Cha-om: Thailand's Thorny Omelette Herb

Climbing Wattle — ชะอม (cha-om) — Acacia pennata.

The young leaves must be cooked before eating. In rats, Acacia pennata leaf extract reduced DNA-damage and ROS markers. The tender leaves also carry the ordinary leafy-green mix: beta-carotene (vitamin A), vitamin C, iron, calcium, and fiber. Khai Jiao Cha-Om folds the leaves into whisked eggs and fries them until the edges crisp, served hot with a fermented shrimp-paste chili dip. Gaeng Som Cha-Om Goong cuts the same omelette into squares and simmers it in a sour tamarind curry with shrimp, spooned over jasmine rice. Fry the leaves with egg or a little oil, since that fat helps your body absorb their vitamin A. If you grow it from a cutting, give it a trellis to climb, and handle the shoots with care: the branches carry small, sharp thorns.

Thai Cha Om Omelette — ไข่เจียวชะอม (kai-jeow-cha-om)
Kaeng Som Cha-Om Kai — แกงส้มชะอมไข่ (kaeng-som-cha-om-kai)

Food and nutrients

Rich in: beta-carotene (vitamin A), vitamin C, iron, calcium, fiber

Research context

Acacia pennata leaves showed antioxidant / free-radical-scavenging activity in animal studies — Adv Trad Med, 2022

Sources

Source: El-Taher EMM et al. (2022). Acacia pennata leaves & DNA damage/ROS in rats. Adv Trad Med. DOI:10.1007/s13596-020-00527-6

Narration transcript

Opening

Raw, this feathery green gives off a sharp, sulfur-like smell most people can't stand — until it meets a hot egg. Cha-om — ชะอม, cha-om — is the young shoot of a thorny climbing acacia, and it's always cooked before you eat it, most famously whisked into a crisp Thai omelette.

Thai Cha Om Omelette (Kai Jeow Cha Om) (ไข่เจียวชะอม)

For kai jeow cha om, Thai cooks fold the leaves into whisked eggs and fry them until the edges crisp, then serve the omelette hot with a fermented shrimp-paste chili dip.

Kaeng Som Cha-Om Kai (Thai Sour Curry with Acacia Omelet) (แกงส้มชะอมไข่)

In kaeng som cha-om kai, that same omelette gets cut into squares and simmered in a sour tamarind curry with shrimp, spooned over jasmine rice.

Nutrition summary

These feathery cha-om shoots are rich across the board — high in vitamin C and vitamin A, with real iron and fiber.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A contributes to normal vision and helps maintain healthy skin and surface tissues.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is used to build collagen and helps protect cells from oxidative stress.

Iron

Iron is part of hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen in your blood, and it supports normal energy metabolism.

Calcium

Calcium is needed to maintain normal bones and teeth, supports normal muscle and nerve function, and contributes to normal blood clotting.

Fiber

Fiber adds bulk to meals and can help with fullness.

Closing

Fry the shoots with egg or a little oil — the fat helps carry the vitamin A in the leaves. If you grow it from a cutting, give it a trellis to climb, and watch your hands: the branches are lined with small, sharp thorns. Follow Longevity Biome, and LIKE this video for regular updates.

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