How To Grow Vietnamese Mint With Water | Cara Tanam Daun Kesum Dengan Air

After fresh basil, Vietnamese mint (Persicaria odorata) is my favourite culinary herb. It looks great in the garden, it's almost impossible to kill and tastes like a sly blend of fresh coriander, lime-leaf and green chilli.

It brings a nuanced authenticity to Asian dishes and is indispensable to Vietnamese cooking. Vietnamese mint can be used as a substitute for fresh coriander, but is more often used as herb in its own right.

IN THE GARDEN

Despite the common name, it is not exclusively native to Vietnam and nor is it even remotely related to the mints. It is instead a member of the knotweed family, which includes a number of very bothersome weeds. In line with this familial trait it is very easy to grow. Placed in water a stem will form roots within a couple of days and be ready for planting out within a week. It likes loamy, slightly acid soil and plenty of water in summer. As a common riverbank plant in its native range, Vietnamese mint is happy in full sun or partial shade. Although not at all frost hardy, Vietnamese mint can be grown in containers

and be brought indoors over winter. Winter growth tends to be prostrate but over the warmer months stems may reach 50cm, topped with pretty heads of tiny pink flowers. In warmer climates this species wastes little time in filling whole beds by way of creeping stems that send out roots from every leaf node. Fortunately, though, it is very shallow-rooted, so easily kept in check. Cut back hard after flowering. Fertilisers are not necessary, nor advisable, unless the leaves are starting to yellow.

IN THE KITCHEN

Young leaves can be added to soups like Vietnamese Pho and Malaysian Laksa (Laksa leaf is a common synonym) immediately before serving. Vietnamese mint is used exclusively as a fresh herb and remains in leaf year-round so there's no need for preserving.

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