Vegan Banana Flower Salad (Goi Bap Chuoi Chay)

Slow week at work means busy time in the plantry for this little lady.  After all, my energy has to be exerted in one way or another.  And, I thought that I should stop at two workouts today.  So that means I have been cooking/fermenting for hmmmm, lets see......about 7 hours.  Of course there was a bit of downtown, which I actually spent researching some of the odd items I picked up at the International market.

I picked up a banana flower a few days ago and was really looking forward to working with this little guy.  Usually if I have never worked with something before I will get a pretty small quantity, just in case it is not my cup of tea.  I hate for things to go to waste!  But, next time I will definitely grab more than one banana flower!

So, yes, banana flowers are really the flowers of the banana and used in South Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine.  I wouldn't recommend eating them raw due to the bitter taste and strange chalky texture.  But, after lightly boiling them, they become soft and have a subtle flavor somewhere in between an artichoke and boiled shitake mushroom.  Keep in mind you do NOT eat or cook with the leaves, you peel them and that is where you find the "flower" (as shown in the picture).  Although, the leaves are a nice vessel to serve the salad in!!

 So, this is my vegan version of what is known as "Goi Bap Chuoi Chay", which literally translates to banana flower salad.  Traditionally it contains prawns, fish sauce, thai bird chili, amongst a few other ingredients.  Either I did not have them, or clearly cannot eat them.  So this is my wonderful version of this bright and tasty Vietnamese salad.

Vegan Banana Flower Salad

Ingredients/Directions: (serves 2)

for the salad:

 1 banana flower, flower removed

1/2 c sliced shitake mushrooms

1 lime juiced

salt

1/4 c mixed red & green bell pepper, thinly sliced (i used mandolin)

1/4 c peanuts, lightly smashed

1 tbsp thai basil chopped (sub regular basil if cannot find)

1 cloved pickled garlic minced

1/2 tbsp ginger minced 

1 tbsp cilantro chopped

1 sliced shallot (optional)

oil for pan frying (optional)

While removing the banana flowers from each pulled back leave, toss into cold water immediately.  This prevents them from browning.  Once all the flowers are removed, boil a pot of water with lime juice and salt.  Toss in drained banana flowers and your sliced shitake mushrooms.  Cover and turn on low and cook for roughtly 20 minutes.  After the 20 minutes, strain and rinse with cool water.

 In meantime, prepare the rest of the salad.  In a bowl, mix together sliced peppers, thai bail, pickled garlic, ginger, cilantro and half the peanuts. Do NOT add in shallots yet (you will pan fry shallots at the end...note this is optional)  Add in mushrooms and banana flower once boiled and rinsed.

  

Now work on your dressing...

for the dressing:

1 tbsp sambal (or something similar to chili sauce)

2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce

1 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp coconut milk

1/2 tbsp agave nectar

1-2 tsp sesame oil (optional)

Simply whisk all ingredients together and toss over salad. 

If you choose to do crispy shallots, heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a small frying pan and fry.  Top your salad with the remainder of crushed peanuts and crispy shallots.  Enjoy!