Kilawing Puso Ng Saging

Posted byNoriePosted inRecipe, Side dishes, VegetablesTags:

Banana Blossom Cooked in Vinegar

I felt lucky this year because my banana trees finally made some fruits.  I had forgotten that the banana blossom or “puso ng saging” is commonly used as a vegetable in the Philippines.  Puso means heart, not blossoms. It is called heart because the banana blossoms is shaped like a heart.

It is usually cooked in Kare-kare as part of the vegetable assembly.  I thought of using it for kare-kare but when I picked the blossom, I did not have what I needed to make the dish.  I opted to make Kilawin, recipe as follows:

Ingredients:

  • Half of a medium onion, sliced lengthwise
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed then minced
  • 1 large jalapeno seeded then sliced in rings.  Any other kind of pepper will do depending on how spicy you like it.
  • 1 TBS vinegar
  • Patis (Fish Sauce)
  • 1 TBS oil
  • ¼ c water or vegetable broth
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

First remove and discard the outer loose flower coverings from the heart (the reddish-brown layers) including the flowers until you feel it firm and hard.  You only want to use the younger layers.  Then slice them crosswise very thinly, about ¼” thick.  Immediately put them in a bowl of brine, made with 3 TBS. salt in 4 cups of warm water.  Let it soak for a few minutes to expel the sap that banana tree is infamous for staining your clothes.  If you do not do this procedure they will turn black and will taste acrid and will make your mouth pucker like you ate a non-ripe Persimmon. 

After soaking a few minutes, squeeze them in the salt solution a few times and try to squeeze out the sap.  Drain and squeeze out the water. Rinse a few times in a bowl of water, drain then squeeze out the water.  Set aside.

Heat the oil in a skillet.  Drop in the garlic and onions together and sauté until onions are soft and transparent.  Add a few dashes of patis to flavor.  Add the banana blossom and the liquid (water or vegetable broth).  Simmer uncovered for 2 minutes. Add the vinegar, dash of salt and pepper.  Cover and simmer for another minute or 2.

Serve with rice; eat with a little bagoong on the side or Sambal or Sriracha for extra kick.