Banana Leaf Alternative?

[Foo]

Hi all, i was wondering if anyone here had experience with cooking with "leaves" particually SE Asian food that would normally call for a Banana leaf. They dont grow so well in Perth and i dont fancy a 10 hour drive to get some.

Especialy interested in something i can grow.

Any help at all apreciated.

[apothecary]

Hi eatfoo,

The most common leaf used in this manner aside from banana leaf is lotus leaf from Nelumbo species.

There is plenty of info about them all over the net on food websites.

Your best bet imho is a Chinese grocer which sell dried leaves you can soak.

[tripsis]

Leaves of various gingers can be used in place of banana leaves, though will likely impart flavour which may or may not be desirable. Taro leaves can be used too, though they would need to be treated to remove the calcium oxalate present in them first.

[kadakuda]

here they use a leave to wrap rice concoctions (Zhong Zhi). i forget the latin name on them, they are like a mini banana leaf and look like the banana/ginger type of growth habit. they are used to wrap and cook in, i assume thats your need?

[Foo]

here they use a leave to wrap rice concoctions (Zhong Zhi). i forget the latin name on them, they are like a mini banana leaf and look like the banana/ginger type of growth habit. they are used to wrap and cook in, i assume thats your need?

 

That sounds awesome. Whats the common name then

Also thanks for the rest of the responces. Plenty to read up on

[kadakuda]

my wife helped me find the latin for the chinese name

Alpinia zerumbet 月桃

a good site, though in chinese.

http://www.moxa.org.tw/grass/034.pdf

flowers make a decent tea as well.

[shortly]

Eneste ventricosum is cool tolerant, although i don't know if it would handle severe frost?

It also has an edible starchy corm if that makes any difference.

[flora]

there are plenty of bananas in perth - keep your eyes 'peeled'. the starchy variety grows well in perth climate. they need cooking & make excellent chippies. there was a great clump of sugar bananas at city farm, you could ask around

[naja naja]

yeah, banana plants grow fine in perth, sum even fruit OK, but since u just want the leaves. Growing ur own is a very viable option. They have fruited as far south as Augusta as far as I'm aware.

[H.E. Pennypacker]

Carica papaya?

[Foo]

Mmmm, ive never had any luck growing the suckers. Havent tried since i was a kid though.

Might give it shot though. One leaf i have overlooked though is Bamboo! Wich i have access to alot of.

[devance]

I thought you were talking abount a condom.

Kandarian reaches 20 feet.

"4" deep pots, plants are between 4"- 24" tall

http://northerntropics.mybisi.com/product/kandarian-musa-banana-plant-african-giant-banana

http://www.floridahillnursery.com/banana-trees-c-3/musa-kandarian-banana-tree-p-72

http://www.botanicalgrowers.net/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=BGN&Product_Code=MUS-KAN

[McTeeth]

Piper auritum/subpeltatum leaves can be used to wrap rice or fish in central american cooking. May add its own particular spicy aroma to food but it smells lovely.

They are often available at SAB and mine does well in the non tropical climate (mine is subpeltatum)

[kadakuda]

piper betel is also used in the same fashion (wrapping rice/mixes) in Asia.

eatfoo, what exactly are you looking to do? wrap with or eat teh leaves?

[Foo]

Wrap.

[random]

What about Cardomon leaves? Heard they're supposed to be good for cooking.

[coin]

Maybe you're specifically looking for an alternative. But here in Vic you can buy "fresh" banana leaves that are vacuum packed at a lot of Asian grocers. Maybe you can find those?

[Foo]

Ive had a look around at my local Asian stores with no luck sadly.

I did have a go at cooking zongzi with fresh bamboo leaves though

[coin]

it's not an uncommon product...you could probably ask your store to order it or find it somewhere else....

maybe perth is not like melbourne...but being in melbourne means there are hundreds of asian grocers nearby

[kadakuda]

learn the name in whatever language those "asian stores" are actually from. if ya need chinese (real mandarin, not that dumbed down crap china uses ;)) just let me know.

[Foo]

My local store is filipino. Sadly you are right, Perth is not Melbourne

Im going to venture into the CBD at some point, by the sounds of it ill probly find some there. Btw i dont know if ive ever seen a "chinese" store, at least not with chinese staff in perth. The SE Asians seem to be far more common out my way as most of our Chinese immigrants were during the gold rush and seem to all have westernised by now.

[naja naja]

Westernized, fuck, go to northbridge, surely u wil find it there. Alot of resturants also sell stuff, worth checking out too. Or just go to a garden store, they'll have live plants for sale. Hell, i bet if u look around u could find them growing in peepses backyards.

[Foo]

There arent actualy that many Chinese in NB alot more Korean or SE asian. Will head in sometime though, theres a few stores ive usedin the past that i need other stuff from anyway.