Banana blossom

Musa × paradisiaca, M. acuminata

flower · vegetable

The large purple bud at the end of a banana bunch, with tight bracts; finely sliced, crunchy and slightly astringent, in Thai and Vietnamese salads.

Origin

Southeast Asia

Season (United States)

imported · all year round

Preparation

The tough outer purple bracts are removed, and in each flower the hard pistil and the small transparent scale; once cut, it goes straight into lemon water.

Did you know?

The bud we eat is the male tip of the bunch: between its bracts are male flowers; the bananas grow from the female flowers, higher up the stalk.