Banana leaf

Thebanana leafis theleafof thebanana plant, which may produce up to 40 leaves in a growing cycle.The leaves have a wide range of applications because they are large, flexible, waterproof and decorative. They are used for cooking, wrapping,and food-serving in a wide range of cuisines intropicalandsubtropicalareas. They are used for decorative and symbolic purposes in numerousHinduandBuddhistceremonies. In traditional home building in tropical areas, roofs and fences are made with dry banana-leafthatch.Bananas andpalm leaveswere historically the primary writing surfaces in many nations ofSouthandSoutheast Asia.
Banana leaves are large, flexible, and waterproof.They impart an aroma to food that is cooked in or served on them; steaming with banana leaves imparts a subtle sweet flavor and aroma to the dish.The leaves are not themselves eaten and are discarded after the contents are consumed.
Besides adding flavor, the leaves keep juices in and protect food from burning, much as foil does.InTamil Nadu(India) leaves are fully dried and used as packing material for foodstuffs, and are also made into cups to hold liquids. The dried leaves are called 'Vaazhai-ch- charugu' (வாழைச் சருகு) in Tamil. Some South Indian, Filipino and Khmer recipes use banana leaves as a wrapper for frying. The leaves are later removed. In Vietnamese cuisine, banana leaves are used to wrap foods such ascha-lua.
InIndonesian cuisine, banana leaf is employed in cooking methods calledpepesandbotok; the banana-leaf packets of food are steamed, boiled, or grilled on charcoal. Banana leaves are also used to wrap several kinds of snackskue(delicacies), such asnagasariorkue pisangandotak-otak, and also to wrap pressed sticky-rice delicacies such aslemperandlontong.
In Java, banana leaf is also used as a shallow conical bowl called"pincuk", usually to serverujaktumbuk,pecelorsatay. Thepincuksecured withlidi semat(small thornlike pins made from the coconut-leaf midrib). Thepincukfit in the left palm, while the right hand is used to consume the food. It also functions as a traditional disposable take-away food container. The cleaned banana leaf is often used as a placemat; cut banana-leaf sheets placed on rattan, bamboo or clay plates are used to serve food. Decorated and folded banana leaves on woven bamboo plates are used as serving trays,tumpengrice cones, and holders forjajan pasarorkuedelicacies.
InMalaysianandSingapore cuisine, banana leaves are used to wrap certainkuihandotak-otak. Malay foods such asnasi lemakare also commonly wrapped with banana leaves before being wrapped with newspaper, as banana leaves add fragrance to the rice.
Banana leaves are the traditional method of serving food inPhilippine cuisine, with rice and other dishes laid out on large banana leaves (asalo-salo, reminiscent of abuffet) and everyone partaking using their bare hands (kamayan).Another traditional method of serving food is by placing it on a banana-leaf liner placed over a wovenbilao(awinnowing basketmade of bamboo). Thebilaois normally a farm implement used for removingchafffrom grains, although there are now smaller woven trays or carved wooden plates of the same kind in Filipino restaurants used specifically for serving food.Banana leaves are also commonly used in wrapping food (binalot), and are valued for the aroma they impart to the food.Specific Philippine dishes that use banana leaves includesumanandbibingka.
TheHawaiianimuis often lined with banana leaves.
South Indian cuisineandBengali cuisineis traditionally served on a banana leaf, especially in the states ofAndhra Pradesh,Telangana,Tamil Nadu,Karnataka,Kerala,Odisha,West Bengaland also inSri Lanka. In these regions, it is customary to serve food on a banana leaf during festive occasions, and banana is often a part of the food served. In Maharashtra, on special occasions likeGanesh chaturthi, people eat off banana leaves. The banana leaf is also used for wrapping fish, which can then be steamed.
InBengali cuisine, banana leaf is used to preparePaturi, which is marinated and seasoned boneless fresh fish steamed and cooked inside a banana leaf and eaten on it. Commonly,BhetkiandIlishare used in making Paturi. Bengali cuisine also have a great significance and sacred believe for having meal on a banana leaf.
InIndia, white rice (or parboiled rice in authentic South Indian restaurants) is served on a banana leaf with an assortment of vegetables,pickles,appalamand other regional condiments (usually sour, salty or spicy). The banana leaf acts as a disposable plate and it in itself is not consumed. The choice of banana leaves is mainly due to the broad leaves as well as to the ubiquity of the plant in South India. Typically, only vegetarian gravy (e.g.sambar) will be served on the rice as it is meant to be a traditional vegetarian dish. However, sometimes boiled eggs,curriedor fried meat or seafood are served as well. Traditionally, there will be two servings of rice with the first being served with gravy, side dishes and condiments whilst the second serving will be just rice withcurdas a palate cleanser. Banana leaf meals areeaten by hand. Traditionally  only the right hand is used, and only the  tips of the fingers should touch the food. Any  part of the finger beyond the first knuckle or the palm must not touch the food. Parts of the Banana leaf meal etiquette also dictates that, after the meal, the guest must always fold the banana leaf inwards as a sign of gratitude to the host, even when the host is the proprietor of an eatery. However, when meals are served at funeral wakes, the leaf is folded outwards as a sign of condolence to the family of the deceased. Due to this, folding the leaf outwards is considered rude in any other circumstance.
Guanimos areDominicantamales made with cornmeal, stuffed with ground meat and wrapped with banana leaves.
InPuerto Rico,pastelesare made primarily with fresh green banana dough stuffed with pork, and then wrapped in banana leaves which have been softened at the fire. Many rice dishes in Puerto Rico are cooked with banana leaves as a lid to add flavor and aroma. Fish and pork shoulder can be wrapped in plantain leaves and baked.Guanimesknown as Puerto Rican tamales, cornmeal cooked with coconut milk and other ingredients, are wrapped in banana leaves. Sweet cassava tortillas and Puerto Ricanarepasare laid on banana leaves for a few hours before cooking.
InJamaica,Haiti,Antigua and Barbuda,Belize,French Guianaand some other islands in theLesser Antilles, there is a dessert calledduckunooorduckanoo, also referred to astie-a-leaforblue drawers (draws)(in Jamaica),dokonon(in French Guiana),doukunou(in Haiti),paime(in Trinidad & Tobago),penmi(in St Lucia) andducunuortamalito(in Belize). It is similar totamal dulce(sweet tamale), and is typically made with batata or sweet potato, coconut, cornmeal, spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and anise, brown sugar, coconut milk and vanilla. Sometimes, pumpkin, plantain and raisins are used. The mixture is tied up in a banana leaf, and then cooked in boiling water. The more savoury version,pastelles,  is made in Trinidad and Tobago. Also, banana leaves are used in other ways inJamaican cuisine, like for steaming fish and cookingackee.
Mexican, and more specificallyOaxacantamalesand a local variety of lamb orbarbacoatacosare oftensteamedin banana leaves.  Banana leaves are used for wrapping pork in the traditional Yucatán dishCochinita pibil.
Vigorón' is a traditionalNicaraguandish. It consists of a cabbage salad known ascurtido(chopped cabbage, tomatoes, onions, and chile peppers marinated in vinegar and salt), boiledyuca, andchicharrones(fried pork with skin or with meat), wrapped in Banana leaf.Variations of this dish are also found inCosta Rica.
Vaho(or Baho) is a mix of meat, greenplantainsand yuca cooked in banana leaves.
Tamalesmade throughout Central America are traditionally wrapped in banana leaves prior to cooking, which imparts a distinctive taste to thenixtamalizedcorndough.
Nacatamalis made up mostly of nixtamalized cornmasa(a kind ofdoughtraditionally made from a process callednizquezar) andlard, but also includes seasonings such as salt andachiote(annatto).  Filling consists of seasoned pork meat, rice, a slice ofpotato,bell pepper,tomato,onion,olives,cilantroand/or spearmint sprigs, and on occasion, though less commonly, capers, raisins or freshchile(red or green), all wrapped in banana leaves.  This dish is traditional to Nicaragua.
Coast side region prepare dishes asBollo, green plantain and peanut butter batter filled with fish or pork wrapped in a banana leaf, this is then baked in a brick oven or steamed.Manabiprovince prepare a dish calledTongaa chicken stew with rice dyed with achiote and peanut salsa, all this served on a banana leaf and then wrapped. Amazonian provinces hasMaitowhere grilled fish is served with yucca and rice, wrapped in a banana leaves.
In Brazil some people might use a dry banana leaf as an alternative to regular rolling papers. This is not a very common practice, but became well-known among youngsters afterArmandinhosinger wrote a song about it.
Banana leaves have also been proposed as a material out of which to make trays forairline meals, to reduce their environmental impact.
Banana leaves are used by Hindus and Buddhists as a decorative element for special functions, marriages, and ceremonies in southernIndiaandSoutheast Asia.Balinese Hinduprepare banana leaves as containers for floral offerings calledcanangto thehyang(spirits or deities) and gods. These floral offerings are then placed in various places around the house.
InUpper Myanmar, the banana leaf is used in handcrafting an elaborate multi-tiered offertory known asphetsein kundaung(ဖက်စိမ်းကွမ်းတောင်). InThailand, banana leaf is used to create an offering bowl calledkrathong,an important element during festival ofLoy Krathongon the full-moon day of the twelfth lunar month.The celebration is meant to pay respects to the Mother of Water calledPhra Mae Kong Khaby floating akrathongon a body of water.Other Asian countries also have similar festivals such as in Myanmar,Laos,Cambodia,IndiaandChina.Krathongmeans lotus-shaped vessel, and in it are placed flowers with joss sticks and a candle in the middle. DuringLoy Krathong, people carrykrathongsto the river. After lighting the candles and three joss sticks and making a wish, they will gently place theirkrathongson the water and let them drift away with the current.People believed thatkrathongswill carry their wickedness and bad luck, and after that happiness will come to them. It is a time joy and merrymaking, dancing, singing, and activities with other people. People use banana leaves to makekrathongsbecause it is an organic and natural material, and would decompose easily in the water.
Banana and palm leaves were historically the primary writing surface in many nations of South and Southeast Asia. This has influenced the evolution of their scripts. The rounded letters of many of thescripts of southern India, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asiasuch asOriyaandSinhala,Burmese,Baybayin, andJavanese, for example, are thought to have been influenced by this. Sharp angles and tracing straight lines along the vein of the leaf with a sharpwriting implementwould risk splitting the leaf and ruining the surface, so rounded letters, or letters with straight lines only in the vertical or diagonal direction, were required for practical daily use.
In such situations, the ribs of the leaves function as the dividing lines ofruled paper, separating lines of text. It is believed that this was so influential in the development of the still-undecipheredrongorongoscript ofEaster Islandthat the more elaborate wood tablets developed later were fluted to imitate the surface of a banana leaf.
The leaves containapiinwhich is used to makenanoparticleproducts.