King’s Salad, also known as Sea Purslane, Beach Purslane, and Dried Purslane, originates from Jiangsu Province, China, according to Arttimes. Currently, this vegetable is widely cultivated in various regions, including Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, and Ha Tinh in Vietnam. King’s Salad can be harvested approximately two months after planting.
King’s Salad: From a “Royal” Dish to a Popular Food
In the past, King’s Salad was considered a rare delicacy, reserved for emperors and the aristocracy, often used as tribute to the royal court, hence the name “King’s Salad.” Today, this vegetable has become a common food in many households, prepared in a variety of ways.
This vegetable can be found in markets, supermarkets, clean vegetable stores, and online marketplaces, available in two main forms: fresh and dried. The price of fresh King’s Salad ranges from 35,000 to 40,000 VND per kilogram, while dried varieties are priced between 300,000 to 600,000 VND per kilogram.
This vegetable is available in markets, supermarkets, clean vegetable stores, and online marketplaces, in two main forms: fresh and dried. (Image source: Internet).
Nutritional Value and Health Benefits of King’s Salad
King’s Salad is highly regarded for its nutritional content, containing over 20 types of essential minerals and amino acids for the body, such as protein, pectin, vitamins, calcium, iron, zinc, carotene, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, and many trace elements. According to a study in China, King’s Salad is one of the strongest antioxidant foods.
With its rich nutritional content, King’s Salad offers numerous health benefits, including cooling the body, detoxifying, enhancing skin beauty, anti-aging, supporting digestion and cardiovascular health, improving memory, and promoting longevity. Notably, this vegetable is excellent for pregnant women and fetal development. Many studies indicate that phytonutrients found in King’s Salad help inhibit tumor growth.
Based on traditional medicine, King’s Salad is also known for various health benefits, including enhancing spleen function, nourishing the brain, stabilizing mood, detoxifying the body, aiding weight loss, preventing cancer, controlling blood pressure, improving cardiovascular health, enhancing blood supply, and supporting digestion.
Regular consumption of King’s Salad can contribute to longevity and improve overall health. (Image source: Internet).
Incorporating King’s Salad into your diet helps cool the body and eliminate toxins. The vitamin E content in the vegetable helps reduce wrinkles and maintain youthful skin. Moreover, the fiber in King’s Salad forms a natural barrier in the stomach, preventing cholesterol absorption.
This vegetable is also believed to inhibit the formation and development of free radicals in the body, which are responsible for various diseases, including cancer.
Things to Know When Using King’s Salad
When purchasing King’s Salad, prioritize stems that are dark green, without signs of yellowing, and uniform in size. King’s Salad has a distinctive fragrant aroma, making it easy to identify. Fresh King’s Salad should be cooked and consumed on the same day due to its short shelf life. Dried varieties can be stored longer, up to a year if kept in the refrigerator.
Dried King’s Salad should be selected for uniformity and must not be moldy. Before using it in dishes, soak the dried salad in clean water for 4 to 6 hours to allow it to expand. To maintain its crispness, soak it in cold water, preferably ice water. After soaking until soft, wash the salad and use it as fresh salad.
Dried King’s Salad can be stored longer, but should be soaked in clean water for 4 to 6 hours before using it in dishes. (Image source: Internet).
King’s Salad can be eaten raw, combined with other foods, or prepared in various delicious dishes such as stir-fried seafood, pork, beef, or in salads.
