Acacia Shoots or Cha Om

The young shoots of the acacia species Acacia Pennata are eagerly used as a vegetable in Thailand and called “Cha Om” ( ชะอม ) there. However, you can really only eat the acacia shoots when they’re young, as they later become hard and develop thorns. This characteristic has given the plant its English name of asparagus pea.

Acacia shoots have a very distinctive, slightly bitter taste that can be an acquired taste for the European palate. You can find acacia shoots in the fresh section of many Asian supermarkets.

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