Alugbati

Whenever people ask me if I like vegetables, I tell them "any vegetable, except alugbati."  A big question mark then appears on their faces.

Alugbati, alugbate, Malabar spinach, Malabar nightshade, phooi leaf, red vine spinach, creeping spinach, climbing spinach - they are all the same plant. Scientifically known as Basella alba, this vine is mainly used as a leaf vegetable. We have the 'rubra' cultivar, the one having a purple stem, in our backyard

When cooked, it has a slimy consistency that reminds of detergent bar soaked in water. To those who are wondering how alugbati looks like, here is a picture:

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