Forgotten Healthy Leafy Vegetable - Malabar Spinach (Poi Shag) ka Paratha
Prakriti (A call to return to the nature)
Dear all,
Please try a nice Indian recepe of this forgotton Indian healthy and cheap food at the link below.
http://cuisineindia.wordpress.com/2010/03/07/malabar-spinach/
I am sure it is 1000 times tastier than Pizza and 1000000 times healthier than pizza.
Names
- English: Malabar-, Malabar climbing-, Ceylon-, Indian-, East-Indian-, Surinam-, Chinese-, Vietnamese- or buffalo spinach (although it is not closely related to spinach), as well as Malabar nightshade or broad bologi.
- Bengali: Pui shak
- Oriya: Poi saaga
- Konkani: Valchi bhaji
- Kannada: Basale soppu
- Telugu: Bachhali
- Tamil: Kodip pasaLi (கொடிப்பசளி)
- Tulu: Basale
- Marathi: Mayalu
- Filipino: Alugbati
- Vietnamese: Mồng tơi
- Other: Poi baagi, calaloo, alugbati
[edit] Description
Basella alba is a fast-growing, soft-stemmed vine, reaching 10 m in length. Its thick, semi-succulent, heart-shaped leaves have a mild flavour and mucilaginous texture. The stem of the cultivar Basella alba 'Rubra' is reddish-purple.
[edit] Soil and Climate Requirements
Basella alba grows well under full sunlight in hot, humid climates and in areas lower than 500 m above sea level. Growth is slow in low temperatures resulting in low yields. Flowering is induced during the short-day months of November to February. It grows best in sandy loam soils rich in organic matter with pH ranging from 5.5 to 8.0.
[edit] Food uses
Typical of leaf vegetables, Malabar spinach is high in vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and calcium. It is low in calories by volume, but high in protein per calorie. The succulent mucilage is a particularly rich source of soluble fiber. Among many other possibilities, Malabar spinach may be used to thicken soups or stir-fries with garlic and chili peppers.
In Bangladesh it is widely used to cook with Hilsa fish.
The vegetable is used in Chinese cuisine. Its many names include flowing water vegetable.
In Vietnam, particularly the north, it is cooked with crab meat, luffa and jute to make soup.
In Orissa, India, it is used to make Curries and Saaga (Any type of dish made from green leafy vegetables is called as Saaga in Orissa). In Maharashtra, India, it is used to make bhaji.
In Africa, the mucilaginous cooked shoots are most commonly used.[1]
Malabar spinach can be found at many Chinese/Vietnamese/Korean/Indian grocery stores, as well as farmers' markets
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Thanks and Regards,
Prakriti Aarogya Kendra
Specialty Store of Organic, Ayurvedic, Herbal, Natural & Swadeshi Products
Shop No. 2, Buena Vista,
Off Datta Mandir Chowk,
Near Kailas Super Market
Viman Nagar, Pune - 411014
Contact Number : 020-40038542, 9822622905, 9881308509
Website www.prakritipune.in