Common Names
Alugbati (Tag.)
Arogbati (Bik.)
Dundul (Sul.)
Climbing Ceylon spinach (Engl.)
Malabar nightshage (Engl.)
Red vine spinach (Engl.)
Spinach vine (Engl.)
Indian Spinach (Engl.)
Scientific Names
Basella alba L.
Basella cordifolia Lam.
Basella crassifolia Salisb.
Basella japonica Burm.f.
Basella lucida Linn.
Basella nigra Lour.
Basella ramosa J.Jacq. ex Spreng.
Basella rubra Linn.
Basella volubilis Salisb.
Gandola nigra (Lour.) Raf.
Gandola rubra Rumph.
Quick Info
Alugbati is an edible perennial vine in the family Basellaceae. It is found in tropical Asia and Africa where it is widely used as a leaf vegetable. It is native to the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and New Guinea. Alugbati is reportedly naturalized in China, tropical Africa, Brazil, Belize, Colombia, the West Indies, Fiji and French Polynesia.
Alugbati is known under various common names, including Malabar Spinach vine spinach, red vine spinach, climbing spinach, creeping spinach, buffalo spinach and Ceylon spinach among others.
Description
Alugbati is a fast-growing, soft-stemmed vine, reaching 10 meters (33 ft) in length. Its thick, semi-succulent, heart-shaped leaves have a mild flavor and mucilaginous texture. It is rich in vitamins A and C, iron and calcium. It has been shown to contain certain phenolic phytochemicals and it has antioxidant properties.
It is also called Malabar Spinach. There are two varieties - green and red. The stem of alugbati is green and the stem of the cultivar Basella alba 'Rubra' is reddish-purple; the leaves in both cases are green. Alugbati can be found at many Asian supermarkets, as well as farmers' markets.
Alugbati (Tag.)
Arogbati (Bik.)
Dundul (Sul.)
Climbing Ceylon spinach (Engl.)
Malabar nightshage (Engl.)
Red vine spinach (Engl.)
Spinach vine (Engl.)
Indian Spinach (Engl.)
Scientific Names
Basella alba L.
Basella cordifolia Lam.
Basella crassifolia Salisb.
Basella japonica Burm.f.
Basella lucida Linn.
Basella nigra Lour.
Basella ramosa J.Jacq. ex Spreng.
Basella rubra Linn.
Basella volubilis Salisb.
Gandola nigra (Lour.) Raf.
Gandola rubra Rumph.
Quick Info
Alugbati is an edible perennial vine in the family Basellaceae. It is found in tropical Asia and Africa where it is widely used as a leaf vegetable. It is native to the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and New Guinea. Alugbati is reportedly naturalized in China, tropical Africa, Brazil, Belize, Colombia, the West Indies, Fiji and French Polynesia.
Alugbati is known under various common names, including Malabar Spinach vine spinach, red vine spinach, climbing spinach, creeping spinach, buffalo spinach and Ceylon spinach among others.
Description
Alugbati is a fast-growing, soft-stemmed vine, reaching 10 meters (33 ft) in length. Its thick, semi-succulent, heart-shaped leaves have a mild flavor and mucilaginous texture. It is rich in vitamins A and C, iron and calcium. It has been shown to contain certain phenolic phytochemicals and it has antioxidant properties.
It is also called Malabar Spinach. There are two varieties - green and red. The stem of alugbati is green and the stem of the cultivar Basella alba 'Rubra' is reddish-purple; the leaves in both cases are green. Alugbati can be found at many Asian supermarkets, as well as farmers' markets.
Soil and Climate Requirements
Alugbati grows well under full sunlight in hot, humid climates and in areas lower than 500 meters (1,600 ft) above sea level. The plant is native to tropical Asia. 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.
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 the Philippines the leaves of alugbati is one of the main ingredients in an all vegetable dish called utan that is served over rice. In Karnataka Cuisine (Karavali and Malnad regions), the leaves and stems are used to make Basale Soppu Saaru/Curry (Especially in combination with Jackfruit seed) and soupy raita with curd. In Bengali cuisine it is widely used both in a vegetable dish, cooked with red pumpkin, and in a non-vegetarian dish, cooked with the bones of the Ilish fish. In Andhra Pradesh, a southern state in India, a curry of Basella and Yam is made popularly known as Kanda Bachali Koora [Yam and Basella curry]. Also it used to make the snack item bachali koora bajji. In Odisha, India, it is used to make Curries and Saaga (any type of dish made from green leafy vegetables is called Saaga in Odisha). In the Western Ghats in Maharashtra, India, it is used to make bhaji. It is also known as daento or valchi bhaji in Konkani. A popular Mangalorean dish is "Valchi Bhaji and Shrimp - Curry".
Alugbati is used in Chinese cuisine. It has many names including flowing water vegetable. It is often used in stir-frys and soups. In Vietnam, particularly the north, it is cooked with crab meat, luffa and jute to make soup. In Africa, the mucilaginous cooked shoots are most commonly used.
Alugbati grows well under full sunlight in hot, humid climates and in areas lower than 500 meters (1,600 ft) above sea level. The plant is native to tropical Asia. 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.
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 the Philippines the leaves of alugbati is one of the main ingredients in an all vegetable dish called utan that is served over rice. In Karnataka Cuisine (Karavali and Malnad regions), the leaves and stems are used to make Basale Soppu Saaru/Curry (Especially in combination with Jackfruit seed) and soupy raita with curd. In Bengali cuisine it is widely used both in a vegetable dish, cooked with red pumpkin, and in a non-vegetarian dish, cooked with the bones of the Ilish fish. In Andhra Pradesh, a southern state in India, a curry of Basella and Yam is made popularly known as Kanda Bachali Koora [Yam and Basella curry]. Also it used to make the snack item bachali koora bajji. In Odisha, India, it is used to make Curries and Saaga (any type of dish made from green leafy vegetables is called Saaga in Odisha). In the Western Ghats in Maharashtra, India, it is used to make bhaji. It is also known as daento or valchi bhaji in Konkani. A popular Mangalorean dish is "Valchi Bhaji and Shrimp - Curry".
Alugbati is used in Chinese cuisine. It has many names including flowing water vegetable. It is often used in stir-frys and soups. In Vietnam, particularly the north, it is cooked with crab meat, luffa and jute to make soup. In Africa, the mucilaginous cooked shoots are most commonly used.
Natural Dye
The berries are fleshy and purplish black and the juice is sometimes used as a dye for coloring textiles and food preparations. The dye extract can also be used as a simple acid/base indicator. The extraction is very easy and requires no sophisticated tools. |
Why are blackboards green? http://desciphearth.weebly.com/why-are-blackboards-green.html |
Text content copied from:
Flowers of India article Malabar Spinach
http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Malabar%20Spinach.html
Wikipedia article Basella_alba
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basella_alba
Some changes were made.
See those pages' history for attribution.
Last updated: March 27, 2017
Text content made available for this website through http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Next article - - - Kantutay
Back to - - - Biology
Flowers of India article Malabar Spinach
http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Malabar%20Spinach.html
Wikipedia article Basella_alba
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basella_alba
Some changes were made.
See those pages' history for attribution.
Last updated: March 27, 2017
Text content made available for this website through http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Next article - - - Kantutay
Back to - - - Biology