Pandan extract

[helenjp]

OK, so what's the Grail of Pandan extracts?

I walked the other way round the block from my usual route the other day, and found a small Philippine grocery, where I pounced on a bottle of Pandan extract. Unscrewed the lid as fast as decently possible and thought, gack, this stuff has been sitting too close to the Coco Jam.

Nope. It's labeled Pandan Extract, but it contains both Pandan and Coconut extracts, and it smells exactly like Coco Jam... though maybe that's not a bad thing.

I hear that Indian and SE Asian pandan extracts smell differently anyway, so please tell me what's available, people, and I'll either find some or daydream myself off into some sweet green cloud to neverland!

[Tepee]

I've sent both Malaysian and Indonesian pandan extracts to a US friend before. Nope, both doesn't compare with the real thang,

Edited to add: Since I've got a plant at home (as does every other M'sian), I don't have to use extract, but I tried it once just to see how the taste was. It was weird.

Edited February 4, 2005 by Tepee (log)

[Apicio]

Try a Vietnamese store and ask a clerk for it because they usually keep them behind the counter. Or you can go back to that Philippine store and find out if they have the frozen leaves. My principal objection with pandan extracts is their green colour is just so overpowering. If they can just develop a colourless one that would make my life complete.

[JustKay]

If they can just develop a colourless one that would make my life complete.

There is pandan flavoring sold here that is almost clear liquid.

I think this one is better than the striking green extracts. eewww .....

But still ... doesn't compare to the real thing.

I hear that Indian and SE Asian pandan extracts smell differently anyway, so please tell me what's available, people, and I'll either find some or daydream myself off into some sweet green cloud to neverland!

Do you want me to try again? You think it'll go through?

[helenjp]

The Buko Pandan essence I got (coconut and pandan...I didn't know at the time that "buko" means coconut is shown on this page FERNA pandan essence

Kew, not to worry - though thanks for the offer.

The coconut-pandan essence I have is a clear essence. I see FERNA have other pandan essences, in giant plastic tanks even, so I'm sure I can find a straight pandan type in a bigger town, now that I know that some of their products are imported. I can even ring my Filipina friend, but although she's a good cook, she doesn't go in for sweets!

I'm planning on using the essence in a jelly and coconut milk dessert, to test the difference between agar-agar jelly, gelatine, and the agar/konnyaku vegetable jelly powder I found recently.

[Episure]

I have a bottle of Mc Cormick Pandan flavour, it's a clear liquid and smells pretty okay. It does say Artificial flavour on the bottle and it's made in the Phillipines for distribution in Singapore.

I've stopped using it since I grow my own

Pandanus

[helenjp]

grow my own

I think our minimum temperatures are quite a bit too cold for Pandan to grow, and I don't really have anywhere sunny indoors...I'd be curious to know if anybody *has* grown them in climates with minimum temps below 10degC/50degF.

[Suburbanpeasant]

My potted pandan lived through a Melbourne winter (less10degC) but it's very tiny. I've extracted pretty good pandan juice with frozen pandan leaves from the Asian grocer. Just thaw out the leaves and instead of mixing water, simply cut them up and blend them. Strain through a muslin cloth. The flavour is still there. Forget the bottled stuff. It's just green colour.

grow my own

I think our minimum temperatures are quite a bit too cold for Pandan to grow, and I don't really have anywhere sunny indoors...I'd be curious to know if anybody *has* grown them in climates with minimum temps below 10degC/50degF.

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[helenjp]

Thanks! Now to find a plant...