Wild Betel Pepper Leaves

The leaves of the wild betel pepper (Piper sarmentosum) are popular in Southeast Asian cuisines for seasoning soups and curries, for wrapping meat or other ingredients, or simply as a side dish. The wild betel pepper is a climbing plant that thrives throughout Southeast Asia. It grows creeping along the ground and has shiny, dark green leaves.

The plant is not related to the true betel plant (Piper betle), but is often confused with it. Wild betel pepper leaves can occasionally be found in the refrigerated section of Asian supermarkets. In English-speaking countries, the plant is sometimes called “Thai pepper leaf” or “Lot leaf”, and the common name is “Wild Betel”.

In northern Thailand, they are called “Bai Khae” (ใบแค), while in the rest of the country they are known as “Bai Cha Plu” ( ใบชะพลู ). In Vietnam, they are called “Lá Lốt” or in the south also “Lá Lốp”. In Laos, they are called “Phak ee lert” (ຜັກອີ່ເລີດ) or “Phak Nang Lert” (ຜັກນາງ), while in Cambodia they are called “Jeeploo” (ជីរភ្លូ).

Although wild betel pepper leaves are often used to wrap other ingredients, you can also use them as a regular leafy vegetable in curries and soups. For example, in northern Thailand, there is a dish called “Gaeng Khae”. This is a curry without coconut milk—you could also call it a soup—in which the leaves are used and give the dish its name. Confusingly, there are also Gaeng Khae recipes without the leaves.

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