Senegalia pennata

{{Short description|Species of legume}} {{Speciesbox |image = Acacia pennata leaves in Talakona forest, AP W IMG 8291.jpg |genus = Senegalia |species = pennata |authority = (L.) Maslin |synonyms = *''Acacia pennata'' <small>(L.) Willd. </small> }}

'''''Senegalia pennata''''' ({{langx|en|climbing wattle}}, {{langx|vi|rau thối}}, {{langx|th|ชะอม}} ''cha-om'', {{langx|tts|ผักขา}} ''phak kha'', {{langx|nod|ผักหละ}} ''phak la'', {{langx|my|ဆူးပုပ်}}, {{IPA|my|sʰúboʊʔ|pron}}; {{langx|km|ស្អំ}}; Meiteilon : ''khang'', Thadou-Kuki: khang-khu, Paite Language: Khangkhuh, Mizo: Khanghu, Hmar: ''khanghmuk'',Vaiphei: Khangkhu, Biate: khang-hu, Malay: petai duri or petai siam), is a species of plant which is native to South and Southeast Asia. It is a shrub or small tropical tree which grows up to {{Convert|5|m||abbr=}} in height. Its leaves are bipinnate with linear-oblong and glabrous pinnules. Its yellowish flowers are terminal panicles with globose heads. The pods are thin, flat and long with thick sutures.<ref>[http://www.acacia-world.net/html/a_pennata.html Acaciaworld - ''Senegalia pennata'' (as ''Acacia pennata'')] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110320021358/http://www.acacia-world.net/html/a_pennata.html |date=2011-03-20 }}</ref>

==Uses== ===Culinary=== [[File:Cha-om omelette 1532 (2).JPG|thumb|left|Cha-om omelette; a popular Thai and Burmese dish]][[File:Nam phrik kapi 02.jpg|thumb|left|Thai cuisine. Deep-fried ''cha-om'' leaves with ''Nam phrik kapi'']] In Northeast India, in the states of Mizoram and Manipur, climbing wattle is an ingredient in indigenous cuisine like ''kaang-hou'' (fried vegetables) and eromba. The plant is locally known as ''khanghmuk'' in Hmar, ''khang'' in Meiteilon and ''khanghu'' in Mizo.

In Burma, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, the feathery shoots of ''Senegalia pennata'' are used in soups, curries, omelettes and stir-fries.<ref>[http://www.supatra.com/pages/thaiveggies.html Thai Vegetable Guide] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816164924/http://www.supatra.com/pages/thaiveggies.html |date=2011-08-16 }}</ref> The edible shoots are picked up before they become tough and thorny.<ref>[http://thaifoodandtravel.com/blog/cha-om/#1 Cha-Om]</ref>

In Northern Thai cuisine, ''cha-om'' is also eaten raw with Thai salads, such as ''tam mamuang'' (mango salad),<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://library.cmu.ac.th/ntic/en_lannafood/detail_lannafood.php?id_food=118 |title=Lanna food - Tam Mamuang |access-date=2011-08-12 |archive-date=2020-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616200304/http://library.cmu.ac.th/ntic/en_lannafood/detail_lannafood.php?id_food=118 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and it is one of the ingredients of kaeng khae curry.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E92bq_9fJp8 Kaeng Khae Kai (Katurai Chilli Soup with Chicken)]</ref> In Central Thailand and Isan it is usually boiled or fried. ''Cha-om'' omelet pieces are one of the usual ingredients of ''nam phrik pla thu'' and commonly used in ''kaeng som'', a sour Thai curry.

In Vietnam, the plant is cultivated in the Northwest region such as Sơn La and Lai Châu provinces, by the Thái and Khơ Mú ethnic groups as a delicacy vegetable. The leaves have a distinctively stinky odor, and are used in salads (especially with mountain ebony flowers - Bauhinia variegata), as well as in stir-fries, grilled fish, pork or buffalo dishes.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|Senegalia pennata}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120309043011/http://www.nethasia.com/?p=2&l=2&PHPSESSID=f668ef18a52d85d0148efc9e19a84bf3 Thai vegetables] *[http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/ac145e/AC145E02.htm FAO - The Vegetable Sector in Thailand]

pennata Category:Drought-tolerant trees Category:Thai cuisine