Gnetum gnemon
Gnetum gnemon is a species of Gnetum native to Southeast Asia and Melanesia. The subspecies Gnetum gnemon var. griffithii is edemic to Vietnam. Its young leaves are harvested as a vegetable, and is called rau bép.
- Family: Gnetaceae
- Genus: Gnetum
- Species: G. gnemon
- Subspecies: Gnetum gnemon var. griffithii
- Vietnamese name: rau bép, rau nhíp
In Central Highlands of Vietnam, the local ethnic people use the gnetum leaves both as a leaf vegetable and a medicinal herbs. The plant is also cultivated as a vegetable in some areas of Lâm Đồng, and Bình Phước provinces.
Culinary uses
The rau bép becomes a delicacy vegetable in some restaurants in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. The gnetum leaves can be cooked in soups, in hot pot dishes, or stir-fried with chicken offal, or with beef.
