Instructions

1. Take the amount of banana leaves you need out of the package and separate them to ensure even soaking.

2. Place the leaves in a bowl of water so that they are completely covered and leave them to soak at room temperature overnight.

3. Drain the banana leaves in a colander and gently wipe them dry.

4. Cut away browning or torn edges with kitchen scissors or a sharp knife. If the sheets are larger than the packets you plan to make, this is the time to cut them to size.

5. Set two leaves down on your work service, perpendicular to one another, so that they form a "plus" sign. If one leaf section is smaller than the other, set the smaller one on top of the larger one.

6. Put your filling in the center of the leaf that's on top. Use 5 to 6 tablespoons of filling per packet. If the packet will be layered, arrange them in layers that are about 2 tablespoons each.

7. Fold the edges of the top leaf inward over the filling.

8. Fold the edges of the bottom leaf inward so that it covers the filling and the inner leaf. Between the two layers of leaves you shouldn't have any gaps through which filling is visible.

9. Warp the packet twice with twine in each direction so that the twine makes a tic-tac-toe pattern.

10. Continue filling and tying up the other banana leaves into packets until you have used up all of your filling.

11. Steam or boil the packets according to your recipe.

12. Serve the packets by cutting them diagonally into wedges, still wrapped in their double-leaf wrappers.