| Basella alba | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Core eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Basellaceae |
| Genus: | Basella |
| Species: | B. alba |
| Binomial name | |
| Basella alba L. |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Basella rubra Roxburgh |
|
Basella alba, or Malabar spinach (also Phooi leaf, Red vine spinach, Creeping spinach, Climbing spinach) is a perennial vine found in the tropics where it is widely used as a leaf vegetable.
Contents |
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.
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.
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 Bangali cuisine it is widely used to cook with Hilsa fish.
In Andhra Pradesh, a southern state in India, a curry of Basella and Yam is made populary known as Kanda Bachali Koora [Yam and Basella curry].
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. It has been shown to contain certain phenolic phytochemicals and that it has antioxidant properties