(http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/images/molokhia.jpg)
This leaf vegetable is very popular in Egypt. It's sort of an acquired taste, or rather acquired texture as it's quite slimy :P. Has anyone grown this or seen the seed for sale in the UK?
This US website sells it:
http://www.evergreenseeds.com/melokhiya.html
Sounds delightful........er no thanks
Well, I got used to it after 16 years of marriage to an Egyptian. Just before serving, you can stir something called taklia (no idea how to spell this) in it which is coriander seed, salt and garlic all ground together and fried. That's delicious :-* and you can add it to spinach too.
The proper name is "Corchorus olitorius L." if it is any help tracking down seeds. It is grown primarily for use as jute I wouldn't of thought it would be hardy in the UK but may grow under glass.
Slimey - like Okra?
The Spinach was the saving grace?
No, you don't cook it with spinach, but it in the same way as spinach. in Egypt this means adding fried coriander/salt/garlic at the end. The Melokhiya is very finely chopped ad cooked in stock. Sometimes it's so runny it's more of a soup than a veg dish. It looks like mint sauce.