Mulukhiyah

Mulukhiyah is a leafy vegetable from a type of jute plant, known botanically as *Corchorus olitorius*. Its leaves are the key ingredient in a traditional dish that originated in Egypt and later spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa, becoming a staple of Arab cuisine. The plant itself goes by many names, including Jew's mallow, nalta jute, and tossa jute.

The dish has a slightly bitter taste and, when boiled, produces a thick, mucilaginous broth often compared to cooked okra. It is almost always eaten cooked, never raw. Preparation varies by region: in Lebanon and Syria, the leaves are chopped, then sautéed with oil, garlic, and cilantro. In Egypt, they are turned into a soup or stew, typically bearing the same local name as the vegetable. Historical evidence of the dish appears in medieval Arabic cookbooks, such as the 14th-century Egyptian collection *Kanz al-fawāʾid fī tanwīʿ al-mawāʾid*, where it is described as a meat stew with Jew's mallow.

Chicken or chicken stock is traditionally used for flavor, and the dish is commonly served with white rice and a side of lemon or lime. In Tunisia, cooks use jute powder instead of fresh leaves and prepare it with lamb or beef, serving it with bread. The same plant is called *saluyot* in the Philippines, and in Haiti, a similar dish made from jute leaves is known as *lalo*.

Scholars generally trace mulukhiyah’s origins to Ancient Egypt, specifically the species *Corchorus capsularis*, which was used for both food and fiber. The dish was well known in the medieval Arab world. According to the 14th-century book *Kanz el-Fawa'ed fi Tanwi' el-Mawa'ed*, a recipe for it existed. The Egyptian historian al-Maqrizi (d. 1442) recorded that mulukhiyah was the favorite dish of Caliph Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (r. 661–680), founder of the Umayyad Caliphate. In 1005 AD, the Fatimid ruler al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah (r. 996–1021) banned his subjects from eating mulukhiyah, believing it to be an aphrodisiac. His successor, Caliph al-Zahir (r. 1021–1035), later lifted the ban. The Druze, who revere al-Hakim, continue to respect the prohibition and do not eat mulukhiyah to this day.

In Egypt, the dish is called *molokhiyya* and is considered a national dish, alongside *ful medames* and *kushari*. Preparation involves stripping the leaves from the stems, chopping them finely (often with a mezzaluna), and boiling them in broth.