Vietnamese Banana Flower Salad

Vietnamese Banana Flower Salad © kvalifood.com

Banana flower salad (nộm hoa chuối) uses the tightly packed inner petals of a banana blossom, shredded thin and dressed with a lime-fish sauce dressing. It is a common dish in northern Vietnam, often served with beef or tofu.

Ingredients

  • 1 banana flower bud
  • 100 g beef, thinly sliced (or tofu for vegetarian)
  • 120 ml white vinegar, for soaking
  • 1 tsp salt, for soaking
  • 50 g bean sprouts
  • 1 carrot, julienned
  • cherry tomatoes, halved, optional
  • 1 cucumber, sliced, optional
  • 1 handful coriander, roughly chopped
  • 1 handful mint, roughly chopped
  • 1 handful Thai basil, roughly chopped
  • 60 g roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Dressing

  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp sugar, heaping
  • 3 tbsp lime juice (or kumquat juice)
  • 1 red chili, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Directions

Prepare the banana flower

  1. Peel off and set aside 4-6 of the large outer petals (for serving). Discard any tough or discoloured outer layers.
  2. Thinly slice the remaining inner flower, discarding any small developing bananas between the layers.
  3. Soak the sliced banana flower in water with the vinegar and salt for 10-15 minutes to soften and prevent browning. Drain and rinse well. Squeeze out excess water.

Prepare the protein

  1. If using beef: simmer the thinly sliced beef in water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and cool. If using tofu: slice thinly and fry until crispy.

Dress and serve

  1. Mix together the fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the garlic and chili.
  2. Combine the banana flower, carrot, bean sprouts, and tomatoes (if using) in a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss. Leave for 5 minutes to absorb.
  3. Add the herbs, beef or tofu, and half the peanuts. Toss gently.
  4. Serve in the reserved outer petals, topped with the remaining peanuts.

Notes

  • Banana flowers oxidise quickly. Keep them in the acidulated soaking water until ready to use.
  • If banana flower is unavailable, the dressing works well with shredded green cabbage or green papaya.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace fish sauce in the dressing with soy sauce.