Garden cress

In agriculture

Cultivation of cress is practical both on mass scales and on the individual scale. Garden cress is suitable for hydroponic cultivation and thrives in slightly alkaline water. In many local markets, the demand for hydroponically grown cress can exceed available supply, partially because cress leaves are not suitable for distribution in dried form, so they can only be partially preserved. Consumers commonly acquire cress as seeds or (in Europe) from markets as boxes of young live shoots.

Edible shoots are typically harvested in one to two weeks after planting, when they are 5 – tall.

Culinary uses

Garden cress is added to soups, sandwiches and salads for its tangy flavour. It is also eaten as sprouts, and the fresh or dried seed pods can be used as a peppery seasoning (haloon).

Nutrition

Raw cress is 89% water, 6% carbohydrates (including 1% dietary fiber), 3% protein and less than 1% fat (table). In a 100 g reference quantity, raw cress supplies 134 kJ of food energy and numerous nutrients in significant content, including vitamin K (516% of the Daily Value, DV), vitamin C (83% DV) and vitamin A (43% DV). Among dietary minerals, manganese levels are high (26% DV) while several others, including potassium and magnesium, are in moderate content (table).

Other uses

Garden cress, known as chandrashoor, and the seeds, known as aaliv or aleev in Marathi, or halloon in India, are commonly used in the system of Ayurveda. It is also known as asario in India and the Middle East where it is prized as a medicinal herb, called habbat al hamra (literally red seeds) in Arabic. In the Arabian Peninsula, the seeds are traditionally mixed with custard to make a hot drink.

L. sativum is often used in experiments to teach biology to students in schools. The plant grows readily on damp paper or cotton, and its fast germination and development time makes it useful in demonstrating plant growth.

Gallery

File:Garden cress timelapse.webm|Timelapse of garden cress sprouting. File:Img 0717 garden cress.jpg| Young Lepidium sativum seedlings File:Garden cress curry.jpg|Garden cress saag (known as chamsur in Nepali) is a popular dish in Nepalese cuisine. File:Lepidium sativum seeds.jpg|The seeds of garden cress

References

References

1. . (2017). ["''Lepidium sativum'' L."](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:138141-2). *Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew*.
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5. Boswell, John T. and Sowerby, James. [https://books.google.com/books?id=-vwnAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA215&dq=%22Lepidium+sativum%22 English Botany: Or, Coloured Figures of British Plants]. Robert Hardwicke, 1863. Page 215.
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8. "Homegrown Egg & Cress Sandwich". [[Meyer Corporation]].
9. "Tesco Egg & Cress Sandwich". [[Tesco]].
10. "How to make the perfect egg mayonnaise sandwich". [[Guardian Media Group]].
11. "ORGANIC INDIA, Organic Herbs - Garden Cress".
12. (1979). "The Wealth of Indian Raw Materials". Publication and information Directorate.
13. mahendra. "Asario Seeds Suppliers". krishna india.
14. "Traditional cookery, craft lessons from Emirati housewives". The National.
15. (2015-11-01). "Haba Al Hamra Drink with Custard". Taste of Emarat.
16. "Using Cress in the Lab".
17. (2018-03-25). "Garden cress seeds: Benefits, uses and side effects".