Thread: Banana blossom the new fish alternative.

In lieu of fish, this plant-based fish and chips recipe features marinated banana blossoms. Fishing is one of the biggest threats to ocean wildlife populations. And it can become problematic when fish are caught faster than stocks can be replenished. When too many fish are taken out of the ocean, an imbalance in the food web is created. This can result in a loss of other marine life, such as turtles and corals.

If you’re looking for a more sustainable option to fish, try this fish-free recipe. The battered banana blossoms have a delicious, flaky texture—similar to haddock fish.

This vegan fish and chips recipe also features a tangy tartar sauce. You can easily whip this up using only a handful of ingredients, including vegan mayonnaise, lemon juice, and pickle relish.

Marinated Banana Blossoms:

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup vegan furikake (make sure it does not contain bonito or egg powder)
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 cans banana blossoms, drained & washed
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Batter:

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup corn starch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon celery salt
12 ounces beer, more if needed to get the correct consistency (brown ale, if possible.



Lunch is served with this vegan fish and chips dish.

In lieu of fish, this plant-based fish and chips recipe features marinated banana blossoms. Fishing is one of the biggest threats to ocean wildlife populations. And it can become problematic when fish are caught faster than stocks can be replenished. When too many fish are taken out of the ocean, an imbalance in the food web is created. This can result in a loss of other marine life, such as turtles and corals.

If you’re looking for a more sustainable option to fish, try this fish-free recipe. The battered banana blossoms have a delicious, flaky texture—similar to haddock fish.

This vegan fish and chips recipe also features a tangy tartar sauce. You can easily whip this up using only a handful of ingredients, including vegan mayonnaise, lemon juice, and pickle relish.



Ingredients

Marinated Banana Blossoms:

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup vegan furikake (make sure it does not contain bonito or egg powder)
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 cans banana blossoms, drained & washed
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Batter:

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup corn starch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon celery salt
12 ounces beer, more if needed to get the correct consistency (brown ale, if possible, such as Newcastle)
Dredge:


1/2 cup all purpose flour (for dredging)
2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch thick strips
Tartar sauce:

1 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup pickle relish
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for frying
Preparation

1
Place banana blossoms on a small dish, press to spread out layers of the blossom.
2
Whisk the apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, garlic powder, vegetable oil, furikake, and smoked paprika in a bowl, along with salt and pepper to taste.
3
Coat the blossoms in the marinade completely. Marinate for 1 hour.
4
In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, cornstarch, sea salt, paprika, and celery salt. Once mixed, add the beer slowly until the batter is smooth. Rest for 15-20 minutes.
5
In a medium-sized pot, heat the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a fat dollop of batter in—when it bubbles profusely and rises to surface, the oil is hot enough to fry.
6
Place ¼ cup of flour in a shallow bowl. Working in batches, dust banana blossoms with flour and dip into the beer batter to coat. The oil temperature will drop when you drop them in. If you notice the oil bubbling weakly, raise the temperature a little bit, otherwise you’ll end up with overly greasy batter.
7
Fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
8
Fry sweet potatoes in the same oil for 7-8 minutes and toss with salt.
9
For the tartar sauce, mix the vegan mayonnaise, paprika, chopped parsley, lemon juice, pickle relish, salt, and pepper.