Yangben is a particular type of wild edible lichen, which grow in the branches of chestnut or alder tress as parasitic species. Yangben is too hard to harvest as it grows in tall tress mostly found in sloppy areas of eastern Nepal hills- Taplejung, Panchthar, Therthum and phidim.
Yangben is a particular type of wild edible lichen, which grow in the branches of chestnut or alder tress as parasitic species. Yangben is too hard to harvest as it grows in tall tress mostly found in sloppy areas of eastern Nepal hills- Taplejung, Panchthar, Therthum and phidim. It is generally consumed as dry curry. Yangben doesn’t have it own taste but when cooked with pork meat and blood, it absorbs fats and provides very deep earthy flavour to the dish. Yangben – faksa, a pork curry cooked with yangben, pigs blood and sargemba (pigs intestine) is a popular delicacy of limbu and rai communities. Yangben is one of the peculiar ingredients only consumed by these ethnic communities as food. It elevates flavor that most people outside of these communities haven’t experienced .
It have medicinal value too. It helps to remove constipation and maintain blood pressure. In terms of nutrition, it has many minerals.