Grilled Leaf Wrapped Chicken Bites with Sweet Soy Dipping Sauce

I enjoy sharing recipes showcasing ingredients that are not commonly found in America. When I saw frozen Screwpine leaf (aka Pandan leaf) in the Asian market, I thought wouldn’t it be cool to grill some chicken skewers wrapped in this fragrant leaf? This recipe is my riff of the French “en papilotte” paper wrapped food parcels.

So what’s a Screwpine or Pandan leaf? It’s commonly found in tropical countries and the palm-like shrub looks a bit like the Nile Lily plant and its leaves have a fragrant scent which, to me, smells a bit like green apple mixed with vanilla. It’s often used in cooking in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Philippines. It’s used to wrap chicken, meat, fish, and desserts before they are barbecued or steamed. They add distinct, sweet, floral-like notes to foods. Many homes in Asia which have a yard or space for a potted garden will have lemongrass and Screwpine shrubs similar to rosemary bushes common in American gardens. The fronds are tied into a knot and often tossed into the rice cooker to perfume the rice. I made a Malaysian style marinade which combines Chinese, Malay, and Indian ingredients to create a sweet exotic flavored chicken bites that’s paired with a complimentary soy dipping sauce. Your guests will unwrap these bites like precious gifts. Ask your guests to discard the wrapper leaves as they are inedible.