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!

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.

It is traditionally cooked in South East Asian cuisine, where it is added to soups, curries and salads. Although it grows from bananas, it does not taste like bananas; instead it's flavour is quite mild and more similar to artichokes.

Vegan fish and chips made from artichoke hearts and hearts of palm which is battered and then fried. I opted for sparkling water so this one doesn't have any beer in the batter but the batter is just as delicious and light!

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 Blossoms are perfect to make vegan fish! But if you can't find banana blossoms, this artichoke fish recipe is a good alternative.

You must peel off the outer layers to reveal the edible portion of this beautiful flower, which consists of the florets and the core (heart). You can then use the outer petals, which typically aren't eaten, as serving plates. This delicious bloom is also known as banana blossom or banana heart.

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.).

Banana blossom can be eaten raw, but if you are wanting a softer, fleshier texture, the cooked variety in the tin (that we can buy) will give you the best results.

The bitterness is partially due to oxidation and enzymatic browning wherever the flower is bruised or cut (similar to blackening of the banana skin). To avoid this, minimise exposure of any cuts to the air by placing in boiling water (a bit of lemon juice won't hurt either!) to break down the enzymes.

What part of banana blossom is edible? ›

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.

Banana flowers are a rich source of potassium, Vitamin E, and C. The blooms are also enriched with antioxidants that are known to protect the skin from harmful free radicals.

By that definition, a pescatarian is someone who chooses to eat a vegetarian diet, but who also eats fish and other seafood. It's a largely plant-based diet of whole grains, nuts, legumes, produce and healthy fats, with seafood playing a key role as a main protein source. Many pescatarians also eat dairy and eggs.

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.

To create the flavour and texture of fish, manufacturers use a variety of different ingredients. Some common ingredients found in vegan fish are chickpeas, pea protein, soy, tofu and potatoes.

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.

Typically used in stews, salads and curries in South East Asia, banana blossom is gaining popularity in Western vegan cooking for its ability to replicate the flaky texture of meat. It has a neutral taste, which absorbs the flavours of what it's paired with.

Banana blossoms contain significant potassium, calcium, as well as vitamins A, C, and E apart from powerful flavonoids like quercetin and catechin. These can alleviate joint discomfort, increases bone mineral density, and reduce osteocalcin levels thus preventing chances of osteoporosis.