In the essential oil of Vietnamese coriander, long-chain
aldehydes were found, e. g., decanal (28%) and dodecanal
(44%), furthermore decanol (11%). Sesquiterpenes
(α-humulene, β-caryophyllene)
account for about 15% of the essential oil.
(Journal of Essential Oil Research, 9, 603, 1997)
Polygonum odoratum / Persicaria odorata: Flower
Flower of Vietnamese coriander
Polygonum odoratum / Persicaria odorata: Inflorescence of Vietnamese cilantro
Flowering tips of Vietnamese coriander
Polygonum odoratum / Persicaria odorata: Flower
Flower of Vietnamese coriander
Origin
Vietnamese coriander is native to peninsular Southeast Asia (Indochina),
where it grows in wet environments.
Etymology
The old genus name Polygonum (English: knotweed) refers to the
shape of the stem, which is composed of many joints linked together by slightly
bent knots
or knees
: Greek polys [πολύς] many
and
gony [γόνυ] knee
; cf. also English knotweed.
The new genus name Persicaria derives from the name of
peach (Prunus persica), because of similar leaf shape.
In Singapore, Vietnamese coriander is known as laksa plant (also
laksa herb or laksa leaves); in Singaporean Cantonese, there
is the equivalent name laksa yip [喇沙葉].
These names reflects the usage of Vietnamese coriander for the
Chinese-Malaysian noodle curry
laksa, which in turn
is apparently named for its many ingredients: The Hindi term
lakh [लाख],
also often used by Indians when speaking English, means hundred thousand
or metonymically many
, being derived from synonymous Sanskrit
laksha [लक्ष]
or lakshya [लक्ष्य].
The term Vietnamese mint
frequently found in English literature is
botanic nonsense, as peppermint belongs to a
distant plant family, Lamiaceae.
Selected Links
Sorting Persicaria names (www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au)
Recipe: Laksa (dawncities.com)
Recipe: Laksa (soupsong.com)
Recipe: Laksa (recipesource.com)
Recipe: Laksa Penang (www.rogis.net)
Recipe: Singapore Laksa (cheftochef.net)
Recipe: Laksa Lemak (recipecottage.com)
Polygonum odoratum/Persicaria odorata: Rau ram plant
Vietnamese coriander plant
Polygonum odoratum/Persicaria odorata: Vietnamese cilantro
Vietnamese coriander (sterile plant)
Vietnamese coriander is one of those numerous herbs
that give Vietnamese cuisine its unique touch. The herb is, though,
also used outside of Vietnam: It appears in Malaysian recipes and is
quite typical of the Singaporean cuisine.
In Vietnam, particularly in the South, fresh herbs are a conditio
sine qua non of food. A typical South Vietnamese noodle soup
(pho [phở])
is based on broth (often from chicken, pork or fish, or a combination
therefrom) with a variety of different ingredients, which usually include
small meat pieces, boiled and raw vegetables, fish balls, young
onion greens and fried garlic
slices. The soup is served with a large amount of additional flavorings,
which are left to the diner to finalize his soup:
lime wedges, mustard paste,
nuoc mam [nước mắm] fish sauce,
fresh red chile slices and a host of herbs
which are dipped into the soup using chopsticks and eaten together with a spoonful of soup.
Similarly, stir-fried meat and vegetables are never seen without generous
amounts of chopped herbs, and the same holds for the tasty Vietnamese sandwiches,
a colonial heritage. Since Vietnamese cooking is far less spicy than, for
example, Thai cooking, the herbs are indispensable for the true taste of
Vietnam.
Polygonum odoratum: Vietnamese coriander sprig
Vietnamese coriander sprig
The herb far most common for this purpose is coriander, whose ubiquitous occurrence in Vietnam
tends to frustrate Western tourists; second in demand are
long coriander and Vietnamese coriander.
Occasionally, mints, the
chameleon herb, perilla
and basil are used.
A herb limited to special applications is the rice
paddy herb. In Southern Vietnam, herbs are of more importance than in the
Chinese-influenced North. See Vietnamese Cinnamon
on North Vietnamese noodle soups.
Polygonum odoratum: Vietnamese coriander sprig
Vietnamese coriander sprig
In Malaysia, Vietnamese coriander is a common garnish for many kinds of foods,
only one example of which is the soupy noodle dish laksa,
which is native to the entire Malaysian peninsula, but most often
associated with the cuisine of Singapore. Singapore laksa
differs from related foods prepared in Malaysia mostly by the use of
coconut milk, which turns the originally clear
soup into a creamy, rich curry
dish.
Polygonum odoratum/Persicaria odorata: Vietnamese coriander shoot
Vietnamese coriander shoot
Polygonum odoratum: Vietnamese coriander sprig
Vietnamese coriander sprig
The native cuisine of Singapore is often referred to as Nonya cuisine,
where Nonya
refers to a people of mixed Malay and Chinese ancestry
also known as strait Chinese
; the correct form is
peranakan (baba for males and
nyonya for females). Their settlement in Malacca (South
Malaysia and Singapore) goes back to the voyages of the Chinese admiral
Zheng He [郑和]
in the early 15.th century. Vietnamese coriander plays an important rôle
in their cuisine. Singaporean laksa is made of boiled meat
(chicken is most common), sea food (fish, crabs) and a
variety of vegetables (bean sprouts, celery stalk,
cucumber). The seasoning is due to a spice paste (bumbu) made
from lemon grass, fresh
turmeric, galanga,
chiles, garlic
and shrimp paste (balacan, trassi).
Before serving, chopped Vietnamese coriander is
sprinkled over the bowl liberally; according to educated opinions from
Singapore, regular coriander would be a poor
surrogate.
Outside of South East Asia, Vietnamese coriander is virtually unknown. The only exception
to this is Manipuri cooking, which merges characterstics of both South East and South Asian
cuisines. See chameleon leaf for more.
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