Limnophila aromatica

Limnophila aromatica - RICE PADDY HERB – Rau om, Rau ngo (Vietnamese) An aromatic small leafed herb used fresh in Vietnam to garnish and flavor soups & curries. It is native to Southeast Asia, where it flourishes in hot temperatures.

It can be grown in containers or pond edges with no more than a few centimetres of water over the soil (particularly in flooded rice fields). Needs protection from frost, available all year.

Limnophila aromatica has a flavor and aroma reminiscent of both lemon and cumin. It is used most often in Vietnamese cuisine, where it is called ngò ôm. It is an ingredient in canh chua, a sweet and sour seafood soup which also includes tamarind, and is sometimes also added as an accompaniment to the popular Vietnamese noodle soup called pho.