Difference between revisions of "Pandan - Pandanus amaryllifolius"

'''''Pandanus amaryllifolius''''' is a tropical plant in the ''[[Pandanus]]'' (screwpine) [[genus]], which is commonly known as '''pandan leaves'''), and is used widely in [[Southeast Asia]]n cooking as a flavoring. The characteristic aroma of pandan is caused by the [[aroma compound]] [[2-acetyl-1-pyrroline]], which may give [[white bread]], [[jasmine rice]] and [[basmati rice]] (as well as bread flowers ''[[Vallaris]] glabra'') their typical smell. The plant is rare in the wild but is widely cultivated. It is an upright, green plant with fan-shaped sprays of long, narrow, blade-like leaves and woody [[aerial root]]s. The plant is sterile, with flowers only growing very rarely, and is propagated by cuttings.

In [[India]] and [[Bangladesh]] it is called ''Rampe'' and ''ketaki'' respectively, along with the other variety of pandan there (''[[Pandanus fascicularis]]''), and is used to enhance the flavor of ''[[Pilaf|pulao]]'', ''[[biryani]]'' and sweet coconut rice pudding, ''payesh'' if basmati rice is not used. It acts as a cheap substitute for basmati fragrance as one can use normal, non-fragrant rice and with the help of pandan the dish tastes and smells like basmati is used. It is called ''Ambemohor pat'' in Marathi; ''Ramba'' in Tamil, ''Biriyanikaitha'' in Malayalam, ''pandan wangi'' in Indonesian, ''hsun hmway'' in Burmese, ''pandan'' in Tagalog, ''bai tooey'' in Thai, ''rampe'' in [[Sinhala language|Sinhala]], ''sleuk toi'' in [[Khmer language|Khmer]], ''Daun Pandan'' in [[Nonya]] cooking, ''lá dứa'' in Vietnamese, 香兰 ("Xiāng lán") in Chinese and बासमतिया पौधा [bɑːsmət̪ɪjɑː pɑʊd̪ʱɑː] "fragrant plant" in [[Magahi language|Magahi]] and [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]] due to its fragrance.

The leaves are sometimes steeped in [[coconut milk]], which is then added to the dish. They may be tied in a bunch and cooked with the food. They may be woven into a basket which is used as a pot for cooking rice. Pandan chicken, (Thai: ไก่อบใบเตย, ''kai op bai toei''), is a dish of chicken parts wrapped in pandan leaves and baked. The leaves are also used as a flavoring for desserts such as [[pandan cake]] and sweet beverages. [[Cuisine of the Philippines|Filipino cuisine]] uses pandan as a flavoring in ''buko pandan'' fruit salad, as well as rice-based pastries and numerous sweet drinks and desserts.

Bottled pandan extract is available in shops, and often contain green [[food coloring]]. The leaves also notably have a repellent effect on cockroaches.

''Pandanus amaryllifolius'' has a number of local medicinal uses. Leaf extracts have been used to reduce fever, relieve indigestion and flatulence and as a cardio-tonic.  The oil of the leaf is described as stimulant and antispasmodic and is believed to be effective against headaches, rheumatism, and epilepsy and as a cure for sore throats. Pandanus root is also used by traditional practitioners of [[Ayurvedic medicine]] to treat diabetic patients.