Vegetable fern is an abundant source of food for the highland people.

It usually grows in mountainous areas or on the banks of streams and creeks, under low forest canopy with high humidity, humid places and lack of sunlight. In some places, vegetable fern grows in wide patches under the shady forest trees. The leaves are smooth green, the leaves grow alternately, the shape of a spear, the part of the trunk is shaped like an elephant's trunk. Leaves are used in cooking, making many delicious dishes.. 

This vegetable has the scientific name of Diplazium esculentum, is a herbaceous plant, average height 50 - 70 cm, like a fern, but the leaves are smaller, the more you pick, the more the plant grows. Vegetable fern contains up to 86% water, has many nutrients. According to Oriental medicine, coriander has cool, diuretic, anti-constipation properties and stops the dull pain caused by colitis. Regular use of vegetable fern helps you sleep easily, the body is comfortable and healthy, so it is very popular with the ethnic minorities and cilantro is one of the vegetables - precious medicine in the mountains. Eating vegetable fern will make the blood circulate, detoxify and cool down in the hot season, the mucus in the leaves has a laxative effect and soothes back pain. Vegetable fern has cool, diuretic, anti-constipation properties, stops the dull pain caused by colitis, helps to sleep easily, sleeps deeply, and helps the body stay healthy. Vegetable fern is a healthy dish that, together with other vegetables and fruits, can help mountainous ethnic people have health and endurance to endure frost and wind. Branches and leaves of vegetable fern can be dried and used to cook cooling drinks.

Many attractive dishes are made from vegetable fern leaves.

Vegetable ferns are an abundant source of food. From vegetable fern, people processed many rustic dishes increasing the quality of daily life and attractive dishes entertaining guests or as gifts brought back. In addition, forest vegetable fern is boiled to eat rice, cilantro stir-fried with garlic, coriander soup, coriander salad...

The dishes prepared from this vegetable are always attractive, people who have once tasted will certainly not forget the aftertaste of rustic mountains. Therefore, in the past, vegetable fern were vegetables for the mountainous compatriots, but now, according to the trend of people favoring forest vegetables, vegetables are processed, cooked with seafood dishes, and become the specialties of restaurants serving tourists in all regions.

Nowadays, vegetable fern has become specialty in the city, even present in luxury restaurants, vegetable fern has become specialty, is the clean vegetable that restaurants always pay attention on the menu. In some districts of Lao Cai, such as Sa Pa, Bac Ha, and Van Ban, vegetable fern appears on the tables of restaurants, hotels and homstays, serving the culinary needs of tourists near and far. Locals are very proud to introduce to the diners the attractive dishes made from vegetable fern.