Not Too Sweet #4

Daun Pisang

Malaysian · April 25, 2026

I grew up partly in Malaysia, and if I could only keep one cuisine it would be this one. We'd get nasi lemak wrapped in banana leaves from street vendors, and we'd have laksa even on scorching hot days.

Daun pisang is Malay for banana leaf, and for this dinner the leaf was the plate. Every main was cooked before Saturday, because all of them get better overnight. The only thing cooked on the day was the rice.

The Daun Pisang table, bowls of curry on banana leaf around the printed menu

The menu

On the leaf

Second course

  • Curry laksa, coconut curry broth, rice vermicelli, tofu puffs, prawns

Dessert

  • Cendol, pandan jelly, gula melaka, and coconut milk, served in a drink pouch

Drinks

  • Pegu Club, gin, orange curaçao, lime, bitters
  • Jungle Bird, blackstrap rum, Campari, pineapple, gula melaka
  • Beer and spirits

See the night on Instagram

The list

Hear what's next first.

The dinners are just for close friends for now, but I'm working on what's next. The list hears about it first, along with new recipes.

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