Vietnamese Coriander

This powerful, tart, peppery herb has slender, delicate leaves with distinct, V-shaped dark patches. The Vietnames use cupfuls of the whole leaves in salads, like the Vietnamese chicken salad, also usually served with clams and other shellfish. Malaysians chop it finely and sprinkle it atop bowls of laksa noodle soup. Use this herb sparingly, so as not to overwhelm the rest of the flavors of a dish. Thai: phak phai, phrik maa, chan chom, hom chan; Vietnamese: rau răm; Malay: daun laksa