SoCal2warm

The reason for using banana leaves mainly has to do with the utility of the cooking method.
It holds in the moisture during cooking, or in the case of steaming, prevents the inside from absorbing excessive moisture and falling apart.
There are some great Southern/Northeastern Indian and Sri Lankan recipes that use banana leaf with rice.
Also in some parts of the world they did not use plates and ate on banana leaves, which acted like disposable plates. Or if a banana leaf is placed over the plate, it makes clean up easier afterwards. It's a unique experience eating your food over a banana leaf. I think it can make the food more appetizing.

bencelest

i just found out you can buy banana leaves from mexican store for $1.25 a pound.

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Banana Nut

PlantHoarder

I did not know you could use them for eating, I know grape leaves are apparently a thing.

hademarqvce

I didn't know that banana leaves could be used in cooking. This is a discovery for me.

aroideana

Some growers make more money selling just the leaves instead of the hard work picking heavy bunches .. Great when owner is getting older or in marginal area. Read an interesting article along these lines about a Lady Finger grower in northen NSW .

I get islanders come and pick a heap of leaves when they have a party with pit cooking.

emls5

my family from Puerto Rico use banana leaves to make pasteles also. Hard to find banana trees here and i only have one plant still growing in the garage. We have found the leaves in Walmart or the local Mexican super maket here in cali.
http://www.bananas.org/images/smilie...oohoonaner.gif

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bencelest

I;ve been using banna leaves for cooking throughout my life and I am over 80 years old.

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Banana Nut

*Dearly Depotted*

I didn’t know you could eat them either! By the way what do they taste like? Just curious.

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It’s long been a dream of mine to be able to grow real bananas off my own plants! So, please wish me luck on my quest to fulfill that dream!

cincinnana

Spinach.....with a banana kick

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*Dearly Depotted*

Hilarious! Great answer!!

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It’s long been a dream of mine to be able to grow real bananas off my own plants! So, please wish me luck on my quest to fulfill that dream!

LaBananaGwr2018

I have never eaten the leaves but we do use them to rap our food like tamales and steam them and discard the leaf afterwards.

UltimateSquidGaming

They allow you to cook food over open flames; as the leaves stop food from being burned and from absorbing smoke!

tabeeR

Firstly, banana leaves are a natural and eco-friendly alternative to aluminum foil or plastic wrap. They are readily available in tropical regions, and they are biodegradable and compostable.

Secondly, banana leaves can impart a unique flavor and aroma to food, which can enhance the taste of certain dishes. The leaves have a slightly sweet and grassy flavor like cabbage soup, that can infuse into food when it is cooked or steamed inside the leaf wrapper. This is especially true for dishes like tamales, where the masa dough absorbs the flavor of the banana leaf.

Finally, banana leaves also provide a practical function in cooking. They are sturdy and can withstand high temperatures, making them ideal for wrapping and cooking foods. Additionally, the leaves are large enough to wrap around whole fish or other large cuts of meat, which helps to keep the food moist and tender while it cooks.

UltimateSquidGaming

I've only ever seen banana fruits for sale!