John Myers
Known as Bai Toey Hom in Thailand, Daun Pandan in Malaysia, and Takonoki in Japan, pandan has been prized across much of East Asia for centuries. In this country, the bright green leaves are now considered a major food trend. We reveal everything you need to know about the new superfood.
Delicious trend food: This is how pandan tastes
Many a food trend catches the eye with its subtle aroma. Pandan, however, scores with an intense taste. The inconspicuous sword-shaped pandan leaves surprise with a sweet, vanilla-like aroma with a fine nutty note. Hence the alternative name of the plant: East Asian vanilla.
Good to know: In this country, pandan is mainly available in the form of deep-frozen leaves or as a bright green pandan extract or pandan paste.
Superfood pandan: the health claims
Pandan is being hyped as the next superfood. But what is in the green leaves? In fact, traditional Thai medicine attests to the plant’s numerous healing properties. Pandan tea is said to help with headaches and low blood pressure, as well as having an anti-inflammatory and stimulating effect. Massaged into the scalp, the liquid is said to eliminate dandruff and prevent hair breakage and loss. But: Unfortunately, these effects have not yet been adequately documented in this country.
Pandan in the kitchen: How to cook and bake with the food trend
Superfood or not: Pandan is a culinary all-rounder that you will soon not want to be without. Finally, the East Asian vanilla spices up both savory and sweet dishes.
The pandanus plant is only ever used in dishes for flavoring. This means: The whole leaves are never eaten, but only briefly added during cooking. For example: put a whole leaf in a pot of boiling rice. This gives it a delicate, nutty sweetness. Also delicious: Pieces of fish and meat cooked or steamed in whole pandan leaves.
The vanilla flavor is also perfect for desserts of all kinds. Pandan paste is always used here. Incidentally, pancakes, waffles or biscuits flavored in this way not only taste delicious, but are also suddenly a frog-green in colour. So your green pandan cake will definitely turn heads at the next celebration.
Tip: You can also sweeten your start to the day with pandan paste. Refine your morning porridge or superfood berry smoothie with exotic vanilla!
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