Rau ram

Persicaria odorata · Herb

40 pairings

Rau ram, also called Vietnamese coriander or Vietnamese mint, is the fragrant leaves and tender stems of Persicaria odorata, a sprawling perennial herb of the knotweed family used raw across Southeast Asia. Its scent is a distinctive mix of coriander (cilantro), citrus and warm pepper, with a peppery, slightly soapy bite that builds on the palate.

Picking a good onedrag

Just cut, sprigs stiff and standingLimp, blackened and slimy

Shop freshAn everyday raw herb with no dose limit; provenance is the question. Buy it sold as food, not as garden foliage or cut from a ditch, and wash it well.Everyday best

Where it came fromYour own pot, struck from a food-grade cutting

The leafGreen but relaxed, an odd bruised edge

Stems and node collarsStems bend before they snap, cut ends pale

The liftSags, then springs back when you shake it

Smell at a bruised leafClear and bright once you bruise a leaf

What to look for, from just cut, sprigs stiff and standing to limp, blackened and slimy.

Preparing