Pandan

About Pandan

Called the vanilla of Southeast Asia. The leaves impart a sweet, floral, coconut-like flavor and bright green color to desserts, rice, and drinks. It is essential in Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian, and Filipino cuisines. The leaves are tied in knots and added to rice during cooking. Pandan extract is used as natural green food coloring. It contains 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, the same compound that gives jasmine rice its aroma. It is a tropical plant growing up to 5 meters. The leaves are also used as natural food wrappers. It has mosquito repellent properties. It is virtually unknown in Western cuisine but ubiquitous in Southeast Asia.