Sour Senn Leaves in Phú Thọ – Culinary Specialty with the Flavor of the Ancestral Land

Phú Thọ, the origin of the Vietnamese people, is a place that has given birth to many enticing specialties. Once tasted, these delicacies are forever remembered. When people think of arrowhead tubers, they often associate them with dishes like roasted or boiled arrowheads. However, the leaves of the arrowhead plant, also known as senn leaves, are equally delicious. The arrowhead plant is a type of tuber crop originating from tropical regions. In Vietnam, it is predominantly grown in the northern provinces. The plant serves not only as a source of tubers but also produces tasty and clean edible leaves.

It is unclear when the people of Phú Thọ came up with the idea of pickling the tender senn leaves to create various dishes. Perhaps it originated during times of hardship and scarcity, such as wartime, when people had to use every part of the arrowhead plant to supplement their meals. Today, senn leaves have become a familiar dish in daily life, emerging as a famous specialty of the people of Phú Thọ.

Senn leaves may not be a high-end, aesthetically emphasized dish, but their preparation requires great care. The selection of senn leaves is not a simple task, as not all arrowhead plants produce edible leaves. The best type for pickling is the arrowhead plant with green leaves, used for both its leaves and tubers. The so-called “Chinese dwarf arrowhead,” with small, elongated leaves resembling bamboo leaves and a purple color, should be limited in use due to its high resin content, making it less suitable for pickling.

A distinctive aspect is that only the leaves from the sides of the arrowhead plants or those in the wild within the garden are picked for consumption. The leaves here are picked frequently, making them tenderer. Leaves are never picked from plants grown in open fields or on ridges intended for tuber harvesting, as it reduces the number of tubers and affects their quality.

Once the senn leaves are picked, about 2 to 3 leaf stems are retained from the top down. Afterward, the leaves are thoroughly cleaned and kneaded to remove the resin. This kneading process is crucial to bring out the flavor of the dish. The leaves must be skillfully kneaded to make them soft, with each leaf remaining intact, not fragmented into pieces. After kneading, the leaves are mixed with a bit of salt to enhance the flavor. This method helps the senn leaves to pickle faster and stay preserved for an extended period without becoming spoiled. Therefore, when adding salt, it must be done in moderation to prevent the leaves from being too salty, which could cause spoilage.


The leaves are left to pickle for about 4 to 5 days. Around 5 to 7 days later, the pickled senn leaves can be used to cook various dishes. Pickled senn leaves can be enjoyed alone with rice or cooked with other ingredients such as fish, pork trotters, or meat. When cooked with fish, a bit of seasoning is added, and the dish is simmered until it reaches a savory consistency. The longer the senn leaves are simmered, the better the flavor. This method allows the rich, delicious, sweet taste of pork trotters or fish to infuse into the senn leaves. Simultaneously, the sour taste of the senn leaves permeates the fish, eliminating the fishy smell and enhancing its aroma.

A small cooking tip is not to season the dish from the beginning to avoid excessive saltiness, as the senn leaves have already been salted to some extent. Therefore, seasoning should be done after cooking to ensure the correct balance.

Whether cooked with peanuts, pork trotters, or fish, or stir-fried with garlic and meat, every method produces special and delicious dishes. Senn leaves maintain their original, delicious flavor, a bit crisp, slightly bitter, and notably sour. Combined with other ingredients, they create a fascinating and unforgettable dish.

Despite its unattractive appearance, senn leaves are aromatic and delicious. Those who have had the opportunity to taste them are captivated and find it hard to forget this distinctive dish. Senn leaves also serve as a catalyst for nostalgia for those from Phú Thọ who are far away from their hometown, representing the most cherished and simple aspects of this land.

To meet the demand for everyone to enjoy the delicious sour taste of pickled senn leaves, the Agricultural Cooperative for Production and Processing of Agricultural Products Liên Gia Trang in Cẩm Khê, Phú Thọ, has introduced the product “Phú Thọ Specialty Pickled Senn Leaves.” This product, under the brand HTX Liên Gia Trang, has been certified by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, ensuring clear labeling of origin. The product is packaged in clean bags and can be stored in the refrigerator for about 20 days from the date it enters the market, making it suitable for consumption or as a gift. Currently, the product, with weights of 0.6 kg and 1.2 kg, is widely distributed within and outside the province, with prices ranging from 20,000 to 40,000 VND per bag.

For the people of Phú Thọ, senn leaves are not just a dish or a specialty but also a symbol of their homeland. For generations, senn leaves have become a familiar dish on the dining tables of the people in the midland region of Phú Thọ. No matter where they go, even far from their hometown, the people of this land always remember the simple and delicious senn leaf soup.

Many who have had the chance to taste this dish have praised it as the number one specialty of Phú Thọ. If you have the opportunity to visit the land of Hùng Vương, do not forget to enjoy this interesting Phú Thọ culinary dish and bring it back as a gift for family and friends to savor. The land of Phú Thọ is fragrant with hospitality, and the “Specialty Pickled Senn Leaves” is a simple gift carrying the rustic soul of the people of the ancestral land, presented to travelers from afar in each visit.