Curried Banana Flower and Mung Beans

When we were travelling in Africa we saw tons of banana plants. Bananas were served with almost every meal. Oddly enough, the banana flower was never used in any dishes.

Banana Plant with large Purple Flower

When using fresh banana flower, it's important to soak the chopped flower in buttermilk or a water and lemon juice mixture to get rid of the strong, bitter taste. An alternative is to use canned banana flower.
This recipe calls for Asafoetida powder. An alternative to this could be onion salt, garlic powder, or fresh garlic.


Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dried, green mung beans, soaked for a couple hours
• 2 cups banana flowers, finely chopped, and soaked in watery buttermilk overnight
• 3 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. Asafoetida powder
• 4-6 green chillies, slit lengthwise
• 2-3 red chillies, broken into a few pieces
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp. Turmeric powder
• 1 cup onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup coconut, freshly grated (or dried, unsweetened)
• 1 lime or lemon

Directions:

1. Place the mung beans in a container with some salt and a little water and cook until slightly tender. Drain water if any.
2. Strain out the banana flowers from the buttermilk.
3. Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add the asafoetida powder, cumin, and mustard and saute until they start to pop. Then add the green and red chillies and fry for a minute. Add the curry leaves and turmeric powder and fry for a few seconds.
4. Add the onions along with some salt, and saute on medium heat until translucent.
5. Add the banana flowers, cooked moong dal, salt, and a sprinkle of water. Cover and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the flowers are tender.
6. Add the grated coconut and cook for a couple more minutes. Remove from heat.
7. Mix in the juice of half a lime.
8. Serve the banana-flower curry with lemon or lime wedges and plain rice.