Thanks Shelley!!! I found a website.....http://thaifood.about.com/od/glossary/g/bananaleaf.htm I think I shall try it. I wonder if Salmon grilled on the Barbacue, would be good with these leaves? Diana55

Go rent the movie, Once Upon a Time in Mexico. Besides being a fun crazy movie, in the special features they have a "10-minute cooking school" which teaches you how to make Puerco Pibil, a slow baked pork dish which is part of the story in the movie. (Probably the same dish Shelley is talking about.)

I made the recipe but used foil instead of banana leaves (I also used beef instead of pork). It turned out DELICIOUS. Probably even better with the banana leaves!

Here is a link that might be useful: Once Upon a Time in Mexico

and it has Johnny Depp in it too!!!! God how I love him !!! LOL I own this movie Lowspark, and I haven't even watched it yet. Thanks for letting me know!!! Nothing like learning to cook with Banana leaves, and watching that Hunk at the same time. That is why I love this Forum so much!!! LOL Diana55

......I'd like to lay him out on a bed of "Banana Leaves" !!! LOL Diana55

......minus the word "Out"

My cleaning lady is from Honduras. They use the banana leaves instead of corn husk for use in chicken and pork tamales. She strips my tree several times a year and loads up my freezer with tamales. I'm so lucky to have such a great friend.

She's cute but not as cute as Johnny Depp!

You guys are too funny. Diana, there are alot of recipes on the web for salmon cooked in banana leaves, so I am sure it would be wonderful!

Shelley

Diana, what kind of banana trees do you have? Not all banana leaves are suitable for cooking. I don't know which is not suitable, I just know a few types that are ok to use.

Banana leaves do give out a fragrance in your cooking. You may want to try a small portion first to see if you like it. I know of a couple of friends that do not like the fragrance. As for us, Asians, we love it too! We use them for just about anything. We cook wrapped in meat, sweet rice and veggies.

You'd need to wash them thoroughly, soak in warm water to soften it or just freeze them as someone mentioned already. Once, you've taken out from the freezer, it would already be soften and easier to manage.

They are " MUSA BASJOO" plants. Can I use them? Thanks !!! Diana55

Diana, this article was a few that I found online. They all agreed that the Musa Basjoo leaves are ok to use in cooking.

"Japanese Fiber Banana
Musa 'Basjoo'

Musa Basjoo is the hardiest of all bananas, cold hardy to -20 degrees when mulched properly. In warm weather months it can grow up to 2 feet in a week. It's mature height is 18'. It can flower and bear fruits at 10' or whenever it has 35 leaves. The bananas are not edible. This handsome broad leaved variety can be grown in almost every state if the ground is mulched properly in the very cold months. At 40 degrees it will stop actively growing and at 28 degrees the leaves will die back and the tree can be cut back to a 2'or 3' height. It will grow back rapidly as the warmer season approaches. The leaves can be used to wrap foods like fish and corn to be placed on the grill."

My mom cautioned me a few times that some banana trees and leaves have too much sap that can cause irritation of the throat and dehydration. I don't know the severity of harm on the excessive of banana sap.

Although, the article above said that it was ok to use the Musa Basjoo in cooking, you may want to try a small portion and see if you're ok with it and not having any allergic reaction to it.

When you cut down the banana leaves from the trees, you need to remove the center stem. Use a long sharp knife and slid it along the sides of the center stem. Do this on both sides of it to separate it. Now, you can fold the leaves to soak in warm water. If you soak them for a minimum of 1/2 hr., it will help to remove some of its sap.

In our country, we slid the stems lengthwise into long strips and use them to tie the food package that the banana leaves are wrapped into.

Have fun with it!

Here is a link that might be useful: Musa Basjoo

Thanks so much !!! I shall read that. Diana55

I use banana leaves to make a Puerto Rican style tamale I just made these last week for a dinner party approx 25 the kids really enjoyed helping with a the steps even helped to make the masa....they were a hit among most the kids didnt like them at all...they loved the Picadillo Empanadas and Cuban Sandwiches.

Any observations about using musa basjoo for cooking, or which varieties are best for using the leaves for cooking?

I think if the banana plant makes bananas that are edible, then you can cook with the leaves, but there are many other varieties that may not make bananas, and you can still cook with them. Try asking the question on the Tropic Fruits forum.

I have quite a few banana leaves also, and so I might use them when I make tamales for Christmas. Corn husks are relatively expensive for this, it seems, or they can be.

I grow a lot of plants with poisonous leaves, including cherimoya, which makes edible fruit, but the peel is poisonous. This protects it against pests of all kinds, including insects, but also squirrels and possums.

Thank you!