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Spinach


Fraktalkid

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As a kid, I grew up watching Popeye, who always reminded me to eat my spinach.

Unfortunately I find that advice hard to follow here in Thailand, on account of Spinach being quite hard to get hold of and when it is available, very expensive.

If I go to my local Tops supermarket here in Chiang Mai, I can buy a bunch of it for about 145 baht, which to me is ridiculously expensive. If I were to cook that bunch down, it would be roughly about twice the size of the spinach inside the spinach croissants sold at the Tops bakery for 20 baht a pop. Spinach isn't avaialable in the vegetable markets at Kad Muang Mai (nr mae nam ping) either, and from what my Thai friends tell me it's not a common Thai vegetable since it requires cool weather (and is grown up on the mountains here in Chiang Mai).

So I'm thinking that there must be a good Thai alternative to Spinach... Maybe one of you people who has a Thai spouse who's good at cooking Farang food will know of a cheaper local Thai version (not necessarily spinach but tastes something similar to) that can be used as a substitute when making things like lasagne, spinach soup and also when used raw in salads.

Any advice kindly appreciated!

Fraktalkid

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When you go to the Market, what are you asking for in Thai?

Spinach is "Pak Khom" and is fairly common here - I don't know the price offhand but I can't believe it's at all expensive.

Patrick

No, I think you want ''boi leng''. ''Pak khom'' covers pretty much a range of green leafy things. Spinach is briefly available (it's very seasonal) and pretty costly because of it. Many curry houses (in Bangkok) use ''pak khom'' (I think they use some variety of kale from the look and taste of it) in saag dishes in place of spinach. It's OK in small quantities, but starts to taste like green wallpaper paste if you overdo it ...

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They call it Pak Kom here in Bangkok, in Golden Place supermarkets, but there are varieties. Nothing cost like 145 baht a pack (maybe a kilo). "Boi Leng" is one of them and it's ok for "Pak Kom Op Cheese" - baked spinach with cheese, and in season it should be available everywhere, it's quite popular.

"Golden Place" sells stuff grown on Royally initiated farms, many of them up North, must be available in Chiang Mai.

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Phuk khom TH , Chinese and Popeye spinach are in the same Family: Amaranthaceae , but differrent species

Thai spinach ผักโขมไทย Amaranthus viridis Linn. / Amaranthus lividus Linn.

9amvi2.jpg

Chinese spinach (Amaranthus tricolor) ผักโขมจีน. common name :Amaranth.

Amaranthus tricolor Linn

amaranth.jpg

Popeye spinach ปวยเหล็ง(Pouy leng) Spinacia oleracea L.

spinat.small.png

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Someone mentioned kale. Quick Irish recipe - Finely chop a load of kale, finely chop some onion (spring onion if you like it strong), throw it into a load of mashed potato (peeled and mashed with a good knob of butter). The kale/onion should make up about 10-20% of the total, ie, 80-90% potato plus 10-20% Kale/onion.

Experiment wit the quantities, throw in a pinch of salt and a crack of black pepper to taste.

It's delicious!!!

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I didn't get a chance to thank everyone for taking the time to post! I've also found a source of Boi Leng, much cheaper and tastes good too! The spinach at Tops is from the Doi Kham project, of which about 40% of it is stalk - expensive stalk at that. I was considering growing it myself, particularly as I saw a big advert for hydroponic gardening over at Kam Thieng (the plant market here in CM).

Thanks guys and gals especially BambinA for including pics, very useful reference!! :-)

Rich xx

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 13 years later...

I have only lived in Bangkok for about seven months. I have purchased numerous bundles of fresh spinach at the local open air market I shop. The cost consistently is forty baht per kilo and I have purchased this item at two different locations this far. I live in the Bangkhen area.

IMG20191009152617.jpg

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