''Amaranthus tricolor'', known as edible amaranth,
is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''
Amaranthus'', part of the family
Amaranthaceae
Amaranthaceae is a family of flowering plants commonly known as the amaranth family, in reference to its type genus ''Amaranthus''. It includes the former goosefoot family Chenopodiaceae and contains about 165 genera and 2,040 species, making i ...
.
The plant is often cultivated for
ornamental and culinary purposes. It is known as bireum in Korea;
tampala, tandaljo, or tandalja bhaji in India;
callaloo
Callaloo (many spelling variants, such as kallaloo, calaloo, calalloo, calaloux or callalloo; ) is a popular Caribbean vegetable dish. There are many variants across the Caribbean, depending on the availability of local vegetables. The main in ...
in the
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean ...
; and Joseph's coat in other areas, after the biblical figure
Joseph
Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the m ...
, who is said to have worn a coat of many colors. Although it is native to South and South-East Asia, ''A. tricolor'' is one of several species of
amaranth
''Amaranthus'' is a cosmopolitan genus of annual or short-lived perennial plants collectively known as amaranths. Some amaranth species are cultivated as leaf vegetables, pseudocereals, and ornamental plants. Catkin-like cymes of densely p ...
cultivated in warm regions across the world. Cultivars have striking yellow, red, and green foliage.
''Amaranthus gangeticus''
''Amaranthus gangeticus'' is considered a synonym of ''A. tricolor'', but has been recognized as a separate species in the past. ''A. gangeticus'' is also known as elephant-head amaranth. It is an annual
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants t ...
with deep purple flowers. It can grow to tall. In
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mo ...
, it has been used as a leafy vegetable. It may inhibit
calcium
Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar ...
retention in rice-based diets.
Culinary uses
The leaves and stems may be eaten as a
salad vegetable
A salad is a dish consisting of mixed, mostly natural ingredients with at least one raw ingredient. They are typically served at room temperature or chilled, though some can be served warm. Condiments and salad dressings, which exist in a va ...
. In Africa, it is usually cooked as a leafy vegetable.
[Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (2004) Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables. PROTA Foundation, Wageningen; Backhuys, Leiden; CTA, Wageningen.] It is usually
stir fried or steamed as a side dish in both China and Japan.
China
In
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...
, it is referred to as () and is often stir-fried with garlic and salt.
Korea
In
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...
, the plant is referred to as ''bireum'' (). Small-leaved, reddish-stalked ''chambireum'' (, "true ''bireum''") is used as a ''
namul'' vegetable in
Korean cuisine
Korean cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in Korea and southern Manchuria, Korean cuisine reflects a complex interaction of the natural envi ...
. Considered a ''
san-namul
Namul ( ko, 나물) refers to either a variety of edible grass or leaves or seasoned herbal dishes made of them. Wild greens are called ''san-namul'' (, "mountain namul"), and spring vegetables are called ''bom-namul'' (, "spring namul"). On t ...
'' (wild green) that grows abundantly in the countryside, it tends to be foraged rather than planted and harvested.
It has an earthy and nutty flavor, and goes well with both
gochujang
''Gochujang'' (, from Korean: , ) or red chili paste
* is a savory, sweet, and spicy fermented condiment popular in Korean cooking. It is made from gochu-garu (chili powder), glutinous rice, '' meju'' (fermented soybean) powder, ''yeotgir ...
- and
soup soy sauce
''Guk-ganjang'' ( ko, 국간장) or soup soy sauce is a type of Korean soy sauce (''ganjang'') made entirely of fermented soybeans ('' meju'') and brine. It is also a byproduct of ''doenjang'' production. Both lighter in colour and saltier than ...
-based seasonings, and ''bori-
bap'' (barley rice).
In culture
It appears on the
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...
of
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
Gonville and Caius College, often referred to simply as Caius ( ), is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1348, it is the fourth-oldest of the University of Cambridge's 31 colleges and one of t ...
, where it is called "flowers gentle".
References
External links
PROTAbase on ''Amaranthus tricolor''*
*
Amaranthus tricolor L.Medicinal Plant Images Database (School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University)
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3242205
tricolor
Plants described in 1753
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
Korean vegetables
Namul
Flora of Malta