Another Excellent Summer Spinach Egyptian Spinach
Corchorus Olitorius, Egyptian Spinach is a well-loved seasonally-grown vegetable in our area. Molokhia/Molokheiya or many other names. It is believed to have been first discovered in Egypt before Christ, and has been a staple food since the times of the Pharaohs. The Egyptian name molokheiya is a reference to'vegetables for the King', according to Wikipedia, a sick Egyptian King, in the year 6000BC , asked for hot soup when he was unwell and حشيشة السودان (https://www.google.co.bw/url?q=https://mashhourseeds.com) after taking hot soup each day, his condition was healed. Cleopatra might also have enjoyed the same soup. Egyptian Spinach as well as its close relatives, grows throughout Africa, India, and several other parts of Asia. It is found in all tropical and subtropical regions around the world.
It is an annual. It can grow to about a metre tall It produces tiny yellow flowers, has edible seed pods as well as edible leaves that can be constantly harvested. It is very hardy and is fast growing. It is a very close relative to Okra, many of its conditions for growth are present. It loves the heat, and can withstand dry and humid conditions (not in a waterlogged) however it doesn't appreciate the shade.
Large Egyptian spinach plant growing up in the green lattice of the house
Do you have a desire to grow some? It can thrive in any soil type and does not care about pH. It prefers soil with a fertile pH that is damp. Pots can also be used. Make your soil ready in your normal way then plant seed directly in the area where they'll grow, the best planting time is between spring and autumn. Egyptian spinach seeds can develop faster if placed in warm, soapy water prior to planting. Isabel Shipard suggests soaking for as long as 12 hours. When the plant is approximately 40cm tall, you can start picking leaves. The seeds that grow on the plant and drop to the ground, will remain dormant until next year. Egyptian spinach is almost free of disease and pests. The leaves are able to be shared by grasshoppers and caterpillars but they will not be affected by the red spider mites. BOGI Seeds currently has seeds available.
The leaf is a rich source of nutrients, minerals and protein. The younger leaves can be used in sandwiches or salads while older leaves may either be dried or cooked. Take leaves like spinach. The leaves are used in Egypt as a traditional soup which includes coriander, garlic and meat. In other areas, حشيشة السودان it can be made into a stew that includes rice, cassava, and chicken meat. There are a variety of recipes for this vegetable. The leaves can be dried and later ground into a tea. After the tea is ready, it can be stored in a container for future soups or stews. In Japan it is promoted through health food stores as a health tea. Young seed pods are utilized the same way as the okra.
The health benefits of Egyptian spinach have been marketed from the time of the Pharaohs. It is a tea that will boost your immune system. Tea made from the leaves can assist in pregnancy and help increase mother's milk production. It can also be used as to treat sore eyes as well as cuts, rashes and scrapes.
A variety of species belonging to the Corchorus genus are used as a source of jute as they have long, strong fibres within their stalks. Over the centuries this jute was utilized to make a coarse woven yarn which was then transformed into rope and then a coarse material for sacking. The most tall, unbranched stems were the best choice to use for this. Stems would be soaked for several days so the plant matter could rot and the fibres easily removed. They were then washed, dried, and then sorted to use. In some areas, this fibre can also be used to create paper. Corchorus Olitorius, also referred to as Egyptian spinach, is the best used to make Jute. However it is also possible that some of its cousins are also suitable for other uses.