Fern is a type of wild vegetable used as an ingredient in cooking quite popularly in the North, found in many provinces such as Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen, Lao Cai, Tuyen Quang..., even appearing in Thanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Gia Lai.

They grow naturally in mountainous areas or in streams, streams, under low forest canopies with high humidity and lack of sunlight. This type of tree is suitable for wild environments so it is difficult to grow.

fern Hong Tham.jpg
Fern is distributed in many provinces in the North, also appearing in the Central region but most popular in Tuyen Quang. Photo: Hong Tham
At first glance, fern looks quite similar to a fern but has a larger stem, wider canopy, is lush green and can be processed into food. Photo: Dang Phuong Anh

Ms. Minh Huyen - owner of a restaurant specializing in serving Northwest specialties in Tuyen Quang City said that although it is available all year round, local people only choose to harvest fern during the rainy season. Because at this time, the vegetable is the greenest and most lush.

Fern is usually picked, gathered into bunches, and sold for 30,000-40,000 VND/kg, depending on the location.

After being picked, fern is often dried in the sun until wilted. This method helps reduce the viscosity of the vegetable while still maintaining its crispness and deliciousness during cooking.

“Rau don is easy to wilt and bruise, so people do not store it but pick it as needed. This vegetable can be eaten from the young stage, with stems that curve like an elephant’s trunk, until the leaves are fully grown, with the surface of the leaves still shiny and less slimy than the trunk stems.

The interesting thing is that the more you pick the fern, the more it grows, and the plant will produce many new stems. This vegetable is usually only picked on rainy days, but when it is hot and dry, the lack of humidity makes the vegetable age quickly, become harder and more astringent to eat," said Ms. Huyen.

Fern is a popular ingredient in many northern provinces. Source: May Kim Dao Do

According to Ms. Huyen, fern can be transformed into many delicious and unique dishes such as stir-fried with garlic, hot pot, stir-fried with sour bamboo shoots, stir-fried with papaya flowers or stir-fried with fermented rice... but the most popular and favorite is fern salad.

Fern leaves are a bit slimy, so before cooking, people often blanch them in boiling water or dry them in the sun until they wilt.

To make a delicious salad, people choose the young shoots and leaves, then wash them, blanch them in boiling water and drain.

Next, prepare the salad ingredients such as lemon, chili, crushed roasted peanuts, fish sauce (or salt, seasoning powder), sugar. The fish sauce is mixed sweet and sour, seasoned to taste.

Mix the fern with the dipping sauce, wait about 15-20 minutes for the dish to absorb the spices, then sprinkle roasted peanuts on top and enjoy.

Fern salad Le Trieu Duong.jpg
Fern salad is a refreshing dish loved by many families in the North. Photo: Le Trieu Duong

Depending on the place and personal preference, instead of mixing it with dipping sauce, people can stir-fry the fern with a little lard or cooking oil, then season and mix well.

Fern salad has a sour, sweet, spicy taste, with a characteristic aroma of the vegetable. When eating, diners will feel the crunchiness and refreshing, strange taste.

stir-fried fern with garlic My Loc.jpg
A note when preparing fern is not to cook it for too long on the fire, as this will not only lose its beautiful green color but also create a lot of slime and a pungent taste that is difficult to eat. Photo: My Loc

According to physician Bui Dac Sang, Hanoi Oriental Medicine Association, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, in many provinces, fern is considered the "king of vegetables". This vegetable grows naturally so it does not have pesticides or growth stimulants.

Not only is it an ingredient for making delicious dishes, fern is also considered a "miracle drug" that brings many health benefits.

In Oriental medicine, fern has cooling properties, is diuretic, prevents constipation, and reduces dull pain caused by colon.

Regular use of this vegetable also helps you sleep easily, sleep deeply, support blood circulation, detoxify and cool down in hot weather. The mucus in the leaves of the fern also has a laxative effect and relieves back pain.

Although its ugly, strange appearance makes many diners wary, mudskippers are a unique specialty in Ca Mau, processed into many delicious dishes that not everyone has the opportunity to enjoy.