What’s Below:

About Callaloo

Cooking & Storage

Recipes

ABOUT Callaloo(Amaranth)

Callaloo (also known as amaranth) is a tender leafy green that also produces grain. It’s leaves have a slightly bitter flavor with a nutty undertone that is very similar to spinach, and the grains can be toasted or boiled. Callaloo has been cultivated for over 9,000 years across the Americas, Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Each of these regions have a long history of preparing callaloo leaves and seeds in a variety of ways that include savory dishes, soups, stews, drinks, and sweets.

COOKING & STORAGE

• Edible parts: Leaves and seeds

• Medicine and Nutrients: Amaranth is a nutrient and medicinal powerhouse, with leafy greens that provide tons of essential nutrients like protein and fiber; vitamins K, A, & C; as well as minerals like iron, calcium, and manganese. The grains also offer significant amounts of those nutrients alongside copper and complex carbohydrates.

• Storing and Shelf Stability: To preserve callaloo, it's best to chop it before. Place the freshly chopped callaloo into a zip lock bag and store it in the fridge for 7-10 days. Place the cut up callaloo into a zip lock bag and remove the air before sealing it. Callaloo can also be stores in the freezer in the same way for future use.

• Ways to Prepare: Callaloo can be sauteed, blanched, steamed, and put into soups and stews. It can also be made into a filling for patties and dumplings.

RECIPES 

• Jamaican Callaloo Patty (Healthier Steps)

• Callaloo Fritters (Healthier Steps)

• Jamaican Callaloo (page 62) in the Made In East New York Community Cookbook: 3rd Edition

• Stir-Fried Pink Amaranth Greens (The Woks of Life)

Authored and compiled by Maya Marie of Deep Routes, Ayllen Kocher, and Amara Ullauri