Pandan Extract (yield: ~½ cup concentrate · Daily Cooking Quest)

Ingredients — For Pandan Extract
- 100 g fresh or frozen pandan leaves
- ½ cup water

Instructions
1. Prep the Leaves
   1. Wash the pandan leaves thoroughly under cold water. Cut crosswise into very small ¼-inch pieces.
2. Blend
   1. Place chopped pandan leaves and ½ cup water into a blender.
   2. Blend on high speed until finely pureed and smooth.
3. Strain
   1. Place a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a nut milk bag over a clean glass jar.
   2. Pour the liquid through and squeeze firmly to extract all juice, discarding the remaining fibrous pulp.
4. Separate & Decant
   1. Seal the glass jar and place in the refrigerator completely undisturbed for at least 24 hours (up to 1 week).
   2. Carefully remove the jar without shaking. Spoon, siphon, or pour off the top clear yellowish layer of liquid.
   3. Reserve the dark green concentrated extract at the bottom. Store refrigerated for up to 3 weeks or freeze in ice cube trays.

Tips
- Cutting leaves finely: Snipping the pandan leaves into tiny ¼-inch pieces prevents fibrous, tough strands from catching on or entangling blender blades.
- Undisturbed separation: Leaving the jar undisturbed in the fridge allows the heavy green chlorophyll sediment and aromatic compounds to settle cleanly to the bottom.
- Decanting technique: Use a spoon, turkey baster, or small syringe to carefully extract the pale liquid off top without stirring up the dense green extract underneath.
- Long-term storage: The finished concentrate keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, or can be frozen into ice cubes for long-term shelf life.

Prep: 15 min · Rest: 24 hrs · Total: 24 hrs 15 min · Yield: ~½ cup concentrate
Source: dailycookingquest.com/pandan-extract.html
