Another Excellent Summer Spinach Egyptian Spinach
Corchorus Olitorius, Egyptian Spinach is an extremely popular seasonally-grown vegetable in our area. You can call it Molokhia/Molokheiya or many other names. It is believed to have been first discovered in Egypt before Christ and بذور مصريه (check) was a staple food since the days of the Pharaohs. Molokheiya which is an Egyptian term which translates to "vegetable for king" is the Egyptian name of the soup. Wikipedia states that a sick Egyptian King, around 6000BC, requested hot soup and was healed through the consumption of hot soup on a daily basis. Cleopatra could have also savored the same soup. Egyptian Spinach and its numerous close relations grow throughout Africa, the Middle East, India and several regions of Asia. It is found in all subtropical and tropical regions of the globe.
It is possible to grow it as an annual. It grows up to 1 metre tall, bears small yellow flowers, and produces edible seeds in pods. The edible leaves can be harvested throughout the year. It is extremely durable and grows rapidly. It is a relative of okra , and it can thrive in many of the same conditions like okra. It does not like shade.
huge Egyptian spinach plant growing on lattices in green house
Are you thinking of growing one? It can grow in any type of soil and does not care about pH. However, it prefers soil that is fertile and بذور مصريه moist. Pots are also an option. Prepare your soil the usual manner, then plant the seeds in the exact spot where they will grow the most optimal time for planting is between spring and autumn. Egyptian spinach seeds germinate faster if they are immersed in soapy, hot water before plant. Isabel Shipard suggests soaking for as long as 12 hours. Begin picking leaves when the plant is 40 centimeters high. The seeds that grow on the plant, and then fall to the ground, will be dormant until the next year. Egyptian spinach is largely pest and disease free. The leaves can be used in conjunction with grasshoppers and caterpillars, but they are not likely to become affected by red spider mites. BOGI Seeds currently has seeds available.
The leaves are very high in nutrients, protein and minerals. The younger leaves can be consumed raw in salads, on sandwiches and the older leaves dried or cooked. The leaves can be utilized in similar to spinach. The leaves can be used in Egypt in a soup that is traditional that includes garlic, coriander and meat. In other regions the leaves can be made into a stew made with cassava, rice, and chicken meat. There are numerous recipes for this vegetable. The leaves can be dried, and then ground into a tea. When the tea has been prepared, you can put them in a container and use them to make future soups or stews. In Japan it is sold in the health food store as a health tea. Young seed pods the same way as okra.
The benefits of Egyptian spinach have been marketed since the time of Pharaohs. As a tea , it is said to boost your immune system and is believed to be helpful for treating constipation, cancer, anaemia as well as diabetes, cystitis fatigue excessive blood pressure menopausal symptoms, high cholesterol and respiratory issues, as well as obesity as well as water retention. Tea made from the leaves can aid in the child's birth and increase the production of milk by mothers. Also, it can be used as a wash for sore eyes cut, rashes, cuts and abrasions.
Many species of the Corchorus genus can be grown as a source of Jute due to their thick, sturdy fibres in their stalks. Over the centuries this jute was used for making a coarse, slack yarn which was later transformed into rope and material for sacking. The most tall, unbranched stems were best to use for this. The stems were immersed in vegetable matter for several days to allow the fibres to begin to decay. The fibres were easily removed and then cleaned and dried. In some areas it is also possible for this fiber to be used to create paper. Corchorus Olitorius, also known as Egyptian spinach, is the best utilized to create jute. However many of its cousins are also suitable for other functions.