Getting to know Sauropus androgynus

Sauropus androgynous is a leafy vegetable that is not exactly well known among younger Singaporeans nowadays. It is not something that you can find in every wet market or supermarket. I noticed this leafy vegetable are available for sale in Giant, selected vegetable stalls in Tekka Market and Geylang Serai wet market and Mohd Mustafa & Samsuddin Co Pte Ltd’s supermarket section.

Although it is sometimes referred to as katuk, star gooseberry, Sabah vegetable or sweet leaf, Sauropus androgynous is better known via its Chinese name ‘mani cai’ (马尼菜) or Malay names such as ’cekur manis’, ‘pucuk manis’ or ‘sayur manis’ in Singapore. Sauropus androgynous is a perennial shrub that is grown in tropical regions where it thrive and grows rapidly in the hot humid lowland weather conditions. If allowed to grow, the plant can attain a height of about 2.5 m high. It bears pinnate dark green, oval leaves, which sometimes have silvery speckled markings on the upperside.

For use as a leafy vegetable, tender young leaves are harvested from the top 15 cm of stem tips. They have a pleasant, slightly nutty taste, which is sometimes likened to be similar to that of fresh garden peas and a texture that resembles asparagus. They can be eaten raw in salads, steamed or stir-fried with egg and dried achovies. Notably, the leaves of Sauropus androgynous are well known for their ability to retain their dark green colour and firm texture on cooking. Some individuals prefer to have the leaves removed from their thin wiry petioles before cooking them so as to avoid the trouble of having to remove the leaves from their petioles at the dinner table.

Seeds of this plant are not available commercially and they are documented to remain viable for only a few months. Plants are tjerefore most conveniently started from vegetative propagation using stem-cuttings via material bought for the kitchen from the market. After stripping the leaves for cooking, the stems (or twigs) can all be planted into a pot of soil. Sauropus androgynous is a ‘cut and come again’ vegetable as its young leaves can be harvested as and when they are needed. The plant can be left in the ground or pot to regenerate and produce new foliage which can be picked again at a later date.

Sauropus androgynous is a low maintenance plant that is not exactly fussy about its growing conditions. Reported to be a plant that is highly mycorrhizal-dependent, it can be easily grown in moist, fertile and acid soils. It can also adapt to being grown in heavy clay soils. It tolerates a range of light conditions which range from semi-shade to full sunshine outdoors. Apartment gardeners can also grow this shrub too if they have a bright windowsill that receives filtered sunshine for 4 to 6 hours daily. The plant is also relatively pest- and disease-free. Beetles may chew on the leaves.

This shrub responds to fertilisation. To promote rapid growth, feed plants using fertilisers rich in nitrogen.  It takes pruning back quite well and puts forth numerous new, upright branches quickly when it is well-fed. Keep the roots moist at all times as moisture stress can set plants back quite severely. The use of shade cloth to cast some shade is reported to be a method used by farmers in Malaysia to force vegetative growth.

Mature Sauropus androgynous plants do produce flowers and fruits. The flowers are small and dark maroon in colour which occur individually and hang from the point where each pinnate leaflet joins the petiole. Small purplish fruits that resemble miniature mangosteens are produced after the flowers fade. Both flowers and fruits produced by the plant can be eaten.

A plant that belongs to the spurge family of plants, Euphorbiaceae, Sauropus androgynous has a high level of provitamin A, vitamins B, C and K, protein and minerals in freshly picked leaves. Nutrient content of the leaves is usually higher in more mature leaves. Although Sauropus androgynus is a nutritious vegetable, one should be cautioned from consuming excessive amounts, especially in the raw form as several cases of poisoning have been reported previously in Taiwan which resulted in progressive obstructive lung disease.