Tasiest Flowers?

slucko · 12-20-2013, 10:13 PM

I've made and enjoyed banana flower dishes for a few years now. Recently I've become curious as to which banana varieties may have the choicest flowers for eating. Up until this point I've just eaten whichever I could find first on nights I wanted to have some, most of the time not knowing which varieties they were from.

I'd like to hear your experiences with this - ones you loved, ones that you found disagreeable, etc, and why.

robguz24 · 12-20-2013, 10:26 PM

I've never actually had them, but I understand Saba types are generally preferred here.

lmswayne · 12-21-2013, 11:44 AM

Do you have a good recipes you would like to share? I love to try new foods.

shannondicorse · 12-21-2013, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slucko

I've made and enjoyed banana flower dishes for a few years now. Recently I've become curious as to which banana varieties may have the choicest flowers for eating. Up until this point I've just eaten whichever I could find first on nights I wanted to have some, most of the time not knowing which varieties they were from.

I'd like to hear your experiences with this - ones you loved, ones that you found disagreeable, etc, and why.

slucko,

If you're using the "bell" or "cabbage" then the ABBs and BBs are the way to go. They are a tad less astringent and acrid. At any rate the bell has to be reboiled and the water discarded several times before palatability is achieved.

The discarded water is medicinal.

The hearts can also be eaten cooked.

The true flowers are different. Mostly they can be cooked in curries, other vegetable stews or otherwise with less fuss. As, BTW, can most Heliconia true flowers.

shannon

shannon.di.corse@gmail.com

PR-Giants · 12-21-2013, 08:44 PM

I've tasted many flowers and the Hua Moa (AAB) was the best, there hasn't even been a close second yet.

I've only eaten them raw, but they probably also taste good cooked.

Quote:

Originally Posted by slucko

I've made and enjoyed banana flower dishes for a few years now. Recently I've become curious as to which banana varieties may have the choicest flowers for eating. Up until this point I've just eaten whichever I could find first on nights I wanted to have some, most of the time not knowing which varieties they were from.

I'd like to hear your experiences with this - ones you loved, ones that you found disagreeable, etc, and why.

slucko · 12-21-2013, 09:47 PM

robgyz24 and shannondicorse: Thanks for the input. I have thus far only eaten the individual little male flowers beneath the petals.

lmswayne: I recently moved and all my notes and recipes are buried at the moment. I will be working on unpacking more soon and when I find it I'll post my favorite one for you. It's very simple ingredients.

PR-Giants: Oh, that's fabulous to hear - I LOVE Hua Moa and want to get my hands on some keikis. Finding out the variety is suited to being dual-purpose in that way is great. I like to take them when still green and totally hard, slice them and fry in coconut oil with a whole onion cut into large pieces and big chunks of 4-5 green, (still hard) tomatos, plus a little salt and pepper. It's one of my favorite simple, quick and absolutely satisfying meals. I'm actually just starting a variety of paste tomato (thick, meaty walls with few seeds) just so I can make that dish again. I've tried that same recipe with Silver Bluggos when they were all I could find and I didn't find them particularly impressive.

venturabananas · 12-21-2013, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PR-Giants

I've tasted many flowers and the Hua Moa (AAB) was the best, there hasn't even been a close second yet.

I've only eaten them raw, but they probably also taste good cooked.

Keith, how do you suggest preparing the flowers?

PR-Giants · 12-21-2013, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by venturabananas

Keith, how do you suggest preparing the flowers?

I just peel the bracts off until I get to the white part and then start eating.

I never expected it to be good, but you don't know until you try.

Nick sells flowers, so he'll probably be able to give you more info.

robguz24 · 12-22-2013, 02:07 PM

The Kepler & Rust Hawaii banana book has a recipe on using the male flowers for a dish on p. 346.

sunfish · 12-22-2013, 03:14 PM

Is the one you like better than the others

12-20-2013, 10:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
slucko Location: Big Island, Hawai'i Zone: 11 Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 3 BananaBucks : 1,861 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 6 Times Was Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Tasiest Flowers? I've made and enjoyed banana flower dishes for a few years now. Recently I've become curious as to which banana varieties may have the choicest flowers for eating. Up until this point I've just eaten whichever I could find first on nights I wanted to have some, most of the time not knowing which varieties they were from. I'd like to hear your experiences with this - ones you loved, ones that you found disagreeable, etc, and why.

12-20-2013, 10:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
robguz24 Rob Location: Kalapana, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 11 Name: Rob Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,506 BananaBucks : 260,815 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,320 Times Was Thanked 4,961 Times in 1,080 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 204 Times	Re: Tasiest Flowers? I've never actually had them, but I understand Saba types are generally preferred here. __________________ My micro-farm Stay on my Big Island banana farm cottage

12-21-2013, 11:44 AM	#3 (permalink)
lmswayne Location: Seattle Find me on the map! Zone: 8-9 Name: Linda Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 319 BananaBucks : 5,359 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,753 Times Was Thanked 260 Times in 178 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 412 Times	Re: Tasiest Flowers? Do you have a good recipes you would like to share? I love to try new foods. __________________

12-21-2013, 09:47 PM	#6 (permalink)
slucko Location: Big Island, Hawai'i Zone: 11 Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 3 BananaBucks : 1,861 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 6 Times Was Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Tasiest Flowers? robgyz24 and shannondicorse: Thanks for the input. I have thus far only eaten the individual little male flowers beneath the petals. lmswayne: I recently moved and all my notes and recipes are buried at the moment. I will be working on unpacking more soon and when I find it I'll post my favorite one for you. It's very simple ingredients. PR-Giants: Oh, that's fabulous to hear - I LOVE Hua Moa and want to get my hands on some keikis. Finding out the variety is suited to being dual-purpose in that way is great. I like to take them when still green and totally hard, slice them and fry in coconut oil with a whole onion cut into large pieces and big chunks of 4-5 green, (still hard) tomatos, plus a little salt and pepper. It's one of my favorite simple, quick and absolutely satisfying meals. I'm actually just starting a variety of paste tomato (thick, meaty walls with few seeds) just so I can make that dish again. I've tried that same recipe with Silver Bluggos when they were all I could find and I didn't find them particularly impressive.

12-22-2013, 02:07 PM	#9 (permalink)
robguz24 Rob Location: Kalapana, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 11 Name: Rob Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,506 BananaBucks : 260,815 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,320 Times Was Thanked 4,961 Times in 1,080 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 204 Times	Re: Tasiest Flowers? The Kepler & Rust Hawaii banana book has a recipe on using the male flowers for a dish on p. 346. __________________ My micro-farm Stay on my Big Island banana farm cottage

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12-22-2013, 03:14 PM	#10 (permalink)
sunfish Banned sunfish's Photo Gallery Location: San Diego Find me on the map! Zone: 9-11 Name: Tony Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 18,429 BananaBucks : 946,298 Feedback: 8 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,210 Times Was Thanked 20,591 Times in 7,760 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,716 Times	Re: Tasiest Flowers? Is the one you like better than the others

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