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Water mimosa.

Submitted by Blog - Henriette on 8 December, 2004 - 10:00
Blog categories: 
Recipes
Botanical name: 
Neptunia oleracea

Thai food: water mimosa.

I bought some water mimosa (Neptunia prostrata) at the food fair a week or so ago. Dunno how you should eat it, but I chopped up the leaf, discarding the thick stems, and boiled it with onions, champignons and tomatoes, adding some parsley and chinese chives just before serving.

Photo: Neptunia prostrata. The leaf stems were rather hard and had to be discarded (after chewing them for long enough - not my idea of a good meal), but the taste was interesting.

This, too, came from the exotics wholesaler, at 1.5 € for a bagful. If somebody would please explain to me how to serve these so they don't get overly chewy I might give them another try. If I ever find them again, that is.

Comments

Submitted by andrea (not verified) on 14 January, 2005 - 14:31.

In this book, 'Thai Food', Davis Thompson writes that only the fronds are eaten.
I was told the same thing by a Thai lady at the Asian grocery store where I was buying them the other day. I gather this part is quite tender, as she also said that they can even be eaten raw, with a chili dipping sauce. Alternatively, they are added towards the end of the cooking time in sour soups or sour red curry.
The Vietnamese also eat water mimosa, though I'm not sure what with.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 3 December, 2008 - 23:40.

....that only the fronds are eaten
I eat all the parts that are not too hard or it would be such a waste.

....but I chopped up the leaf, discarding the thick stems
Keep the leaf, keep the soft edible stems,discard the hard stems and clean with water.

....after chewing them for long enough - not my idea of a good meal
LOL, that's what happen when you cook the Water mimosa for "too long". Put all the needed ingredients (can be whatever you want)
with the Water mimosa and stir fry them all together with medium high heat quickly ! No more than 2 min. When you chew it; it should be crunchy, not chewy. That's it.

Submitted by Henriette on 4 December, 2008 - 13:50.

Thanks heaps! I'll give it another try, when I find it again.

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