Pandan - Ingredient Spotlight

by Emily Matchar, Posted Nov 17th 2008 @ 5:00PM

pandan leaves

Pandan is the leaf of the Pandanus amaryllifolius plant. It's ubiquitious in Southeast Asian cooking, especially in desserts. Pandan is used in curries and meat dishes, wrapped around chicken and fried, used to perfume rice and to flavor cakes, ice creams and popsicles. Light green pandan cakes are a popular dessert in Malaysia and Indonesia, similar to a chiffon cake. Pandan leaves are also woven into baskets baskets, which can be used for serving food. Pandan is not readily available in the U.S., which is why it's rarely seen on menus, but can sometimes be found frozen in Asian markets.

Filed Under: Ingredient Spotlight, Ingredients
Tags: asia, ingredient spotlight, pandan, southeast asia, spices

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

11-17-2008 @7:32PM Voo said... Pandan is also known as Screw Pine. It can be found in extract form for use in baking/desserts. But if u can find the leaves, it makes an awesome for wrapping baked chicken.
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11-18-2008 @2:15AM Kevin Kadow said... On Clarke Quay in Singapore, "The Pump Room Brewery" brews a wheat beer flavored with pandan. Very good, with a slightly sweet aftertaste.

I met the brewmaster when I was there last week, a good guy who really knows his beers. http://www.pumproomasia.com/
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