The leaf margins are unevenly serrated, with a deeply lobed notch. Leaves are between 6 and 30 cm long and 2-7 cm wide in the upper third. The leaves in the bud are still woolly but are glabrous when mature. From the dense cluster of leaves emerges a completely leafless, tubular capitulum with a single flower head at the top. The capitulum is also glabrous, at most slightly mottled below the inflorescence. When divided into two it is milky and, when empty inside, can be used by children to make chains.

It grows to 5-35 cm tall on the calyx, averaging 25 cm, and can reach 60 cm after flowering. The flower cluster is surrounded on the outside by a green collar of lanceolate, pointed-tipped leaflets arranged in three rows. The two outer, circular ones hang down in a ‘dandelion’ (hence the name dandelion), while the inner circle is flattened against the flowers. The flowers are yellow.
After flowering, the flower produces a small, greyish-brown fruit, topped by an elongated tongue-shaped pistil. The latter serves as a flying machine, so that it can be easily carried away by the wind. The dandelion’s nests open in the morning and close towards noon. Dandelions flower in spring, mostly in May, but bloom from April to October.

Occurrence:

Dandelion is widespread throughout the country and masses on mown fields, pastures, lush meadows, garden lawns and other grassy areas with its flowers that open in spring. It weeds many places. It is native to the cultivated lands and wastelands of Europe, as well as in Russia and Central Asia, and in North America as far north as the Arctic, and is now widespread throughout the world, and in some places is grown as a salad plant. Its presence in orchards is beneficial because it releases ethylene, which promotes fruit setting and accelerates ripening.

Medicinal properties/effects of use:

Despised by many for its weed existence, this nutrient-rich plant has a reputation for its healing properties dating back over a thousand years. It can help treat pre-menstrual symptoms (animal studies show it can help), congestive heart failure and high blood pressure, but it can also prevent gallstones and other ailments. Unfortunately, its uses are not as well known as those of cranberries, cumin or ginger, although it is more readily available almost anywhere.

In early spring, the young leaves are harvested as a salad and as a blood purifying spring cure, especially by the French. When green, the leaves are somewhat hard and very bitter, so they are blanched first, like endive. Its leaves are loved by grazing animals and are a good fodder crop. The whole plant contains white milk liquid and a bitter substance called taraxin, among other substances.

In medicine, it is mainly the root that is used under the name radix taraxaci, but the leaves are also used. Dandelion is sold under two names, radix taraxaci cum herba and radix taraxaci sine herba, the former meaning the whole plants picked and dried in spring before flowering, the latter meaning the roots only.

Externally, the leaf and its sap may be used for warts (more effective is the bleeding swallow-wort), and its decoction or decoction added to water (to make a footbath) is excellent for varicose veins.

An extract of its root(extractum taraxaci) is made and used against diseases of the lower body (intestinal and liver disorders, etc.). Dandelion has a high content of lecithin, which plays a very important role in cell wall protection and regeneration, lowers cholesterol, converts fat into energy, helps prevent stroke and heart attack (two German studies have shown that dandelion facilitates the secretion of bile, which helps digest fats)

Dandelion is one of our most nutrient-rich spring plants. It is high in vitamins A, C, phosphorus and beta-carotene.

One of the most interesting things about dandelions is tasting them. The bitter taste has a powerful effect on digestive function. The bitter taste increases saliva production, which helps break down carbohydrates in the mouth. This in turn stimulates a good number of digestive secretions, such as HCL (the stomach acid that does so much, like break down protein) and bile (important for digesting fats).

There is a well-known folk tradition of eating these bitter herbs to replace heavy, fatty winter meals with fresh food as the growing season gets underway.

In experiments, when dandelions were fed to animals, they lost 30% of their weight. (Experts do not recommend diuretics for those with persistent weight gain, preferring low-fat, high-fibre diets and daily exercise.)

One study suggests it may inhibit the growth of the fungus that causes vaginal infections (Candida albicans).

(Add 2 handfuls of dry leaves and roots to the bath water)

Sesquiterpene lactone, eudesmanolide, germacranolide, triterpenes (taraxasterol), flavonoids, phenolic carboxylic acids, coumarins, sterols, sarotenoids, phytosterols, minerals, vitamins, potassium salt (high), inulin (up to 40% in autumn), phosphorus. Taraxicin, taraxacerin, leontodine and inulin, plus sugars and, in the leaves, inositol, lecithin, vitamins A, C, E, traces of vitamins B1, B2, B6, B9, as well as potassium, calcium, copper, folate, zinc, manganese, sodium and iron.

In case of yellowish or white stools, seek medical advice immediately!

May cause skin rash in sensitive persons, not recommended for pregnant and nursing mothers, under 2 years of age, use in quantities of medication only after consulting a doctor

(Over 65s should use milder preparations)

It is not advisable to consume the stool, as the milk liquid can lead to poisoning symptoms!

Always consult your doctor if you have a blockage in your bile ducts or if you are treating gallstones

If it causes minor discomfort (upset stomach, diarrhoea), use less or stop.

Chinese medicine

It has been used since ancient times for colds, itching, internal injuries, toothache, fattening, ulcers, furunculus, hepatitis, pneumonia, bronchitis and colds. In breast cancer treatment, the chopped plant has been used in a poultice. (First recorded as a medicine in Chinese records in 659 AD)

Arabic medicine – tarakshagog (dandelion)

Used for urine secretion and enhancement in the tenth century, to help with bladder complaints, stomach ailments, fever, sleep disorders, monthly bleeding.

Medieval Europe (15th century)

Believed in the “Doctrine of External Signs”, the external signs of plants help to guide us in their healing value. In other words, all yellow plants were associated with yellow bile, so they were seen as bile cures. (Jaundice and gallstone treatment – associated with urinary excretion)

English medicine

The English, as‘wet the bed’, were referred to after the French‘piss-it‘.

Nicholas Culpepper was credited with the dandelion’s medicinal properties. Culpeper recommended it for any ailment of the body, and it became an ‘official medicine’.

North American medicine

Introduced by early settlers, it was quickly adopted by the Indians for its refreshing properties.

Japanese researchers

They talk of an anti-cancer effect, but it is too early to say that it can actually cure cancer.

Certain chemical compounds found in the greens, flower spikes and roots of fresh dandelion have antioxidant, disease-preventing and health-promoting properties. It is particularly popular as part of a detoxifying/detoxifying regimen, especially for those suffering from rheumatism and gout, but is also recommended for sufferers of acne, eczema, scurvy, scurvy, arthritis. It is beneficial for skin, hair, nails and connective tissues when used in a course of treatment.

It is also an excellent laxative. These active ingredients in the herb reduce weight and lower blood cholesterol levels.

Dandelion root, as well as other parts of the plant, contains bitter crystalline taraxacin and a fiery resin taraxacin. In addition, the root also contains insulin (not insulin) and levulin . These compounds together are responsible for the various therapeutic properties of the herb.

Fresh dandelion leaves contain vitamin A in 100 g (about 338% of the daily recommended intake – more than in carrots), which is one of the highest sources of vitamin A among culinary herbs. Vitamin A is an essential fat-soluble vitamin and antioxidant necessary for maintaining healthy mucous membranes and skin.

The leaves contain several health-promoting flavonoids such as carotene-ß, carotene-α, lutein, cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin. Eating natural foods rich in vitamin A and consuming flavonoids (carotenoids) helps protect the human body from lung and oral cancers. Zeaxanthin is thought to have a light-filtering function and may therefore help protect the retina from harmful UV rays.

Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids, helping to regulate heart rate and blood pressure. Iron is essential for the production of red blood cells. The human body uses manganese as a co-factor of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase.

It is rich in a number of essential vitamins, including folic acid, riboflavin, pyridoxine, niacin, vitamin E and vitamin C, which are essential for optimal health. Vitamin C is a powerful natural antioxidant. Dandelion greens provide 58% of the daily recommended level of vitamin C.

Dandelion is probably the richest plant source of vitamin K, providing about 650% of the DRI. Vitamin K has a potential role in strengthening bones by promoting osteoblastic activity of bones. It also has an established role in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease patients by limiting nerve cell damage to the brain.

High in lecithin, it is important in the protection and renewal of cell walls, reduces cholesterol, converts fat into energy, helps prevent stroke and heart attack.

Dandelion herb contains remarkable nutrients and is a great source of nutrients in winter.
This humble backyard herb (RDA% per 100 g) –
9% dietary fiber
19% vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine)
20% riboflavin
58% vitamin C
338% vitamin A
649% vitamin K
39% iron
19% calcium
(Note: daily intake recommended by the RDA)

Here are some serving tips:

Fresh leaves have a chicory taste. The tender leaves can be roasted with bacon, a very popular spring salad in France. Mix with other green leaves, such as arugula, parsnips, dill, for a more aromatic salad. Clean the root, dry it, roast it in the oven until coffee brown, add hot water and use it as a coffee substitute.

The fresh greens and flower tops have been used in cooking since ancient times. The pre-washed greens are blanched in boiling water for about a minute and immediately cooled by immersion in ice-cold water. Blanching reduces the bitterness.

Young, tender sprouts, raw or blanched, used alone in salads and sandwiches or in combination with other greens such as lettuce, kale, cabbage, chives.

Fresh greens can also be used in soups, stews, juices and as a cooked leafy vegetable.

Dried leaves and flower parts have been used to make tonic drinks and herbal dandelion tea.

Dandelion flowers can be used to make wines (Dandelion Wine), brandies, pancakes; and are popular in Arabic baking.

Finely roasted and ground roots can be used to make wonderfully delicious dandelion coffee (see above).

Dandelion root concentrate (eden yansen) is also used in Japanese cooking.

19 interesting ideas of what you can make with dandelion/ dandelion blossom:

1. Vinegar flavouring

Like most flavourings, this dandelion flavoured vinegar is easy to make. First, collect as many jars of dandelions from a safe source as you want to make. Disinfect the jars properly. After placing them in the jar, pour vinegar over the jar to cover the dandelion flowers. Any vinegar will do, white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or whatever you like. You can put the lid on, put it in a cool place and wait. It’ll need a week at least, but the longer you soak them, the better they’ll taste. It can take up to 6 weeks! When you think they’re good, strain out the vinegar and you’re done. You can use this delicious flavoured vinegar to make salad dressings or even to marinate vegetables and meats. But mixing a little with water and drinking it in the morning will also help with digestion.

2. Flavoured honey

Collect about 3-4 palmfuls of dandelion flowers that have fully opened. Set them aside and wait until all the tiny bugs and insects have left the flowers, as you don’t want to wash them – you don’t want to add moisture to the glass. Place them in a jar and pour as much honey as will cover them. Stir the flowers thoroughly, but gently, so that any air bubbles trapped under the petals will come to the surface. Top with the topping and place in a cool, dark place for two weeks to allow the flavour to set in. No need to strain, just add to any tea.

3. Syrup making

This syrup, traditional in Scandinavian countries, can be made with sugar or honey, or even a little rhubarb if you have some on hand. Wash the flowers under cold tap water, then lay them petals side down on a paper towel and leave them for a while to dry completely.

Remove the petals from the green stems, you can do this by hand but it’s quicker to do it with a sharp knife. If a little bit of the green stalk comes in between, it will be fine. If you have more flowers and you don’t use them all, you can safely freeze the rest in an airtight container.

First, put the petals in a pot and pour water over them. Turn the heat on and cook them for about a minute from the boil. Then remove from the heat, put the lid on and leave them overnight. If you don’t have a cooler place in the kitchen, put them in the fridge, of course wait until the pan cools down.

The next morning, strain the petals into a small saucepan, pressing them well to extract all the water and flavour. Put the pot on the stove and add the sugar and honey, then cook over a low heat, covered, stirring regularly, until thickened.

If you want a thicker syrup, use more sugar. When you have reached the desired consistency (after about an hour to an hour and a half), you can check the consistency with a spoon, just dip it in, let it cool a little and check it with your fingers. When it feels thick enough, take it off the heat and it’s done. When it’s cool, you just need to pour it into a suitable jar or container.

• 100-120 dandelion flowers (about 1.5 cups)
• 3 cups water
• 2-3 cups sugar (cane sugar or some organic sugar is even better)
• 0.5 cup honey

The syrup can be used for pancakes, breakfast yoghurt or, for the more experienced, even a special cocktail.

4. Vinegar buds

These buds will look like pickled capers. All you need is vinegar, water and salt and they’re ready. Boil the ingredients and pour over the dandelion buds in the jar.

Look for very small dandelion buds (which look like capers) before they bloom. You need quite young buds if you want to get a crunchy effect when eating, similar to capers. These buds are usually found at the base of the plant, in the middle, close to the ground. Usually there is a so-called main bud, which if you remove, you will find several smaller buds (the size of a pea), which are even fresher and make an even better ingredient. You should not be afraid that removing all the buds will harm the plant, as it will not affect further growth.

Around 100 dandelion buds should be enough to start with, but as a skilled stacker you can of course work with more.

• 400 gr dandelion buds
• 160 ml vinegar
• 80 ml water
• 1 teaspoon salt

Bring the water to the boil with the vinegar and salt, allowing the salt to melt completely. Put the buds in a suitable clean jar with a clasp and pour the vinegar over them. Heat treat the jars if you plan to use them for a longer period of time, or just store them in the fridge if you want to eat them immediately, within days.

5. Jam

There’s nothing like opening a dandelion jam on a winter’s day to remind you of the smell of spring flowers that will soon be arriving. All you need for dandelion jam is dandelion flowers, water, pectin (the vegetarian gelatin), sugar, lemon and patience for a slow cook.

It’s easy to become a family favourite, as you can spread it on toast, biscuits (even better for homemade), or swirled in tea instead of plain honey. In fact, you can even get the family together to pick dandelion flowers, as children love flowers and especially picking them!

For this recipe, you don’t need a stem or anything else but the flower. You can easily cut off the yellow petals with a pair of scissors after picking The green part of the stem can easily add a bitter taste to your jam, you will only need the yellow petals. Try to get them from a place where no animals are kept or not close to roads/traffic.

Pour about 1 litre of hot water over about 400 grams of dandelion petals (so you are making a tea), once cool, seal in a container and refrigerate for 24 hours. Then strain and squeeze them well. This tea may smell a bit like grass, but don’t worry, the final product will not.

Pour the tea into a saucepan and add two tablespoons of lemon juice and two tablespoons of pectin, then bring to the boil. Add 800 grams of sugar and stir, boil for a further 1-2 minutes and remove from the heat. Pour into jam jars and heat the jars.

6. Pancakes and mini cakes (cupcake)

Think American style pancakes for this recipe. Choose an American pancake recipe, but usually you need flour, baking powder, eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla sugar, salt and some kind of fat (butter or oil). For this recipe, you will only need the yellow petals, which you need to gently fold into the well-mixed pancake batter. You can also add a little banana, which you mash well with a fork at the beginning and add the rest of the ingredients to mix the batter. You can make it even healthier by using coconut oil for the fat, a different kind of flour (wholemeal, oats, almond flour, rice flour) instead of flour and a substitute for milk (rice drink, oat drink, etc.).

Choose a basic mini-cake (cupcake) recipe with no other flavouring (e.g. chocolate) other than the basic batter. Add sunflower seeds and dandelion petals as extra ingredients. For approximately 12 mini cakes, you will need 20 grams of sunflower seeds and 150 grams of dandelion flowers. As with the pancakes, only add the petals gently to the batter at the end. And then, by pouring a delicious lemon glaze over the cupcakes, you have a really delicious dessert.

7. Honey ice cream

If you haven’t tried our homemade ice cream with dandelion flower petals, now is the time, because we don’t know what we’re missing! Choose a basic ice cream recipe and simply mix in a good amount of dandelion petals and honey to taste. It will give your ice cream a fantastic taste. You can also try it with coconut ice cream, it goes great with it. The main thing is to leave the petals to stand in the ice cream base for at least 30 minutes, then strain well and continue making the ice cream, already flavoured with dandelion and honey.

8. Tea

The dandelion season cannot pass without at least one dandelion tea. For what many people regard it as an unwanted weed in the garden, it contains a wealth of earthy goodness: vitamins A, C, D, zinc, iron, magnesium and potassium are all found in it, and it contains more beta-carotene than carrots.

However, as with everything else, there may be side effects, for example if you are taking medication for diabetes or blood thinning, if you are pregnant or if you are allergic to ragweed or related plants, you should consult a doctor before consuming dandelion.

Four ways to make tea:

From the flower:

Boil as much water in a pot as you want to make tea. While the water is boiling, cut the yellow petals off the dandelion flowers, you won’t need the green parts. You will need about 10 dandelion flowers for one cup of tea. You can place the petals in a cup with a strainer, pour the boiling water over them and leave to stand for 20 minutes. Or you can put the petals in the pot, take off the heat, let it steep for 20 minutes and strain it at the end.

From the leaves:

Try to pick off the younger, greener leaves. You will need about 6 leaves for a cup of tea. Wash and dry these first. Once they are dry, finely chop the leaves. Put them in the cup and add the hot water, leave to stand for 10 minutes. You can drink it together with the chopped leaves, but if you don’t like “chunky” tea, just strain it and drink it as it is.

Fresh root:

Dandelion root is becoming increasingly popular with users because of its many health benefits. Feel free to dig it up, because it’s the root that you need here, specifically the root stem (the part of the root closer to the stem). Wash it well under cold water and dry it. Once this is done, while the water is boiling, cut it into smaller pieces. For about a litre of water, you will need two teaspoons of root pieces. Once added to the water, turn down the heat, it does not need to boil. Cover the pot. Leave it on the heat for just one minute, then remove it from the heat and leave it to soak for another 40 minutes. When it’s done, remove the root and you’re ready to drink.

Dried root:

Dandelions do not grow all year round, which makes them more difficult to access. You may also not have much time to dig dandelions. To solve this problem, here’s an idea on how you can dry dandelion root to use later for your tea.

It is best to dig dandelion roots in the autumn or spring, before they flower. During the winter, the cold and frost turns the inulin in the root into fructose, so the root harvested in the spring is less bitter, but also contains less inulin, which contributes to the proper functioning of the intestinal flora. Many people therefore prefer to harvest in autumn because of the higher inulin content.

Wash the root well and scrape it well, but do not peel it as you would a carrot. Cut the roots into long (4-5 cm) uniform strips. These can be easily dried in a dehydrator (dried at about 55 °C). Fortunately, there is now such a wide range of these machines that you can find one that suits you and you don’t have to empty your wallet. If you don’t have one and don’t plan to buy one, spread them out on a tray and put them in a dry, cool place with adequate air circulation.

And for the tea, put a litre of water on to boil, while it is boiling, cut the dried roots into small pieces. Add about two teaspoons to the water and boil for another 10 minutes. When it’s finished, remove the root pieces, strain the tea and you’re done.

9. Lemonade

Who doesn’t love lemonade? Top it off with dandelion petals for an even healthier drink. Pick about a cup of dandelion petals, put them in a jug, pour boiling but not boiling water over them (about 60 degrees) and leave to stand for 30 minutes. Add honey instead of sugar and lemon. Pour over cold water, or soda if you like it “bubbly”. You can strain it if you don’t like the petals in it, but you can also drink it with them.

10. Solution, tincture

Dandelion helps with digestion, but it also has a cleansing effect, helping the liver and kidneys to function healthily. Drinking a few drops of dandelion solution before a meal can help with bloating and flatulence, and taking it after a meal can prevent heartburn.

In the spring, when the dandelion has already sprouted green leaves, dig up a good two handfuls of dandelions by the roots. Wash them well. The green, fresh leaves are better used in a delicious salad and only the roots are used in the solution, but of course it’s up to you, you can use the leaves in the solution. The roots don’t need to be peeled or scraped off well, just give them a good wash.

Cut them into small pieces. Then put the root pieces in a jam jar, fill it about two-thirds full, and pour the alcohol over it to almost cover it. A cheap vodka will do the trick, which even we would drink in peace. Put the bottle in a dry, dark place and shake it at intervals or whenever you think of it. It should stand for at least a month, but to be most effective, let it stand for 2-3 months. When ready, strain well and pour into a dropping bottle.

For this solution you can also use dried dandelion root that you have already prepared. I have already described the drying method in point 8.

11. Essential oil

If you are very determined to make your own ointment or lip balm from dandelion, you will first need to make dandelion essential oil. There’s no secret or great devilry in making it, but we have to be very careful, for example, that our oil doesn’t go rancid and that we don’t start growing bacteria in our oil, which can cause problems.

12. Balm/ointment

When you have your essential oil ready, you can make an ointment with it. It is good for sore muscles, helps dry and cracked skin on our hands and feet. It is also good for gout and rheumatic pain, and fades skin blemishes and freckles.

13. Wine

For those who have tried making apple cider, we definitely recommend this wine. Be warned, it will be a long process.

• 2 kg dandelion flowers
• 4 litres of water
• 3 lemons (peel and juice)
• 3 oranges (peel and juice)
• 680 g sugar
• 340 g raisins
• 1 teaspoon of yeast nutrient
• 5 grams of wine yeast or 1/2 teaspoon of baker’s yeast

Remove the petals from the flower, don’t add green parts, if you add too much, the wine will be bitter. Put the petals in a stainless steel pot, this is important. Bring the water to the boil and pour over the petals, leave to stand for two hours. When the time is up, strain it and squeeze the water out of the petals as well.

The pot can go back on the stove and boil again. Add the lemon, orange juice and sugar. Stir until the sugar melts. Add the lemon, orange zest and chopped raisins. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. When cool to room temperature, stir in the yeast nutrient and the wine or baker’s yeast. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 10-14 days, stirring 3 times a day.

Then strain into a suitable disinfected container with a fermentation or fermentation lock, fermentation lid. These can now be obtained on the internet. after 3 weeks, it is decanted into another disinfected vessel to get rid of the yeast sediment. Once your wine starts to clarify, wait another 30 days and decant again. Seal airtight. It takes about 9 months to completely clarify, decanting every 3 months. The sediment will be almost completely gone. Seal with stoppers in disinfected bottles. It is best to let it mature in the bottle for a year before drinking.

14. Honey beer

The fermentation process is similar to that for wine, but honey is used instead of sugar. Of course, it is not exactly the same procedure. (Crushed with parsley in a good strong ginger beer)

15. “Bath bomb”

A real hit with bath bombs for those who want to relax in the bath. There are so many recipes and procedures on the internet today. Use the dandelion essential oil mentioned above.

16. Homemade soap

For the clever and patient, you can also make homemade soap with it.

17. Scrambled eggs

There are two versions of this recipe: one sweet and one savoury. But the possibilities really are endless.

What you’ll need:

• about two cups dandelion flower
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1 egg
• pinch of salt
• a generous amount of oil that can withstand high temperatures

Two variations:

Sweet: add a tablespoon of honey (or to taste) and a total of 0.5-2 teaspoons of the following spices: cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg

Salty: add a pinch of the following spices: thyme, rosemary, oregano or similar spices. You can even add an extra pinch of salt.

Preparation:

1. Mix the dry ingredients together and add the egg.
2. Add the sweet or salty ingredients.
3. Dip both sides of the dandelion flowers into the mixture.
4. Once both sides are well dipped, fry the flowers in hot oil until golden brown.
5. Soak the oil off the flowers on paper towels, let them cool a bit and you’re ready to enjoy!

18. Fermented dandelion stems (fermented stems)

The combination of the slightly bitter dandelion stem and fermentation is an effective aid to digestion. And the few added spices give this recipe a great taste. It can be eaten as an appetizer, but chopped up it can be added to dishes, sandwiches or vegetables. If you don’t have dandelion on hand, you can substitute other stems such as chard and curly kale.

Ingredients:

• a large bunch of dandelion stems
• 2 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ½ teaspoon whole peppercorns
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon dried chilli
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 bay leaf

Preparation:

1. Find a jar big enough to hold the stems and put them all in it.
2. Bring the water to the boil and add the salt and spices. Stir until the salt is dissolved. Let cool to body temperature.
3. Pour over the stems. If there is a little more water left, strain the spices and add this to the jar to add more flavour.
4. The next step is important, you need to make sure that the stems are in the juice all the way through, this can be done by cutting a cabbage leaf into glass widths for example, placing this on the stems and then placing a sterilised smaller stone on top. The juice should cover the stems by about 3 cm.
5. Before sealing the jar, pour enough olive oil on top to form a protective layer, preventing oxygen from entering and causing mould. It is better to use a plastic lid, as there is no way of knowing whether this brine will not react with the metal lid, or whether it is too tight to prevent CO2 from escaping from the jar.
6. Put the jar in a warmer place in the kitchen. 20-22 degrees is optimal. Place a small plate under the bottle for any juice that may escape during fermentation.

Now you have to wait. Perhaps the hardest part. The most difficult part is to check the stems every other day to make sure they stay in the juice. A few spices may come to the top, and these should be removed. After a week you can start tasting to see if they are ready. If you’re new to fermentation, it’s a good idea to taste regularly to feel the change. If the fermentation is not yet complete, the stems will have a rather salty taste. Over time, this will turn sour and tart. This can take up to 2-4 weeks.

Why fermentation?

Fermentation is a way to preserve vegetables while increasing their nutritional value. During fermentation, certain lactic acid bacteria are added to the food to aid digestion.

The two most important tips when making this recipe:

1. Use clean tools: pan, knife, cutting board, bottle. Pouring hot water over them after cleaning is a good idea.
2. Make sure that the dandelion stems are always in the juice.

19. Preparing a stew

Cut off the tough tops of the tender leaves, boil them in water for half an hour, then strain, chop finely, add the broth and season with salt/pepper to taste. Toss with a few spoonfuls of breadcrumbs and sauté. Add 1 spoonful of flour and a little broth and simmer for a further 15 minutes. Best served fresh with meatballs or sausages.

Dandelion picking:

Dandelion leaves should be picked in the spring (April-May), before the flowers are fully developed (the full moon in May is the best time to collect the leaves for drying)

If its leaves are grown in shade, they will be less bitter, even tender leaves will be less bitter. (Do not use the white thicker veins in the middle of the leaf, as they are the most bitter.) Its bitter taste can be alleviated by “fading – etiolation” – conditions of low light. (Sand or soil should be placed around the stems of the plant to help it move towards the light on its own – Piling soil around the leaves in late autumn (the tips of the leaves stick out of the ground) will ‘pale’ the leaves, protect them and give them fresh salad leaves in the winter months)

Only pick the leaves of dandelions that grow in fat soil. The roots, which also contain white milky fluid and have a bitter taste, should be picked in late autumn and carefully dried. (The ideal time to collect the roots is during the new moon in July – they attract earthworms)

Leafless dandelion roots are best collected in September-October, when they contain the most bitter material. The excavated root is cleaned of soil and leaves, split open and left to air dry in the attic for several days (4-5 finger thick layers).

When it is mostly dry, dry it in a warm place afterwards, otherwise it is easily eaten by insects. During drying, the root shrinks very much, to a quarter of its weight, so 4 kg of fresh root becomes 1 kg of dry root; it becomes wrinkled, hard, brittle and fragile, turning blackish brown on the outside.

The dandelion root should be harvested early in the spring, before flowering. Dandelions growing in pastures and meadows tend to have very thin roots, whereas those growing in gardens and in deep cultivated stony soil are much thicker, so that dandelions that are noxious weeds in gardens can be sold by pulling them up by the roots, clearing the soil and drying them in the attic.

It is best to remove the older stems, as their roots are thicker than those that have just emerged from the seed. When the dandelion root is completely dry, it is stuffed into a bag and removed as soon as possible to avoid damage from insect bites. In folk medicine, the milky fluid from its roots has been used since the Greeks to treat freckles, liver spots and eye diseases. “The old women, when they wash their cheeks with its water, lose the scab and the scurf” Péter Mélius Juhász

For more details on the collection times, see the herb collection calendar.

Better known species:

Coeur plein

The most nutritious, easy to steam, rich in minerals and vitamins.

Ameliore geant

Curled leaves reminiscent of endive lettuce

Arlington

Slightly aromatic plant and most like an endive.

Mayses’s trieb

Best variety if you are thinking of growing in a hotbed

Tapeley

Distinguishing feature is its variegated leaves.

Taraxacum albidum – white dandelion
Taraxacum apenninum – dandelion
Taraxacum bessarabicum – dandelion, dandelion with small nests
Taraxacum cyprium – Syrian dandelion
Taraxacum hoppeanum – Hoppe dandelion
Taraxacum kok-saghyz – Coke-grass
Taraxacum laevigatum – hornbeam dandelion
Taraxacum nigricans – dandelion
Taraxacum obliquum – oblique dandelion
Taraxacum palustre – marsh dandelion marsh dandelion
Taraxacum serotinum – late dandelion

Storage:

Leaves are best eaten fresh. The roots should be left in the ground, then dug up, washed and eaten. The whole plant can be dried and then carefully stored or ground into powder. The flowers can also be frozen in a box.

See the table below for a detailed analysis of the nutrients:
Dandelion herb ( Taraxacum officinale ), fresh, nutritional value per 100 g
Name	Nutritional value	Percentage of RDA
Energy	45 Kcal	2%
Carbohydrate	9,20 g	7%
Protein	2,70 g	5%
Total fat	0,70 g	3%
cholesterol	0 mg	0%
Dietary fibre	3,50 g	9%
Vitamins
folate	27 ug	7%
Niacin	0,806 mg	5%
Pantothenic acid	0,084 mg	1,50%
pyridoxine	0,251 mg	19%
riboflavin	0,260 mg	20%
A thiamine	0,190 mg	17%
Vitamin A	10161 IU	338%
Vitamin C	35 mg	58%
Vitamin E	3,44 mg	23%
Vitamin K	778,4 ug	649%
Electrolytes
Sodium	76 mg	5%
Potassium	397 mg	8%
Minerals
Calcium	187 mg	19%
Iron	3,10 mg	39%
Magnesium	36 mg	9%
Manganese	0,342 mg	15%
Phosphorus	66 mg	9%
Selenium	0,5 mg	1%
Zinc	0,41 mg	4%
Plant nutrients
Carotene-α	363 ug	–
Carotene-ß	5854 ug	–
Crypto-xanthine-ß	121 ug	–
A lutein-zeaxanthin	13610 ug	–

In the VIII Hungarian Pharmacopoeia, dried root and a mixture of dried shoot and root are official.

Medicinal properties
Tea preparation
Other uses
Collection
Varieties

Source:

Dr. Ferenc Darvas and Dr Gyula Magyary-Kossa, Domestic herbs, their production, marketing, effects and medicinal uses

Béla Páter, Wild Medicinal Plants

The USDA National Nutrition Database.

Dr. Michael A. Weiner, Herbal Bible, ISBN: 963 7495 29

Andreas Wacker, Herbs in Homeopathy, ISBN:978 963 7268 71 7

Reader’s Digest, Nature’s herb garden, ISBN:978 963 9562 01 1

Kim Hurst, Nature’s treasures, medicinal plants, ISBN:978 963 248 253 8

Caroline Holmes, Garden Herbs, ISBN:978 963 09 8272 6

Beh Mariann, The Garden Kitchen, ISBN:978 615 5417 41 2

Bertalan Galambosi, 88 colour pages on herbs and spices, ISBN:963 231 455 7

Herbarium – Dr.Sándor Kmeth, ISBN:-978-615-80075-2-48

Alexandra, Treasury of medicinal plants, ISBN:978 963 357 507 9

Alexandra, Handbook of medicinal plants, ISBN:978 963 297 946 5

Michael Castleman, Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants, ISBN: 963 583 051 3

https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://journals.lww.com

https://hu.wikipedia.org