Malabar spinach, Basella alba, is a popular green leafy vegetable in other parts of the world. This tender perennial native to tropical Asia, likely India and Sri Lanka or Indonesia, is easily grown as an annual during the heat of summer. This species in the family Basellaceae (unrelated to true spinach in the Chenopodiaceae) sometimes goes by other common names including Indian spinach, Ceylon spinach, vine spinach, and climbing spinach.
In addition to being edible it can also be grown as an ornamental foliage vine. The dark green, glossy, oval to heart-shaped leaves are thick and semi-succulent with a mucilaginous texture. When it’s raw Malabar spinach has very fleshy, thick leaves that are juicy and crisp with tastes of citrus and pepper