Banana Blossom Vegan Fish Recipe | Elephantastic Vegan (2024)

FAQs

What is banana blossom the next vegan food star with the texture of fish? ›

Banana blossoms are an edible flower that grow at the end of a bunch of bananas. Their petals are layered, and many liken the tender, flaky texture to that of cooked fish. If you've ever cooked with young green jackfruit, the texture is a bit similar!

Banana blossom has “quite a neutral flavour, so it absorbs flavours really well. We've been soaking it in kombu and wrapping it in nori, to put that fishy flavour through it, and created a battered cod-esque fillet,” she said. As banana blossom is fibrous, it can stand a lot of seasoning.

If you enjoy eating jackfruit like BBQ pulled pork, your mind is about to be blown by the next big plant-based meat alternative for fish: banana blossoms. This isn't a new ingredient by any means.

This is the best beer battered vegan fish ever! Made with celeriac and seaweed and coated in a delicious beer batter, this vegan fried fish is crispy, flaky and divine. Serve it with vegan tartar sauce and fries for the full vegan fish and chips experience!

Unlike the sweet banana fruit, the flowers offer a mild to neutral taste, making them an ideal vegetarian alternative to fish, absorbing flavors from other ingredients in the recipe and mimicking the flaky texture of some fish.

Banana flower is rich in nutrients, including fiber, antioxidants, and numerous minerals. Emerging research indicates that it may aid digestive health, prevent prostate enlargement, support bone health, and help lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Digestive Health: Banana flowers are rich in dietary fiber, promoting healthy digestion, preventing constipation, and supporting overall gut health.

The inner peach-pink core of the blossom is what's typically cooked. Since it's quick to oxidize and turn brown, raw banana blossom should be placed in cold water with a bit of salt or vinegar after chopping or shredding. (If you're using canned blossoms, they will come pre-cut or pre-shredded.).

Ways to Eat Banana Blossom

Found in Asian grocery stores in the US, banana blossoms can be eaten raw, and are also cooked in soups, stews, and curries.

Why is banana blossom bitter? ›

The flower itself does not taste bitter. The bitterness comes from the sap between the petals. Clean the flower thoroughly. If sap remains use a dilute lemon water solution to remove the rest.

Different parts of the banana flower (or bud) can be eaten: the innermost bracts, the florets (once the stamens and tough covers have been removed), and the inner core, or heart. The tougher outer bracts are often used as serving plates for dishes made with the other parts of the banana flower.

People who are vegan but eat fish are pescatarians. A vegan that eats fish might think of themselves as vegan, but any vegan diet with fish is best classified as pescatarian.

The benefits of being a pescatarian might get you hooked. Pescatarians have a lot in common with vegetarians. They eat fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, eggs, and dairy, and stay away from meat and poultry. But there's one way they part company from vegetarians: Pescatarians eat fish and other seafood.

A pescatarian diet refers to a vegetarian diet with the addition of seafood.

Banana blossom has a meaty, tender texture that can resemble meat, making it a great plant-based alternative to substitute in our favourite dishes. It is also significant because it can be used to recreate the texture of fish, which is notoriously difficult to replicate with plants.

Taiyaki (鯛焼き, lit. 'baked sea bream') is a Japanese fish-shaped cake, commonly sold as street food. It imitates the shape of tai (鯛, red sea bream), which it is named after.

This delicious bloom is also known as banana blossom or banana heart. It's a dark red-orange or maroon cone-like plant that's frequently eaten in Asian countries, especially in curries, soups, salads, and cutlets.

Fresh banana blossoms are shaped like a teardrop and are typically purple-red on the outside—an outer layer peel that is removed before consumption. As you remove the peel, a sweet and floral aroma may emerge. The inner peach-pink core of the blossom is what's typically cooked.