Monday, May 28, 2007

Six Ways to Serve Red Amaranth

The Southeast Asian farm stand where I bought this at the Santa Monica farmers market called it "Chinese spinach." In fact, it is red amaranth, called hin choy in Chinese. Though it is unrelated to spinach, there is some similarity in tastes. The smallest most tender leaves can be eaten raw but is is more commonly cooked.

The plant is indigenous to South America, but it was carried to Asian centuries ago and has become part of the diet throughout the region, from China through Southeast Asia to India.

Here are six ways to use the nutrious green.