Mac Khen is one of the famous spices of the Northwest mountains and forests. It is considered the "number one spice of the Northwest" - the soul of many delicious dishes of the Northwest region such as Cham Cheo, Buffalo jerky...

Mac Khen belongs to the anise family, grows naturally in the forest. Mac Khen trees are widely distributed in mountainous provinces, appearing in many provinces such as Son La, Lai Chau, Dien Bien .

Mac Khen trees usually grow at an altitude of 500-1,500m above sea level. This is a woody plant 14-18m high, with a straight trunk and thorny bark.

Mac Khen flowers grow in clusters and are grey in colour. Mac Khen flowers bloom from June to July, then bear fruit. Mac Khen fruit ripens from October to November. When harvesting, people pick the whole bunch and bring it home to dry or dry it on the stove for later use.

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Young mac khen fruit is green. (Photo: Dan Viet)

The young mac khen fruit is green, gradually turning black when ripe. The mac khen fruit is relatively round, has spikes, and is about the size of a young peppercorn.

Fresh Mac Khen is more delicious but difficult to preserve. Therefore, people often dry Mac Khen fruit, store it in a sealed glass jar for year-round use. Each time, just take enough for 1-2 months, then roast it for 3-5 minutes until fragrant, let it cool and grind it into a fine powder before using. Mac Khen needs to be carefully preserved to prevent loss of smell.

Mac Khen has a mild aroma, not as strong as pepper, not as spicy as chili, but creates a tingling sensation on the tip of the tongue when tasted. In addition to being used as a seasoning, they are also used to mix dipping sauces.

In the past, ethnic people went into the forest to pick mac khen fruit to make salt or spices in traditional dishes. At that time, mac khen was rarely sold. If it was sold, it was very cheap, only 5,000-20,000 VND/kg.

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Mac Khen is one of the famous spices of the Northwest mountains. (Photo: Nguoi Dua Tin)

Mac Khen is widely used in the cuisine of the highland people, it is an indispensable spice in the meals of the people of the Northwest. It is used to marinate grilled dishes such as grilled fish, grilled chicken, grilled meat... to remove the fishy smell and increase the attractiveness of the dish.

Mac Khen is also used in many other dishes such as frying, stewing; marinating dried meat, smoked meat, and adding to dipping sauces. Mac Khen is also used to dip sticky rice. In particular, this is also an indispensable ingredient in the specialty of the Northwest people - cham cheo.

However, like any spice, when using it, you should only use it in moderation. Because overusing it can make the dish bitter, making the taste of the mac khen too strong, overpowering the natural flavor of the dish.

Nowadays, the number of mac khen trees in the forest is getting less and less. Many people have grown mac khen trees in their fields to harvest.

Mac Khen is not cheap. Dried Mac Khen costs up to 300,000-350,000 VND/kg.

Wild spices that were once cheap as free suddenly became expensive. Previously, these spices were only a few thousand to a few tens of thousands of VND per kilogram, or even given away for free. But now, they have become expensive, some of which cost up to several million VND per kilogram.