Pegagan or Pennywort (centella asiatica) is not common to be used in Indonesian cooking. It’s more useable for a herbal medicine. Hence, there is an exceptional in Indonesian culinary. Aceh food has been using pennyworth to make sambal and it’s named Sambai on Peuga-ga (Sambal Pegagan or Pennywort Sambal). In Vietnamese, people use for a beverage called Nuoc Rau Ma (Vietnamese Pennywort Drink).
I know this plant’s name while I was still in school, learned from biology subject, one of the school subjects that I hate most. In 2007, I recalled buying pennywort drink in a can for the first time at the Superstore. I wondered what pennyworthis and tasted like. At home, I browsed through internet and found out pennyworth is what the Indonesians call pegagan.
From borneofocus.com, pennywort is native to the warmer regions; China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Western South Sea Islands, Australia, Madagascar, Southern and Middle Africa, Southern United States and in insular and continental tropical America, especially abundant in the swampy areas of India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka up to an altitude of approximately 700 metres.
There area many different other names in Indonesian dialects such as Peugaga (Aceh), Daun Kaki Kuda, Antanan (Sunda), Gagan-gagan, Rendeng (Java), Taidah (Bali), and Sandanan (Papua). You also can find some different name in other countries; Mandukaparni, Gotu Kola (India), Di Chien Tsao, Man Tien Hsing and Zhi Xue Cao (China), Hoefblad and Paardevoet (Netherland).
Check what the plant benefits you as pennyworth is also remedy plant for:
- Anti-aging
- Anti-cancer
- Anti-cellulite
- Better blood circulation
- Wound healing Vitality
- Respiratory ailments
- Detoxificaton of the body
- Treatment of skin disorders (psoriasis and eczema…)
- Revitalizing connective tissue (cell repairing)
- Burn and scar treatment
- Clearing up skin infections
- Slimming and edema,
- Arthritis, rheumatism
- Treatment of liver and kidneys
- Strengthening of veins (varicose veins)
- Blood purification
- High blood pressure reduction
- Anti-stress
- Boostering immunity
I noticed a spelling mistake. “Hoefbald” should be “hoefblad”. Just in case someone wants to order some, or is Googling for it on this name.
Also, there are 2 types of hoefblad (in Dutch language): “groot hoefblad” and “klein hoefblad”.
The one you portray here is the klein hoefblad.
Never use the groot hoefblad. It contains pyrrolizidine alkaloïden, which destroys your liver.
Thanks for the correction! It’s has changed 🙂
In English itself, it’s not just a pennyworth. It’s an Asiatic Pennywort.
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PEGAGAN is very important ingridients for herbal
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Would you know the Australian availability of pennnyworth seeds, seedlings or plants, please?
Thank you.
Bernadettee
Have you tried ebay? I’ll ask some friends who live in Australia and let you know about it
I want to know the pennywort herbal medicine is available in Indonesia and if available please tell me the name.
It’s known as pegagan