Banana blossom fry is one of the tastiest vegetable dishes I enjoy since little. I rarely come across a healthy looking banana blossom and when I found one, without a question I grabbed one to devour it with my rice and curry.
I love the banana plant. What’s not to love? Bananas, whether it’s raw or riped, they have been used all around the world by everyone.
Nowadays people are beginning to enjoy the idea of eating from a banana leaf more and more. We’ve been doing that for centuries but it is starting to become more popular in other countries.
Along with the banana and the plant leaf, we also love the flower it produces. The Banana Blossom!
It’s a dark maroon/purple coloured, teardrop-shaped flower. It blossoms at the very end of a banana cluster.
Did you know…
This is also called the banana heart? It’s actually a vegetable. It can be used on salads, make sambals, fritters, stews, soups, and in noodles. Why not make it into a curry?…… I think my banana blossom fry makes a delicious side dish for your rice and curry.
Honestly, I haven’t had these in YEARS! When I was out doing my groceries, I came across these blossoms and I realized how much I missed having it. Without another thought, I purchased a small one and couldn’t wait to cook it.
I love that these flowers are available fresh in Srilanka, at the local fresh produce market. Along with these, many other varieties of vegetables and fruits are displayed in each stall that lines up the street.
Some selected stores across Canada and U.S sell the canned version, only rarely I’ve seen the fresh ones unless you go to the Asian stores or the whole food markets. I found this one at the local tamil store near-by and glad I did.
How It’s Made
First of all, we need to go through preparing the blossom for the cooking. Let’s start by peeling the dried purple petals off the blossom. Peel two to three layers off until you reach the softer pedal. Then you must chop the rest of the blossom thinly. I only used half of it and wrapped the other half in cling wraps and left it in the fridge to use for another day.
Soak all the chopped blossoms for few minutes in a salt water to get the bitterness off. In the meantime, use a pan to temper the blossom by adding the olive oil, curry leaves, sun-dried chillies, and mustard seeds first. Mix it a few seconds then add the sliced onions, diced tomatoes, and the piece of pandan.
Mix it again then leave the onions to cook with the lids on for about 5 minutes. Remember to mix often and if it seems like the onions are burning at the bottom, looking dry or smoking up, you may lower the heat level and add a half tablespoon of more oil.
Next add the chilli flakes, chilli powder, and turmeric powder. Let it cook for 5 more minutes. Then throw in the maldive fish (optional) as well as the chopped banana blossoms (without the salt water, drain it well before adding it to cook). Mix them all well and let it cook for 10 minutes. It should start smelling good around the kitchen. When it is done you can serve this delicious vegetable with white rice and curry. I sometimes like having this in between the toasts. It doesn’t taste anything like a banana, trust me.
#healthychoices
Back in the days, It was my mom that used to make this delicious banana blossom fry. She uses to MAKE me eat this along with the other vegetables I disliked. The more and more I ate this I slowly started liking it as I got used to the taste and later knowing the benefits of it, I began to like it much more.
With a quick phone call to my mom, I started preparing to make this delicious dish. It is super easy to make if you can survive the chopping part. Without a doubt, it is one of the tastiest healthy sides I still love having.
Banana Blossom/Flower Stir Fry (Kesel Muwa / Vazhaipoo Poriyal)
Have you ever had a banana blossom? Try this spicy stir-fry with your rice and curry. You might even get addicted to it.
Ingredients
- 2-2.5 tbsp Olive oil
- 2 Sun-dried chillies
- 5-10 Curry leaves
- 1/2 tsp Mustard seed
- piece Pandan optional
- 1 medium-size Onion chopped/thinly sliced
- 1/2 medium-size Tomato diced small
- 1 tsp Chili flakes
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp Chili powder
- 1 tbs Maldive fish optional
- 1/2 Banana blossom (1 cup) chopped and soaked in salt water
Instructions
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Start with peeling the first and second layers of dried petals of the banana blossom until you reach the soft pedal.
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Chop the rest of the blossom thinly (if using half, cling wrap the other half and leave it in the refrigerator for another day). Soak them in a bowl of salty water for a few minutes to reduce the bitterness.
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On medium heat, use a saucepan or pot to add the olive oil, sun-dried chillies, curry leaves, and mustard seeds.
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Mix it a few seconds before adding the sliced onions, diced tomatoes, and the pandan piece. Mix well then let the onions cook for about 5 minutes with or without the lids.
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Mx often and add a half tablespoon of oil and lower the heat only if needed (only when the onions are burning the bottom or if it seems like dry and smoking up, otherwise oil is not needed).
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Add the chilli flakes, chilli powder, and turmeric powder. Let it cook for 5 more minutes.
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Drain the salt water off from the banana blossom. Then throw in the maldive fish (optional) as well as the chopped banana blossoms into the pot.
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Mix them all well and let it cook for 10 minutes. When it is done you can serve this delicious vegetable with white rice and curry.
Did you know banana blossom has amazing health benefits?
This vegetable is full of vitamins and minerals. Besides the fact that it’s super tasty it is also great for your health in many ways. To name a few, it helps with anemia and diabetes, reduces menstrual bleeding and anxiety, it helps ward off infections, boosts your mood and great for nursing mothers.
Now that I know this local store has it, I can look forward to my next dish with this beautiful flower. Have you ever had this blossom any other way? Share your story with us in the commons below.
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