Thorny AmaranthAmaranthus spinosus, commonly known as the spiny amaranth, prickly amaranth or thorny amaranth. It is native to the tropical Americas, but it is present on most continents as an introduced species and sometimes a noxious weed. It can be a serious weed of rice cultivation in Asia.
Uses
Food use
Phat phak khom is a Thai stir-fried dish of the young shoots of the Amaranthus spinosus. This version is stir-fried with egg and minced pork.
Like several related species, Amaranthus spinosus is a valued food plant in Africa. It is valued also in Thai cuisine, where it is called phak khom. In Tamil it is called mullik keerai. In Sanskrit it is called tanduliyaka. it is used as food in the Philippines where it is called kulitis. The leaves of this plant, known as massaagu in Dhivehi, have been used in the diet of the Maldives for centuries in dishes such as mas huni
Dye use
In Cambodia, it is called pti banlar and its ash was historically used as a grey dye for cloth. It had many other uses also, including as food.
