Horseraddish Leaves ( Kamunggay or Malunggay)

I grow up eating malunggay. We have malunggay tree near our kitchen and there are some in our backyard too. There never was a week that we wont eat malunggay, mainly because malunggay is abundant and besides we couldn't afford to buy any other food anyway. And if we ever buy some (little) fish, to make the meal enough for all of us we make a soup with malunggay in it. Basically, malunggay is part of our growing up. There were times that we wish we would have something else and there were times when we will say "I am tired of eating malunggay, I couldn't wait for the time that I will no longer eat malunggay"

Well the time came (when I moved here in the USA) that malunggay is no longer accessible. Believe it or not, I miss malunggay. I miss eating it, not everyday though, but when I craved the taste of malunggay I now wish that I could have fresh malunggay.

Anyway, the Filipino store here sells the frozen malunggay and I couldn't help but smile and thought about my yesteryears and the difference of our malunggay now and before. Below is the picture of malunggay... from fresh to frozen. It is so ironic that it is when malunggay is no longer available, you wish to have it.

Picture shows the fresh twigs of malunggay, fresh malunggay leaves ready to cook (tiny stems removed), and the frozen ones that is sold (very expensive ... compared to having it free in our hometown) in Filipino Stores.