How to Devein a Leaf
Deveining is done primarily for ti leaves, introduced to Hawaii by the Polynesians. Ti leaves are used for various purposes, including the making of maile leis -- used for weddings, birthdays and graduations. Hawaiians also use ti leaves for cooking. Food is wrapped in ti leaves before it's cooked in an imu -- a traditional earthen pit used by Polynesians. The ti leave is either glossy green or red, and is very long, with a prominent vein down the center. Before Hawaiians use the ti leave, they remove the center vein. Deveining can also be used to remove and preserve veins when teaching plant anatomy.
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Instructions
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Cut the stem off the ti leaf with a knife, and wash it before removing the vein. Simply rinse it with clean water until all the dirt comes off. Then gently shake off most of the water, and let the leaf air-dry.
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Cut the backside of the leave near the thick part of the vein, with a knife. Do not cut all the way through the leaf.
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Strip the vein off with your fingers.
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Add 4 teaspoons of sodium carbonate to a pot, and dissolve it in 2 cups of water. Heat the dissolved solution on the stove, until the mixture is almost at a boil.
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Remove the pot from the stove, and put the leaves in the pot. Let them soak for 35 minutes.
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Use tweezers to remove the leaves from the solution. Rinse the leaf with cool water, and remove pieces of leaf that remain attached to the skeleton, using a paintbrush.
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Tips & Warnings
When talking to children about the veins, explain how the vein system provides food and water to the rest of the plant. Normally, the leaf remains durable because it is taking in nutrients that allow it to preserve itself. But without these nutrients, the leaf easily breaks down. Consider removing leaf tissue to leave a vein skeleton behind to help children understand the anatomy of plants.
Bundle chicken, pork, fish or other meats tightly in a ti leaf. Use rubber bands or toothpicks to fasten the bundle, and cook it in a steamer. Ti leaves are not actually consumed, but are removed from the dish and serve only as a vessel to cook the food in.
Ti leaves were once wrapped around hot stones to serve as hot packs. Boiled ti leaves were used by Polynesians to aid in nerve and muscle relaxation.
Polynesians use ti leaves to make various types of clothing, including the ti leaf cape. The leaves are very long, and the cape can cover much of the body. They are very large and green.
