Non-porous banana leaves are perfect for cooking fish, vegetables or just about anything because they hold in moisture and flavor. They can be used when you’re baking something, in the same way you’d use foil — just wrap the food up in the leaves and place them in the oven. But banana leaves are better because they’re green and lend a pleasant, subtle-sweet flavor to everything inside them. The method is used in countries all over Africa. Here are 10 delicious recipes using the African banana-leaf steaming method.

Chicken Korma in Banana Leaves

The filling may not be made with traditional African ingredients, but we snagged this recipe off an endearing blog about a couple who moved to Africa with their 2-year-old toddler. If the toddler could pull off this recipe, so can you. The sweetness of the banana leaves enhances the mango chutney in this recipe, and the steaming method makes the chicken extra tender.

Source: WellItsAfrica.blogspot.com

Goat in Banana Leaves with Spicy Peanut Sauce

You probably smother peanut butter on bananas all the time, so you know the two flavors marry deliciously. We love how the banana leaves in this recipe tone down some of the really bold flavor of the goat and get the onions nice and tender.

Source: GlobalTableAdventure.com

Coconut Fish in Banana Leaf

Coconut milk and the flavor of the banana leaves mix in this recipe to create a wonderfully tropical flavor that complements the white fish perfectly. We love the spicy flavors like the garlic and cilantro balancing out the sweet brown sugar and coconut.

Source: CookingWithAmy.blogspot.com

Smoked Chicken in Banana Leaf

Steaming anything with a smoky flavor in a banana leaf leaves you with a really great, mesquite-type taste. With oregano, lime juice and paprika, you get a sort of south-of-the-border feel to this hearty recipe.

Source: FoodNetwork.ca

Banana Leaf-Wrapped Salmon

The actual salmon part of this recipe is so simple — just a little salt, pepper and fresh lemon juice seasoning before it gets wrapped in banana leaves. Since salmon is a fish you really don’t want drying out, the banana-leaf method is ideal. Then there’s the incredible mango-cherry-pico de gallo part of the recipe that mixes the tropical flavor of the mango with the deeply sweet flavor of the cherry, along with great spices.

Source: KurtFriese.com

Prawn Pollichathu in Banana Leaves

This recipe has so much going on flavor wise with coriander, chili powder, fenugreek, fennel and ginger just to name a few. It needs the subtly sweet flavor of the banana leaf to give everything a consistent flavor. Plus, the moistening properties of the banana leaf make this like a savory porridge, and it’s so tasty!

Source: Feastie.com

Spicy Oyster Mushrooms in Banana Leaves

This is a gorgeous vegetarian side dish that even meat eaters will drool over. The mushrooms become so thoroughly steamed in the banana leaf, they practically melt in your mouth. And the two types of red chillies look beautiful when you unwrap the banana leaves.

Source: Feastie.com

Split Cow-Pea Patties

In this recipe, the banana leaves aren’t technically used for steaming—rather the patty “dough” is spread between two banana leaves like a quesadilla, and cooked on a grill. But the banana leaves still lend their unique flavor to this hearty, vegetarian entrée.

Source: Tarladalal.com

Sticky Rice and Pork Wrapped in Banana Leaves

Sweet flavors are great when cooking with the rather gamy taste of pork, and the sticky, soft rice in this recipe is the perfect complement to the rough meat. With shitake mushrooms, brown sugar, plenty of spices and pork belly, this is a recipe sure to tantalize the taste buds.

Source: Feastasia.com