Alugbati (Malabar Nightshade)

I’m not a vegetarian, but I love vegetables!  Thanks to my mom who flourished this “amour” for vegetables among us. For one, she being a full blooded Bisayan she seldom cooks meat in the house. She was the one who introduced us to different vegetables we still love to eat up to now that we are grown up.  But I must admit that if there is one vegetable we didn’t become  so accustomed to eating is Alugbati.

Alugbati or Malahbar Night Shade also known as Ceylon spinach are vine spinach commonly found in South East Asia.  To grown easily through cuttings and requires a lot of sun and humid temperature.  Alugbati are good source of iron, calcium, vitamins A, B and C. It is  also a rich in phosphorous, riboflavin, ascorbic acid, thiamin and a good source of antioxidant.  One would never imagine how nutritious this vegetable is.  Furthermore, do you know that aside from these alugbati is also known for its medicinal uses: treats diarrhea, heals burns and scalds, good agains acne and skin problems and in some countries they are also used to enhance fertility.  Isn’t that amazing?

Here are some recipes you can use alugbati :