Go To Muong So To Enjoy Specialty…Ngon Leaves
(Gelsemium elegans leaves)
Everyone knows that the Gelsemium elegans is a very poisonous leaf. However, in Muong So (Lai Chau), people planted them in the garden to use as a favorite dish, even an indispensable specialty on the food tray on New Year’s Day.
Non-toxic?
If you are lucky enough to be in the highland market, you can easily catch la ngon sold as vegetables in lowland markets. Mentioning about the la ngon (Gelsemium elegans), many people shudder because of its toxicity, just eating three leaves is enough to poison the body after a few minutes. But with the white Thai in Muong So commune, these leaves are stir-fried with garlic and onion are considered “dish of heaven”, which you never can find in Hanoi street food.
According to the elders here, non-toxic gelsemium elegans leaves have been discovered long ago. This leaf is very delicious, has a special aroma, so the people went into the forest to pick this leaf. Later, people take the tree trunk to plant in the garden to eat as a unique specialty.
The love story
These non-poisonous leaves are attached to the love story of a Thai couple in the village. They fell in love with each other when cutting grass on the field. Unfortunately, the love was not accepted by the girl’s parents and even they disparaged the poor orphan boy.
So miserable, the couple decided to find the gelsemium elegans leaves to suicide. They grasped each other hands and ate these leaves in the hills beyond the Muong So village. But strangely, when chewing the leaves, they did not feel any expression of death, only a very strange taste – bitter and acrid.
The delicious dish
When comparing two types of la ngon, the villagers found that the edible leaves also climb up a tree as inedible leaves. however, the edible leaves are rounder, shorter and bigger than the inedible leaves. In addition, the flowers of the inedible tree are usually blooming in the period from June to October, while the edible are blooming on the occasion of the Lunar New Year.
White Thai in Muong So uses the leaves and flowers of this Gelsemium elegans tree to boil, cook or make stir-fried vegetables. This dish became popular and familiar in the meals of the villagers. In particular, the leaves always appear on their food tray on the Tet holidays as an indispensable dish.
It is difficult to describe its deliciousness. The stir-fried leaves have a sweet smell like wild vegetables, but they are more fragrant and sweeter. If the leaves are used to pack the sour meat, it will be very delicious.
In the first time when the tourists of Vietnam food tour sit in front of the dish of Gelsemium elegans leaves, they inevitably feel frightened and not want to eat. But when the body is warmed up by the cup of hot corn wine, the piece of Gelsemium elegans leaves becomes something that makes the meal strangely charm.
The festival Kin Lau Khau Mau (culinary festival) of the Muong So on spring day must certainly have these leaves. This is an opportunity for the people to thank gods, ancestors for blessing a bumper crop.
If you have a chance to visit Muong So, it is excellent to follow a Vietnam cooking class to make this charming dish yourselves.