Leaf Plate (standard:non fiction, 403 words)
Author: Juggernaut	Added: Oct 26 2011	Views/Reads: 2880/0	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Eating from leaf plate such as fresh Banana leaf is common in some cultures but now it is widely used with the introduction of commercially made leaf plates from plant products.

Leaf Plate 

Subba Rao 

In many cultures, for thousands of years, large leaves either 

fresh or dried were used as food plates. Fresh Banana leaf, for 

example, is still used as a food plate particularly in Asia. Sun dried 

leaves from other trees are used as leaf plates after sewing the leaves 

together to make it large to accommodate easy eating. 

Eating from a Banana or any other leaf is a tedious task. The 

food served particularly if it is loose would tends to flow over the 

edges of the leaf; to prevent this, one has to constantly use their 

palm to scoop it back to the center. This balancing act of eating and 

scooping robs the enjoyment of eating on a fresh Banana leaf. 

When Juggernaut faced a similar problem of eating from a 

Banana leaf, his engineering skills came handy; he built little levee 

or bund around the edges of the banana leaf using steamed rice to 

contain the loose food; it's like using sand bags controlling river 

floods. With borders well secured around the leaf, he enjoyed eating 

the food, while others were rushing at it with their hands working 

feverously between eating and controlling its flow. 

Now a days the fresh Banana leaves were replaced by plates 

made from the bark from Areca nut trees; similarly dry leaves from 

certain trees are compressed to make leaf plates and dishes. These leaf 

plates are sturdy like plastic plates with several sections to contain 

liquid foods separately. After use, these plates can be recycled into 

compost like any other plant by-products. 

Use of fresh leaves from certain plants such as lotus, Jack 

Fruit and some other plants as a wrap is a common culinary practice in 

some cultures. The food ingredients wrapped in fresh leaves would 

acquire the aroma of that particular plant after it is steam cooked. 

The steaming process would facilitate the transfer of flavors from the 

fresh leaf to the food inside. 

To make look-alike plastic Banana leaves as fresh leaf plates 

is crazy, the whole purpose is defeated; after all the main idea of 

using leaf plates is to reduce garbage going to landfills; why use 

plastic look-alike leaf plates? 

In a disposal society where food plates and cups are a 

significant portion of everyday trash, use of food plates, cups, etc., 

from plant products would significantly increase recyclable waste and 

cut down trash going to landfills. 


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