Ceylon spinach or Malabar spinach is an easy vine to grow. It is also called as Basella alba. These greens are easy to cook and can be eaten as a stir fry or with lentils. Malabar spinach stir fry is all you need for a quick meal.
Greens are great for vegans and vegetarians as they help increase their iron in the long run. Some other iron rich recipes are Tricolor poori with beets and spinach and amaranth roti. Both these breads can be eaten with a simple potato curry or chutney.
What is Malabar greens?
Ceylon spinach is known as bachalu paliya in Kannada while Marathis call it mayalu. Poi saag or pui saag in Hindi. It is also called as mồng tơi,in Vietnamese and saan choy in Chinese.It is cooked as a mixed vegetable utan in Philippines. Bengalis cook it with ilish or with red pumpkin. Odias cook it with mustard paste to make poi saaga rai while Gujaratis make fried poi na bhajias out of it.It is cooked with yam in Andhra while it is cooked with coconut gravy to make basale gassi in Tulu cuisine.
How to identify Malabar greens?
The leaves and vine are slightly thicker than normal spinach.
Is Malabar spinach healthy?
- It is a powerhouse of Iron.
- Loaded with vitamin A, C. It has 3 times vitamin C than spinach. 1.5 times that of Kale
- It has good quantities of organic acids, water soluble polysaccharides, bioflavonoid and vitamin k
- The phytochemicals present have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, vasodilatory actions, and antioxidant effects which have shown role to fight against cancer and cardiovascular diseases
- It is rich in folates and vitamin B-6
- It is very low in calories. Hence , excellent for weight-loss.
Ingredients
- Malabar spinach greens
- mustard seeds
- cumin seeds
- oil
- ginger
- onion
- coriander powder
- coconut
- green chilli
- tamarind paste
See recipe card for quantities.
Equipment
- frying pan
- mortar and pestle
How to make Malabar spinach recipe?
- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, curry leaves, cumin seeds to it. Let it splutter. Add chopped onions ,green chillies, ginger and let it cook until onions are pink.
2. Now, add chopped leaves to it and cook until they wilt.
3. In a mortar and pestle, grind coriander seeds/ powder with coconut.
4. Add coriander powder – coconut mixture to the pan and mix well.
5. Add a spoonful of tamarind paste and mix well.
6. Heat oil, toast some garlic and red chillies.
7. Add the tempering to the saag.
Serve hot with roti or rice.
Malabar spinach stir fry | Poi saag recipe
Equipment
- frying pan
- mortar and pestle
Ingredients
- 2 Onions medium chopped
- 300 gm Malabar spinach
- 1 tbsp. Tamarind paste
- 1 tbsp. Coconut shredded
- 2 tbsp. Oil
- Salt as per taste
Tempering
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp. Ginger
- 1/2 tbsp. Coriander powder
- 2 Green chillies
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, curry leaves, cumin seeds to it. Let it splutter.
- Add chopped onions ,green chillies, ginger and let it cook until onions are pink.
- Now, add chopped leaves to it and cook until they wilt.
- In a mortar and pestle, grind coriander seeds/ powder with coconut.
- Add coriander powder- coconut mixture to the pan and mix well.
- Add a spoonful of tamarind paste and mix well.
- Heat oil, toast some garlic and red chillies. Add the tempering to the saag.
- Serve hot with roti or rice.
Variations
Other malabar spinach recipes are bachali kura chutney or making a dal by adding some lentils to it or making it with some mustard paste. If you like things spicy, add more green chiliies accordingly. You may also add garlic cloves to the above recipe.
Storage
Store it in refrigerator for 1-2 days. Give a fresh tempering if you like.
Top tip
Always add a dash of lemon juice or anything sour while cooking greens. It gives you a dash of vitamin C which helps in iron absorption. It is always good to avoid dairy with green as it inhibits Iron absorption.
FAQs
Gently rub the leaves to remove the dirt. Run it couple of times in water.
Blanch it for 1 minute.Let it dry and freeze it in freezer bags.
Yes it can be eaten raw, boiled, steamed and even made as stir fry,soups and stews.
Malabar Spinach. It is called as pui shaak in Bengali.Poi ni bhaji in Gujarati. Basale soppu in Kannada,valchi bhaji in Konkani, valicheera in Malayalam and bachali kura in Telegu.
Food safety
Always reheat before you eat leftovers.
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