malabar spinach
malabar spinach Lexical Profile
• noun
A fast-growing, tropical climbing vine (Basella alba or Basella rubra) belonging to the family Basellaceae, native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
"Because it thrives in intense heat and humidity, Malabar spinach makes an excellent climbing vine for summer gardens when true spinach would normally bolt."
The thick, semi-succulent, heart-shaped leaves and tender shoots of the Malabar spinach plant, consumed cooked or raw as a leafy green vegetable.
"The chef prepared a vibrant side dish by stir-frying the Malabar spinach with minced garlic and a splash of soy sauce."
Word Nuance & Usage
Despite its name, Malabar spinach is botanically unrelated to true spinach and produces a distinctively mucilaginous (slightly slimy) texture when cooked, similar to okra.
Word Origin & Etymology
Named after the Malabar Coast of southwestern India, where it is native and widely cultivated, combined with 'spinach' due to its similar culinary application as a dark leafy green.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.