Piper sarmentosum is a plant in the family Piperaceae used in many Southeast Asian cuisines. The leaves are often confused with betel, but they lack the intense taste of the betel leaves and are significantly smaller. Piper lolot is now known to be the same species.
Piper lolot leaves (la lot in Vietnamese) are used quite a lot in Vietnamese cuisine. These heart-shaped leaves have a mild peppery taste and a very unique smell once cooked. Lolot leaves are often confused with betel leaves (la trau in Vietnamese) although lolot and betel leaves are totally different.
