Vietnamese Names: Ngổ Ôm, Rau Ôm, Rau Ngổ

Common Culinary Name: Rice Patty Herb

Botanical Family & Name: Plantaginaceae, Limnophilia Aromatica or Chinensis

Vegetative Description: Thin, spongy stems have small fine hairs.

Native Habitat & Ecology: South East Asia.  Flooded rice fields, swamps,  warm watery environments.

Tasting Notes: Refreshing lemon, cumin

Culinary Uses: Most commonly used to cook in Sour Fish Soup (Canh Chua). Rice patty herb comes from a family of many other aquatic ornamental plants that bear the same scientific name.  Scientific names can often be often be used for other similar plants, particularly with the same species.  For the Limnophilia Aromatica plant that is used specifically in Việt cuisine, it should come from a source that is familiar with the Việt culinary variety.  You don’t want to accidentally buy the variety used to decorate fish tanks!

Medicinal Uses: Has diuretic properties & used externally to treat insect & snake bites.

Propagation: Very easy from cuttings in water.  Loves warm, humid and wet growing conditions to establish well.

Other Names: Shui fu wong (Mandarin), Seui Fa (Cantonese)