Frog stewed with Piper betel leaves

During the rainy season, as night falls, the fields where the rice has just been harvested are filled with the croaking of frogs. I remember back in my hometown, at this time of year, my siblings and I would go hunting for frogs to cook with betel leaves.

The two brothers trudged through the mud from one field to another. Whenever they heard a cry nearby, they shone their flashlights and, seeing two glowing red eyes, thrust their spears towards it, or if it was close, they grabbed it with their hands. Around 9 PM, when the basket was full, my brother and I went home, not forgetting to pick a few sprigs of betel leaves and a dried coconut.

To make this dish, you need wild frogs because their meat is fragrant, sweet, and firm, while farmed frog meat is fishy, bland, and mushy. Distinguishing wild frogs from farmed frogs isn't difficult. Wild frogs have a slender, elongated waist, unlike the rounder, more rounded skin of farmed frogs. Their skin is dark black, while farmed frogs have lighter, paler skin. Importantly, the meat of wild frogs, when cooked, is reddish in color, not milky white like farmed frogs.

When my brother and I brought home the basket of frogs, Mom meticulously sorted through them. She'd save the bigger ones to sell at the market the next day, and the smaller ones for her frog stew with betel leaves. Then she'd grate the dried coconut to make coconut milk and prepare other miscellaneous ingredients.

Field frogs are naturally very clean, so when preparing them, just cut off the heads, remove the claws, and gut them, leaving the skin intact. Chop the frog meat into bite-sized pieces and marinate it with turmeric powder, salt, sugar, and finely chopped lemongrass and garlic for about 15 minutes. Pick the young leaves of the Piper betel plant and chop them finely.

Once everything was ready, Mom put a pan on the stove with some cooking oil. When the pan was hot, she sprinkled in finely chopped garlic and sautéed it until golden and fragrant, then added the frog meat and stir-fried until firm. Next, she poured in coconut milk and simmered it over low heat so the frog meat would absorb the coconut milk. Finally, she added the betel leaves, stirred well for about a minute, seasoned it again, and turned off the heat. Knowing how "fussy" betel leaves are, she didn't cook them for too long as they would turn black and become slightly bitter. The dish was complete, and Mom scooped it onto a plate and brought it to the table – where the three family members were sitting, eagerly anticipating the meal.

In the cool autumn air, there's nothing better than enjoying braised frog with betel leaves with a bowl of hot rice or a glass of authentic rice wine. Don't forget to sip a spoonful of the broth, because all the essence of the dish lies in it: the tanginess of the betel leaves, the richness of the coconut milk, the spiciness of the lemongrass and chili, and the rich sweetness of the frog meat.

During the rainy season, as night falls, the fields where the rice has just been harvested are filled with the croaking of frogs. I remember back in my hometown, at this time of year, my siblings and I would go hunting for frogs to cook with betel leaves.

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