La Dua

La Dua is the Vietnamese word for Pandan Leaves. It is a a common southern Vietnam ingredient. They are called comonly called Pandan leaves or Screwpine leaves in English Pandan leaves (Pandanus latifolius, P. amaryllifolius) look like gladiola leaves. The leaves are narrow, long and pointed at the tip. They have a grassy herb flavor and are usually tied in a knot and added to rice, both long grain and sticky rice during cooking. Cooks, especially Asian cooks also use them in desserts by extracting their liquid, traditionally done by pounding on the leaves and the modern approach is with the use of modern machines (choppers and blenders) for chopping on the leaves