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Everything Else => Tropical Vegetables and Other Edibles => Topic started by: LivingParadise on April 01, 2017, 05:02:18 PM

Title: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: LivingParadise on April 01, 2017, 05:02:18 PM
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Living Paradise
« on: October 21, 2016, 01:53:46 PM »


So what's the deal with Pandan? This is new for me, I'd never heard of it before. Now I have 4 of them growing in my yard, and I'm not sure how to use it or what to expect. Apparently it is popular in SE Asia, but it's not used much in savory foods? I thought it was used in soups or stirfry, but then I read that you pound the leaves into a pulp and mix them into dessert foods.

Are you supposed to eat it raw? I tried a bit, and it tasted sweet and grassy, a lot like wheatgrass to me.

Supposedly quite good for you. Anybody know about it, or growing it themselves?
Title: Re: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: Chupa King on April 01, 2017, 05:41:15 PM
They use it for steamed rice and chicken dishes.
Title: Re: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: Gambit on April 01, 2017, 08:23:48 PM
Pandanus is the closest thing the SE Asians have to vanilla beans. Its fragrance is much appreciated when making desert, esp. those involving coconut milk. Also used as a natural food coloring, with the additional perfumey benefit. Rarely, if ever, is it eaten uncooked/raw. Also used in cooking rice (Chupa King's post above).
Title: Re: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: arvind on April 01, 2017, 10:00:59 PM
It grows like weed here and snakes love to hide in them.Rats and mice hate the smell of pandan leaves
Title: Re: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: DimplesLee on April 01, 2017, 10:14:17 PM
Very popular Filipino dessert and/or cold drink - buko pandan.


Recipe for the dessert:
https://recipenijuan.com/buko-pandan-salad-recipe/ (https://recipenijuan.com/buko-pandan-salad-recipe/)


Cold drink:
http://www.kawalingpinoy.com/buko-pandan-drink/ (http://www.kawalingpinoy.com/buko-pandan-drink/)


You can also make a simple pandan syrup:
http://www.fromkarenskitchen.com/recipes/sauce_topping/syrup/pandan_simple_syrup.php (http://www.fromkarenskitchen.com/recipes/sauce_topping/syrup/pandan_simple_syrup.php)


I make a bottle or two of the pandan syrup without sugar though - if you have a very lush pandan plant(s) just chop and boil about a kilo of fresh leaves with 1 gallon water, wait until the water boils and the kitchen smells heavenly and then strain and freeze the water (preferably in ice cube trays/muffin trays). You can use the pandan ice with fresh coconut juice, add some milk and honey (optional) and drink up! We also use the pandan infused water for a lot of glutinous rice desserts.
Title: Re: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: LivingParadise on April 02, 2017, 12:28:43 AM
Very interesting uses people have shared!

Rats and mice hate the smell of pandan leaves

Another thing in favor of growing it in various places around the yard!
Title: Re: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: Mike T on April 25, 2017, 09:16:13 AM
They are popular in Thailand and a variety of desserts use it.
Title: Re: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: junglevulture on June 14, 2017, 10:59:08 PM
Its a delicious flavoring to add to rice. My favorite use, however, is wrapping meat in it.

The first time I ever cooked with it I was roasting beef and vegetables. Starting from the bottom: I took banana leaves and lined the entire bottom and sides of the pan, then placed onions on the bottom. On top of this I placed the ground beef with whole Pandan leaf wrapped around on top and bottom of it, so that the flavor permeates the meat well. Then I place the rest of my vegetables around and over that - garlic, curry leaf, turmeric, ginger, lemongrass, keffir lime leaf, with kabocha squash, chayote, and chunks of daikon radish. Bake til it smells done and boy, does it smell heavenly when it is.

I have also used the Pandan leaf in stews right at the end. Its only ever been explored using wet or moist cooking methods for me, so that's all I can recommend it for personally. I would like to try grilling some fish wrapped in that and banana leaf though.

It took me a while to get ahold of the plants that I have, but I've acquired 7 or so and they have been doing very well as low-light understory plants beneath the shade of my guava trees.
Title: Re: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: ryanscion on June 18, 2020, 03:17:15 AM
Hi All,

For those who have grown Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius) here in the United States, ideally in Southern California, do you have any growing tips for this plant? I just acquired two of them and want to make sure they get a great start. Thanks in advance!

ryanscion

 
Title: Re: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: roblack on June 21, 2020, 11:34:58 AM
It grows great here in South Miami area. One clump growing amongst bamboo, another underneath annona tree. It is opportunistic, and sets roots easy on its own when there is plenty of humidity/moisture.

In Cali, it might have issue with the dry air. Seems would do best in a pot and greenhouse. If it got watered a lot, probably would do well. Ask Brad aka forum member Spaugh or Simon. One of them may grow it.

Title: Re: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: stephen on June 22, 2020, 06:04:00 PM
Hi All,

For those who have grown Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius) here in the United States, ideally in Southern California, do you have any growing tips for this plant? I just acquired two of them and want to make sure they get a great start. Thanks in advance!

ryanscion

I'd love some tips for growing them in SoCal as well!
Title: Re: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: Istanabungur on June 30, 2020, 11:14:23 AM
Here is some TIPS!
Pandan grow fast in humidity but here in SoCal, we do not have as much humidity, so you have to water over the plant to help create its humidity. Pandan (Pandanus Amaryllifolius) - wheather you plant in soil or wide pot, plant it under shade (tree or near wall). if you water twice a day, it quick spread and creates babies (especially in soil and please give room). Pandan does not tolerate winter - so I usually dig my pandan out and put the, in wide pots (5 gallon up) and bring them indoor. As long as the soil is moist and the leaves are misted, my pandan will create babies even indoor. I use pandan leaves regularly - in cake, green bean soup (dessert) and coconut rice. Pandan also a natural repellent for cockroaches - they hate the smell. Where my mom live, pandan grow like weeds - so she plug them and put them all over the house
Title: Re: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: Luisport on June 30, 2020, 01:54:43 PM
Thank you soo uch for your growing tips!   ;D
Title: Re: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: strom on July 14, 2020, 12:00:59 PM
I looked into this a couple months ago and wanted to try growing it in either a self-watering container or variation of this (semi-hydro) since my climate tends to be 65%+ humidity.  The cost of the plant kind of threw me off.  Those of you in so cal, where did you get the pandan?  A little bit of searching shows only a few sources and their prices seemed like a gouge for something apparently easy to propagate?
Title: Re: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: Satya on September 20, 2020, 09:04:04 PM
I heard from an Ayurvedic doctor that fresh cold squeezed juice of leaves is good to drink for blood purification.
Title: Re: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: ryanscion on September 21, 2020, 11:36:57 PM
I looked into this a couple months ago and wanted to try growing it in either a self-watering container or variation of this (semi-hydro) since my climate tends to be 65%+ humidity.  The cost of the plant kind of threw me off.  Those of you in so cal, where did you get the pandan?  A little bit of searching shows only a few sources and their prices seemed like a gouge for something apparently easy to propagate?

Hey Strom try checking out a company called Sow Exotic out of Florida. I bought mine from them and did not have any issues. My Pandan are doing well but we'll see how their first winter here in SoCal will go...
Title: Re: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: Johnson1 on December 08, 2020, 11:16:48 PM
The cut leaf needs to be aged for 2 to 3 days before the flavor/fragrence develops.

Propagation is by cutting off adventitious plants.  It is a sterile plant.  TC is also being used.
Title: Re: Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
Post by: Kada on April 17, 2021, 12:27:54 PM
I would think California is a bit for them.  They do love water.

Heres one of the fields we just redid.


(https://i.postimg.cc/sQfxjNWR/20210401-180202.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/sQfxjNWR)


My favorite uses are milk drinks, breads and cokked with rice, yum!