Vietnamese mint, Rau Răm, Persicaria odorata

Rau ram is indispensable in Vietnamese and Thai recipes and tastes spicy and peppery.

It plant likes dappled shade and moisture; otherwise it is easy to grow. Vietnamese mint is pretty,  grows fast and colonises a patch quickly. In the Upper Mountains this herb will die back in winter and reemerge in spring. It can be grown in pots too. Culinary uses: Commonly eaten raw in salads, in duck-related dishes and on most common herb plates. Medicinal: Used to treat indigestion, stomach aches, ulcers, wounds and swelling. Believed to have the ability to reduce fertility.