5 Recipes from the Banana Tree

The banana tree is amazingly full of health benefits. Almost every major part of the tree can be used to make a variety of mouthwatering dishes. Not many know how to cook using the banana flower or even the banana stem. Here we have listed 5 recipes to cook using the various parts of the wonderful banana tree.

1) The Ripe Banana fruit

Caribbean Banana fritters

Ingredients:
– 1 cup of flour
– 2 tbs rice flour
– 1 tsp baking powder
– 1 tsp baking soda
– 1 tsp cinnamon powder
– 1 tsp vanilla essence
– 1 tsp salt
– 2 tbs brown sugar or more according to taste
– 3-4 overripe bananas mashed
– Powdered sugar for coating

Method:
Mash and mix all together.Leave aside for 10 minutes, then deep fry. Once cooled, roll in powdered sugar.

2) The Banana Flower

Thai Mango salad with Banana Flowers

When preparing this dish, be careful to use only the inner stalks of the flower.

Ingredients:
– 200g of banana flowers
– 1 green mango
– 1 papaya
– 2-3 tbs of pomegranate seeds
– 8 to 10 large cooked shrimps
– Chilli flakes, honey and lime juice for the dressing.

Method:
Shred the fruits into thin julienned slices. Cook the banana flowers by adding some turmeric to boiling water and boil the stalks for 10 minutes and drain. Mix this to the rest of the ingredients and add in the salad dressing.

3) The Banana Stem

Banana Stem Dhall Curry

Ingredients:
– 10-20 cm banana stem, cut away the hard outer parts and retain only the softer inner flesh and dice into small pieces
– 100g Moong Dhall or any other sort dhall
– 1 tbs ginger garlic paste
– 1 diced onion, 1 green chilli chopped
– 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp chilli powder
– 2 tsp mustard seeds, a bunch of curry leaves

Method:
Boil the dhall and the banana stem till soft. Then drain away the water. Fry the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Then add in the onions and ginger garlic paste. Fry till fragrant. Add in the dhall and banana stem mix together with the curry powders and a little water. Cook till it thickens. Serve.

4) The unripe green Banana fruit

Banana chips

Ingredients:
– 1-2 unripe green bananas
– Salt, Red chilli powder
– Oil for deep frying

Method:
Peel the skin of the bananas and lay aside. Heat some oil for deep frying. Use a mandolin to slice the bananas directly over the oil and fry the chips for 4 to 5 minutes till golden brown. Sprinkle salty water over the chips and dish out from the frying wok. Serve.

5) The Banana leaf

Fish in Banana leaf parcel

Ingredients:
– 200g fish of choice
– Sambal paste (blend 5 -8  dried chillies with fried anchovies, 5 to 6 shallots with 1 crushed lemon grass and galangal if available)
– 1 tbs brown sugar
– 1 tsp turmeric powder
– 1 large banana leaf
– Salt to taste

Method:
Sprinkle the fish with salt and turmeric powder. Cover both sides of the fish with the sambal paste mixed with the brown sugar. Wrap the fish in banana leaf and tie tightly with a string. If the leaf is tough, lightly steam it or soften it with heat before using. Wrap the fish and place it in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes. Serve with rice.

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