Crispy flaky vegan ‘fish’ tacos are here for all your summer needs, topped with fresh coleslaw and wrapped up in warm toasted tortillas. This Vegan Fish made with Banana Blossoms is life-changing – especially if you thought that you would never eat anything tastes like fish again! The soft and flaky texture of the banana flowers makes it a brilliant substitute for fish in meat-free dishes
Banana blossom is considered as one of the healthiest vegetables and doesn’t have any banana taste, in fact, they taste more similar to artichoke hearts. It is common in South-East Asian cuisine which can be eaten raw or cooked and is used primarily in salads, curries or even soups. When we went to Vietnam a couple of years ago, we were served a banana blossom salad and that was the very first time I tried it raw. It was DELICIOUS!
We, Sri Lankans, cook them into curries, cooked salads or deep-fried sambals. It is one of my favourites to eat but unfortunately, it is not very easy to find them here in Australia. You can probably guess how excited I was when I found a can of banana blossoms in brine at Coles Supermarket, I almost freaked out! You should be able to find them in some Asian Supermarkets too.
I am so used to cooking fresh banana blossoms and was not sure what to expect taste-wise from canned banana blooms. I’ve seen a few banana blossom dishes in the net and immediately knew what I wanted to make out of them. This is a fishy dream come true! I’ve never had anything that tasted THAT MUCH like fish!
I hope you will enjoy this ‘fish’ as much as I did! Let me know if you give it a try!
Ingredients
For the batter;
- 1 can of Banana Blossom drained and cut into thin wedges
- oil for shallow frying
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
- 3/4 cup water
- salt to taste
Filling for the tacos;
- 8 taco size tortillas
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1/2 medium onion thinly sliced
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- vegan mayonnaise
- 1 red chilli thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon olive oil for drizzling
- lime wedges to serve
Method;
- combine the flour with the spices and baking soda. Add the water and whisk until smooth.
- Add the banana blossom to the batter and coat evenly.
- Meanwhile, heat a pan over medium heat and add oil until hot.
- Carefully lift the banana blossom one at a time of the batter and pan-fry until golden brown. Set aside on a kitchen paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
- add cabbage, onion, smoked paprika and vegan mayonnaise into a bowl and combine well.
- Lightly toast the taco in a dry pan and then top with the coleslaw, battered banana blossom, sliced chillies and avocados. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with a wedge of lime.