What is pandan precisely, where can it be acquired, and what are the prices?
Sophia Williams
2026-03-22
3 min. read
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Asian cuisine, famed for its diversity of flavors, surprises with the possibility of using diverse, less popular products in Poland. One such product is the long and deep green leaves of the Pandanus amaryllifolius plant.
The pandas
The pandan, known as the ginger, is an interesting plant. It occurs in the form of a tree or shrub, depending on the species of which over 700 have been identified. It grows naturally in tropical Asia, Africa and Australia, i.e. on continents with warm and hot climates. The trees and shrubs of the pandan have supporting roots that keep the plant upright and above the water. The leaves of the plant are large, long, intensely green and often stubborn.
Pandas are growing
While traveling to warm tropical countries, you can unplug the plant, and then try to grow it at home when you return. Keep in mind that pandans need a lot of room to grow, because in domestic conditions they can reach up to 34 meters! They grow large and supportive roots that will definitely impress a few guests.
It's a leaf of pandas
The leaves of pandans have a useful value. They are often used in Malaysian, Thai, Philippine and Indian cuisines. The cooks compare the pandan to vanilla because, like vanilla leaves, it has an intense walnut flavor that gives unique notes of flavor and aroma to dishes. Cut leaves are added to flavor rice, sauces and soup, but are also used entirely in dishes similar to Polish cabbage.
It's called pandan extract
The water extract obtained from the leaves of the pandans is a difficult commodity to acquire in Poland. If we are interested in buying the extract, it is worth visiting shops specializing in oriental products. The extract is obtained by urinating and cooking the fresh leaves of a pandans tree, interrupting the process when the desired concentration is reached. The liquid obtained is characterized by an intense green color and a walnut smell. It can be used for desserts to give flavor and color, as well as for drinks as a flavoring base.
Where to buy pandan, price
Fresh leaves of pandas can be purchased permanently in stores with oriental food from the Far East. 100 grams of leaves will cost about 11 dollars. Pandas is another interesting plant from the warm tropical countries. I encourage you to try its flavor while traveling to distant countries to expand your culinary horizons.