Banana Flower

I grew up in Miami with Banana Trees all around. Neighbors had many different varieties and we would 'trade' citrus and avocados for bananas. Never once did I ever hear of anyone eating the Banana Flower. So, who knew?

The flower of the banana can be purchased year-round at your local Asian or Indian grocery stores. Preparation for most recipes involves a simple but tedious process to drain the bitter sap away from the flower parts. Banana Flowers are high in vitamins A and C. and have small amounts of calcium and iron. And according to Herbal Remedy texts, they are said to alleviate the pain from menstrual cramps.

Banana Flowers are cooked as vegetables in countries such a Laos, India, Thailand, China, Philippines and Vietnam. So next time you feel an urge to be adventuresome in the kitchen, you Might consider the Banana Flower.