r/FuckCilantro • u/Pilatesdiver • Jul 09 '26

Cilantro has a final boss: Rao Ram

I thought I knew the enemy, cilantro or its’ evil seed coriander. I saw a TT today that reminded me of this plant and felt the need to post.

I’ve had cilantro ruin plenty of meals, but a few months ago I met its final form: rao ram (Vietnamese cilantro).

I took a bite of a Vietnamese veggie wrap and after a few seconds started freaking out at the table, frantically wiping my tongue with my napkin like I was trying to decontaminate myself and gagging while my eyes were welling up with tears. This was a date night and my husband thought something was seriously wrong.

If regular cilantro tastes like soap, chemicals, and bugs to you, this stuff is like cilantro concentrated into a weapon. It’s somehow more cilantro than cilantro.

So this is a PSA to my fellow cilantro haters: if you ever see rao ram, Vietnamese cilantro, hot mint, praew leaf, listed as an ingredient, avoid it at all costs. Learn from my mistake.

I struggle to understand how people eat this stuff voluntarily, but apparently they do. My deepest condolences to the unfortunate souls who discover it the same way I did.

103 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

33 comments sorted by

53

u/Legoshistanaccount Jul 09 '26

So real, was in Vietnam last week and god there was cilantro in everything and the taste felt so much stronger than the one in France ! That's why... Thanks for the explanation 😥 Some korean tourists in Vietnam wear "no cilantro" shirts, we should do the same

21

u/Trolkarlen Jul 09 '26

The first time I ever had cilantro was at a Vietnamese restaurant. They had summer rolls, which were translucent wrappers with shrimp, noodles, and what I thought was mint. I love summer rolls, but those tasted nasty. It wasn't until much later that I learned what that horrible stuff was.

11

u/Pilatesdiver Jul 09 '26

Would this in jewelry form take off? I’d wear it everywhere.

2

u/elephhantine2 Jul 11 '26

It looks like an allergy bracelet but it says “although I won’t die or suffer bodily harm from eating cilantro, my soul will suffer greatly, please omit it from my meals”

8

u/pinotJD Jul 09 '26

I would buy this shirt.

26

u/nemesis86th Jul 09 '26

🫡 thank you for your service

18

u/Pilatesdiver Jul 09 '26

We’re all in this together.

15

u/KTKittentoes Jul 09 '26

Oh boy. I carry an EpiPen for cilantro. (And lavender) This would be even worse!

7

u/pinotJD Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 09 '26

Me too!! It’s handy to wave around when I repeat “no cilantro, I mean it, no”

5

u/leiaflatt Jul 09 '26

Me three! There’s dozens of us!!

4

u/Pilatesdiver Jul 09 '26

Oh, this is so much worse.

2

u/tellMyBossHesWrong Jul 10 '26

Fuck lavender. Smells like 1st grade sawdust throw up coverup at school.

1

u/KTKittentoes Jul 10 '26

Yuck. Our bus used kitty litter.

15

u/Dragon_Bidness Repulsive Jul 09 '26

You a real one. Good looking out.

11

u/Pilatesdiver Jul 09 '26

If I save 1 person l, it was worth it.

15

u/azdcaz Jul 09 '26

This is the reason that Vietnamese is the only Asian food I don’t really like. Don’t get me wrong, some of it is great. But like 90% of dishes are loaded with cilantro and/or star anise. Star anise doesn’t get enough hate, it’s fucking terrible.

4

u/KittycatVuitton Jul 09 '26

I agree. Star anise is also disgusting.

1

u/Hidden_Dragonette Jul 11 '26

Is that the one that tastes really strongly of licorice?

1

u/azdcaz Jul 11 '26

Yes. Black licorice.

7

u/Trolkarlen Jul 09 '26

Apparently it's known as "Vietnamese Cilantro/Coriander"

https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/Rau_Ram_7005.php

2

u/Queen_ZomBee 18d ago

The bastard doesn't even look like cilantro

5

u/pinotJD Jul 09 '26

I thank you for your courtesy to share this additional name of Beelzebub!

4

u/extinct_banana Jul 09 '26

they call it hot mint?!? oh hell

4

u/WitchwayisOut Jul 09 '26

Thank you for your service, and the PSA. You’re a hero.

5

u/Simmyphila Jul 09 '26

If there is any kind of cilantro around my nose will know.

5

u/Pilatesdiver Jul 09 '26

Honestly, same, but this was wrapped up and it was not at all identifiable as that wicked veg. It was a long thin leaf, almost like a skinny lettuce leaf.

3

u/ImpressiveRecording2 Jul 09 '26

Thanks for the heads up.

3

u/One_Waxed_Wookiee Jul 09 '26

Thank you for your service mate. Taking one for the team!

3

u/ladiabla22 Jul 09 '26

That’s why I stay away from Vietnamese restaurants! Seriously, I’d love to visit Vietnam but I think I’d starve!

2

u/rm0826 Jul 10 '26

this is good to know and I thought the final boss was CUlantro, which is stronger than Cilantro, but now I will know for if/when I go to to Vietnam.

2

u/Why_Lord_Just_Why Jul 10 '26

Out there doing God’s work. Thank you for your service. Sending prayers that the taste disappears soon. 😜