Piper sarmentosum | |
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A Piper sarmentosum plant | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Magnoliids |
Order: | Piperales |
Family: | Piperaceae |
Genus: | Piper |
Species: | P. sarmentosum |
Binomial name | |
Piper sarmentosum | |
Synonyms | |
List
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Piper sarmentosum (lolot pepper, lolot, wild betel) is a plant in the family Piperaceae used in many Southeast Asian cuisines. The leaves are often confused with betel, [1] but they lack the intense taste of the betel leaves and are significantly smaller.
Piper lolot (lolot) is now known to be the same species. Under this name it is cultivated for its leaf which is used in Lao and Vietnamese cuisine as a flavoring wrap for grilling meats, namely the thịt bò nướng lá lốt in Vietnam. [2]
There is no "official" English name for it, but it is sometimes called wild betel. It is known as chaphlu (ชะพลู, pronounced [t͡ɕʰá.pʰlūː] ) or cha phlu (ช้าพลู, pronounced [t͡ɕʰáːpʰlūː] ) in Thai; phak i leut or pak eelerd (ຜັກອີ່ເລີດ) in Lao; and pokok kadok in Malay. In Vietnam, the local name of Piper lolot –lá lốt– is applied to P. sarmentosum also. It is also known as lolot pepper. [3] In Vietnamese it is called lá lốt (or sometimes in the South lá lốp). In Khmer, it is called japloo ចាព្លូ (or jeeploo ជីរភ្លូ), in Thai chaphloo ชะพลู, in Lao phak ee lert ຜັກອີ່ເລີດ (or phak nang lert ຜັກນາງເລີດ).
This plant is a perennial herb with creeping rhizomes, and a striped stem that grow to 40 cm high. Its leaves are thin, heart-shaped, and 8–10 cm long and 8–11 cm wide, with 5 main veins from the base of the blade, oil glands on the upper surface, and finely pubescent veins on its under side. Its petioles are 2.5–3 cm long. Erect white spikes of 1–2 cm long emerge at the axils. [4]
Piper sarmentosum is found from the tropical areas of Southeast Asia, Northeast India and South China, and as far as the Andaman Islands. Living collections of this taxon from the Andaman Islands is under ex situ conservation outside the islands at the Field Gene Bank of Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Trivandrum, India. It is a pre-tsunami accession. [5]
Piper sarmentosum leaves are sold in bunches and are usually eaten raw.
The practice of wrapping meat in vine leaves originated in the Middle East, which was taken to India by the Persians. [8] It was subsequently introduced by the Indians to Southeast Asia. However, grape vines do not grow well in tropical climates, so the Vietnamese started to use leaves of lolot instead. [8] It is native to the Indochinese region and recently introduced to the United States by Lao and Vietnamese immigrants. [3]
Piper sarmentosum leaves are used in traditional Asian medicines. [9] Chemical analysis has shown the leaves contain the antioxidant naringenin. [10] Amides from P. sarmentosum fruit have been shown to have anti-tuberculosis and anti-plasmodial activities. [11] It was tested against various bacteria species such as Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli , Vibrio cholerae and Streptococcus pneumoniae in 2010. [12]
Thai cuisine is the national cuisine of Thailand.
Vietnamese cuisine encompasses the foods and beverages originated from Vietnam. Meals feature a combination of five fundamental tastes : sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and spicy. The distinctive nature of each dish reflects one or more elements, which are also based around a five-pronged philosophy. Vietnamese recipes use ingredients like lemongrass, ginger, mint, Vietnamese mint, long coriander, Saigon cinnamon, bird's eye chili, lime, and Thai basil leaves. Traditional Vietnamese cooking has often been characterised as using fresh ingredients, not using much dairy or oil, having interesting textures, and making use of herbs and vegetables. The cuisine is also low in sugar and is almost always naturally gluten-free, as many of the dishes are rice-based instead of wheat-based, made with rice noodles, papers and flour.
Lao cuisine or Laotian cuisine is the national cuisine of Laos.
Glutinous rice is a type of rice grown mainly in Southeast East Asia, the northeastern regions of India and Bhutan which has opaque grains, very low amylose content, and is especially sticky when cooked. It is widely consumed across Asia.
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Persicaria odorata, with common names Vietnamese coriander, rau răm, laksa leaf, Vietnamese cilantro, phak phai, praew leaf, hot mint, Cambodian mint and Vietnamese mint, is an herb whose leaves are used in Southeast Asian and Northeast Indian cooking.
Bò nướng lá lốt or thịt bò lá lốt, bò lá lốt is a dish consisting of Vietnamese beef in lolot leaves, which are called "betel" leaves by some English magazines. The leaves smell spicy but have a medicinal taste. The food is often served or sold at barbecues, and is the 5th out of 7 courses in the multi-course meal Bò 7 món. There is a northern version called chả lá lốt using pork instead of beef and often pan-fried instead of grilled.
Lemon basil, hoary basil, Thai lemon basil, or Lao basil, is a hybrid between basil and American basil. The herb is grown primarily in northeastern Africa and southern Asia for its fragrant lemon scent, and is used in cooking.
Sesbania grandiflora, commonly known as vegetable hummingbird, katurai, agati, or West Indian pea, is a small leguminous tree native to Maritime Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. The flowers are commonly eaten in Southeast and South Asia.
Thai curry is a dish in Thai cuisine made from curry paste, coconut milk or water, meat, seafood, vegetables or fruit, and herbs. Curries in Thailand mainly differ from the curries in India in their use of ingredients such as fresh rhizomes, herbs, and aromatic leaves rather then a mix of dried spices.
Neptunia oleracea, commonly known in English as water mimosa or sensitive neptunia, is pantropical nitrogen-fixing perennial legume. Genus and common name come from Neptune, god of the sea, in reference to the aquatic habit of some species in the genus.
Miang kham is a traditional Southeast Asian snack from Thailand and Laos. It was introduced to the Siamese court of King Rama V by Princess Dara Rasmi. In Laos, most people call it miang. The name miang kham translates to 'one bite wrap', from miang and kham.
Senegalia pennata, is a species of plant which is native to South and Southeast Asia. It is a shrub or small tropical tree which grows up to 5 metres (16 ft) in height. Its leaves are bipinnate with linear-oblong and glabrous pinnules. Its yellowish flowers are terminal panicles with globose heads. The pods are thin, flat and long with thick sutures.
Kaeng som, gaeng som, Asam rebus, or Thai/Lao/Malaysian sour curry is a sour and spicy fish curry or soup with vegetables popular in Southeast Asia. The curry is characteristic for its sour taste, which comes from tamarind (makham). The recipe uses palm sugar to sweeten the curry.
Kaeng khae is a curry of northern Thai cuisine.
Kaeng tai pla is a curry of southern Thai cuisine. Its name is derived from tai pla, a salty sauce made from fermented fish entrails, which gives the curry a strong smell and flavor.
Nem nướng is Vietnamese grilled pork sausage or grilled meatballs, and a popular Vietnamese food item, sometimes served as an individual appetizer or snack, or served with rice noodles or rice as a main course. Nem nướng is a specialty of Khánh Hòa Province . Nem nướng is a rustic dish, originating from Ninh Hoa, a northern district of Khanh Hoa province, about 30 km from the coastal city.
Salads that are internationally known as Thai salads with a few exceptions fall into four main preparation methods. In Thai cuisine these are called yam, tam, lap and phla. A few other dishes can also be regarded as being a salad.
Markhamia stipulata is a species of plant in the family Bignoniaceae. It is native to South China and Southeast Asia. This species usually grows as a tall tree, reaching heights of 5–15 m. Stipulata thrives in sparsely treed areas, such as fields. Flowers are pale yellow to reddish brown.