Banana Leaves

[woodburner]

Besides from conchita pibil (a Caribbean dish from the Yucatan peninsula), does any one have a favorite recipe which includes these?

I know it's best to run them above a low flame to soften them up, other than that I could use some help with them.

woodburner

[fifi]

I have used them as a wrapping for Chiapas style tamales and for fish with indirect heat on the grill or smoker. They do a couple of things... trap moisture and add a subtle "sweetish green" note. That isn't a very good description but it is the best I can do. Wilting them over a low flame or in the top of a steamer makes them easier to handle when tying up the packets. If you have bought them frozen, you may not need to do this. Fresh, they tend to split along the vein lines and are the devil to work with so I do wilt them. I am usually getting them fresh off of my sister's or a friend's trees.

[Dana]

I have a bunch of banana trees in my back yard, so I'm interested in what I can do with them, too. By the way, if anybody needs some, just stop by!!!

[ladyyoung98]

im curious to know..once you plant these banana trees...does anyone know how long it is before they begin to bear fruit?

[Dana]

Ours have been bearing as long as we've lived in this house - about 16 years. When we get a winter freeze, the next year we get little, if any fruit. In other, non-freeze years, we get 3-6 bunches.

[Packo]

I have a bunch of banana trees in my back yard, so I'm interested in what I can do with them, too. By the way, if anybody needs some, just stop by!!!

←

You can wrap the following with banana leaves, securing with tooth-picks:-

1) season a whole fish with your favorite spices/marinade - grill on a bbq

2) season/marinate fish fillets or fish steaks - steam (or grill)

3) season/marinate thinly sliced chicken cutlets, turkey or pork - steam (or grill)

3) season vegetables - steam (or grill)

You can also:-

1) make little square 'baskets' 'pinning' the sides with tooth-picks (cut to size) - use them to steam egg custards or mini quiches.

2) use them to line serving platters for an exotic look, especially when serving grilled foods - like satays or kebabs (..even grilled chicken looks more appetizing!)

3) cut them to size and use as 'place-mats' for an island look (you can can throw them out, no clean-up)

4) line your whole table (instead of newspapers) - when you have a shrimp, crab or crawfish boil!

Wish I lived close to you.. I would love to get my hands on some fresh banana leaves!!

[spaghetttti]

A visual for Packo's marvelous suggestions.

[ladyyoung98]

i would love to know what everything is on those plates in the pics...they all look yummy

[shelora]

WOW!!!!!!!! That looks incredible, Spaghettti!!!!!! Please, can you offer a detailed tour of the platter?

S

[spaghetttti]

A detailed tour? Certainly! You are cordially invited to join us on the Elsewhere in Asia Forum and the Kuih/Kueh thread that Shiewie started where you'll find more about the pastries of Southeast Asia as well as more photos of the tempting treats of that region. Enjoy!

[spaghetttti]

Woodburner, I found these two recipes, they look really good.

Thai Fish in Banana Leaves

Sticky Rice and Chicken/Lemper

[woodburner]

Woodburner, I found these two recipes, they look really good. 

Thai Fish in Banana Leaves

Sticky Rice and Chicken/Lemper

←

Miss Yetty to the rescue.

Both of those recipes will soon be part of my repertoire, especially the Hor Mok.

Thank you.

woodburner

[spaghetttti]

My little banana tree had some really gorgeous leaves, so I decided to make some pepes ikan, steamed fish in banana leaves.

Not sure what the English name for the fish is, but they were julung-julung = tiny, swordfish looking. Doused with lime juice, salted then topped with tomato, lemongrass, bay leaf, scallions, shallots, garlic, red pepper, turmeric -- they were so fragrant!

Next I'm going to make some steamed coconut chicken with loads of basil leaves.

[ladyyoung98]

My little banana tree had some really gorgeous leaves, so I decided to make some pepes ikan, steamed fish in banana leaves.

Not sure what the English name for the fish is, but they were julung-julung = tiny, swordfish looking.  Doused with lime juice, salted  then topped with tomato, lemongrass, bay leaf, scallions, shallots, garlic, red pepper,  turmeric -- they were so fragrant! 

Next I'm going to make some steamed coconut chicken with loads of basil leaves.

←

you left out the most importnat part......how did it taste..and they look delicious

[Carolyn Tillie]

Never feeling quite up to digging an entire pit to create a Hawaiian luau, the next best remedy and easy way to make Kahlua Pig is to take a giant pork butt (20 pounds or so), rub it with liquid smoke and a bit of ultra dark soy sauce. Wrap it up in banana leaves and tie it up with string.

I have this amazing giant steamer pot that I got at a 99 Ranch Market. It is a 20-quart stock pot with a lip on the inside about four inches from the bottom with a perforated tray that lies inside. A few inches of boiling water in the bottom to get some steam and keep the humidity up in the oven. Heat oven up to about 300 or so and put pig in oven for 5 hours or so.

The banana leaves add this depth of flavor and earthiness and the pork falls apart in beautiful shreds.

[Episure]

You can use them to serve Indian food too.

Edited February 5, 2005 by Episure (log)

[FaustianBargain]

relatedly, i remember reading somewhere that cooking fish in banana leaves(or sorrel leaves in other parts of the world) causes chemical interaction between the leaf and the fish which breaks down and releases the calcium from the fish bones.

[bbq4meanytime]

I made tamales this last week, both with banana leaves and corn husks with identical fillings. The banana-leave tamales were much better, albeit in a sublte way. A tad bit sweeter with very slight herbaceous tones.

[TongoRad]

Similar to tamales, I like to do a riff on Rick Bayless' Tamal, which is essentially a great big version of the same thing. I don't have the recipe in front of me right now but the procedure is pretty simple. The beauty of the thing comes from cooking it in the presence of wood smoke for over an hour.

The filling is usually pork. You can either smoke it, braise it, stew it in a chile sauce- whatever you prefer- followed by shredding it when cool enough to handle. It also pays to have some chile sauce on hand. To prepare just line a loaf pan with the banana leaves, fill about an inch high with your masa mixture, add a layer of the pork and sauce, add more masa mixture and cover with the banana leaves.

I do mine on the outdoor propane grill with one side turned on and one side turned off, I place the pan on the 'off side'. I try to maintain 325 degrees and add wood chips (oak or mesquite) to the other side as I go. After it's done let it cool somewhat, remove from the pan and leaves, and slice it about 1" thick. I like to serve it with a pico de gallo made from fire roasted tomatoes and a bit of chipotle or morita powder added.

[Bond Girl]

I have a bunch of banana trees in my back yard, so I'm interested in what I can do with them, too. By the way, if anybody needs some, just stop by!!!

←

Oooh, can you send some to me? I'll even offer to apy for postage. Fresh banana leaves are hard to come by.

I use them in chinese cooking to wrap rice in call Tzong Tze. It's sticky rice with some beans, vegetables, braised eggs and dried shrimp.

Also, it is very yummy when you make otak otak or place some rice flour balls with some palm sugar sauce, bananas and coconut shavings.

[Dana]

We've had a couple of freezes this winter, so there aren't any leaves right now, but in about 3 months they should be lookin' good. I'll let you know.

[Chris Hennes]

Does anyone have any tips or tricks for working with banana leaves? For example, how do you soften them up for making tamales? How do you keep them from tearing while you work with them? That sort of thing.

[nakji]

When I used them in Cambodia, we ran them over a gas flame first to soften them up. I've only worked with them the once, so I'm not sure if it's a universal rule, but it did soften them up for cutting and folding.

I can't remember if the leaves started off shiny and turned dull over the flame, or vice versa, but we knew they were ready when they changed.

[djyee100]

Yep, that's what I was taught. Wipe down the leaves, then pass them over a flame or grill, moving them constantly, until they soften and become pliable. The banana leaves have a white film on them. The heat should burn off the white film and make the leaves shinier.

I once made a mini version of the tamal zacahuil under the watchful eye of cooking teacher Agustin Gaytan ( http://www.agustincooks.com/main.html ). When I say mini, I mean the tamal was about 2 feet long and 1 foot wide, and it was too small to fill up a pit and feed an entire village. I laid out the banana leaves on aluminum foil, smoothed on the filling, then wrapped up the tamal, using the aluminum foil to help fold the banana leaves. This tamal was actually cooked on the grill in aluminum foil. But I wonder if a temporary aluminum foil backing might help you fold your tamales.

[Jaymes]

I can't remember if the leaves started off shiny and turned dull over the flame, or vice versa, but we knew they were ready when they changed.

They turn shiny. I use them to make cochinita pibil. I trim any thick parts, like the stem, then wash them well in cold water, and then, because I don't have gas, heat them on a comal until they turn soft, shiny and pliable.

It doesn't take long to heat them until they're ready to use, so you have to be careful not to burn them.

Edited July 7, 2010 by Jaymes (log)