Banana flowers are large, tear-shaped and purplish in colour. They are used in South Indian and Bengali cuisine. They are commonly used in South-east Asian cuisine as well, and in Thailand, they are eaten raw with namprik (a hot and spicy dip). Known as banana hearts, banana flowers are loaded with fibre, protein, potassium, calcium, copper, phosphorus, iron, magnesium and Vitamin E. These pretty flowers can be eaten raw or cooked and added to salads, soups, stir-fries and herbal teas too.
The darker, tough husks (often magenta in hue) on the outside of the flower need to be stripped away to reveal the tender, yummy yellow-green leaves inside.
Note that banana flower leaves will turn brown or black if left to sit exposed to air for any length of time, so don’t peel off that outer layer until you’re ready to use them.
To minimize browning if they do need to sit after you remove the tough outer layer and separate or chop the inner leaves: put them in a bowl of acidulated water (add several tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar to a bowl of water (about 1 tablespoon for every 2 cups of water) to minimize the browning.
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