Use Cooks & Co Banana Blossom, it’s the purple flower on the end of banana bunches and can be eaten cooked or raw. Here we have a ‘fish’ finger sandwich, ‘fish’ tacos, ‘fish’ and chips and Thai ‘fish’ cakes.
In South East Asian cooking Banana Blossom is very popular and used in all kinds of dishes from soups, curries to even salads.
Don’t like bananas? That’s okay as it doesn’t taste like bananas, some people say it tastes like another edible flower, artichokes. It has a good meaty texture, but is usually mostly used to replicate fish.
It comes in tins of brine and can be bought direct from Cooks & Co or Ocado at around £3.40 a tin
‘Fish’ Finger Sandwich
Prep Time: 40 minutes + overnight marinating | Cooking Time: 10 minutes | Serves 3
INGREDIENTS
Banana Blossom Fish Marinade
1 x 400g Can of Cooks & Co banana blossom, drained
2 tbsp Sunflower oil
2 tbsp Soy sauce
1 Nori sheet, blitzed to a powder
2 Garlic cloves, crushed
1 Lemon, juice of
Crispy Batter
100g Plain white flour
1 tsp Baking powder
140ml Sparkling water, chilled
Salt and pepper to season
Sunflower oil for frying
Vegan Tartare Sauce
4 tbsp Plain dairy free yoghurt
1 Small gherkin, finely chopped
1 tbsp Capers, finely chopped
1 Shallot, finely diced
1 tsp Mustard
. Lemon, juice of
Salt and pepper to season
Sandwich
6 Slices of thick sliced white bloomer
Dairy free butter
Little gem lettuce
Lemon
Gherkins
Fresh dill
METHOD
1. MARINATE THE BANANA BLOSSOM OVERNIGHT
Combine all the ‘Banana Blossom Fish’ ingredients (except the banana blossom) in an airtight container. Drain the canned banana blossom and rinse under cold water before patting dry with a towel to get as much moisture out as possible. Using your hands,add the banana blossom to the marinade, ensuring each piece is fully coated. Seal the container and place in the fridge to marinate overnight.
2. MAKE THE VEGAN TARTARE SAUCE
Mix all the tartare sauce ingredients and set aside.
3. CREATE CRISPY BANANA BLOSSOM ‘FISH’ FINGERS
Combine the flour, salt, pepper and baking powder in a medium sized bowl and place in the freezer for 30 minutes or until you’reready to fry.
When you are ready to create the ‘fish’ fingers. Add the chilled sparkling water to the flour mix and whisk to get a smooth batter.
Remove the banana blossom fillets from the marinade and slice into ‘fish’ finger sized pieces.
Add 7 –8cm of oil to a high sided pan and heat until it reaches 180 degrees (if you don’t have a thermometer, try a wooden spoon handle in the oil. If it bubbles when placed in the oil it is around the right temperature). If the oil is bubbling hard, it is too hot and needs turning down. Once the oil is at temperature, turn down to low.
Dip two banana blossom fillets into the batter mixture ensuring each one is fully coated. Place in the oil and fry for 4 –5 minutes or until golden, turning halfway through. Remove from the oil and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen roll. Repeat until all banana blossom fillets have been battered and cooked.
4. ASSEMBLE
To make each sandwich, butter 2 slices of white bloomer. Lay a couple of leaves of lettuce on one slice, before topping with thebattered banana blossom. Top with tartare sauce, a squeeze of lemon, gherkins, fresh dill, and the remaining slice of bread.
Enjoy whilst the banana blossom is still hot.
‘Fish’ Tacos
Prep Time: 20 minutes + overnight marinating | Cooking Time: 10 minutes | Serves 3
INGREDIENTS
Banana Blossom Fish Marinade
1 x 400g Can of Cooks & Co banana blossom, drained
2 tbsp Sunflower oil
2 tbsp Soy sauce
1 Nori sheet, blitzed to a powder
2 Garlic cloves, crushed
1 Lemon, juice of
Crispy Batter
100g Plain white flour
1 tsp Baking powder
140ml Sparkling water, chilled
Salt and pepper to season
Sunflower oil for frying
Pink Pickled Onions
Red onion, thinly sliced
2 Limes, juice of
Vegan Spicy Sauce
90g Dairy free plain yoghurt
10g Dairy free milk
. tsp Hot sauce
. Lime, juice of
. Lime, zest of
. tsp Garlic powder
. tsp Apple cider vinegar
Crunchy Salad
1 Little gem lettuce, thinly sliced
Pink pickled onions
3 Radishes, thinly sliced
6 Red frenkchillies, thinly sliced
6 Small tortilla wraps
Fresh coriander
Lime wedges
METHOD
1. MARINATE THE BANANA BLOSSOM OVERNIGHT
Combine all the ‘Banana Blossom Fish’ ingredients (except the banana blossom) in an airtight container. Drain the canned banana blossom and rinse under cold water before patting dry with a towel to get as much moisture out as possible. Using your hands,add the banana blossom to the marinade, ensuring each piece is fully coated. Seal the container and place in the fridge to marinate overnight.
2. MAKE THE PINK PICKLED ONIONS
Combine the ingredients and place in a sealed container to marinate overnight.
Thai ‘fish’ cakes
INGREDIENTS
400g Cooks & Co Banana blossom
1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
Zest and juice from 1 lime
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander
1 medium egg white
1 tsp caster sugar
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 Lemongrass
Breadcrumbs
1tbsp oil
Method
- Put the banana blossom into a food processor, along with the curry paste, lime zest and juice, coriander, egg white, lemongrass and sugar. Blitz until you have a smooth paste.
- Put mixture in a bowl and stir in the spring onions and chilli. If the mixture is too wet, add some breadcrumbs or flour to make them easier to shape.
- Form small patties using your hands (approx. 16) then coat in breadcrumbs.
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan and cook the Thai cakes for approx. 5 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked thoroughly.
3. CREATE THE CRUNCHY SALAD
Combine all the ingredients (once the pink pickled onions have marinated overnight) and set aside
4. MIX THE SPICY SAUCE
Stir together all the ingredients and set aside.
5. CREATE CRISPY BANANA BLOSSOM ‘FISH’
Combine the flour, salt, pepper and baking powder in a medium sized bowl and place in the freezer for 30 minutes or until you’reready to fry. When you are ready to create the ‘fish’, add the chilled sparkling water to the flour mix and whisk to get a smooth batter.
Remove the banana blossom fillets from the marinade and slice into ‘fish’ taco sized pieces.
Add 7 –8cm of oil to a high sided pan and heat until it reaches 180 degrees (if you don’t have a thermometer, try a wooden spoon handle in the oil. If it bubbles when placed in the oil it is around the right temperature). If the oil is bubbling hard, it is too hot and needs turning down. Once the oil is at temperature, turn down to low. Dip two banana blossom fillets into the batter mixture ensuring each one is fully coated. Place in the oil and fry for 4 –5 minutes or until golden, turning halfway through. Remove from the oil and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen roll. Repeat until all banana blossom fillets have been battered and cooked.
6. ASSEMBLE
To make each taco, take a small tortilla in the palm of your hand. Add a layer of crunchy salad to the base. Top with the bananablossom fillets, drizzle with spicy sauce, fresh coriander, and a squeeze of lime.
Enjoy whilst the banana blossom is still hot.
‘Fish’ Tacos cont…