Betel Leaf (Daun Kaduk)
May 29th, 2008 | Random | 34 Comments
I have been searching high and low for this herb and never thought I could get it here, so you could imagine how ecstatic I was when I finally found it in A Dong Market at Little Saigon here in Southern California. Well, sometimes it’s all about where to look!
Thanks to my friend B at Wandering Chopsticks (who told me it’s available in Little Saigon) and the friendly T&D at White On Rice Couple (who pointed me straight to the treasure), I now have access to this special ingredient that makes my mouth water just thinking about the possibilities: Malaysian Otak-Otak/fish custard wrapped with banana leaves, Nyonya Perut Ikan/stew preserved-fish stomach with vegetables (which sounds totally bizarre but very good), and the addictive Thai appetizer Mieng Kam (which is the reason why I fell in love with Thai food!). Such exotic and scrumptious culinary concoctions, made possible only by these little heart-shaped leaves. Amazing…
