Preparing Banana Leaves

Bananas grow in abundance in Thailand and Laos. The leaves are used to wrap food for steaming ‘Khao Dome’ and ‘Moke Pha’ dishes. ‘Khao Dome' is coconut milk and Thai Lao Sticky Rice steamed in banana leaf. ‘Moke Pha' is steamed fish with herbs and egg. Try the Fish with Thai Lao Herbs recipe by wrapping the fish in banana leaves and steaming for 40 miniutes.

Corn leaves can also be steamed to make a corn wrap dessert.

Banana leaves are used in Thailand and Laos for steaming, storing, and packaging. Banana leaves may be purchased from an Asian supermarket in the frozen section.

Instructions on how to Prepare Banana Leaves:
1. Thaw the frozen banana leaves for about two hours in room temperature
2. Remove the banana leaves from the packaging
3. Remove the amount you need and re-package and re-freeze the rest
4. Rinse the leaves in cold water to soften them and to remove any debris
5. Wipe the leaves with a cloth on both sides to remove excess water
6. Use a pair of scissors to remove any yellow colour and tears along the perimeter
7. Tear the banana leaf, if necessary, to the size of a standard paper, (8.5” x 11”)