Banana Leaves

Thai: ????? (bai dtong)

The leaves of the Banana tree are used in Thai cuisine to wrap foods before steaming. The leaf gives the food a slight flavor. They are never eaten, just used as a flavoring. They are also commonly used as tablecloths at markets! If you live somewhere where there are no Banana trees to steal leaves from, you can usually buy them frozen in bags at Asian groceries.

Storage: Banana leaves can be kept in the refrigerator for a few weeks. For long term storage, you can freeze them sealed.