FoundationsPantry study 17 of 27
Vietnamese Coriander (Rau Ram)
Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia
About this ingredient
Draft reference. This study is part of the cookbook’s foundations and is still being checked. Local names and cultural notes in particular are the author’s working text, pending verification, rather than settled fact.
- Where it is used
- Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia
- Flavour and aroma
- Peppery, citrusy, faintly soapy-herbaceous; more pungent than cilantro.
- How it is used
- Raw in Vietnamese salads and with hột vịt lộn; the defining herb of asam laksa (daun kesum).
- How to select
- Bright, narrow pointed leaves with reddish stems; no yellowing.
- Storage
- Refrigerate stems in a damp paper towel, 4–5 days.
- Substitutions
- Cilantro plus a little mint approximates freshness (not the pepperiness).
- Allergens
- None common.
Names and contextPending verification
The two fields below are drafted and not yet confirmed. They are shown because they are useful, and labelled because they are not final.
- Local names
- Viet: rau răm; also known as laksa leaf / daun kesum in Malay
- Cultural notes
- Note the double identity: rau răm in Vietnam and daun kesum in laksa; same plant, different culinary roles.
The Complete Edition
Vietnamese Coriander (Rau Ram) in the book
This study is one of twenty-seven that open The Southeast Asian Table, before the eleven country chapters and the hundred recipes they carry.
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