Banana Blossom Tacos

Name: Banana Blossom Tacos
Total time: 2400 s
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: Tajin spice:; 2 tbsps chilli seasoning*; 10 whole dried ancho or guajillo chillies (MILD); 2 tsp cumin seeds; 2 tsps wild oregano; 2 tsps garlic flakes; 3 tbsps dried lime zest; 1 tsp sea salt; Slaw; 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 2 tbsps skyr (or vegan yoghurt/mayo); 1/4 red cabbage, shredded; 1/4 white cabbage, shredded; 1 large spring onion, thinly sliced; 4 radishes, shredded; small handful parsley, finely chopped; few grinds of sea salt; 1 tsp – 1 tbsp tajin spice; Batter; 200 g plain flour; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp sugar; 15 ml white wine vinegar; 250 ml beer or sparkling water; Blossom; 300 g banana blossom; 1 tbsp dried seaweed; 1 tsp old bay seasoning; flour to dust before frying; To serve

Laura @FeelBetter

Milton Keynes, England

Banana blossom originates from Malaysia and can be found fresh in street markets here in the UK but also in tins. It is a fleshy, purple-skinned flower, shaped like a tear and it grows at the end of a banana bunch. If left on the plant, it will blossom into bananas, hence the name ‘banana blossom‘.

The blossom has a fleshy and flaky texture and has a slightly fishy/nutty flavour. Nutritionally banana blossom is bang on, being rich in fibre, antioxidants and essential minerals. I have seasoned the chunks of banana blossom with old bay and seaweed to make them a tad more fishy and wrapped them in a warm blanket of beer batter.

The crunchy slaw is flavoured with Tajín which originates from Zapopan in Jalisco, a state in west-central Mexico. Chile and lime were meant for each other and they are the key ingredients in this seasoning. I couldn't find any Tajín so decided to make my own and that was a big mistake - deciding to use hot chillies masquerading under the label 'dried red chillies' rather than the fruity ancho chillies required. Wowzer, the normal flavoursome yet mild Tajín turned into a monster and the dried lime and salt just didn't calm it down one iota! I'm known in my household for not having a chilli sensor, even being taken to a hydroponic chilli farm for a lesson in scoville units - clearly I wasn't listening!

Serve the blossom bites in crunchy tacos and top with the slaw, chunks of avo, fresh coriander and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Buen provecho.

Serve the blossom bites in crunchy tacos and top with the slaw, chunks of avo, fresh coriander and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Buen provecho.

Laura @FeelBetter

Milton Keynes, England

Serve the blossom bites in crunchy tacos and top with the slaw, chunks of avo, fresh coriander and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Buen provecho.

Serve the blossom bites in crunchy tacos and top with the slaw, chunks of avo, fresh coriander and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Buen provecho.

Saved

Ingredients

40 minutes

4 servings

Tajin spice:
2 tbspschilli seasoning*
10whole dried ancho or guajillo chillies (MILD)
2 tspcumin seeds
2tsps wild oregano
2tsps garlic flakes
3 tbspsdried lime zest
1 tspsea salt
Slaw
1 tbspapple cider vinegar
2 tbspsskyr (or vegan yoghurt/mayo)
1/4red cabbage, shredded
1/4white cabbage, shredded
1large spring onion, thinly sliced
4radishes, shredded
small handful parsley, finely chopped
few grinds of sea salt
1 tsp– 1 tbsp tajin spice
Batter
200 gplain flour
1 tspsalt
1 tspsugar
15 mlwhite wine vinegar
250 mlbeer or sparkling water
Blossom
300 gbanana blossom
1 tbspdried seaweed
1 tspold bay seasoning
flour to dust before frying
To serve
8small crunchy tacos
small handful fresh coriander
1avocado, diced
1/2lime cut into wedges

Saved

Steps

40 minutes

1

Tajin spice: First make the chilli seasoning. Dry roast the MILD chillies and cumin seeds, then add to the oregano and garlic flakes and grind in a pestle and mortar. Add 2 tablespoons of this chilli seasoning mix to the lime zest and sea salt and set aside. Lime zest can easily be dried in the oven at 50 degrees C for 20-30 minutes.
2

Slaw: Mix the apple cider vinegar with the skyr and add to the cabbages, spring onions, radish and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Taste and add the tajin gradually until get a slight kick.
3

Batter: In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients then add the white wine vinegar, beer (or sparkling water) and whisk until smooth.
4

Blossom: Remove any hard stamen and the translucent petals and rinse in cold water with a little lemon. Squeeze dry and add the seaweed and old bay, mix and press together. Mould the blossom into finger sized pieces between your palms.
5

Place a high-sided saucepan on a medium heat and add around 3-4 inches of vegetable oil and heat to 190 degrees C. Take the pieces of banana blossom, dust with flour then coat in the batter mix. Carefully place them in the hot oil and fry for 2 minutes, flipping half-way through, or until golden brown all over. Remove from the oil and drain.
6

To assemble, take two blossom bites, place in the taco and top with a spoon of slaw, few chunks of avo, sprinkling of coriander and a squeeze of lime.