Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Fresh Pennywort Drink (Rau Ma)

This drink was made out of the pennywort that I planted a couple months ago. So refreshing and healthy!!!

Medicinal uses: Pennywort is used for purifying the blood and curing nervous conditions and is said to be 'good for the eyes'. It is also one of the herbs used in tonics to improve the memory. Eating 2 leaves each day is said to relieve the pain of arthritis and it is sold in plant nurseries as 'the arthritis herb'.

This drink also have a cooling effect on the body and great for the skin.



Ingredients:

Fresh pennywort (use enough to fill two blender)
3 bottle of cold water (60 oz)
9 tablespoon sugar


Methods:

1. Wash the pennywort and rinse it many times to get rid of the dirt. If the pennywort is too long then cut it shorter. Use every part of it except the roots.
2. Fill the blender with pennywort and 1 1/2 bottle of water. Blend it until it's smooth.
3. Strain the drink and place the blended leaves back into blender. Now fill the rest of the pennywort in to the blender and add in another 1 1/2 bottle of water. Blend it well.
4. Strain the drink mixture. Using your hand to squeeze out the liquid from the pennywort.
5. Strain again a second time and place some of the drink into a clean blender and add in 9 tablespoon sugar. Blend it until sugar dissolved.
6. Now mix the two liquid together stir to even out the flavor.
7. Serve as it is or with some ice. Refrigerate the left over.

Note: you can add as much pennywort as you want to make the drink more concentrated.

9 comments:

Ube said...

I live in Los Angeles, California and greatly appreciate if you can tell me where you got your pennyworth plant. Someone told me it is a good herb for arthritis and I have arhtritis which gives me a lot of joint discomfort. I am amazed with your tropical plants on your balcony as previously posted here. How do they survive the winter in Pennsylvania? Thank you again for your help and response.

Kristy said...

Ube,

I think if you visit one of those Asian supermarket they sometime bring it out to sell. I got it from a friend here in PA. It grows very fast and spread all over. I think I will sell some next year so those who want to get some can plant them too. It's not easy to find some of these plants in US.

As for the tropical fruits trees I just bring them in when the weather is around 50F. I have a morning room where there is some sunshine coming from different angles. As long as the house is not below 60F then the trees are ok. Also no over watering.

I know from a friend that there are nursery in Los Angeles. Maybe try to find one that sell asian tropicals or a Vietnamese store.

Good luck.

Ube said...

Thanks. I will touch base with you next year and I am very much interested in this pennywort plant. I am regular shopper at a Vietnamese store here but I do not recall seeing them. As for the tropical fruis, that is way too much work moving plants especially with my arthritic joint problems. I thank you much for your response.

Kristy said...

Ube,

If you're living in LA then it should not be a problem to plant the tropical fruit trees outside in the ground. My friends planted atemoya, longan, lychee, sapodilla, dragon fruit, guava....and some other one too. They are all in the ground. If you love tropical fruits then you can plant some too. I know they have nurseries that sell them there in LA.

superwoman said...

Hi Ch3rri,

i love ur blog. I come across your blog when i search for Peony.
How did you plant Peony flowers?
I live in Malaysia . I need Peony for my wedding bouquet. any suggestion.
Oh , the pennywort here has lots.the sell very cheap as i can get for RM1 only in night market.

Kristy said...

Thanks Inatiffany. Peony only bloom for a couple weeks at most here. It's very easy to grow them and they can be used for cut flowers. I bought them in bulbs and just planted them in the fall or spring. I think it should be easy to plant them in Malaysia and they might last longer too. I'm not sure about the bouquet. I saw on the web that a lot of people do use it for wedding. The flowers are quite big for some variety. Maybe you can use some unopened and one full bloom peoney for the center. The also have a tree peony..which might be stronger on the stem. But not sure if it's a double bloom or not. You can always ask the florist that sell the peoney.

I'm also planning for a wedding now. So stressful sometime. I will be using roses for my bouquet and cake. The centerpiece will be roses too.

superwoman said...

Hi Ch3rri,
I'm also stress about the hand bouquet. actually, i just can use roses too but very common. I like peony very much but here the sell it with higher price. thanks for your explanation.

when is the date of wedding?

Tentative, i need have three bouquet
1. colorful roses for solemnization day (ROM)
2. white calla lily (sanding' bride home)
3. peonies ( white) for outdoor photography.

KhinU Khine said...

Hi, where can you buy pennyworth plants in us. thanks.

Kristy said...

I'm not sure where you can buy the fresh leaves. I did saw them at some of the Asian supermakerts at the grocery section. If you live in Philly then you can go to the 6th & Washington.