Molokhia is a vegetable that has been widely eaten in Egypt and India, among other regions, since ancient times. Molokhia means “vegetable of kings” in Arabic. It’s believed to have been given that name because it’s so nutritious that it even cured the diseases of the kings.
Contents:
- Molokhia -Sticky, Slippery Power of the Summer
- Molokhia (Jew’s Mallow): A Summer Vegetable
- Pursuing a Molokhia Growing Opportunity in Southern California
- Growth of Molokhia
- Artificial Light Culture
- Nutritive Value of Molokhia
- How to cook Molokhia? (Molkhia Recipes)
Molokhia -Sticky, Slippery Power of the Summer
True to its legacy of sustaining the health of kings, molokhia offers a great variety of outstanding nutrients such as vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene, calcium, iron, dietary fiber, potassium and mucin. We especially want to look closely at the fact that molokhia contains a large amount of the sticky, slippery ingredient, mucin, which is rarely found in leafy green vegetables. Molokhia gets even more sticky and slippery when it’s boiled or chopped. Mucin is a polysaccharide consisting of sugars and proteins that helps with protein digestion and protects the mucous membranes of the digestive system. Mucin thus prevents indigestion and loss of appetite. Mucin prevents stomach problems caused by fatigue due to summer heat. Molokhia has received a lot of attention in recent years due to its high nutritive value, and is processed for use in breads, noodles, drinks and many other products.
Molokhia, a plant native to Egypt, is grown mainly in the Middle East and northeastern Africa. Growers throughout Japan started producing it about 20 years ago. Today it’s a popular vegetable that can be purchased at any grocery store. During the summer months, when leafy greens are harder to come by, molokhia provides a good source of nutrients and other ingredients that help ease fatigue due to summer heat.
Like other leafy green vegetables, molokhia can be boiled and seasoned for use in delicious side dishes, cooked in soups, stir-fried, or deep-fried as tempura. Because the proteolytic enzyme (enzymes that help you digest proteins) and vitamin C in mucin are vulnerable to heat, you might want to cook molokhia quickly over heat or eat it fresh by chopping and mixing it with tororo (grated yamaimo/nagaimo (Japanese mountain yam) ) or natto (fermented beans). On the other hand, the beta carotene in molokhia is more easily absorbed by the body when it’s heated or mixed in oil. Molokhia has no strong flavor and decreases in volume when cooked over heat. Use a hearty serving of this vegetable in a variety of dishes, and stay healthy as you get through the hot summer!
Molokhia (Jew’s Mallow): A Summer Vegetable
Japan is located at the northernmost limit of the subtropical climate zone. However, among the vegetables grown in this country, many summer varieties originate in the tropical zone.
These tropical plants include rice, which is the staple food of the Japanese people, as well as ginger, eggplant, cucumber, bitter melon, and sprouts. Tropical plants are characterized by their preference for hot weather, their needs for humidity and water, and their extremely rapid growth. Among these summer vegetables, molokhia was recently introduced to Japan as an imported product. It has become an extremely popular vegetable, widely accepted by the people of this country.
Molokhia is a native plant of Egypt and other areas around the Mediterranean Sea. It has high nutritive value, a sticky, slippery texture, and a delicious flavor that is beyond description. Molokhia is such a famous vegetable that its name appears in many ancient records from the Middle East. The soup made with this vegetable is called “king’s soup,” because molokhia means “vegetable of kings” in Arabic.
Ken Noguchi, a mountaineer who became the youngest climber to reach the summits of the tallest mountains on seven continents and who is well known for his cleanup activities on Mount Everest, once said, “Molokhia soup brings back to me the taste of my mom’s home cooking.” That made me wonders, “Why on earth molokhia soup?” When I learned that his mother is Egyptian and that he spent his childhood in Egypt, it explained everything. And somehow, this story made me feel closer to this vegetable.
The scientific name for molokhia is Corchorus olitorius : It’s an annual plant of the family Tiliaceae. It is also known as “Jew’s mallow” and “Egyptian spinach,” among other names. It is called “Shimatsunaso” in Japanese. Shimatsunaso is also known as Koma in Bangladesh and is used to make jute fiber. Stems that have grown to their full height of about six feet are retted to collect fibers. The cylindrical seed of a fully grown Koma plant is four inches long and 3/16 inch thick. It’s too hard to cut through. Moreover, because the seeds contain steroids and other harmful substances, they cannot be used as food for either humans or animals. Therefore, the seeds of fully grown Koma plants are basically useless.
The facts about Koma seeds have somehow been exaggerated, and some say, as if it were true, that the seeds of molokhia are harmful and should not be eaten. However, the soft, small flowers and seeds of molokhia that is grown for human consumption have no negative effect on the body.
Pursuing a Molokhia Growing Opportunity in Southern California
I somehow assumed that the weather in Southern California would be good for molokhia, and I started growing it.
However, my first attempts weren’t very successful.
So, I decided to visit a farmer in Okinawa, Japan, who has been growing molokhia for quite some time and to ask him questions.
I was surprised to find that molokhia was being grown in a greenhouse despite the hot weather of Okinawa and that the greenhouse even had a light fixture similar to the one used to grow chrysanthemums. The farmer told me that it was also important to control humidity during the hot summer months, provide heating during the cold winter months, take measures to battle pests and diseases, to prevent the soil from becoming too acidic, and to maintain a minimum temperature of 70°F throughout the year.
According to the farmer, consumers expect molokhia growers in Okinawa to cultivate and sell the vegetable throughout the year, because Okinawa is located at the southernmost edge of Japan. However, even in the warm climate of Okinawa it is hard to grow molokhia during the winter, and the growers have a number of issues to resolve.
It seems that molokhia can be grown organically during, and only during, the summer without using difficult growing techniques.
In Southern California, I used compost and other fertilizers to improve the soil. By growing molokhia in a greenhouse even during the summer, I am now able to enjoy successful harvests.
Growth of Molokhia
Molokhia stops growing when the temperature falls below 70°F. Even if it gets cold only at night, the molokhia simply stops growing. It’s quite troublesome. So, to ensure reliable cultivation it is best to grow molokhia in a greenhouse where the temperature can be controlled. Around April, I begin to plant seeds in the sprouting room. I put about three seeds in each seed tray. The seeds begin to sprout in about three days. I thin the seedlings to leave the strongest one in each tray. The seedlings are allowed to grow to approximately 2 inches tall. I transplant them to greenhouse soil in three weeks.
I decided to grow seedlings in seed trays because, if the seeds are sewn directly into the ground, the seedlings will be eaten by cabbage moth larvae as soon as they sprout. If the seedlings are transplanted to greenhouse soil when they are too small, they will be quickly eaten by cabbage moth larvae. This vegetable must taste really good to the bugs, too.
Because molokhia grown for food reaches a height of about three feet, its seedlings are planted about 20 inches apart when they are transplanted. Molokhia is first harvested in about six weeks. I begin by harvesting the leaves and stems by cutting the stems at a point about six inches from the stem tip (terminal bud). Lateral buds grow within another week. I harvest those, too. Then, I wait anotherweek for more lateral buds to grow, and I harvest them. That way, I am able to harvest continuously. During the peak of the season, I can harvest as many as 15 to 25 buds from a single plant.
If I neglect harvesting and allow the terminal bud to grow, the plant will decide, based on the mechanism of “plant growth hormones,” that its terminal bud and lateral buds have grown sufficiently. Then, the plant will stop the growth of its leaves and stem and get ready to bloom. To improve quality and increase the harvest, I must continue harvesting the new buds.
In the northern hemisphere, daylight hours decrease after the summer solstice in late June. Molokhia is a short-day plant, so in autumn it starts to grow longer and gets ready to bloom and produce seeds. To prevent that from happening, I must continue harvesting the terminal buds. Nevertheless, when September comes and daylight hours become so reduced that it’s noticeable even to humans, molokhia gives up on growing and gets ready to bloom and produce seeds before its terminal and lateral buds get long enough to harvest. If this happens, the harvest will drop drastically.
Artificial Light Culture
I started to use artificial light to maintain a good harvest even during the autumn months. Artificial light culture is a method of growing plants by making use of a plant characteristic that allows the leaves to sense the length of daylight hours and determine when the plant should produce flowers. Long-day plants get ready to produce flowers in the spring when daylight becomes longer, while short-day plants prepare to bloom in the autumn when daylight becomes shorter. If daylight hours are extended by using artificial light at night, long-day plants grow more quickly and short-day plants wait longer to bloom.
Artificial light culture is used for ornamental plants (whose growers want to produce flowers in every season), poinsettia which need to be grown mainly for the Christmas season, and Oba (green perilla), which growers don’t want to bloom all year, among others.
Because molokhia is a short-day plant that produces flowers in autumn, I start using artificial light during darkness after the summer solstice, when daylight becomes shorter. I can delay the blooming of the flowers by using artificial light for two hours nightly from solstice until August and for four hours nightly in September. Still, once October arrives, the molokhia uses up its base fertilizer, and even in the greenhouse the temperature cannot be maintained at 70°F or above at night. That’s when molokhia begins to bloom, despite the wishes of its grower, and gets ready to produce the next generation. When that happens, growers have to accept that it’s really the end of the molokhia season.
Nutritive Value of Molokhia
Molokhia is first and foremost characterized by its sticky, slippery texture and outstanding nutritional value, which is comparable to that of medicinal plants. The sticky, slippery ingredient of molokhia is mucin, which consists of proteins and polysaccharides. Mucin helps with protein digestion and protects the stomach and intestines, thus preventing fatigue due to summer heat.
Molokhia is rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals. Its polyphenol antioxidant protects the body against harmful free radicals. Beta carotene and vitamin C help increase the body’s immune system. Vitamin B transforms body fat into energy. Calcium prevents osteoporosis. You are looking at a recipe for a nutritional supplement! Molokhia is a vegetable that truly showcases the amazing power of Mother Nature.
How to cook Molokhia? (Molkhia Recipes)
Pasta with Molokhia and Smoked Salmon
This is a quick pasta recipe–just mix and eat. You can also use capellini and eat it cold! This easy yet gorgeous dish is great for parties, too.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- About 5 stalks molokhia leaves
- 5 oz. smoked salmon
- 2 tsp. capers
- 7 oz. pasta
Seasonings:
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. salt
- Pinch of black pepper
Cooking Directions
- Remove the molokhia leaves from the stems. Cut the smoked salmon into bite-size pieces.
- Add pasta to a pot of salted boiling water (the salt used here isn’t included in the list of ingredients). While pasta boils, place all the seasonings in a large bowl and mix together to make a sauce.
- Add the molokhia leaves to the pot just before the pasta is done, and then remove from heat. Use a strainer to drain the pasta and molokhia, and place them in a bowl. Add salmon and capers, and mix together.
Chinese-Style Egg Drop Soup with Molokhia
This is a thickened, easy-to-eat, hearty soup with lots of veggies. Molokhia is vulnerable to heat, so add it last to preserve its vivid green color.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- 1/4 onion
- 2 shiitake mushrooms
- 1/4 carrot
- About 4 inches naganegi (Japanese leek)
- 1/2 clove garlic
- 1/2 clove ginger
- 1/2 egg
- 2 tsp. sesame oil
- 1-2/3 cups chicken broth (or bouillon cubes dissolved in the specified amount of water)
- 1/2 tsp. oyster sauce
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 1/2 Tbsp. katakuriko (potato starch)
Cooking Directions
- Remove the molokhia leaves from the stems. Cut the onion in half and slice it thinly. Slice the shiitake mushrooms into 1 /4 inch slices and thinly slice the carrot. Chop naganegi, garlic.and ginger into small pieces.
- Add sesame oil to a pan and place over low heat. Stir fry the naganegi, garlic, and ginger until they start to release their aromas, and then raise the heat to medium. Add the onion and carrot, and stir fry.
- Once the vegetables become tender, add chicken broth and shiitake mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes with the lid on.
- Season with oyster sauce, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix the katakuriko starch with 1/2 Tbsp. water, and pour into the pan.
Cold Potage of Molokhia and Couscous
Give molokhia vichyssoise a Fun texture by adding couscous! This is a nutritious cold soup that’s easy to eat on a hot summer day, even when you don’t have an appetite.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- About 5 stalks molokhia leaves
- 1/4 onion
- 1 potato
- 1 1/4 cups chicken broth (or bouillon cubes dissolved in the specified amount of water)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 Tbsp. uncooked couscous
- 0.2 oz. butter
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Cooking Directions
- Remove molokhia leaves from the stems. Slice the onion and potato thinly. Soak the potato in water. Add 1-1/2 Tbsp.s of hot water to the couscous, and allow it to swell.
- Remove the excess water from the potato. Place butter in a pan. Add the onion and potato in that order, and stir fry until tender. Add chicken broth and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Add the molokhia leaves, reserving two leaves for use as a topping. Allow the pan to cool until tepid by placing the bottom of the pan in a bowl of water. Pour the soup into a blender and blend for one minute.
- After blending the soup, pour it back into the pan and cook over low heat. Add milk, and season with salt and pepper. Once the soup starts to bubble along the edges, remove pan from heat. Allow the soup to cool until tepid. Pour the soup into a container and place in the refrigerator to chill. Top with couscous and the molokhia leaves before serving.
Quick Sunomono (Vinegared Dish) of Molokhia and Onion Recipe
The sourness of this sunomono is so subtle that even people who aren’t crazy about vinegared dishes will enjoy it. Just marinate for a hearty serving of molokhia and onion from this quick sunomono.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- About 5 stalks molokhia leaves
- 1/2 onion
- 1-2/3 cups water
- 2-1/2 Tbsp.s vinegar
- Katsuobushi (dried, shaved bonito) (to taste)
- Soy sauce (to taste)
Cooking Directions
- Remove the molokhia leaves from the stems. Slice large leaves into halves. Slice onion thinly, rinse with water in a colander, and soak in water (the amount of water used here is not included in the list of ingredients) for about 5 minutes.
- Lightly drain onion. Place water and vinegar in a bowl. Add the molokhia leaves and onion and marinate for about 20 minutes.
- Squeeze the water/vinegar mixture from the marinated vegetables (prepared in Step 2), and top with katsuobushi. Top with soy sauce and serve.
