what is pandanus
Pandanus, also known as screw pine is seen everywhere in the Marshall Islands, second only to coconut trees. It grows in the tropical coastal regions mostly in the Pacific. In South East Asian countries like Thailand and the Philippines, locals use Pandanus leaves for cooking. Their leaves have an herbal/floral like aroma and they are used to wrap rice, meat or fish to cook them. They also make a juice extract (pandan paste) from the leaves to use for cooking.