Pandan leaves

daun pandan; ใบเตย bai toei

Flavor and role: Long, flat green leaves with a nutty, sweet aroma like vanilla and freshly cooked rice. Tie them in a knot and add to rice or desserts; they are not eaten.
Typical dishes and uses: Nasi lemak, kaya jam, pandan cake, Thai pandan chicken, cendol. In this book: nasi lemak.
Substitutes: 2 pandan leaves = ¼ tsp pandan essence. If you have none, leave them out or use a drop of vanilla (the aroma differs).
Storage: 1 week in the fridge; 6 months frozen in a zip bag. Use frozen leaves straight from the freezer without thawing.
Main countries: Malaysia · Singapore · Thailand
Used in this book: Nasi Lemak Hainanese chicken rice Sri Lankan Chicken Curry (Kukul Mas Curry)Slow-poached Hainanese chicken rice Pandan Mango Sticky Rice with Crispy Mung Beans Nasi Lemak with Spiced Fried Chicken (Ayam Goreng Berempah)Sambal Anchovy Coconut Onigiri Pandan Coconut Pastéis de Nata Pandan-Coconut Poffertjes with Palm Sugar Syrup Sri Lankan Black Chicken Curry with Toasted Coconut

Updated 2026-10-10