Found: Shadow Benny

I have been on the search for the Trinidad herb called Shadow Benny for a long time. I have finally found it wonderfully fresh and available in large quantities at an appropriately named Asian Supermarket, "Asian Supermarket" on Central Ave. in Albany. Shadow Benny is sold here under the name, "Viet Nam Ngo Kai". I don't find much reference to this name online, although a slightly different spelling, "Ngo Gai" is a common name for Shadow Benny. The herb goes by many names, in fact in Trinidad alone it seems to go by several different spellings (Chadon Beni, Shado Beni, Culantro, etc.). With this curiously strong herb, Shadow Benny sauce can be made. The taste could be best described as super-concentrated cilantro flavor. Delicious on doubles, this sauce is also great on all kinds of other foods like chicken, burgers, pizza, egg sandwiches, you name it.

A recipe for Shadow Benny Sauce can be found here.

Related Links

* Times Union Article about the Asian Supermarket

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