Pandan, Kantan and Blue Pea
From Ditches to Culinary Dishes: Three humble Singapore plants that colour, flavour, and fragrance our favourite foods
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| Blue pea (butterfly tea), pandan and kantan (torch ginger) |
Have you ever wondered where the fragrant green in your kaya toast comes from? Or what gives rojak that unmistakable zing? Or why your butterfly-pea latte turns from sapphire to violet with a squeeze of lime? The answers lie in three unassuming plants that grow wild along Singapore's drains, parks, and fences — yet anchor some of our most beloved flavours.
1. Pandan — The Vanilla of the East
Pandanus amaryllifolius · Family: Pandanaceae |
| Wild pandan thriving — a common sight across Singapore's parks |
From Leaf to Plate
The magic of pandan lies in its aroma: a heady blend of vanilla, rose, almond, and toasted coconut. This fragrance comes from a volatile compound called 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline — the same molecule responsible for the signature scent of jasmine rice. In the kitchen, pandan leaves are extraordinarily versatile:
- Rice dishes: Tied into knots and simmered with coconut milk to make nasi lemak, or steamed with jasmine rice for fragrance.
- Wraps: Whole leaves are used to parcel chicken, fish, or glutinous rice before grilling or steaming — a technique seen in Thai gai hor bai toey (pandan-wrapped chicken).
- Extracts & dyes: Blended with water and strained to yield a vivid green liquid for colouring kueh, chiffon cakes, Swiss rolls, ice cream, and milkshakes.
- Spreads: The beloved kaya jam — coconut custard slow-cooked with pandan and sugar — is the soul of the Singaporean breakfast.
- Savoury: Hainanese chicken rice is often cooked with a touch of pandan and sesame oil, a practice likely borrowed from Malay culinary tradition.
Beyond the Kitchen
Pandan's usefulness extends well beyond food. In Singapore, taxi drivers have long tucked fresh leaves under car seats as a natural air freshener and insect repellent — the essential oils in the leaves are believed to deter cockroaches and ants. The leaves have also been woven into baskets for cooking rice and meats, a traditional practice still seen in rural Southeast Asia.
Pandan leaves may contain beta-carotene, vitamin C, and iron and has been identified to contain antioxidant, antimicrobial, and blood-sugar-regulating properties. However, most health claims remain based on traditional use and preliminary research.Where It Grows
Pandan loves water. In Singapore, it thrives along streams, drains, and pond edges. You can spot it wild at Pulau Ubin, Admiralty Park, Sentosa Island, and the Singapore Zoo. It is also widely sold as a potted herb at IKEA, supermarkets, and wet markets — a testament to how indispensable it has become.
2. Torch Ginger — The Rojak Flower
Etlingera elatior · Family: Zingiberaceae |
| The flamboyant pink bracts of bunga kantan (torch ginger) in the wild |
Standing up to six metres tall with spectacular pink, red, or white inflorescences, torch ginger (Etlingera elatior) is impossible to miss. Native to the rainforests of Malaysia, Indonesia, and southern Thailand, it takes its common name from the flame-like shape of its elongated flower bud. In Malay it is bunga kantan; in Indonesia, kecombrang or honje; in Thailand, dala.
Despite its common name, what we call the "flower" is actually a cluster of bracts — modified leaves that protect the tiny true flowers developing inside. The edible part is the young, tightly closed bud, harvested before the bracts open.
A Signature of Nyonya Cuisine
Torch ginger is one of the defining ingredients of Nyonya (Peranakan) cooking — the centuries-old fusion of Chinese techniques with Malay and Indonesian ingredients. When thinly sliced, the bud imparts a bright, citrusy, slightly peppery zing with floral undertones. It is this flavour that gives Singapore's rojak its characteristic punch, and Penang's assam laksa its aromatic backbone.
Other classic uses include:
- Kerabu (Malay herb salad) — sliced raw and tossed with herbs, lime, and toasted coconut
- Nasi ulam — mixed into herb rice dishes
- Curries and seafood stews — added toward the end of cooking to mask fishy odours and lift the broth
- Sambal belacan — pounded into chilli shrimp paste for extra fragrance
Ornamental & Medicinal
Beyond the kitchen, torch ginger is one of the most commercially cultivated tropical flowers for decorative arrangements. Its tall, stiff stalks and waxy bracts make it a florist favourite. In traditional medicine, a decoction of the fruits has been used to treat earaches, while the flowers are believed to have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
In Singapore, you can admire torch ginger in bloom at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Jurong Lake Gardens, and the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Many private gardens also grow it for both beauty and the kitchen.
Did you know? The ginger family (Zingiberaceae) is remarkably diverse. Alongside turmeric, galangal, and torch ginger, it also counts the banana and the traveller's palm as distant relatives. To explore this family further, visit the Ginger Garden at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, located right beside the National Orchid Garden.
3. Blue Pea — Nature's Litmus Paper
Clitoria ternatea · Family: Fabaceae (Leguminosae) |
| Butterfly pea flowers in shades from white to deep indigo |
The blue pea or butterfly pea is a slender climbing legume whose funnel-shaped flowers range from pale white and lilac to a striking deep azure. Native to tropical Asia but now naturalised across the tropics, it is a common sight along Singapore's fences, roadsides, and park borders — a hardy vine that asks for little and gives plenty.
The Chemistry of Colour
The flower's vivid blue comes from anthocyanins — water-soluble pigments also found in blueberries, purple cabbage, and red grapes. These compounds are pH-sensitive: add an acid like lime juice and the blue liquid shifts to magenta or purple. Add an alkaline ingredient and it turns green. This natural colour-changing chemistry has made butterfly pea a darling of modern mixologists and baristas.
Culinary Uses Across Cultures
- Malay & Peranakan cuisine: The flowers dye nasi kerabu (blue herb rice), pulut tai tai (glutinous rice cakes), kuih tekan, and nyonya zhang (rice dumplings) their characteristic indigo hue. Petals are sometimes sprinkled on as garnish.
- Thai tradition: Brewed into nam dok anchan — a caffeine-free herbal tea often served with lime and pandan syrup.
- Modern cafes: Butterfly pea lattes, blue lemonade, and colour-changing cocktails have become Instagram staples across Singapore and Bangkok.
- Natural food colouring: A health-conscious alternative to synthetic dyes in cakes, frostings, and beverages.
Traditional Medicine
In folk medicine across Southeast Asia, blue pea has a long résumé: leaf poultices for acne, eyewash for conjunctivitis, root juice mixed with milk for bronchitis, and seeds for tonsillitis. In Ayurveda, the roots are used for nervous-system support. Modern research has identified antioxidant properties in the flowers, but as with pandan, most medicinal claims remain traditional rather than clinically proven.
The tea is essentially tasteless on its own — so health benefits could come from the ritual of hydration. Enjoy it for its beauty and cultural roots, and along the way, who knows, the beauty of drinking it could make you healthier!At a Glance: The Three Plants
| Pandan | Torch Ginger | Blue Pea | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botanical name | Pandanus amaryllifolius | Etlingera elatior | Clitoria ternatea |
| Family | Pandanaceae | Zingiberaceae (ginger) | Fabaceae (legume) |
| Native to | Southeast Asia | Malesia (Malay Peninsula, Indonesia, S. Thailand) | Tropical Asia |
| Edible part | Leaves (extracted or whole) | Young flower bud (bracts) | Flowers (fresh or dried) |
| Signature flavour | Vanilla, rose, toasted coconut | Citrus, ginger, floral pepper | Neutral / faintly earthy |
| Signature colour | Deep green | Pink / red (ornamental) | Azure blue → purple with acid |
| Iconic dish | Nasi lemak, kaya, chiffon cake | Rojak, assam laksa | Nasi kerabu, blue tea |
| Where wild | Stream banks, drains, Pulau Ubin | Parks, gardens, forest edges | Fences, roadsides, wasteland |
In the Modern Kitchen
These three plants are not museum pieces — they are thriving in Singapore's contemporary food scene. Here is how chefs, home bakers, and baristas are using them today:
Pandan
- Pandan croissants at artisan bakeries (Mother Dough, Konditori)
- Pandan coconut latte — a signature at several specialty cafés
- Pandan chiffon cake — still the benchmark of any good Singaporean bakery
- Pandan-infused gin in local craft cocktails
- Kaya toast — unchanged since the 1920s, still perfection
Blue Pea
- Butterfly pea lattes — the colour-change moment never gets old
- Blue lemonade with a lime squeeze for the purple reveal
- Layered jelly desserts — blue, purple, and pink tiers
- Naturally dyed frosting for cakes and macarons
- Blue tea mocktails at hotel bars and rooftop lounges
Torch Ginger
- Modern rojak — now with added fruits, nuts, and even burrata at fusion joints
- Kantan syrup — reduced with sugar into a floral cordial for cocktails
- Torch ginger sorbet — a palate-cleansing dessert at fine-dining restaurants
- Essential oil extraction — used in aromatherapy and artisanal skincare
- Home pickling — sliced buds in rice vinegar for a zesty condiment
Where to Find Them in Singapore
In the Wild
- Pandan: Pulau Ubin, Admiralty Park, Sentosa island, Fort Canning Park, Singapore Zoo, most park drains and pond edges
- Torch ginger: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Jurong Lake Gardens, Singapore Botanic Gardens (Ginger Garden), many HDB estate gardens
- Blue pea: Fences along park connectors, roadsides, community gardens, and wasteland patches
To Buy
- Wet markets: Fresh pandan leaves are sold in bunches at nearly every wet market (Geylang Serai, Tekka, Tiong Bahru). Torch ginger buds appear seasonally at Malay and Peranakan stalls.
- Supermarkets: Cold Storage, NTUC FairPrice, and Sheng Siong stock frozen pandan leaves and paste. Some even sell small potted plants. IKEA used to sell these potted pandan plants too.
- Online: Dried butterfly pea flowers and pandan powder are widely available on Shopee, Lazada, and RedMart. Many Chines traditional herbal shops at Chinatown and Bugis (Albert Mall) sell them too
- Specialty: Jamal Kazura Aromatics (Arab Street) and Sifr Aromatics offer pandan and kantan-inspired scents; some nurseries at Far East Flora and World Farm sell live plants.
Final Word
Pandan, torch ginger, and blue pea are reminders that Singapore's culinary identity is rooted in the plants that grow at our feet. They need no greenhouse, no imported soil, no fancy fertiliser — just tropical sun, a little rain, and the patience of generations who learned to coax flavour and colour from the wild. The next time you tear into a pandan chiffon cake, crunch through a rojak, or watch a blue tea turn purple, remember: you are tasting a piece of the island's green heritage.
"The best flavours are not flown in from abroad. They are growing in the drain in your backyard, waiting to be noticed."
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