Zhe'ergen

File:Houttuynia roots vegetable china.jpg

Zhe'ergen is often served as a cold salad after being washed, diced and tossed with sauces derived from vinegar, chilli, coriander and soy sauce.

Zhé'ěrgēn (Chinese: 折耳根) is the edible rhizome of Houttuynia cordata (Yuxingcao, 鱼腥草) with a fresh, spicy, peppery flavour that is used in southwestern Chinese cuisine, i.e. that of Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan and western Guangxi.

Culinary use

Notable uses include:

• part of the extensive fried rice cuisine of Guizhou
• a condiment to migan and mixian noodles when served in broth
• as a component of dipping sauces used with the Shiping and Jianshui tradition of barbecued tofu
• raw consumption as part of cold-tossed salads, when it is most frequently combined with coriander, vinegar, fresh chilli, and soy sauce.

The leaves are also a little peppery and are frequently consumed in the region.

See also

• Houttuynia cordata
• Rhizome
• Sichuan cuisine
• Yunnan cuisine