Oh wow! This wildly grown in South East Asia, a long blade like leaves is an herbaceous with common named “Pandan Leaves” or “Screwpine” is setting a trend in the US and UK food industry. In the US & UK, this leaves can be found in Asian market.

The Pandan Leaf has a very distinctive fruity sweet vanilla like fragrance and flavor.

 

In South East Asia, this Pandan Leaves has been used in various types of cooking and baking such as

 

1. Sugar syrup for drinks – Boil the sugar and a bit of water and then tight up a piece or two Pandan leaves and immersed. Cook till sugar dissolved. Cool down. The sugar mixure can be used as a beverage sweetener or making dessert.

 

2. Rice – After washing the rice, immersed a piece of Pandan leaf then cook the rice. The rice will smell so good and fragrance.

 

3. Natural Coloring – The pandan leaf can be used as a Natural Green Coloring for baking and also making dessert.

 

Wash 30 pieces of Pandan Leaves and then add some water in the blender.

Blend the Pandan leaves until it become a light watery paste.
Use a strainer to filter all the fibrous blended Pandan Leaves.

It is now ready to use as natural green colouring.

The  intensity of colour from light to dark green depending on the usage.

 

4. Chicken wrap – Small cut chicken can be marinated an individually wrapped with Pandan leaf.

Then pan fried the wrapped chicken until cooked. The chicken will have a sweet fragrance and taste good.

 

5. Dessert cup – Make small cup using pandan leaf and use a toothpick as a closer. Pour in any liquid mixture for dessert or eggs mixture. Steam and Serve.

6. Flavouring in sweet porridge – When making sweet porridge such as Wheat porridge , Black rice porridge, banana porridge, put in a piece or two Pandan leaves into the pot and boil till cook. Remove the leaves and Ready To Eat.

7. Flavouring in beverage – When making soya milk or barley drink, put in a piece or two of Pandan leaves in the cereal mixture. Boil the drink mixture until cook. Remove the leave and Ready To Drink.

 

8. Flavouring in Asian based curry with or without coconut milk – Prior simmering the curry mixture, immerse a piece of Pandan leave into the mixture.

Let the curry mixture cook. Remove the leave and Ready To Serve.

 

Other usage of Pandan Leaf as an Air Freshener and also Pest Repellent.

These are the various usage and applications when Pandan Leaves being used in South East Asia.

 

So be creative to make use of this versatile fragrance , colouring Pandan leaves in your cooking and baking !!