What’s an acceptable substitute for Pandan Leaves

substitutions

When preparing Sri Lankan cuisine (especially curries) one of the key components is the Pandan Leaf (also known as a Pandanus Leaf).

These aren't readily available where I live so I was wondering if anyone could suggest an alternative?

Best Answer

If you have an indian market nearby, you can get kewra extract/essence. Kewra is the indian name for pandanus plant and kewra essence is featured in a number of indian desserts. I don't recall seeing kewra leaves in my local indian market, but I use kewra essence regularly. (Careful, sometimes it's sold as a very concentrated oil extract and sometimes as the more dilute kewra water; so how much you need to add will depend on which form of kewra you buy).

Not too long ago, I made a Thai custard (usually served with sticky rice) that called for pandanus extract. It was researching where to purchase that when I discovered that I already had it in my cupboard. Great stuff.