10 unbelievably delicious malunggay recipes

We’ve always been told that green leafy vegetables are good for our bodies. In the case of the tiny malunggay leaf, its size is no indication of the multitude of health benefits that comes with it.

Breastfeeding mums turn to malunggay to boost milk supply. This little leaf is also high in iron, and Vitamins A, B and C. It can be used to combat diarrhea and malnutrition, and has also been found to help prevent diabetes and cancer.

Are you eager to include this healthy veggie into your diet? Here are 10 malunggay recipes that you can start with.

1. Malunggay tea

Get off to a healthy start every morning with a cup of malunggay tea.

To make your own tea leaves at home, you will need freshly harvested malunggay that has been cleaned. Lay them out on a clean sheet of paper for 2-3 days to dry.

Once dried, remove the leaves from the stems. Shake out the leaves over a fine mesh sieve or sifter to get rid of extra stem pieces or other debris from the leaves.

Carefully dry roast the leaves over low heat in a pan, turning frequently to avoid burning. Store the tea in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Steep tea leaves in hot water for 1-3 minutes, then strain. You can also use a tea ball or a French press if you have these.

2. Green smoothie with malunggay

Green smoothies typically contain spinach or kale, but you can also use malunggay to give your healthy drink an extra vitamin boost.

Add sweet fruits like pineapples, bananas and oranges to your smoothie, and tweak the flavour to your liking.

3. Malunggay omelet

Instead of plain scrambled eggs, prepare a malunggay omelet for your family’s breakfast.

Roughly chop a handful of malunggay leaves and whisk them into the eggs before frying. You can also add tomatoes for extra flavour.

4. Malunggay bread

If you know how to bake (or are willing to learn), you can make bread extra nutritious by adding ½ to 1 tbsp of malunggay powder for every 500g of flour used in this bread roll recipe.

To make malunggay powder, hang freshly harvested malunggay upside down to dry. Catch the leaves as they fall off using any clean, dry container.

Grind the dried leaves using a blender, food processor or mortar and pestle until they're in powdered form.

5. Malunggay muffins

If you prefer to bake with fresh malunggay, try making malunggay muffins using this recipe. These baked goodies contain blended malunggay leaves, and are great as healthy snacks for kids and breastfeeding mums.

6. Clam soup with malunggay

Clam soup made with malunggay is one of the most delicious "solutions" for mums who want to boost their milk supply.

To make this simple soup, all you need to do is boil half a kilo of cleaned clams in 3 cups of water with a thumb of sliced ginger and 1 sliced whole onion.

Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add in as much malunggay as you wish, and cook for 1 more minute. Season and serve.

7. Malunggay Oyster Rockefeller

Oysters Rockefeller is a dish of oysters on a half-shell topped with butter, cheese and green herbs. Breakfast Magazine shared their recipe with a twist, using malunggay in place of the traditional parsley.

8. Malunggay pesto

To make pesto at home, all you need to do is combine garlic, basil, pine nuts or cashews, and extra virgin olive oil in a blender.

Then, throw in some malunggay leaves to infuse your pesto recipe with added vitamins and minerals.

9. Malunggay burger

Here's a way to get your kids to eat malunggay without a fuss — add it to their favourite burgers!

This beef burger patty recipe in The Malunggay Book contains both the leaves and meat from the pods of the malunggay tree. (The link also contains other malunggay recipes that you can try, including ones for fetuccine and spring rolls.)

10. Malunggay polvoron

Polvoron is a soft and crumbly milk candy that melts in your mouth. Great as a healthy homemade gift, a quick dessert at home, or even a home business idea, malunggay polvoron is made by adding malunggay powder to your favorite polvoron recipe.

You can include ½ to 1 tbsp of the powder to your flour mix, depending on your taste preference. Make your own malunggay powder, or purchase it from selected wet markets in Singapore.

Do you have any favourite recipes that feature malunggay?

Written by

Patricia de Castro-Cuyugan

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