Imagine this sensation on your palate: A commingling of freshly cut grass and steamed rice, enhanced with rose, almond, and vanilla, with underlying notes of coconut. That's pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius), a palm-like, cultivated plant with long, slender, spiky green leaves that are commonly used in Thai and Southeast Asian cooking.
Growing and harvesting Pandan (Vanilla Grass) leaves - Pandas leaves or Vanilla grass grows well in tropical countries. The leaves are used a lot in South East Asian cuisines. From main courses to desserts. It’s a natural green leaf vanilla flavoring hence the name Vanilla Grass. I love the smell of it.
Widely used in Southeast Asian cooking as a flavoring for rice, chicken, beverages and pastries, the leaves of Pandan Grass impart an aromatic flavor to food. This upright plant has slender, green leaves and aerial roots at the base. Pandan leaves are easily made into a paste for later use in a variety of recipes. Simply cut the leaves into small pieces and boil with water until the leaves are soft then process to make the ready-to-use paste. The leaves are also used for wrapping meats before cooking.
