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|
 Egyptian molokhiya | |
| Alternative names | molokhiyyah, molokhiyya |
|---|---|
| Type | Soup |
| Course | Side dish |
| Place of origin | Egypt[1][2] |
| Main ingredients | Jute;beef orchicken stock |
Mulukhiyah (Arabic: ملوخية,romanized: mulūkhiyyah), also known asmulukhiyya ,molokhiyya,melokhiyya,molohiya orewédú, is a type of jute plant and a dish made from the leaves ofCorchorus olitorius, commonly known in English asjute,Jew's-mallow,nalta jute, ortossa jute.[3][4] It is used as avegetable and is mainly eaten inEgypt,the Levant (Lebanon,Syria,Palestine,Jordan),Saudi Arabia,Sudan,Cyprus,Libya,Tunisia,Nigeria, andAlgeria.[5] It is calledsaluyot in the Philippines.Mulukhiyah is rather bitter, and when boiled, the resulting liquid is a thick, highlymucilaginous broth; it is often described as "slimy", rather like cookedokra.[6][7]
Mulukhiyah is generally eaten cooked, not raw, and it is either eaten chopped andsautéed in oil, garlic and cilantro like in Lebanon and Syria or turned into a kind ofsoup orstew like in Egypt, typically bearing the same name as the vegetable in the local language. Traditionally, mulukhiyah is cooked with chicken or at least chicken stock for flavor and is served with white rice, accompanied with lemon or lime. In Tunisia, the dish is prepared with jute powder instead of the leaves and cooked with lamb or beef to be served with bread. In Haiti, a dish prepared from jute leaves is calledlalo.
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Most scholars are of the opinion that mulukhiyah's origins lie inAncient Egypt,[1][2] namelyCorchorus capsularis,[8] which is used for food as well as for fiber.[6][9]
Mulukhiyah was a known dish in the Medieval Arab world. The recipe on how to prepare it is mentioned in the 14th-century Arabic bookKanz el-Fawa'ed fi Tanwi' el-Mawa'ed. According to the Egyptian historianal-Maqrizi (d. 1442),[10] mulukhiyah was the favorite dish of caliphMuawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (r. 661–680) the founder of theUmayyad Caliphate. Furthermore, on the 7th of Muharram in the year 395AH (1005 AD) theFatimid ruler of Egyptel-Hakem be Amr Ellah (The Ruler by the Order of God)(r. 996–1021) issued a decree which prohibited his subjects from eating the mulukhiyah, which was thought to be anaphrodisiac. However, his successor caliphal-Zahir (r. 1021–1035) permitted the eating of mulukhiyah again.[10] TheDruze, who hold Al-Hakim in high regard and give him quasi-divine authority, continue to respect the ban, and do not eat mulukhiyah of any kind to this day.[11]
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As used inEgyptian cuisine,molokhiyya (Egyptian Arabic pronunciation:[moloˈxejjæ]) is prepared by removing the stem from the leaves, and then chopping the leaves finely. It is mixed withgarlic andcoriander. The dish generally includes some sort ofmeat; in Egypt, this is usuallychicken orrabbit,[12][13] butlamb is preferred when available, particularly inCairo. Cooks inAlexandria often opt to useshrimp in the soup, whilePort Said is famous for usingfish.[14][15][16][13]
Molokhiyya was consumed inancient Egyptian cuisine, where the name "molokhiyya" is thought to have originated.[13][17]
ManyEgyptians considermolokhiyya to be the national dish of Egypt, along withful medames andkushari.[13][17]
The Egyptian style of preparingmolokhiyya is distinctive, and is particularly different from the Levantine variant. Themolokhiyya leaves are picked off the stem, with tall stemmed branches. Sometimes the leaves are dried for preservation by leaving them on a large sheet (cloth material) to be left to completely dry for later use.[17] This is referred to as "driedmolokhiyya". The dish can be prepared with both fresh and dried leaves, with some variation in taste.
Upon preparation the leaves are chopped finely, often with amezzaluna. The leaves are then boiled in broth; if meat or seafood is being used, it is added at this point, and may be bone-in or boneless.[16][13] Coriander and garlic are fried separately in ghee or oil to make theta'leyya (تقليه, literally "a frying" or "fried thing"), and then added to the soup at the end while theta'leyya is still sizzling.[citation needed]
The soup is served on cooked white rice or with a side of Egyptian flatbread (ʿeish baladi). The dish is often accompanied with an assortment of pickled vegetables, known asmekhallel ortorshi in Egypt. Tomato sauce, vinegar, and other condiments may also be present.[16][9][13][17]
The standard molokhia dish in theLevant is prepared by cooking a meat of some sort in a separate pot by boiling. Later garlic is cooked to a simmer, then water and chicken stock cubes are added to form a broth. After boiling, the cooked chicken or meat with the broth coriander and molokhia leaves are added and further cooked another 15 minutes. It is served with white rice and fresh lemon. Also, in northernLebanon, a dish calledmloukhiye b zeit is made using fresh leaves and shoots of theNalta jute plant, cooked in olive oil, onions, garlic, tomatoes and chilli peppers; it is a popular summer side dish, especially inMiniyeh-Danniyeh andAkkar districts.[citation needed]
Bedouins have an old tradition of cooking a different version of the dish. A whole chicken is cut open, the intestines removed, and the innards stuffed with herbs, spices and raw rice then sewn shut with thick thread. The chicken is then boiled to create the broth for the molokhia soup which, after preparation, is served as five separate components: The molokhia soup,Arabic flat bread, the chicken (stuffed with flavored rice), additional plain rice, and a small bowl with a mixture of lemon juice and sliced chilli. The soup is mixed with rice and lemon juice according to taste, while the chicken is eaten on a separate plate.[citation needed]
InTunisia, the dish is generally prepared quite differently from the Egyptian method. The leaves, already separated from the stems, are dried then ground to produce a very fine powder and stored in jars or other tightly closed containers. The powder is prepared with olive oil and sometimes tomato paste into a sauce, not soup, and big chunks of chuck beef are often added halfway through cooking. The dark green sauce simmers on low heat and is left to thicken to the consistency of tomato sauce. The sauce is served in small deep plates with a piece of beef and eaten with preferably white hearty traditional bread. In certain regions where beef is not common, lamb is used but cooks for a much shorter time.[18][19]
InKenya, the dish is known asmurere (Luhya), murenda,apoth (Luo), and several other native language names. It is a very popular vegetable dish among communities in the Western region (Vihiga,Kakamega,Busia, Trans Nzoia andBungoma Counties) and in Nyanza region (Kisumu,Siaya,Homa Bay,Kisii,Migori and Nyamira Counties). Both regions are in the area aroundLake Victoria. The jute leaves are separated from the stems, washed, and then boiled in lightly salted water withligadi (a raw form of soda (bicarbonate of soda), ormunyu (traditional plant-based salt). The leaves are boiled with other leafy vegetables such aslikuvi (Vigna unguiculata (cowpea) leaves) ormito (chipilín) to reduce their sliminess and help soften the other vegetable leaves. In some cases, after boiling for about thirty minutes, the vegetables are stewed with tomatoes and onions in oil. (There are several general ways to prepare the mutere and more ways in which it is served). Spices such as curry, pepper, masala, or coriander are optional. Mutere is served withugali (a staple stuff, cooked cereal meal) and can be accompanied with meat or chicken.[citation needed]
Among the Yorubas in south-westNigeria, it is calledewédú[20] and served with cooked yam flour (àmàlà) or any other stodge food. InLiberia, it is calledpalaver sauce, and is served with rice or fufu. InThe Gambia, it is referred to askereng-kereng and is typically used to makesupakanja (a dish mostly served on Saturdays and made with okra, redpalm oil, fish and meat).[citation needed]
InGhana, it is known asademe ewe orayoyo leaves and used to make accompanying soups forbanku (a corn cassavas dough dish) or cooked rice).[citation needed]
In Cyprus, the dish is known asmolohiya. It is popular among theGreek Cypriots andTurkish Cypriots. The jute leaves are cultivated and grown in the spring, whereupon they are harvested and the leaves are separated from the stem and dried whole. They are cooked in a tomato-based broth with onions and garlic. Lamb on the bone or chicken with bone may also be added. For optimal results, lemon and potato are also used to help keep the consistency from becoming too mucilaginous or slimy. It is served with a broth consistency with sourdough bread.[21]
InHaiti, the leafy green dish is commonly known asLalo and is traditionally cooked with or without meat. When considering meat, Haitians utilize beef or pork shoulder. Seafood such as blue crabs, shrimp or snow crab legs are also options. It is traditionally served with white rice.[citation needed]
The leaves are rich infolate,beta-carotene,iron,calcium,vitamin C and more than 32 vitamins, minerals and trace elements. The plant has a potentantioxidant activity with a significantα-tocopherol equivalentvitamin E.[4][22][23][15]
The word for the plant is found in ancient Mediterranean languages such as Egyptian and Greek.[24]Cognates of the word includeAncient Greekμαλάχη (malákhē) orμολόχη (molókhē),Modern Greekμολόχα (molókha),Egyptian Arabicملوخيه (molokhiyyah) andModern Hebrewמלוחיה (malukhia).[24][25]
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