Tag: Tropical greens

Malabar spinach is not a true spinach but a heat-loving vine that thrives in warm weather, unlike its cool-weather counterpart. Understanding the different types of Malabar spinach is key to choosing the right variety for your garden, whether for culinary use or ornamental appeal.

Did you know that one serving of alugbati provides an exceptionally high percentage of the daily recommended intake for Vitamin A? {Link: Facebook facebook.com}

Malabar spinach, often called poor man's spinach, can provide fresh, edible greens even during sweltering summer months when true spinach would have long since bolted. This heat-loving, perennial vine is used for a variety of culinary purposes, from thickening soups and stews to being eaten raw in salads. Its uses also extend beyond the kitchen, serving as a robust groundcover and an attractive ornamental plant in gardens.

Native to tropical Asia, alugbati is an edible, heat-loving vine known in English as Malabar spinach, Indian spinach, or Ceylon spinach. Despite its name, this succulent plant from the Basellaceae family is not a true spinach but serves as a popular, nutritious leafy green in many Southeast Asian dishes.