Not actually a true spinach, malabar spinach simply resembles spinach, and is not a member of the spinach family. Many salad greens, spinach included, do not grow well once the weather gets hot, but malabar spinach loves the heat. Just like its namesake, you can eat this leafy green raw, where it will have a peppery citrus taste quite unlike spinach, or you can cook it. When cooked, this green tastes much more like spinach, but it doesn't wilt as quickly or easily so it holds up much better in soups and stir fries.