How to Cook With Banana Leaves
Most automatically think of the yellow fruit of the banana plant when asked about cooking with banana, but the leaves make a useful addition to your kitchen, too. Asian and Latin cultures make frequent use of banana leaves when cooking. Most often, cooks wrap the leaves around food to steam it in an all-natural package. Try grilled fish or rice or steamed tamales wrapped in banana leaves for your next meal. Unlike aluminum foil, banana leaves impart both flavor and moisture to the food cooked inside. Look for these exotic food wraps at Asian and Latin grocery stores. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Banana leaves
- Toothpicks
- Large bowl of water
- Food for cooking
- Grill or pot with lid and steamer basket
Instructions
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1
Immerse the banana leaves and toothpicks in the bowl of water for 30 to 60 minutes before cooking.
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2
Set two banana leaves atop each other, crossing in the middle at a 90-degree angle to make an X shape.
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3
Place the food for cooking into the middle of a leaf, and fold the edges of the banana leaves over the food to create a pouch. Secure the leaf with two or three toothpicks.
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4
Heat the grill to low heat or place a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water.
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5
Place the banana leaf packets on the grill directly over the heat or in the steamer rack. Grill or steam, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes for most seafood, or follow your recipe guidelines for cooking.
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6
Remove the banana leaf packets, unwrap and discard the leaves before eating.
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