Tony Moody
NSW Agriculture

Asian and Exotic Vegetables
BETEL LEAVES

Piper sermentosum

Vietnamese: Lã Lôp

The leaves of the betel plant, sold in the market in bunches. Principal demand is in south-east Asian cooking, in which the leaves can be used as wrapping for spiced minced meat. In the Indian sub-continent, the leaves of a similar plant, also called betel (piper betle) are used as wrappers for ‘pan’, a roll of raw spices that are chewed slowly as a digestive and stimulant—a chewing gum substitute.

Growing conditions: Warm temperate—Queensland and northern New South Wales.