Those Amaranth plants look beautiful. Growing up we had plenty of the red stem and red leaf Amaranth. We would buy or harvest when the plants had not yet flowered. At this stage the stems were tender and the leaves were succulent. Leaves would be chopped like chopped spinach and sautéed with fresh grated coconut. Or the stems were cut into 3 inch long pieces and mixed with the leaves and cooked and a paste of ground cocnut, cumin, little uncooked rice, and a hot green chilli pepper. Top it with a few tablespoons of virgin coconut oil. Lovely! We never used the seeds except for planting the next season. We thought they were not edible. We also learnt that left to bloom and seed the plant spreads its seed and you have a mess as it will take over everything.
So did you ever find out how to properly separate the seeds from the chaff? I just watched a YouTube video about indigenous American foods, and they got rid of barley chaff by lightly toasting it with a kitchen torch. The chaff burns off but the seeds don't. I am sure there is a learning curve!
Alice, Ooh, this is priceless! I haven't found a method yet that's viable - at least for me. I've watched videos too, and I've seen people try fans, blowing on the seeds, sifting the seeds, etc. And my soaking sure didn't work. So my seed and chaff mixture are still sitting there mixed together in that bowl. I love this idea of toasting with a torch! I need to look into trying this. Thanks so much for the wonderful idea!
Thank you for educating me on being able to eat the seeds and leaves. I didn’t know! As florists we use this variety as well as the hanging chunky ball variety which is very en trend at the moment. Do you know if that can be eaten?
Cerina, I'm so glad I could help! Amaranth is pretty new to me too. I'm not sure which variety you mean with the hanging chunky balls. Could it be this one that Ellen Frost (also another awesome florist) was referring to here in her post? They sound right, but they're not amaranth: https://substack.com/home/post/p-176342948
Thanks for clarifying! I'm not familiar with this variety, which looks to be called love-lies-bleeding. I'm reading that it is indeed edible, but that the strains bred for florists are more for aesthetics rather than eating. So they may not have a flavor or seed harvest that's comparable to the types of amaranth that have a more culinary background. Please let me know if this is what you find in your investigating as well!
Sree, thanks so much for sharing this! I just love hearing about people's personal experiences with food. The way you had amaranth growing up sounds amazing. Is there any chance you might be from southern India? I love the use of fresh coconut in the cooking there. Especially Kerala. There was a dish I started testing from there, achinga payar thoran, to use with some long beans I was growing. Is there any chance you might know this dish too? I need to do another trial of it! It was so good when I've made it. And I'd love to try out your dish with the amaranth greens and stems too. It sounds delicious! If you do grow an amaranth plant, I'd love to hear how it grows for you.
Those Amaranth plants look beautiful. Growing up we had plenty of the red stem and red leaf Amaranth. We would buy or harvest when the plants had not yet flowered. At this stage the stems were tender and the leaves were succulent. Leaves would be chopped like chopped spinach and sautéed with fresh grated coconut. Or the stems were cut into 3 inch long pieces and mixed with the leaves and cooked and a paste of ground cocnut, cumin, little uncooked rice, and a hot green chilli pepper. Top it with a few tablespoons of virgin coconut oil. Lovely! We never used the seeds except for planting the next season. We thought they were not edible. We also learnt that left to bloom and seed the plant spreads its seed and you have a mess as it will take over everything.
I would love to grow one plant.
Also, could the dish that you've mentioned possibly be called cheera thoran? It sounds so good!
Yes. And the second dish is Cheera Aviyal.
Oh thanks! I'm going to look into making both dishes. I really appreciate you sharing these wonder food memories with me.
So did you ever find out how to properly separate the seeds from the chaff? I just watched a YouTube video about indigenous American foods, and they got rid of barley chaff by lightly toasting it with a kitchen torch. The chaff burns off but the seeds don't. I am sure there is a learning curve!
Alice, Ooh, this is priceless! I haven't found a method yet that's viable - at least for me. I've watched videos too, and I've seen people try fans, blowing on the seeds, sifting the seeds, etc. And my soaking sure didn't work. So my seed and chaff mixture are still sitting there mixed together in that bowl. I love this idea of toasting with a torch! I need to look into trying this. Thanks so much for the wonderful idea!
They are all amazing & beautiful!! ❤️
Thanks so much, Lorraine! ❤️
Thank you for educating me on being able to eat the seeds and leaves. I didn’t know! As florists we use this variety as well as the hanging chunky ball variety which is very en trend at the moment. Do you know if that can be eaten?
Cerina, I'm so glad I could help! Amaranth is pretty new to me too. I'm not sure which variety you mean with the hanging chunky balls. Could it be this one that Ellen Frost (also another awesome florist) was referring to here in her post? They sound right, but they're not amaranth: https://substack.com/home/post/p-176342948
I looked it up Amaranthus Caudatus, the flowers/seed can vary from thinness ribbons to blobby strings. I will do some more investigating.
Thanks for clarifying! I'm not familiar with this variety, which looks to be called love-lies-bleeding. I'm reading that it is indeed edible, but that the strains bred for florists are more for aesthetics rather than eating. So they may not have a flavor or seed harvest that's comparable to the types of amaranth that have a more culinary background. Please let me know if this is what you find in your investigating as well!
Will do!
Amazing colours!
Thanks so much, Tammi! ❤️
Sree, thanks so much for sharing this! I just love hearing about people's personal experiences with food. The way you had amaranth growing up sounds amazing. Is there any chance you might be from southern India? I love the use of fresh coconut in the cooking there. Especially Kerala. There was a dish I started testing from there, achinga payar thoran, to use with some long beans I was growing. Is there any chance you might know this dish too? I need to do another trial of it! It was so good when I've made it. And I'd love to try out your dish with the amaranth greens and stems too. It sounds delicious! If you do grow an amaranth plant, I'd love to hear how it grows for you.