name:
Bayam puteh, bayam merah
Indonesian name:
Bayam
Filipino name:
Kulitis
Amaranthus spinach is often regarded as the best of all the tropical spinaches in terms of food value and flavour. Despite the reputed health-giving properties of true or English spinach, Chinese spinach has double the amount of iron and also contains considerable amounts of vitamins A, B and C.
At least seven different cultivars are found in tropical Asia. The most common has pale, almost rounded green leaves, while another variety has dark red markings at the centre of its rounded green leaves. A third variety has darker narrow leaves with pointed tips.
There is no appreciable difference in flavour between these varieties. All should be washed well and the leaves pulled off the stems before cooking. Chinese spinach can be steamed, simmered in soups, or cooked in coconut milk with root vegetables such as sweet potato or pumpkin. If steaming this type of spinach Western style, a few leaves of mint added to the pan improve the flavour.
Ceylon Spinach
Basella rubra
Botanical Family:
Basellaceae
Thai name:
Phak prlang
Malay name:
Remayong, Gendola
Indonesian name:
Gendola
Filipino name:
Alugbati
The leaves of this plant, which is widely cultivated in tropical Asia, are used in much the same way as a spinach, hence its name. Despite its name, this vegetable is believed to have originated in India. It has been grown in China for centuries, cultivated mainly for its fleshy red berries which produce a dye used by women as a rouge and by mandarins for colouring seal impressions. It can also be used for colouring jellies or cakes, the colour intensified by the addition of lemon juice.
The distinctive beetroot-red stems and fleshy leaves of Ceylon spinach make it easy to recognise in the markets. It grows easily and keeps well after picking even without refrigeration, provided the stems are put in a jar of water. It has a slightly slippery texture after cooking, and is rich in minerals and vitamins, with mildly laxative properties.
The leaves and tender top portion of the stems are best steamed in the water left clinging after washing; they can also be added to soups and stews.
Botanical Family:
Caricaceae
Thai name:
Malakor
Malay name:
Buah betik
Indonesian name:
Pepaya
Filipino name:
Papaya
Papaya
Carica papaya
Papayas are one of the most easily grown and popular fruits found in kitchen gardens throughout the tropics. The unripe green fruit is eaten as a vegetable, particularly in Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia.
While not as rich in vitamin C as the ripe fruit, green papayas contain an enzyme, papain, which softens meat and is used commercially as a meat tenderiser. Local cooks often mix the pounded leaves or bruised skins with meat to tenderise it. The young leaves of the papaya tree are also edible, but must be boiled in two changes of water.
Shredded green papaya is used for salads, particularly in Thailand, where it is transformed into the famous Som Tom, and in pickles, such as the Filipino Atsara. When cooked, the flesh tastes much like bottle gourd or any other vegetable marrow. It readily takes on other flavours and is even cooked with juniper berries and other seasonings to make a tropical sauerkraut in French Polynesia and the French Caribbean.
English Spinach
Spinacea oleracea
Botanical Family:
Chenopodiaceae
Thai name:
Phak puay-leng
Malay name:
Bayam po choy
Indonesian name:
Peleng, puileng
Filipino name:
Kulitis
The origin of this plant is unclear, but it is believed to have spread from Southwest Asia to both Europe and China. Although there are a number of tropical leafy greens loosely referred to as "spinach", this is the only true spinach and has an incomparable flavour. It is quite expensive, and much prized by the Chinese.
As this vegetable prefers a cooler climate, it is grown only in hilly areas in tropical Asia. The leaves bruise easily, so care must be taken when choosing spinach to ensure the leaves are not already damaged or they will perish quickly. Store wrapped in a paper towel for a day or so and wash thoroughly before using both the tender stems and the leaves.
Often called "Cameron Highlands Spinach" (referring to where it is grown), this spinach is also known by its Cantonese name, poh choy. It can be cooked in any style, Asian or Western, but benefits from only subtle seasoning to allow its own flavour to dominate.
Botanical Family:
Compositae
Thai name:
Phak khat horm
Malay name:
Selada
Indonesian name:
Salada
Filipino name:
Letsugas
Lettuce
Lactuca
