Text 11110, 109 rader
Skriven 2008-07-26 19:33:00 av JIM WELLER (1:123/140)
Ärende: Viet herbs 1
====================
A series of articles from my friend simon:

MMMMM-----Meal-Master - formatted by MMCONV  2.10

     Title: Plectranthus Amboinicus
Categories: Info, Herbs, Vietnamese
  Servings: 1 text file

        cn Day La
           Tan Day La
           Cuban Oregano
           Spanish Thyme
           Broad leaf Thyme

I have come across an herb, an herb of my childhood which I haven't
seen or smelled or tasted in years and years. From what I've been
able to piece together in the last two days, it must not be a
commonly used herb. But it must be slightly known on a global
scale. It's known somewhat in Western cuisines, in the Caribbean, in
East and SE Asian cuisines, and maybe even more widely than that.

It's Latin or botanical name is Plectranthus amboinicus. And it has
a botanical synonym, Coleus amboinicus. And I can see a kind of
similarity between it and the Coleus plants from Home Depot's summer
annuals assortment. But it also has a really wide range of names in
other languages:

Chinese: Zuo shou xiang, or Yin du bo he, or Dao shou xiang
English: Country borage, Cuban oregano, French thyme, Indian borage,
Indian mint, Mexican mint, Soup mint, Spanish thyme
French: Coleus d'Afrique, Plecanthrus aromatique
German: Cubanisher Oregano, Jamaican Thymian
Japanese: Koreusu anboinikusu, Kuuban oregano
Malay: Daun kucing, Daun kambing, Daun bangun-bangun
Russian: Plektrantus aromatnyi
Spanish: Oregano
Cuban Spanish: Oregano frances, Oregano de la tierra, Oreganon
Dominican Spanish: Oregano poleo
Vietnamese: Tan day la

As you might guess from the names, this herb is not at all any of
the plants commonly known in English as borage, oregano, thyme,
mint, etc. The English apparently think the plant is French or Cuban
or Indian, Mexicans think it's Spanish, the French think it's
African, Germans think it's Cuban or Jamaican, Japanese think it's
Cuban or Korean, Cubans think it's French, a nd no one in Vietnam
ever cared where it comes from; they just call it Big Leaf Tan.

A bit of research suggests that most English speaking herbalists and
gardeners and perhaps cooks call the plant either Spanish Thyme or
Cuban Oregano. Though it's not any actual form of thyme or oregano.

The plant variety I came across on Friday night looks like this image:

http://140.127.10.49/agrm/agrm/simple/lab1.htm

But I've now learned there is also a variegated variety, one that is
suggestive of a Coleus plant; images and some culinary information
about it here:

http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/pleamboinicus.htm

The plant is indeed, as described, fleshy, tender, seemingly
fragile; almost like a tender succulent. Just like Coleus, with
those fleshy delicate (very non-woody) stems. When I was given a few
leaves I cupped my hands around them and sniffed deeply, and was
startled to realize how much like Thyme the plant smelled. And also
reminiscent of Oregano. Two surprises. One, Vietnamese seem to avoid
Thyme and I never see anybody growing or using it. Two, it was an
aroma or scent I recognized from childhood. It's one of those scents
that can trigger instant recognition and a rush of memory.

There was a battle of the sexes going on, with an elderly woman
telling me that plant is "Tan O," which sounds like "Ton Oh," but
which I knew to be incorrect. In Vietnamese, Tan O are chrysanthemum
greens, grown as cooking greens instead of for flowers. As dismal
and "over-flavored" as any cooking green can get. Try eating some of
that, you will no longer be surprised that one can make potent
insecticides out of chrysanthemum greens. It was the male Elderly
Venerable who told me this is Tan Day La. Which indeed is the right
name for it.

I am guessing that the reason I do not ever see any Tan Day La for
sale in Viet markets is the thing would just be far too perishable.
It's so tender, I just imagine it withering within minutes of being
cut - can't imagine transporting that thing any distances, not even
under refrigeration. The folks who gave me the Tan Day La leaves are
growing it in containers out on a tiny concrete patio behind the
house.

A bit of Googling suggests that most English speakers who know the
plant say it's commonly used in Cuban cuisine. Some say that SE
Asian Indians use it medicinally. A few assert it's from Africa, one
says it grows wild throughout Malaysia.


  From: Simon Bao                       
 
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Cheers

YK Jim


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