Named the “food of kings”, molokhia was once illegal in Egypt because of its aphrodisiac effect, but today it is one of the most widely used plants in Egyptian cuisine, writes BBC.
“It’s a light food, so Egyptian mothers feed their babies with it after breastfeeding,” said Emad Farag, an employee at The St. Regis Cairo.
But this unique mix is no ordinary baby food. “Mo-lo-hia” was once the favorite food of kings “because of its curative powers. Originating from the word mulukia, meaning “that which belongs to kings”, according to legend it is a healing soup made from the molokhia plant, which was cured by an Egyptian ruler in the 10th century.
Today there is no evidence of a cooking recipe from the ancient Egyptians but the food is “located” in their graves: painted in the coffin as evidence of the sophisticated level of their cuisine, reports abcnews.al
But this soup is not only considered as the favorite food of the Egyptians, but a staple of every Egyptian cuisine, as most of them consider molokhia as the emblematic meal of the country. It is consumed in the evening accompanied by rice, bread or meat.
In coastal cities like Alexandria, locals consume molokhia with shrimp. Meanwhile, in the rural areas of the country, it is accompanied by the rabbit, a meat of the privileged in ancient Egypt.
It is not an expensive vegetable. Molokhia is for all walks of life and costs only dollars. Molokhia is also effective for digestion. According to a study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology its leaves can even prevent intestinal inflammation and obesity.
“Molokhia also contains antioxidant elements, according to nutritionist Mai Amer. Molokhia grows between fields of sugar cane. That is why it is produced in the south of Egypt.
It grows from May to August in less than 60 days. Two meters tall and green, Molokhia was one of the first vegetables to be produced as part of hydroponic agricultural projects by the Schaduf community.