Bayenetu

Bayenetu, often written baye-net-u, is a fresh, leafy green vegetable grown in backyard gardens across the central Philippine islands, especially in Cebu, Leyte and Bohol. The young leaves and tender shoots are blanched briefly and eaten either as a fresh salad dressed with fish sauce, calamansi and sliced tomato, or as a simple side dish sautéed with garlic, onion and a touch of bagoong. The flavour is mild, slightly peppery and very green, somewhere between spinach and watercress.

Bayenetu is part of the everyday utan tradition of Visayan home cooking — the small green side that comes with almost every Visayan meal, alongside fried fish and a bowl of rice. It is sold in bundles at neighbourhood markets, and the plants grow easily in containers, which is why it appears on so many Cebuano and Waray family tables.