Planting Kangkong in your back yard

Kangkong is super rich in protein, calcium, phosporous and iron. I shared a couple recipes with you (Adobong Kangkong and the Cripy Kangkong) on how you can enjoy it. I hope you like them. They are also popular in the dish, Sinigang, which you can still just get rid of the meat.

Kangkong can be planted throughout the year, either as a seed, or through vine cutting, shoots or root stocks. It's very easy to plant Kangkong too. You can't plant it close to wet areas, like near the fish pond or lake. If you don't have that around you, just make sure the soil is constantly watered. Plant 25 cm kangkong shoots or stem vines at a distance of 30 to 50cm each. You have to weed it from time to time so that it can grow healthy. It should be ready for harvest in about one and half month after. Enjoy planting! Then you can pick them out right from your garden.

Crispy Kangkong

Here's another pinoy kangkong treat that you will surely enjoy. This dish is kinda semi-healthy because the leaves are battered and deep fried basically. Crispy kangkong is super good as appetizers in parties with people who are less weary about deep fried things.

Ingredients:

• 1 bundle of kangkong
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• salt and pepper
• cooking oil for deep frying

Make sure you wash the kangkong thoroughly and let the leaves dry before you begin. Just use the kangkong leaves for this recipe. Make a batter by mixing the egg, cornstarch, flour, salt and pepper together. Dip the kangkong leaves in the batter and fry. It should just take a couple of minutes. You can serve this with mayo. I personally just like dipping this in vinegar with garlic and some salt.

green leafy power

Green leafy veggies are super good and high in anti-oxidants and vitamins A, C and K, not to mention folate, iron and calcium. It also has chlorophyll that keeps the stuff in between your teeth from decomposing. So it protects you teeth and your stomach from accumulating unhealthy particles that it may have accumulated. This week I will be featuring locally found greens that are extremely good for our bodies!

Some of the most common types of greens in the local market (palengke) are kangkong, alugbati, saluyut, malunggay, pechay, and dahon ng kamote. You can find all these in almost all palengke anywhere. Contrary to what most people think that you cannot be vegetarian in the Philippines "because there is not enough veggies happening around," there is actually so much. You just have to actually look around and you'll be surprise.

malunggay

Malunggay, for example is eaten as food, is an effective flocculant or water treatment, antibiotic, source of oil, and coagulant for turbid waters. I commonly see this in my neighbor's backyard.
Not to mention it has medicinal properties, the alugbati for example can be used for acne eruptions to reduce inflammations, it has mild laxative effects, and to hasten the discharge of boils and ulcers while Kangkong is super rich in vitamins A and C, minerals and iron. It's perfect for people who are anemic.