Thai Banana Flower fritters | Tod Mun Hua Plee | Kitchenstagram
Tod Mun Hua Plee or Thai Banana Flower fritters is veggie variety of Tod Mun Pla. Tod Mun Pla, Thailand’s beloved fish cakes are a popular street food. Tod Mun Hua Plee is made with ingredients like sweetcorn or banana flowers for a unique twist.
The banana blossom, also known as the banana heart, is a striking, purple-hued flower that emerges at the end of banana cluster. While not widely known outside of Southeast Asia, it’s a cherished ingredient in Thai cuisine, adding a unique texture and flavour to a variety of dishes. Its tender petals and crisp inner core offer a mild, slightly nutty taste with subtle hints of bitterness– often compared to artichoke hearts or bamboo shoots.
Beyond its culinary appeal, the banana blossom has fascinating natural role. Banana plants, though often mistaken for trees, are actually large herbs. Around seven to eight months into their growth, they began to produce fruit-bearing flowers. These flowers, layered neatly in bunches, develop into bananas- except for one: the Hua Plee. This terminal blossom contains only sterile male flowers and never forms fruit, yet it remains highly prized for cooking. Often shredded into salads, simmered in soups, or deep fried for a crispy treat, the banana blossom adds both flavour and intrigue to the plate.
Ingredients
For Banana Blossom Fritters:
1 no. Banana Blossom
1 no. Lime
1 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
Salt to taste
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Black pepper powder
1 tbsp Red Curry Paste
1 no. Egg
5-6 nos. Lime leaves, ribbons
4-5 nos. Thai Basil leaves, chopped
Water, as required
Oil, for frying
For Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
1/2 cup Cucumber, thinly diced
1 no. Shallot, finely sliced
1/4 cup Crushed Peanuts
Preparation
For Banana Blossom Fritters:
- Step 1: Start by stripping the outer petals off the banana flower until you come to the lighter coloured centre. Save a couple of outer petals to serve the fritters in.
- Step 2: Prepare a bowl of water with salt and lime juice, this will stop the banana flowers from discolouring.
- Step 3: Cut the banana blossom lengthwise into quarters and then cut out the centre core. Then finely chop them and put them in the Salt-lime water.
- Step 4: In a mixing bowl combine all-purpose four, salt, baking powder, black pepper powder, red curry paste, egg and water make a thick batter.
- Step 5: Drain the chopped banana blossom, add in the batter and add lime leaves, Thai basil and mix well. The batter should be thick, you can add some water or flour to get the right consistency.
- Step 6: In a frying pan heat 4-6 tbsp oil. Then take about one heaped tablespoon of the batter mixture and add to the pan, try form a round shape patty.
- Step 7: Fry in batches until they begin to turn golden brown and then turn. Once they are done drain them on a paper towel.
For Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce:
- Step 8: In a bowl combine Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, diced cucumber, sliced shallots and crushed peanuts, stir to combine.
To Serve:
- Step 9: Serve the hot banana blossom fritters with sweet chili dipping sauce. Enjoy!!
About Me
DEBJANI MONDAL
Welcome to Kitchenstagram, the home of delicious recipes, culinary inspiration and cooking adventures. I’m Debjani and I’m thrilled to be your guide through the wonderful world of food. I’m a self-taught professional baker, home chef, recipe developer, author of Kitchenstagram and an aspiring YouTuber.
My passion for food and cooking began at a very young age, when I would watch my mom and dad cook for me and my brother. My dad, in particular is a great cook whose culinary skills made a lasting impression on me. My dad would cook up a storm on special occasions by cooking variety of dishes, from delicious biriyani to samosa, fish fry, rasgullas and kachoris (sweet & spicy deep fried pastry with filling of lentils, meat or fish…>>>>>
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