A CLOSER LOOK
How to recognize it
Green, pointed oval leaves with visible veins, borne in opposite pairs on a shrub. Appearance alone is not a safe identification method.
In the kitchen
The washed leaves are rubbed or crushed in water, then strained; the liquid is set into jelly. The leaf residue is removed.
Not the abelia leaves used in some shenxian jellies or the red-purple rice-coloring herb. Shared local names do not make plants interchangeable. Use identified culinary material and suitable food-grade processing ingredients.
Ask about this ingredient
这道菜里有豆腐柴叶吗？
Does this dish contain Doufuchai leaves (Premna microphylla)?
A few dishes to explore
These examples use this ingredient in typical or optional preparations. Open the dish to see the distinction; a restaurant’s recipe can differ.
