Chaya

Cnidoscolus aconitifolius · Leafy green

40 pairings

Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius), also called tree spinach, is a fast-growing leafy shrub of the spurge family native to the Yucatán Peninsula. Its large, deeply lobed leaves are a staple cooked green across Mexico and Central America — but they must always be cooked, never eaten raw.

Picking a good onedrag

Deep green, blades firm, latex beads white at the cutYellow and limp, black at the lobes, weeping at the tie

Market freshStill not food until boiled: the full 15-20 minutes, in steel or clay rather than aluminium, then into tamales, soup or a saute.Everyday best

The bladesGreen through, blades relaxed but whole and unbroken

Stem and cutBend a little before they snap, latex slow and thin

The liftStands a moment, then the big blades fold over slowly

Smell at the bundleGreen and neutral, almost nothing at all

What to look for, from deep green, blades firm, latex beads white at the cut to yellow and limp, black at the lobes, weeping at the tie.

Preparing