How to cook banana heart like meat, this is the secret seasoning you must try

foto ilustrasi: YouTube/twin kitchen

With the right processing tricks and spices, banana blossom can be transformed into a delicious dish.

Brilio.net - Banana flower, a food ingredient that is often looked down upon, actually has extraordinary flavor potential. With the right processing tricks and spices, banana flower can be transformed into a delicious dish that even resembles meat!

For vegans or vegetarians looking for an economical and healthy alternative to meat, banana blossoms can be a very interesting choice. Or, for those of you who just want to try a new, unique and delicious variation of cooking, this meat-flavored banana blossom recipe is a must-try.

Forget the idea that banana blossoms are bitter, hard, or unattractive in color. This article will reveal a secret spice hack that will transform banana blossoms into a tasty, meaty-textured, and addictive dish! Ready to try? Let's take a look at the steps!

Before discussing further about the secret spice hack, let's examine why banana blossom is worth trying and making it a mainstay menu at home.

- Economical and Easy to Get: Banana hearts are relatively cheap and easy to find in traditional markets or can even be obtained for free if you have your own banana tree.

- Rich in nutrients: Banana blossoms contain various important nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals which are good for body health.

- Meat Substitute: For vegans or vegetarians, banana blossoms can be a delicious and plant-based alternative to meat. Several videos on YouTube show recipes and how to make "fake meat" from banana blossoms that taste just as good as beef.

- Interesting Texture: With proper processing, banana blossom can have a texture similar to meat, providing a more satisfying eating experience.

The key to making banana blossoms taste like meat lies in the spices used. Here is a secret spice *hack* that will give your banana blossoms a "meaty" taste:

- Basic Meat Seasoning: Use basic seasonings that are commonly used for cooking meat, such as shallots, garlic, candlenuts, coriander, pepper, and ginger. These spices will give a strong aroma and flavor to the banana flower.

- Add Umami Seasoning: Umami seasonings such as mushroom stock, sweet soy sauce, or oyster sauce will give a savory and "deep" taste to banana flower dishes, making them more similar to meat.

- Use Strong Spices: Spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom will give banana blossom dishes a complex, warm aroma, making them more like a spice-rich meat dish. Some recipes even add cumin and curry powder to enhance the flavor.

- Marinating Banana Hearts: After boiling and slicing, marinate the banana hearts with the spices above for at least 30 minutes so that the spices are perfectly absorbed.

Here are the steps to cook banana blossom like meat with a secret spice hack:

1. Choose the Right Banana Blossom: Choose a fresh and not too old banana blossom. Banana blossoms that are too old tend to be harder and bitter.

2. Clean the Banana Heart: Remove the outer purplish red petals of the banana heart until you reach the white or yellowish inside. Slice the banana heart according to taste, either thinly sliced or diced.

3. Boil Banana Heart: Boil sliced banana heart in boiling water with a little salt for 15-20 minutes until tender. Tamarind or vinegar can be added to the boiling water so that the sap is gone and does not turn black.

4. Drain and Squeeze the Banana Blossom: Drain the banana blossom and squeeze the water until dry. The goal is to remove any remaining sap and make the banana blossom texture denser.

5. Marinate the Banana Blossom: Coat the banana blossom with the basic meat seasoning, umami seasoning, and spices. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes so that the seasonings are completely absorbed.

6. Cook Banana Heart: Cook the banana heart to your liking. You can saut it, bake it, or process it into curry, rendang, or other dishes.

7. Serve: Serve the banana heart with warm rice and other accompaniments.

Here are some variations of the banana heart recipe that tastes like meat that you can try at home:

- Stir-fried Banana Heart with Rendang Seasoning: Stir-fried the marinated banana heart with rendang seasoning until cooked and the seasoning is absorbed.

- Beef-Style Banana Heart Curry: Cook the banana heart with a rich spice curry sauce and coconut milk until it is absorbed.

- Banana Heart Satay with Peanut Sauce: Skewer the marinated banana heart with a skewer, then grill or roast until cooked. Serve with peanut sauce.

- Crispy Banana Heart: Coat the banana heart with seasoned flour, then fry until dry and crispy. Serve as a snack or side dish.

- Use young banana blossoms: Young banana blossoms have a softer texture and a less bitter taste.

- Boil with Bay Leaves: Adding bay leaves when boiling banana blossoms can help reduce the bitter taste and provide a more fragrant aroma.

- Cook on Low Heat: Cooking the banana flower on low heat will help the spices to absorb perfectly and produce a softer texture.

(brl/tin)