Home Food & Receipts “The Magic of Giang Leaves: Unveiling Three Delicious Dishes Beyond the Classic...

Food & Receipts

“The Magic of Giang Leaves: Unveiling Three Delicious Dishes Beyond the Classic Chicken Combo”

12 November, 2024

Leaves of the giang plant are renowned for their myriad health benefits. This natural gift from Mother Nature boasts a plethora of advantageous properties.

Scientists have discovered that giang leaves contain small amounts of acidic compounds, lending them a sour taste, as well as abundant saponins. Consuming these leaves offers a range of benefits, including cooling and antibacterial effects, cough relief, anti-inflammatory action, detoxification, and diuretic properties.

Traditionally, people often pluck giang leaves to use as a vegetable, especially for making sour soups. This is because the leaves possess a natural sourness similar to tamarind or tomato.

Giang leaves are readily available in markets, supermarkets, vegetable shops, and online e-commerce platforms. They typically cost between 100,000 and 120,000 VND per kilogram.

Beyond the famous ga (chicken) and giang leaf hot pot, these leaves can be used in a variety of delicious dishes. Here are three mouthwatering recipes using giang leaves:

1. Ca (Fish) Soup with Giang Leaves

Select 3-5 pieces of your favorite fish (such as basa, red snapper, or keo fish), clean and cut them into chunks. Rinse the giang leaves and gently crush them. Boil water, add the fish along with seasonings to taste, and simmer. When the water boils again, add the giang leaves and adjust seasoning as needed.

This fish soup with giang leaves is not only delicious but also fortifies the bones and treats urinary tract infections, effectively alleviating symptoms like frequent and painful urination.

2. Chicken Soup with Giang Leaves

Prepare chicken pieces and giang leaves. Boil the chicken, skimming off any foam, and add the crushed giang leaves. Continue cooking until done, then add herbs and adjust seasoning. Serve hot.

The chicken absorbs the tangy freshness of the giang leaves, resulting in a mouthwatering, fragrant dish that pairs perfectly with steamed rice.

3. Buffalo Soup with Giang Leaves

Finely chop garlic; roast ginger, crush it, and extract the juice. Rub this juice onto the surface of the buffalo meat, and lightly grill the meat for enhanced flavor.

Marinate and stir-fry the meat until cooked, then transfer it to an earthenware pot and simmer until tender. Finally, add giang leaves and season to taste—a delicious meal that will have you asking for seconds!

Note: Giang leaves, like other sour leaves used in soups, should not be cooked in aluminum pots to prevent the acidic content from corroding the metal and increasing aluminum concentrations in the food, which can be harmful to health. Instead, use stainless steel or earthenware pots.