Vietnamese balm
베트남 밤 / 낀저이
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Photo: Fagus · Public domain · Original file (Wikimedia Commons)
It looks like mint, but rub a leaf and a lemon scent rises up. It's one of the basic fresh herbs of Vietnamese cooking. It has lemon and mint aromas with a little heat.
Flavor and aroma
- It has a lemon scent with mint, and a slightly spicy, sharp taste.
Fun facts
- Its flowers grow on only one side of the stem, like a comb, so it's also called "comb mint."
- In the US it's known as "crested late-summer mint."
In the kitchen
Raw
- Serve it on a Vietnamese herb plate with other herbs, or add it to salads.
Drinks
- Add a leaf to tea for a lemon note.
Cooking
- Use it to give meat dishes (beef, chicken) and soups a lemon aroma.
Goes well with
BeefChickenRice noodlesFish sauceOther Vietnamese herbs
Season
We're still checking the season. We'll add it once we find a source.
Details
- Korean name
- 베트남 밤 / 낀저이
- English names
- Vietnamese balm, Vietnamese lemon mint
- Scientific name
- Elsholtzia ciliata
- Family
- Lamiaceae
- Genus
- Elsholtzia
- Other names and notes
- Vietnamese: kinh giới
Show sources for this page
References for this herb
- Wikipedia
- Academia Journal of Biology(베트남, 2023)
- Go Botany
- Vietnamese Food Recipes
Name and classification
Photo
Fagus · Public domain · Original file (Wikimedia Commons)