with citronellal, which gives them an intense, fresh, lingering lemon-green character distinct from that of sweeter citral-flavored lemongrass (with which it’s often cooked) Citronellal is named for citronella, its original and main source, which is a sister species to lemongrass (Cymbopogon winterianus) Nasturtium The flowers, leaves, and immature fruits of the familiar South American native Tropaeolum major all have a pungency like that of watercress, and enliven salads Nightshade Nightshade is a relative of the potato, Solanum torvum, which grows into a small and short-lived tree It’s a native of the West Indies, but is now found throughout tropical Asia Its small berry-like fruits are intensely bitter, and are used in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia to contribute just that quality to sauces and salads Rau Ram Rau ram is the Vietnamese name for a sprawling herb in the buckwheat family known in English as fragrant knotweed, and now as Vietnamese cilantro Polygonum odoratum is a native of Southeast Asia whose leaves mix the aromas of coriander and lemon with a slightly peppery taste It’s often paired with mint, and eaten fresh with many foods Rice-Paddy Herb Rice-paddy herb is an aquatic plant in the snapdragon family, Limnophila chinensis ssp aromatica, a native of Asia and the Pacific islands, whose small leaves are used in Southeast Asian fish dishes, soups, and curries, especially in Vietnam It has a lemony but complex aroma produced by small quantities of a citrusy terpene and the main ingredient of perilla (perillaldehyde) Rose Flowers Roses, mainly from the Eurasian hybrid Rosa x damascena, have been used for millennia from the Middle East through Asia, usually dried or in the form of ... leaves mix the aromas of coriander and lemon with a slightly peppery taste It’s often paired with mint, and eaten fresh with many foods Rice-Paddy Herb Rice-paddy herb is an aquatic plant in the snapdragon... plant in the snapdragon family, Limnophila chinensis ssp aromatica, a native of Asia and the Pacific islands, whose small leaves are used in Southeast Asian fish dishes, soups, and curries, especially... Vietnam It has a lemony but complex aroma produced by small quantities of a citrusy terpene and the main ingredient of perilla (perillaldehyde) Rose Flowers Roses, mainly from the Eurasian hybrid Rosa x damascena, have been