Callaloo is the name used in the Caribbean to refer to the green leafy vegetable – spinach. It is also used to refer the same leafy green vegetable, sometimes called bhajgee (bah-gee). Callaloo is also the name of a very famous soup like stew made in Trinidad and Tobago.
Most countries in the Caribbean have their own versions of Callaloo. While for many countries, Callaloo is a type of soup, the soup varies from one country to the next. For example, Dominica is very famous of it’s Crab and Callaloo Soup.
In a large country such as Guyana, Callaloo gets complicated because the country boasts a variety of spinach though collectively they are referred to as callaloo. For example, Chinese Pak Choy is marked and sold as a type of callaloo.
Many Jamaicans make Callaloo Rice as an alternative to the boring white rice we eat most times. Others do a Callaloo cook-up, where seasoned Callaloo and rice are mixed with salt fish or pork pieces for flavour. The Trinidadians cook down Callaloo in coconut milk, okras and hot pepper, then blend it into a thick gravy to be eaten with rice. There are many other ways to use Callaloo that you should find appetizing.
Names:
- Tamilnadu: Arai Keerai
- Andhra: Thotakura
- Caribbean: Amaranth
- Hindi: Chaul
- Chinese Spinach
- Jamaican Spinach
Health Benefits:
- High in iron (2x the amount in broccoli)
- High in calcium (4x the amount in broccoli)
- Vitamin C
- Super Rich in antioxidants
- Great for your immune system
Links (Sources):
iThottam 