How to Dry Banana Leaves

Everyone likes to eat bananas, but did you know that the plant's leaves are also edible and are useful in other ways? They are used to steam and wrap food, and dry banana leaves can be woven into baskets, mixed with coconut oil to polish furniture or be made into rolling paper. Fresh, frozen and dried banana leaves can be bought in stores and online, and it is also easy to dry them out yourself. Many people prefer them over regular rolling paper because they are organic.

If you don't have your own banana tree, you can purchase the leaves (allow them to thaw out). The leaves can be dried indoors or outdoors, and this takes about two weeks. To dry the banana leaves outside, choose a spot that gets consistent warm sunshine and layer four sheets of newspaper on a table. Place the leaves upside down on the newspaper without the edges touching.

To dry banana leaves indoors, place the leaves the same way on newspaper right next to a bright window or under heat lamps. Avoid areas that are higher in humidity since you want the leaves to dry out.

After a day or so, you should see some wilting and wrinkles on the leaves. Keep checking the leaves every two to three days. They should feel just a bit supple in the middle and very dry elsewhere.

You can use the leaves at this point, but if you want them to be more brittle, give them another week or so. Sometimes, the leaves curl while they are drying. Should this happen, cover them with more newspaper. You can then weigh them down to flatten them. Try using some books or a heavy cooking pan to do so.

To use dry banana leaves for rolling paper, cut them to the desired size. Then, hydrate the leaves by folding them up in moist paper towels; this will make them more pliable. In the meantime, grind the tobacco. You can now remove the banana leaf from the damp paper towel and fold it up in a dry paper towel to remove the excess moisture.

Look over each leaf and make sure that they have no holes or tears. If you are using a filter tip, set it in the middle of one of the narrower ends. Add the tobacco in the middle and gently roll the leaf back and forth to tighten it. Then, roll it up, keeping it tight at the filter and the bottom.

Use some plant glue or honey to paint the edge and seal up the leaf. You can use a stick or something similar to carefully pack in the open end tightly. Finally, use a lighter and "roast" the cigarette, keeping the flame a few inches away while rotating the cigarette. This will help it to burn more evenly. Using banana leaves for rolling paper makes for a longer burn and a safer, all-natural taste.