Pandanus amaryllifolius is a tropical plant in thePandanus (screwpine)genus, which is commonly known aspandan (/ˈpændən/;Malay:[ˈpandan]). It has fragrant leaves which are used widely for flavouring in the cuisines ofSoutheast Asia. It is also featured in some South Asian cuisines (such asSri Lankan cuisine) and inHainanese cuisine fromChina.

Pandanus amaryllifolius
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Pandanales
Family:	Pandanaceae
Genus:	Pandanus
Species:	P. amaryllifolius
Binomial name
Pandanus amaryllifolius Roxb.
Synonyms[1]
Pandanus hasskarliiMerr. Pandanus latifoliusHassk. nom. illeg. Pandanus odorusRidl.

Pandanus amaryllifolius is a truecultigen, and is believed to have been domesticated in ancient times. It is sterile and can only reproduce vegetatively through suckers or cuttings. It was first described from specimens from theMaluku Islands, and the rare presence of male flowers in these specimens may indicate that it is the origin of the species. However, as no other wild specimens have been found, this is still conjecture. The plant is grown widely throughout Southeast Asia and South Asia.^[2][3][4]

The characteristic aroma of pandan is caused by thearoma compound2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, found in the lower epidermal papillae;^[5] the compound giveswhite bread,jasmine rice,basmati rice and bread flowersVallaris glabra their typical smell.^[6] Though the plant is unknown in the wild, it is widely cultivated. It is an upright, green plant with fan-shaped sprays of long, narrow, blade-like leaves and woodyaerial roots. The plant is sterile, with flowers only growing very rarely, and is propagated by cuttings.^[7][8]

Thetaste of pandan has been described as floral,sweet,grassy, as well as likevanilla.^[9][10] It often has a subtle flavor or scent.^[11]

InSingapore,Cambodia,Malaysia,Indonesia and thePhilippines, it is commonly calledpandan orpandan wangi (fragrant pandan). The green juice acquired from its leaf is used extensively inMalaysian cuisine,Indonesian cuisine, andPhilippine cuisine as greenfood colouring and flavouring agents that give a pleasant aroma to traditional cakes such askue andkakanin; includingklepon,kue putu,dadar gulung,lapis legit,pandan cake,buko pandan salad, andbuko pandan cake. The tied knot of bruised pandan leaf is also added into fragrantcoconut rice to enhance the aroma.^[12]

InSri Lanka, it is calledrampe (Sinhala:රම්පේ ;Tamil:ரம்பை) and it is grown almost in every household. Most of the Sri Lankan dishes use these leaves for aroma along with curry leaves. In India it is called annapurna leaves; InOdisha, annapurna leaves are used to lend aroma to rice and pithas, inBangladesh, it is calledpulao pata (পোলাও পাতা); and in theMaldives, it is calledran’baa along with the other variety of pandan there (Pandanus fascicularis), and is used to enhance the flavor ofpulao,biryani, and sweet coconut rice pudding, orpayesh if basmati rice is not used. It acts as a cheap substitute for basmati fragrance, as one can use normal, nonfragrant rice and with pandan the dish tastes and smells like basmati is used. The leaves are used either fresh or dried, and are commercially available in frozen form inAsian grocery stores of nations where the plant does not grow. They have a nutty, botanical fragrance that is used as a flavor enhancer in many Asian cuisines, especially inrice dishes, desserts, and cakes.^[13]

The leaves are sometimes steeped incoconut milk, which is then added to the dish. They may be tied in a bunch and cooked with the food. They may be woven into a basket which is used as a pot for cooking rice. Pandan chicken (Thai:ไก่ห่อใบเตย,romanized: kai ho bai toei), is a dish of chicken parts wrapped in pandan leaves and fried. The leaves are also used as a flavoring for desserts such aspandan cake and sweet beverages. Pandan is often used as a flavoring in the Thai dessertkhanom thuai. Filipino cuisine uses pandan as a flavoring in somecoconut milk-based dishes as well as desserts likebuko pandan.^[14] It is also used widely in rice-based pastries such assuman and numerous sweet drinks and desserts.^[15]

Pandan leaves and their extract have also been used as afood preservative due to theirantibacterial andantifungal properties (particularly againstmold).^[16]

In October 2017,celebrity chefNigella Lawson predicted that pandan would displace popularmatcha andavocado toast.^[17] While the plant’s visibility on social networks, especially in the United Kingdom, increased in 2017, there was also pushback against reports that described Lawson as "discovering" a "new" ingredient, as pandan has been widely used in Asia for a long time.^[18][19]

Bottled pandan extract is available in shops, and often contains greenfood coloring.

The leaves are used in the perfume industry andtraditional medicine.^[20]P. amaryllifolius essence may substitute forvanilla essence.^[21]

Studies have established repellent activity ofP. amaryllifolius against American cockroaches (Periplaneta americana L.).^[22]

The leaves possess a pleasant aroma and can be used as natural air fresheners.^[23] In Thailand, cab drivers sometimes use pandan for this purpose.^[24]

• Domesticated plants and animals of Austronesia

• Li J. and Ho S.H. (2003).Pandan leaves (Pandanus amaryllifolius Roxb.) as a Natural Cockroach Repellent.Proceedings of the 9th National Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (2003-09-13).
• Van Wyk, Ben-Erik (2005).Food Plants of the World. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press, Inc.ISBN 0-88192-743-0

• Spices:P. amaryllifolius