Have you tried making vegan fish yet? This banana blossom fish is a game-changer! The dish is inspired by a traditional roasted cod and includes tangy olive oil, lemon, red onion, and kalamata olive relish. It is such a comforting dish, and also perfect for dinner parties.
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💡 The recipe in a nutshell
- Vegan (no egg, dairy, or animal products)
- “Fish” made out of banana blossoms
- Tangy, full of umami flavors
- An elevated vegan recipe that is great for dinner parties
🐟 What is banana blossom fish?
As the name suggests, banana blossoms come from banana trees. Bananas grow in clusters on trees and at the end of the cluster, there’s a purple flower growing – this is the banana blossom. And yes, the petals are edible!!
Their texture is flaky and soft, perfect to imitate the texture of fish.
🍌 How do banana blossoms taste?
The flavor of banana blossoms is neutral, similar to jackfruit or tofu. Meaning they can take on the taste of however seasoned. To make them taste fishy the blossoms are marinated in seaweed, and mushroom broth.
👩🏽🍳 How to make banana blossom fish
To make banana blossom fish marinate the canned blossoms in a fishy marinate containing seaweed, mushroom, and other fishy flavors if desired. From there you can prepare your fish as wished.
The recipe below roasts the seasoned blossoms in tangy olive oil, lemon, red onion, and olive relish. Other variations bread and frying the blossoms, and serving them over fries or as fish tacos.
🤔 Where to get banana blossoms
Depending on where you are located Banana blossoms may not the most common ingredient to use or find in the grocery store. For this recipe, we are using canned banana blossoms, which we usually find in our local Asian store or market. Another alternative is ordering them online!
📋 Serving ideas
You may ask yourself what to serve with this banana blossom fish full of tangy and umami flavor. Some great sides for this vegan roasted cod include:
- Potatoes (both boiled, or mashed)
- Baby potatoes
- Vegetable fritters (such as zucchini, or potato)
- Herbed rice
- Quinoa
- Buttered peas and carrots
- Asparagus
- Brussel sprouts
- Salad
- Artisan Bread
- Bruschetta
📖 Recipe
Banana Blossom Fish - Roasted “Cod” with Relish
Ingredients
Banana Blossom Cod
- 2 cans of banana blossoms (18 oz can)
- 1 teaspoon mushroom seasoning, or 2 dried shiitake
- 1 teaspoon dried seaweed
Lemon, Olive, and Onion Relish
- 2 small lemons
- ¼ of a big red onion, very thinly sliced into rings
- ½ teaspoon salt, and more to taste
- 1 glass GAEA’s pitted kalamata olives (with brine)
- 1 tablespoons drained capers
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon of GAEA’s authentic Greek EEVO, divided
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 freshly sliced red chile, or ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Drain the banana blossoms and give them a rinse to remove the flavor of the brine. You will mostly want to use the large, intact banana blossoms and avoid the smaller shredded pieces. You may wish to have an extra can of banana blossoms on hand to ensure you’ll have enough large pieces.
- Marinate them for a few hours (minimum 2 hours) or for best flavor results overnight. If you’d like to skip this step, simply proceed to step 3. To marinate, place the blossoms in a heatproof bowl or container. Add 1 teaspoon of mushroom seasoning or 2 dried shiitake mushrooms and 1 teaspoon dried seaweed. Pour in enough boiling water to cover the blossoms. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. When you’re ready to make your meal, remove the blossoms from the marinade and pat dry.
- Combine onion and salt in a small separate bowl and let sit for 10 minutes. Finely grate the zest of your lemons; set aside. Using a sharp knife, cut and peel white pith from lemons; discard. Working over a medium bowl, cut between membranes to release segments into the bowl and squeeze membranes to release juices; discard any seeds.
- After the onion has rested, squeeze it to remove any excess liquid; add it to the bowl with the lemon. Add olives with brine, capers, and ¼ cup of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Cover relish and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.
- Take banana blossoms out of the marinade and pat dry. If wished cut it into rectangles to give it a realistic fish filet look. Place relish with its brine in a shallow baking dish (or roasting pan), and add the remaining oil and chile slices. Then add banana blossoms and turn to coat; season with some more salt, if wished.
- Roast everything until cooked through, for 40 to 50 minutes. Serve warm with a side of your choice. Good sides are boiled baby potatoes, cooked rice, and/or cooked vegetables (such as green asparagus or green beans) of your choice.
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The provided nutritional information is an estimate. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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This recipe is so full of flavor! Especially, if you love a umami taste. This “cod” is a great vegan meal.
I never knew you can use banana blossoms as vegan fish! So cool!