The vegetable that used to be cheap, was a dish for the poor, is now a specialty on the street, 100,000 VND/kg

Jiaogulan is a rare and precious ancient medicinal herb used with many medicinal uses. In addition, it is also a specialty vegetable that has been “hunted” by city people for a long time.

Jiaogulan is a species of tree that grows wild in sparse forests with low humidity and cold climates such as Korea, Japan, and China. They have the following characteristics: herbaceous plants with thin, brittle stems, climbing by simple coiled tendrils in the leaf axils, with separate male and female plants; leaves are like compound leaves, closed propeller-shaped, dark green; The flowers grow in clusters with a panicle, the flowers are small, white, the petals are spread apart, forming a star. The anthers in the flower stick to the disc, the ovary has 3 stigmas; The fruit is spherical, 5 – 9mm in size, when ripe, the fruit is black.

Based on the characteristics of leaves, this vegetable is divided into 3 types: 3 leaves, 5 leaves and 7 leaves. Each type has different characteristics, efficiency and cost are also different.

In Vietnam, Jiaogulan is found in the Fansipan mountains of Sa Pa (Lao Cai) and limestone mountains in Hoa Binh province. Ms. Nhu Loan (31 years old, Hoa Binh) – a regular customer of this vegetable said: “Giao co lam is a vegetable for the poor in our countryside in the past. Remember back then, we used to invite They went to the limestone mountains to pick fresh tops and leaves for their mother to process into delicious dishes such as stir-fry or soup.My mother said that Jiaogulan vegetables that grow naturally should be clean, delicious and have nutritional value. high, good for health.

In Vietnam, Jiaogulan is found in the Fansipan mountains of Sa Pa (Lao Cai) and limestone mountains in Hoa Binh province.

After that, everyone’s life was better, few people went to pick vegetables to eat. And in the past few years, they have suddenly become a specialty that many people hunt for while treating diseases and making vegetables.”

According to Ms. Nhu Loan, because the market has many customers who like Jiaogulan, people in Hoa Binh (Mrs. Nhu Loan’s hometown) have taken advantage of picking this vegetable to sell. They harvest leaves and vines all year round, which can be used fresh or dried. The most popular type of Jiaogulan is still the 5-leaf type.

“After being harvested, they will wash the vegetables to clean the soil, sand and dirt, cut them into small pieces and dry them in the sun. In many places, there are gold stars to make the medicinal herbs smell better and preserve them longer. .

After processing, they carefully pack them into sealed bags, keep them in a cool, dry place, avoid water, and avoid termites. In addition, many places also harvest vegetables to make medicinal powders or used as ingredients in Western medicines and functional foods,” said Ms. Nhu Loan.

Stir-fried Jiaogu Lam is extremely delicious and nutritious.

According to Ms. Nhu Loan, some people in her hometown still go to the mountains to pick tops and young leaves to sell on social networks. And after just a few minutes of posting, they sold out a few pounds of vegetables at a very low price.

“Currently, on the market, Jiaogulan costs from about 250,000 to 300,000 VND/kg of dried fruit; 100,000 VND/kg of Jiaogulan vegetables, etc. It’s expensive, but city people still dare to spend to enjoy the dish. This is both delicious and nutritious,” said the Hoa Binh woman.

Stir-fried Jiaogu Lam with Garlic

The dish has a slightly bitter taste, plus a sweet taste that makes you remember this taste forever. With this dish, just stir-fry is as simple as a normal stir-fry.

Jiaogulan egg soup

The processing is simple but the taste has a strange bitter taste. You just need to boil water, add the Jiaogulan leaves, then beat 1 egg.

The sweet and slightly bitter taste of Jiaogulan combined with the aromatic and fatty taste of eggs will create a very strange soup.

“Jiao gu lam has many great uses such as nourishing the body, anti-inflammatory, clearing heat, stabilizing blood fat …”, Ms. Nhu Loan said.