The La Mo plant (Paederia languinosa) is called
or
in Vietnam. It is popular
there as a vegetable, seasoning, and medicinal plant. It is odorless, but when eaten it develops a flavor that, with a little imagination, reminds you of
cheese.
This distinctive flavor comes from sulfur-containing compounds in the plant and has given it names like “cheese herb” or “cheese leaf” here. The suffix Lông can
be translated as “hairs” and refers to the fine hairs on the leaves.
You can find La Mo leaves packaged in the refrigerated section of very well-stocked Asian supermarkets. Your chances are better if the supermarket is run by
Vietnamese owners.
