Pandan leaf comes from Pandanus amaryllifolius, a tropical Asian shrub whose long green leaves are a cornerstone of Southeast Asian cookery. The leaves impart a distinctive fragrant, nutty, almost vanilla-like aroma, released by bruising, knotting, or blending, and they colour foods a natural green. They flavour rice, curries, and coconut-based desserts; wrap parcels of chicken or fish for steaming; and provide the signature taste of kaya jam and pandan chiffon cake. The aroma comes from 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, the same compound behind basmati rice’s fragrance. Traditionally the leaves are also chewed as a breath freshener and taken as a digestive. Fresh or frozen leaves far outperform dried, and extract pastes offer convenience, though artificial versions can taste harshly chemical by comparison.