Istjalo somuthi we-carob esaziwa (Ceratonia siliqua) nge-St John’s Bread mumuthi omncani eminye ihlangana nen dawo ehlala ihlaza enamakari weskhumba amanyazelako. Ikhiqiza i-seedpod enobude obuyi-13-30cm ngobude espara enokgoo osudu ongalitjhokoledi omumethe imbewu enga mabhontjisi. I-carob akusisitjalo sendabuko seSewula Afrika kodwana sitjengisa isithembiso njengokudla kweenwane nekwabantu okungezelela ukusatjalaliswa kokudla kwendabuko. Irhubhululo elenziwe nge-carob lenziwa enarheni yange-USA ngonyaka ka-1949, ngokukhethwa kwenihobo emihle kwenziwa eminye ngawo, eminye yawo yastjalaliswa eSewula Afrika. Kusetjenziswa efana nayo eyi-11 ephasini loke ehluka ngobukhulu ngokunambitheka (espara, esongeneko) kanye nentanga eneswigiri esuka ka (48% - 56%).
Imihlobo emihlanu ekhona etjalwa eSewula Afrika (khulukhulu e-Western Cape) yahlolwa mnyango wezokudla nesayentji weJunivesithi ye-Stellenbosh ngonyaka ka-2010. Ileveli yeswigiri egade iyi-70% gade kuyi-sucrose) esukela ku-40 uuya ku-54% amaprotheyini kanye nama-amino acid ayi-17 atholwa, ekubalwa ama-amino acid aqakathekileko alikhomba. Ukudla okumbalwa isinkwa, i-breakfast cereal - iinselo ezinebisi, umuratha kanye ne-mouse kwatlanywa ngeskhathi serhubhululwesi. Ngebanga letlhogomelo etlhogekako, umuthi we-carob ufaneleke kusistimu ephasi yomkhiqizo. Umuthi we-carob uthandelwa ukuhlobisa ngawo. Ukhandela imililo ngombana amakari waso awatjhi msinya, Iingodo zawo ziqinile begodu zisetjenziselwa i-capentry. Zivutha buthaka begodu zenza umlilo omuhle, njeke zenza ama-charcoal amahle. Ama-pods namakari waso kukudla okuhle kwenlwane iinkomo, izimvu neendonki. I-cartob isetjenziselwa nokwenza ukudlakwabantu. Ingadliwa ifretjhi nanyana irostiwe.
Intanga zaphasi sisetjenziselwa ukwenza i-locust bean gum (a galactomannan), esetenziselwA ukutjhubisa ukudla nokufaka umnambitheko osa-chocolate ekudleni. Umuthi we-carob sele utjalelwe i-milennia enarheni ezinengi ezizombeleze ilwandle le-Mediterranean elivamise kuba sebujameni obuhlangana nendawo kanye neendaweni eencenye zazo zomileko begodu zinehlabathi engasiyihle. Hlangana kwabakhiqizi abaziwako be-carob kubalwa inarha yenge-spain, Italy, Morocco, Turkey kanye neyange Portugal. I-Portugal ngokuya ngembalobalo ze-UN ikhiqize amatani angaphezu kwe-40 000 we-carob ngomnyaka ka-2016. I-carob esetjenziswa emikhiqizweni yeSewula Afrika ivela ngenarheni yange-Spain. Imbewu ye-carob gade isetjenziselwa ukumeda irhawuda kanye nama-gem ngombana imbewu yawo iyafana ngobudisi. Ibizo ‘carat’ livela e-qīrāṭ nekulibizo lesi-Arab lembewu.
Utjalwa njani Umuthi we-Carob
Umuthi okhula kabuthaka westjalwesi ungatjalwa ngembewu. Imbewu itlhoga akwelatjhwa ngamanzi abilajo alandela ngokobana uyibibhe amalanga amathathu ukwenzela bona imile ngcono. Imbewu kufanele itjalwe ehlabathini eyisanda (busika nanyana ehlobo) eemumathini ezahlukahlukeneko ezifana nemakhathonini webisi. Ama-plantjies waso atjalwe godu phasi nase anobude obuyi-8 - 10 cm ukuya phezulu. Tjheja ungoni imirabhaso eyonakala msinya lokha nawutjala ama-plantjies waso phasi. Umuthi we-carob u-trioecious okutjho bona imithi yobulili obubili obuduna nobusikazi nanyana amathuthumbo waso atholakala emthini munye. Umuthi munye omdala ongamithisa imithi esikazi engaba yi-10 - 20. I-pollination isabalaliswa mumuya kanye neenunwana, lokha kunesivuno esincani vane kubangwa yi-pollunation.
I-carob irhona ukujamelana nesomiso, imimoya yelwandle kanye nomunye nomunye umhlobo wehlabathi ngaphandle kwehlabathi elidaka kanye nene-asidi, sithanda iindawo ezomileko ezinamatje. Umuthi we-carob utlhoga ukuthlelelwa kancani kanye nokuvundiswa kanye neokupruniwa. I-carob pod ivunwa ngaphambi kobusika begodu kufanele ivunwe emthini ngesigodo bese iyonyiswa elangeni. Ama-pods akhiqizwa ngemva kweminyaka emihlanu ukuya kwelikhomba begodu ama-pods ayi-125 g angavunwa emthini osele ukhulileko (ongaba neminyaka eyi-25) Isvuvo esiyi-2 kg singatholwa emthini oneminyaka esithandathu. Umuthi otlogonyelweko ongakhipha iinthelo ngemva kweminyaka emithathu ukuya kwewesine. Amalwelwe we-carob mancani begodu iinunwanana eziwuthwenyako yi-carob moth, Myelois ceratoniae.
Translated by Busisiwe Skhosana