Pegagan: Centella Leaves in Indonesian Salads and Remedies
Pegagan centella leaf, the Indonesian name for Centella asiatica, is a low-growing herb with rounded, softly scalloped leaves. In Indonesian cooking it is eaten fresh as a vegetable, including as part of lalapan, and it is also used in traditional herbal drinks and preparations. Its cleanest introduction is a small raw leaf alongside rice and sambal: the leaf contributes a fresh, slightly bitter green note, while the chilli and other dishes remain separate.
For a traveller or curious cook, the useful distinction is between the leaf as food and pegagan as a medicinal ingredient. Seeing the same plant used in both ways does not make a salad a treatment. Identify it by its leaf and growth pattern, wash it carefully if serving it raw, and treat concentrated herbal products as a separate subject from ordinary food.
What pegagan leaves look like
Centella asiatica belongs to the Apiaceae, the same broad plant family as coriander, celery and carrot, though its appearance and kitchen role are quite different. It grows as a creeping herb rather than an upright bunch. Its slender stems spread along the ground and can root where they touch it. Leaves appear singly or in small clusters on stalks; each blade is round to kidney-shaped, with a shallow notch where the stalk joins and a gently scalloped edge. Fine veins spread out from that point across the blade.
That notch is a useful detail when comparing leaves. A pegagan blade can look nearly circular at a glance, but its base is typically indented rather than a complete unbroken circle. Leaf size and stalk length vary, so size alone is not a reliable test. Tender young leaves may be small and supple; older leaves can have a firmer feel. The botanical species is accepted under the name Centella asiatica; older botanical references may use the synonym Hydrocotyle asiatica.
Names vary by language and region. Pegagan is the familiar Indonesian name; antanan is also used in Java, especially in Sundanese contexts, while pegaga is common in Malay usage. A name on its own cannot identify a plant with certainty, and common names do not always map neatly from one region to another. If you are buying leaves to eat, choose a seller who can identify the herb rather than relying on a photograph or an English label such as pennywort.
Several unrelated or more distant leafy plants can also be called pennywort in English. A label using that broad name is not enough to establish that the bunch is pegagan. The kidney-like leaf base, scalloped margin and creeping stems are more useful clues together than the rounded outline on its own. Do not eat a wild plant based only on resemblance; a food plant should be identified by someone competent to distinguish it locally.
Pegagan centella leaf as a raw vegetable
In West Java, pegagan is one of the plants eaten as lalapan, the Sundanese style of serving raw vegetables with a meal. Lalapan is not one fixed salad recipe. It is a way of placing fresh vegetables beside rice and other dishes, often with sambal available for dipping or mixing. Pegagan therefore need not arrive as a composed bowl: a few leaves may sit among cucumber, other greens or vegetables, ready to be eaten between mouthfuls of the main dish.
This serving style changes how to approach the leaf. It is a side with its own texture and flavour, not a garnish that must be folded into every bite. Try one clean leaf plain first, then taste another with a little sambal. The raw leaf’s mild bitterness can be more noticeable by itself; chilli, salt and the rest of the meal change the balance. If you prefer to know exactly what is on your plate, keep sambal separate and add it gradually.
Do not assume that every plate called lalapan contains pegagan. The vegetables vary with availability and the kitchen, and the term describes a category of raw accompaniments rather than a guaranteed ingredient list. If pegagan is the part you want to try, point to the leaves and ask whether they are pegagan. If the answer is uncertain, treat the identification as uncertain too.
Pegagan leaves are also used as an ingredient in rujak, another Indonesian preparation built around a mix of produce and seasonings. Here the leaves join a combination rather than arriving alone as a plain raw side. The balance depends on the other ingredients and the dressing, so the finished taste is not a reliable guide to the leaf by itself. Ask what has been mixed in if you need to identify a specific ingredient.
Traditional use in drinks is also common. Leaves may be made into a fresh drink or prepared as an infusion, while dried leaf and processed herbal products represent different forms again. A drink made from leaves is not identical in strength or composition to a capsule or extract, and the word “herbal” does not establish a health benefit. For a food-focused visit, it is enough to recognise the plant as both an edible green and a traditional ingredient without treating one use as proof of the other.
How it tastes and what to pair it with
Fresh pegagan tastes slightly bitter. That edge is useful at the table because it gives a raw leaf a more distinct character than a neutral salad green. A few leaves alongside rice, grilled or cooked dishes and sambal let the contrast do the work. The aim is not to disguise the herb but to decide how much of its green, bitter taste you enjoy in one bite.
Start with one or two leaves rather than taking a large mouthful with a full spoon of chilli. This lets you separate the leaf’s own taste from the heat and seasoning around it. If you like the flavour, add more with the next bite. If it is too strong, use it as one small part of a mixed vegetable bite or leave it aside. This is particularly helpful when several unfamiliar raw greens arrive together and you cannot tell which one has the flavour you prefer.
When pegagan is chopped into a salad or blended into a drink, the experience differs from eating a whole leaf. Cutting distributes its flavour through other ingredients; blending makes the leaf less easy to pick out by texture. A whole-leaf serving is the clearest way to understand what the plant itself contributes. Ask whether a drink is made from fresh leaves or a prepared mix if that distinction matters, but do not assume that either format is a remedy.
Choosing, washing and storing fresh leaves
Because pegagan grows close to the ground, leaves may carry soil or grit, especially around the stalk and along the underside. Choose leaves that look intact and fresh rather than slimy, badly bruised or visibly decayed. A small amount of variation in leaf size is normal for a creeping plant; it is not evidence by itself of poor quality. Avoid bunches with a strong off smell or wet, deteriorating leaves.
Separate the leaves and rinse them under clean running water, turning them so water reaches both surfaces and the stalk junction. Remove damaged leaves and any visible soil. Let excess water drain before serving; wet leaves can dilute sambal or dressing and feel less crisp. Keep raw greens away from unwashed produce, raw meat and used cutting surfaces. Washing improves cleanliness but cannot guarantee that raw vegetables are free of harmful microbes, so choose a source and handling conditions you trust.
If the leaves are muddy, a bowl of clean water can help loosen grit, followed by a thorough rinse under fresh running water. Do not leave them soaking for a long time: delicate leaves can lose firmness, and dirty soaking water simply moves grit around. Dry gently with a clean cloth or salad spinner if available. For a cooked preparation, wash before chopping and add the leaves at the stage the recipe calls for; cooking changes their texture and is not a substitute for removing visible soil.
Use fresh leaves while they are still firm. If you need to hold them briefly, dry them well, wrap them loosely in a clean cloth or paper and refrigerate in a container that does not trap excess moisture. Discard leaves that turn slimy, develop an unpleasant smell or show decay. These are practical cues for fresh greens rather than a pegagan-specific shelf-life guarantee; temperature, leaf condition and handling all affect how long a bunch keeps.
How pegagan differs from other market greens
At a market, shoppers may encounter several small leafy herbs close together. Coriander has divided, frilly leaves and a pronounced aromatic role; pegagan has an intact round or kidney-shaped blade on a stalk. Celery leaves are more divided and belong to a familiar savoury stalk vegetable. Water spinach has long, narrow leaves on hollow stems, making it easy to distinguish from pegagan once both are visible. These comparisons help with recognition, but a shopper should still ask for the Indonesian name rather than selecting a look-alike by sight alone.
Another common confusion is the word pennywort. It can be used loosely for plants with round leaves, including plants in the genus Hydrocotyle. Pegagan is Centella asiatica; a broad English market label may not identify the species. When identifying the plant, the scalloped blade, indented base and creeping habit give a more useful set of clues than “round leaf” by itself. If leaves are detached from their stems, identification becomes harder, which is a reason to buy from a knowledgeable seller.
It is also distinct from herbs whose main job is to perfume a dish. Pegagan can be eaten as a leaf in its own right, while an aromatic herb may be used in smaller amounts to scent a broth or seasoning. That difference affects what to do with it: a whole leaf can be tasted directly, whereas a strongly aromatic seasoning leaf may not be intended to be eaten. Follow the way the dish is served and ask if you are unsure.
Food use and traditional remedies are not the same question
Pegagan has a long association with traditional herbal use in Indonesia, and its leaves are used in herbal drinks and preparations as well as food. Those traditions are part of why people may recognise the name from a tea, supplement or skincare label. The plant name alone does not tell you the concentration, preparation, dose or suitability of a product, however. A raw leaf on a meal and a concentrated extract should not be treated as interchangeable.
Pegagan is a food ingredient here, not a treatment. Do not use a meal, tea or supplement as a substitute for medical advice or prescribed care. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medicines, managing a health condition or considering a concentrated herbal product, speak with a qualified health professional who can consider your circumstances. Lab work on individual compounds does not by itself show that eating a serving of leaves will prevent or treat a condition.
The same distinction applies to wellness language in menus or product packaging. “Traditional” describes a history of use, not a guarantee of safety or effectiveness for every person. A drink may be refreshing and culturally familiar while still having a different purpose from a standard beverage. If you simply want to taste pegagan, choose the food preparation and treat medicinal claims as a separate question.
Questions visitors often ask about pegagan
Is pegagan the same as gotu kola?
Pegagan is the Indonesian common name for Centella asiatica, which is also widely called gotu kola in English-language herbal and food contexts. Common names vary, so the scientific name is the clearest way to compare references. A market label using pennywort alone may refer to another plant.
Can pegagan be eaten raw?
Yes. Pegagan is eaten fresh as a raw vegetable in Indonesian food contexts, including as lalapan in West Java. Since raw leaves are not cooked, select fresh greens, remove damaged leaves and wash them carefully under clean running water before eating.
Does pegagan taste bitter?
Its fresh leaves can have a slight bitterness. The amount you notice depends on the leaf and what it is served with. Taste a small leaf plain first, then with rice or a little sambal to find the balance you prefer.
Is a pegagan drink medicinal?
Pegagan is used in traditional herbal preparations, but a drink’s name does not tell you its strength or establish a medical effect. Fresh leaf drinks, infusions and concentrated products are different preparations. Treat health questions separately from tasting the herb as food.
For the wider ingredient context, browse the Indonesian spices and ingredients guide. A broader overview of dishes and eating styles is in the Indonesian food guide. If you are working out whether a raw vegetable plate suits your diet, the vegetarian food guide explains why sauces and accompaniments need their own ingredient check. To understand the chilli served beside raw greens, see the guide to Indonesian sambals and condiments.
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