Banana Flower Side Dish Food

CLASSIC VIETNAMESE BANANA FLOWER SALAD

Steps:

• Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet. Sauté the shallots until golden brown. Leave them in the oil, and set aside to cool.
• Squeeze fresh lime juice into the bowl of water. This will be used to prevent the banana flower slices from turning brown.
• Peel back the dark purple layers of the banana flower until you reach layers with just a hint of purple. Using a mandoline, slice the banana flower into thin rings, beginning at the point and slicing about three-quarters of the way down. The rings will look similar to onion rings. Immediately soak the rings in the lime water until ready to use. Set aside.
• Once the oil is cool, mix in half of the mint leaves and half of the Thai basil with the sautéed shallots.
• Mix the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl. Heat lovers will want to add more chili.
• When you slice the banana flower, you will end up with small bits from the center of the flower. Strain these out using a spoon. Don't worry if you don't get all of them. Remove the banana flower from the water, and combine with the shallot/mint/basil mixture, chopped peanuts, and remainder of the fresh mint and basil.
• Toss in the dressing, and serve.

BANANA FLOWER SIDE DISH

Steps:

• Preparing the Banana Flower.
• Straight off the tree the banana flower is too bitter to eat. It must be prepared in advance. Discard the first 2 or 3 sepals - these beautiful dark maroon petals can be saved to serve your dish in later. Peeling back the dark sepals will reveal small elongated white or yellow flowers. These flowers develop into bananas. Save them to add as a garnish later, remember to soak them with the rest of the flower. Holding the tip of the flower first chop off the base of the stem - about and inch and a half is enough, discard this piece. Slice the flower through finely as you might chop a cabbage. Cut all of the flower this way. Put all of your flower, including the earlier saved pieces, into a pot and cover with clean salted water into which a lime or lemon has been squeezed. Set aside for at least an hour, then rinse thoroughly and towel dry or allow to drip dry.
• Pound or blend together the garam masala, garlic, ginger, tumeric and chillies.
• Heat oil slowly in a heavy pan and when the oil begins to smoke add the blend and fry stirring often until the oils begin to separate and the smell becomes pungent and very aromatic.
• Add the chopped onion and banana flower and stir to coat. Add the tamarind sauce and ½ cup of water and allow to simmer for 5 minutes uncovered.
• Add coconut, salt and lime juice and simmer for another 12-15 minutes covered.
• Serve in banana sepals, topped with a good spoonful of yogurt, sprinkled with chopped cilantro and decorated with the small yellow flowers.