Salep

The salep ( maimed from Arab. Khus Yatus Salab = " fox testicles " ) refers to dried root tubers of various terrestrial orchids. These plants have the heyday two tubers, a withered, at the expense of the flowering stalk has developed, and an undivided, spherical or palmately divided, lobed, from which evolved a flowering stems the following year.

Were collected after the heyday the full juicy tubers that taste fresh bitter and unpleasant smell peculiar, she washes, rubs the outer brown skin off, brews the tubers and dry them in artificial heat. All orchid tubers can provide salep. Most frequently used the undivided tubers of Small Orchid (Orchis morio ), masculine (Orchis mascula ), military orchid (Orchis militaris ), fire (Orchis ustulata ), pyramids Dog Wurz ( Anacamptis pyramidalis ), less the divided tubers of spotted leaved orchid ( Dactylorhiza maculata ), flesh- orchid ( Dactylorhiza incarnata ) and mosquito Händelwurz ( Gymnadenia conopsea ).

The round tubers after drying than 3 cm long and 2 g in weight, very irregularly shaped, hard, brittle, yellowish gray, smelling faintly aromatic, bland taste, containing 27% starch, 48% bassorin, 1 % sugar, 5 % protein, 2% mineral components and Others

According to the doctrine of signatures salep was in oriental antiquity with regard to the form of the two plump, sitting next to each tubers as an effective means of regaining the power of procreation. Theophrastus and Dioscorides attributed to him great nutritional power, which, however, he does not own. Through the Arabs are believed to be Persian and other oriental Salepknollen to Europe, but they used in the Middle Ages and the tubers of native orchids. When there was no better medicines, they used it as a home remedy for diarrhea. However, he does not have a therapeutic effect.

Today, all orchid species listed above are under the protection of national and international law, which applies in particular to the underground plant parts. Within the EU, all orchid species are specially protected and trade in salep is prohibited.

Salep is food technically a thickener. Powder coating give Salepknollen with the 40 - to 50 - fold weight of boiling water a stiff jelly. In Turkey salep is used for making ice cream and dairy products, where it is often replaced by cheaper and ecologically safe tapioca starch.

Salep Sahlep is also the name for a common mainly in Turkey and the Arab world drink that is prepared with Saleppulver. Popular example, a salep instant powder " Ekspres salep ", which is offered under a famous brand name in Turkey. Besides Saleppulver, cinnamon and a release agent is found there as another thickener modified potato starch.