What Is Pandan and How Do Filipinos Use It?

Pandan is one of those ingredients that many Filipinos recognize immediately, even if they have never stopped to describe it.

Its fragrance is sweet, fresh, grassy, and slightly nutty. Some people compare it to vanilla, coconut, or freshly cooked rice, but pandan has a distinct aroma of its own.

Pandan comes from a tropical plant with long, narrow green leaves. It is widely used across Southeast Asia, including the Philippines.

In Filipino cooking, pandan leaves are often tied into a knot and added to rice while it cooks. The leaves release their aroma and give the rice a subtle fragrance.

This is one of the simplest ways to use fresh pandan.

Pandan is also used in Filipino desserts and drinks, including:

Buko pandan
Gulaman
Rice cakes
Cakes and breads
Ice cream
Flavored drinks
Sweet coconut desserts
Sago-based desserts

Buko pandan is one of the most familiar Filipino desserts made with pandan. It usually combines young coconut, pandan-flavored jelly, cream, and sweetened milk.

It is cool, creamy, and commonly served during parties, holidays, and family gatherings.

Fresh pandan leaves can be blended with water and strained to create pandan liquid. Pandan extract and pandan flavoring are also available, especially when fresh leaves are difficult to find.

Commercial extracts are often much stronger than fresh pandan and may include green coloring. A small amount can add both fragrance and color to baked goods and desserts.

Pandan is sometimes called the vanilla of Southeast Asia because of how commonly it is used in sweets. However, pandan does not taste exactly like vanilla.

Its flavor is more herbal, floral, and slightly toasted.

For many Filipinos, the smell of pandan is tied to comfort. It can remind us of rice cooking at home, desserts prepared for celebrations, or food made by our parents and grandparents.

It is a simple ingredient, but it carries a lot of memory.

The next time you smell pandan, pay attention to what it reminds you of. It may bring back a kitchen, a family gathering, or a dessert you have not eaten in years.

What is your favorite Filipino dish made with pandan?