If you’ve ever tasted a Southeast Asian dessert, chances are you’ve tasted pandan.

Soft, fragrant, slightly sweet, and instantly recognisable, pandan has shaped the flavour of desserts across the region for generations. From kueh and cakes to custards, jellies and drinks, it remains one of the most widely used and culturally significant ingredients in Southeast Asian kitchens.

What is Pandan?

Pandan (pandanus amaryllifolius) is a tropical, fragrant plant known as the "vanilla of Southeast Asia". When infused or blended, its leaves release a distinctive aroma often described as sweet, grassy, and slightly nutty.

What makes pandan especially unique is its versatility; It works seamlessly in both sweet and savoury cooking. The leaves are used in a variety of cooking from rice, meats, desserts or to provide a natural green colouring. 

Because of this adaptability, pandan has become a defining ingredient in many regional favourites including Nasi Lemak, Kaya Jam and the wide variety of traditional kueh. 

It is a staple in Southeast Asian cuisine and over time its flavour has become associated with comfort food, celebration and everyday indulgence. 

The Evolution of Pandan

Whilst most traditional pandan-based dishes have remained unchanged, chefs and food creators are constantly exploring new ways to enjoy the ingredient. 

Pandan is increasingly appearing in new formats, from pastries and specialty beverages to frozen desserts. The goal is to reinterpret familiar flavours in ways that feel contemporary and accessible.

As a Singaporean brand that champions Asian flavours, pandan was an obvious flavour choice for us. Its versatility makes it a natural foundation for creativity, allowing us to explore new textures, formats, and dessert experiences while staying rooted in a flavour people already know and love. 

Here’s how it comes to life:

Pandan Coconut Frozen Dessert Stick: a fragrant pandan coconut ice cream with a gooey caramel core, wrapped in a crunchy white chocolate shell coated with coconut bits. A familiar local flavour with a creamy, crunchy twist.

Classic Onde Onde Ice Cream Cake:  inspired by the local kueh, in ice cream cake form. Coconut pandan gelato with gula melaka soaked vanilla sponge, topped with gula melaka buttercream, chewy mochi, and dessicated coconut.

Onde Onde Frozen Dessert Pint: A unique pandan coconut base, swirled with caramel and sprinkled with chewy white mochi bits make this one of our brand's signature flavours.

Pandan carries more than just taste, it carries warmth, culture, and shared experience. Explore our pandan-inspired frozen desserts and discover how a classic Southeast Asian flavour can be enjoyed in a whole new form.