Growing and eating Malabar Spinach (Ceylon Spinach)

Basella alba is another subtropical vegetable for growing in the Bellinger Valley.

California Gardening

Published on Oct 30, 2016

In today's episode we look at how to grow Malabar Spinach in a container. We look at everything you need to grow Malabar Spinach, from the soil selection to the fertilizer schedule to the harvest and saving seeds once the season is over. We also include a Malabar Spinach Fritters Recipe in this episode!

Note: Baking soda and bicarbonate of soda are the same thing. Gram is chickpea flour. Experiment with your own flour batter.

Related:

Okinawa Spinach Growing Information

Fruit and vegetable harvest May 9 in a subtropical/warm temperate area of NSW

Bananas

Blue Browallia with red Irisene behind

Brazilian Spinach

Grapefruit

Coffee

Custard Apple

Mouse Melon

Perennial Capsicum

Basella

Edible Hibiscus

Fig

Jackfruit

Kent pumpkin

Lemon Basil

Lucullus silver beet

Mandarin

Meyer Lemon

Mountain Paw Paw

Naranjila flowers

Almost ripe Naranjila fruit

Bunchosia

Rocket

Single tree dahlia

Small white guava

Katuk/Sweet Leaf

Tamarillo

Tree Chili

Small cream guava

Wing Bean

Choko/Sechium edule

Cherimoya

Recipe for a Savoury Loaf

Ingredients:

1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 tblsp of olive oil

3 cups of spinach leaves ( could use a mix of mushroom plant, basella and other 'meaty' greens)
salt & pepper
120g semidried tomatoes


2 cup self-raising flour with a pinch of salt
4 eggs
150 g sour cream
2/3 cup olive oil

120g feta cheese

Method:

Cook the onion and garlic in the 2T olive oil.
Add leaves and let them steam down
Then add chopped tomato.
Add salt and pepper and let cool.
When cooled add the other ingredients except for the feta cheese.
Mix
Add the coarsely chopped feta cheese.
Pour into a lined loaf tin.
Bake in 180 degree C oven for 40 - 45 minutes.

Serve as a slice for afternoon tea or with salad for a meal.

Alternatives to lettuce that suit our climate.

Why try to grow lettuce in our hot summers?

We can easily grow Basella, Edible Hibiscus, Cranberry Hibiscus (Hibiscus Sabdiffera), Lebanese Cress, Brazil Spinach, Egyptian Spinach,  and other heat loving salad vegetables. Perpetual Silver Beet survives the heat reasonably well. Herbs also add to a salad. Try nasturtiums for the flowers and leaves.

Baby Amaranth leaves are useful in salads.

Brazil Spinach loves the heat and humidity.

Baby Silver Beet leaves, and Beetroot leaves, are also suitable.

Click on the link to read more.

Salad in sixteen days

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Bellingen Summer Vegetables Survivors

In Bellingen’s hot, wet summer conditions, vegetables like lettuce, spinach and silver beet really struggle.  Don’t despair - there are some great survivors which will fulfill our need for green, leafy  vegetables at this time. 

The young leaves of Basella (Ceylon Spinach), Tatsoi, Nasturtiums and Sweet Potato are delicious and can be used in a salad or a stirfry.  Ibika cooked in coconut milk
has been recommended by a valued Bellingen Seed Saver.

Basella and Ibika are shown in the following photo, along with Tumeric, Ginger and Garlic Chives. Are the grubs attacking your leafy vegetables like they're attacking mine?