Acacia pennata
Encyclopedia
Acacia pennata is a species of acacia
which is native to South
and Southeast Asia
. It is a shrub or small tropical tree which grows up to 5 metres in height. Its leaves are bipinnate with linear-oblong and glabrous pinnules. Its yellowish flowers are terminal panicle
s with globose heads. The pods are thin, flat and long with thick sutures.
and Thailand
, the feathery shoots of Acacia pennata are used in soup
s, curries
, omelette
s and stir-fries. The edible shoots are picked up before they become tough and thorny.
In Northern Thai
cuisine Cha-om is also eaten raw with Tam Mamuang mango
salad, but in Central Thailand
and Isan
it is usually boiled or fried. Cha om omelet pieces are one of the usual ingredients of Nam phrik
pla thu.
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
which is native to South
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. It is a shrub or small tropical tree which grows up to 5 metres in height. Its leaves are bipinnate with linear-oblong and glabrous pinnules. Its yellowish flowers are terminal panicle
Panicle
A panicle is a compound raceme, a loose, much-branched indeterminate inflorescence with pedicellate flowers attached along the secondary branches; in other words, a branched cluster of flowers in which the branches are racemes....
s with globose heads. The pods are thin, flat and long with thick sutures.
Uses
In Burma, LaosLaos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, the feathery shoots of Acacia pennata are used in soup
Soup
Soup is a generally warm food that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water, or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth.Traditionally,...
s, curries
Curry
Curry is a generic description used throughout Western culture to describe a variety of dishes from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Thai or other Southeast Asian cuisines...
, omelette
Omelette
In cuisine, an omelette or omelet is a dish made from beaten eggs quickly cooked with butter or oil in a frying pan, sometimes folded around a filling such as cheese, vegetables, meat , or some combination of the above...
s and stir-fries. The edible shoots are picked up before they become tough and thorny.
In Northern Thai
Northern Thailand
Thailand's northern region is geographically characterised by multiple mountain ranges which continue from the Shan Hills in bordering Myanmar and Laos, and the river valleys which cut through them...
cuisine Cha-om is also eaten raw with Tam Mamuang mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
salad, but in Central Thailand
Central Thailand
Central Thailand is a region of Thailand, covering the broad alluvial plain of the Chao Phraya River. It is separated from North-East Thailand by the Phetchabun mountain range, and another mountain range separates it from Myanmar to the west. In the north it gently changes into the more hilly...
and Isan
Isan
Isan is the northeastern region of Thailand. It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima...
it is usually boiled or fried. Cha om omelet pieces are one of the usual ingredients of Nam phrik
Nam phrik
Nam phrik , generally pronounced "Nam phik", is a generic term that may refer to any of the types of more or less thick spicy, often chili based, hot sauces typical of Thai cuisine. The main ingredients of Nam phrik are fresh or dry chilies, garlic, shallots, fish sauce, lime juice and/or some kind...
pla thu.
See also
- List of plants with edible leaves
- Thai cuisine
- Lao cuisine
- List of Acacia species
- Flora of Madhya PradeshFlora of Madhya PradeshThe Flora of Madhya Pradesh province in India, is very rich and diverse. Central, eastern and southern parts of the state are forested, whereas northern and western parts are deficient in forest. Variability in climatic and edaphic conditions brings about significant difference in the forest types...
- List of ingredients in Burmese cuisine
- List of Thai ingredients