Hi TIA,
I took a look at the picture. I was wondering if you wanted one for the plant or for food ?

I got two different kinds of them from who else ( fruit tree Lisa . )

The one that is in the picture you link us to appears to be the one with the pointy leaf.
Nice plant but I personally like the other kind better. It is softer and cooks up better.
I believe it is the kind treefrog uses when he make his infamous chaya roll up thingys .
YUMMY !

But you will be happy with both.....

D`Ann

I have two small rooted cuttings if you are interested. They are small enough to mail. E mail me if you want them. I had several at my swap and couldn't give them away. All the others I have planted in the garden but these needed a little more "pot time" so they have been hanging in the shade house.

Let me know!
nova

Yes, Nova and many thanks! Let me look around for a few things to send to you. Do you have any epis? I have a lovely shell pink one and another which is a violent magenta purple. The others haven't bloomed, yet. Also, I am rooting roses like mad....Lol

D'Ann, TIA is thanks in advance. I am looking for more food crops. Everything I buy now goes through my mind like this..."That's two gallons and that is one and a half gallons... Maybe I'll just put that money in the gas tank, instead...."

I would love to know what anyone thinks of the taste of chaya. I love my veggies, esp greens, but I just can't do that malabar spinach. It is just too rich and mucilaginous for my taste.

Veronica

Veronika/growgrow makes a wonderful chaya lasagna and I also like treefrogs rolled chaya(instead of grape) leaves and I'm not crazy about greens. I don't think it had a "taste" that stood out from the rest of the ingredients.

OK, does the word mucilaginous have the same root word as mucilage and you're saying Malabar is gluey and tastes like paste?

CoffeeMom,

Ya know that stuff that stewed okra puts out? (I love okra, stewed or fried..) It is like that with a very rich minerally and slightly sour taste to me.

That was my experience eating it raw and lightly steamed. It may be great in recipes, though.

I know spinach lasagna and I know dolmas.... hmmm. I might try chaya with pasta and I think I will try it on one of my favorites, white pizza. Usually made with swiss chard, yum.

I've eaten chaya while on vacation in the Yucatan. I had chaya tamales in Tulum. They were good; I don't remember the favor particularly, but the meal was good.

I incorporated it into spaghetti sauce and it worked out well. To me it is not good or bad, but since its nutritionally supreme, its worth it to have it in your diet. And what an easy plant to grow.

Gary

So if you boil it for 3 min it's ok to eat?

It's still pretty tough after just 3 minutes of cooking. And I'd rather be safe than sorry.
I usually boil it for 15 minutes, drain and rinse it, then use it for a recipe.
It's kinda like collard greens without the cabbage taste.

thonotorose,you ate it raw?
I understand that in order to get rid of the toxicity,chaya must be boiled for at least three minutes. Traditionally it is boiled for twenty minutes. The water is safe to drink and is good for diabetes and loosing weight. I can't wait for mine to grow so I can start using it.
Felix

She ate Malabar raw, not chaya.

That's right...Malabar raw...

Thanks for all the info about it. Esp Felix about the "pot likker" being good for you, too.

Nova, the DdeB cutting has no roots, yet, but is still green. I will be rooting several more soon. You can count on me having one for you, if you don't find one sooner. Thanks again for the chaya babies!

Now for my next question...