Amaranth
“How did you like amaranth? I did not know that is what it was called.” said my Dad.
Amaranth is the green & red leaf in the picture above. I still have no idea what it’s called in Chinese, but I do know that it’s a tasty green veggie. If you like spinach but are getting a bit sick of it, I totally recommend trying amaranth greens. They’re $2.29/lb at the Asian Food Market on Central Ave in Albany, so a big baggie will only run you about $5, and it stays fresh for over a week. The stems are a bit tougher than spinach, so a quick stirfry or boil/blanch will do them well. I personally find that spinach can go from raw to mushy & overcooked quite quickly. Amaranth has more texture, so it will still cook the leafy green part nicely without cooking the entire leaf into mush.
That said, they’re also just fine & dandy mixed in with some of the other green tastiness you see above (scallions, thai basil, & limes) for pho mixins if you don’t mind a little extra chew.
Amaranth is a touch sweeter than spinach, and when cooked can give off a bit of a pink hue/liquid (a cute veggie? whoda thunk?). I like to cook it quickly in a pan, like a quick stirfry/sautee. I don’t like to use soy sauce with it so that the sweet vegetal flavor comes through & isn’t overwhelmed by salt (and I love salt). Normally I’ll just melt a bit of oil in a pan, toss the greens in, and either salt it and add a bit of water and cover, or add a bit of chicken broth & cover. Just a few minutes, no longer than 5 for sure. Then you get simple tasty greens.
I haven't eaten these greens in ages. Since the flavor is similar to spinach, I think stir frying the greens with some garlic and fermented bean paste would be good.
I haven't eaten these greens in ages. Since the flavor is similar to spinach, I think stir frying the greens with some garlic and fermented bean paste would be good.
This just gave me an idea. I think I'm going to puree this stuff (blanched and dried, of course) with some bechamel, then pipe it into profiteroles. Thanks for the solid tip!
This just gave me an idea. I think I'm going to puree this stuff (blanched and dried, of course) with some bechamel, then pipe it into profiteroles. Thanks for the solid tip!
My wife and her family call it "hong xian cai", but that's slang and not the real name for the veggie. You can always ask the people that work at the store. I know some of them personally and they are more than willing to answer questions.We usually stir-fry up our Amaranth with thin slices of garlic, salt and pepper. It grows well at home too. So, if you can get some seeds you can have fresh amaranth without much trouble. Just don't let it get old and tough.
My wife and her family call it "hong xian cai", but that's slang and not the real name for the veggie. You can always ask the people that work at the store. I know some of them personally and they are more than willing to answer questions.We usually stir-fry up our Amaranth with thin slices of garlic, salt and pepper. It grows well at home too. So, if you can get some seeds you can have fresh amaranth without much trouble. Just don't let it get old and tough.
Here it is in Chinese: 红苋菜
Here it is in Chinese: 红苋菜