In North Africa and the Middle East, the young leaves of "Corchorus" species are known in Arabic as "malukhiyah" and are used as green leafy vegetables . "Malukhiyah" is eaten widely in Egypt and some consider it the Egyptian national dish. It is featured in cuisines from Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Jordan and Tunisia. In Turkey and Cyprus, the plant is known as "molohiya" or "molocha" and is usually cooked into a kind of chicken stew. The leaves of "Corchorus" have been a staple Egyptian food since the time of the Pharaohs and it is from there that it gains its recognition and popularity. Varieties of mallow-leaves stew with rice is a well known Middle Eastern cuisine.