Wednesday, 30 March 2011

The Dragon Kiln and Medicinal plants

We drove past all the cemetaries that are now all around Kranji - Chinese, CofE, Jewish, etc etc - want to go on the cemetary tour, would be fascinating.
These ones are chinese - look like armchairs!


Fact: Dill is very good for getting rid of wind. Hence Gripe Water is used for babies.

Fact: Citronella is very good deterrant for Mosquitoes

Fact: Star fruit is super high in calcium and also has good blood clotting properties - carry one in your bag! think it tastes pretty watery

Fact - if the banana flower points down (and the bananas too) they are edible. If the flower points up then it is ornamental

here are a selection of different bananas!




tiny lady finger bananas



beautiful double hibiscus

Drumstick Tree or Meringo Tree is very high in calcium

Pandan leaves used for the colour green in cakes and cooking and slight flavour.
the leaves are a good deterrant for Cockroaches - should put some in the car, in case of any crumbs lurking.

Kedong Dong plant, the fruit is very bitter and is used for getting stains out - Lime works well too (on clothing)


We then went on to Bollywood Veggies again north of Kranji where we were taken around a garden centre where they grow plants that they use in the restaurant, or that have medicinal uses. We had a delicious lunch afterwards too.





I went up to the Pottery Jungle, north of Kranji, with a group one morning where there is a Dragon Kiln that is fired a couple of times a year. We got to look inside - not commercially viable but nice to see how it was done in the old days.

Lots of lovely pots and ceramics, most of which are imported from China!cre Gripe water for babies is made of dill - love the taste

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