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Banana Blossom Curry, the heart of the plant
Banana Blossom Curry, the heart of the plant
Date: 2026-03-27
Before supermarkets told us what to eat, our grandmothers already knew. The banana flower, called the banana heart, has fed coastal and tropical communities for centuries. It is tender, meaty, deeply nourishing, and it grows right here. This simple curry is a quiet act of reclaiming something we nearly forgot.
Ingredients:
1 pieces banana blossom (banana heart), outer petals removed, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons lemon juice (for soaking)
4 cups water (for soaking)
2 tablespoons coconut oil or sunflower oil
0.5 teaspoons mustard seeds
12 pieces curry leaves, fresh
1 pieces onion, finely chopped
3 pieces garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
1.7 cups coconut milk
1 teaspoons salt, to taste
1 tablespoons lemon juice (to finish)
1 tablespoons fresh coriander, to finish
Direction:
1. Soak the banana heart: do not skip this: Peel away the tough outer purple petals of the banana blossom until you reach the pale, tender inner layers. Remove the small waxy florets from between the petals, these are edible and go into the pot. Slice the pale inner heart thinly. Immediately submerge in a bowl of 4 cups water mixed with 3 tablespoons lemon juice. This is the step that removes the bitterness, chop straight into the lemon water, don't leave it sitting on the board. Soak for at least 30 minutes, then drain and squeeze out all excess moisture before cooking.
2. Bloom your spices: Heat 2 tablespoons coconut oil or sunflower oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add teaspoons mustard seeds and wait for them to pop, this is the moment they release everything they have. Add 12 pieces curry leaves, fresh and let them crackle for 20 seconds
3. Build the base: Add onion, finely chopped, garlic cloves, minced and grated ginger. Saute gently for 5 to 8 minutes until soft and golden.
4. Add the banana heart: Add the drained banana heart pieces and florets to the pan. Stir well so every piece is coated in the spiced base. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the banana heart begins to soften and take on colour.
5. Add coconut milk and simmer: Pour in 1.7 cups coconut milk and stir. Season with 1 teaspoons salt, to taste. Reduce heat to low, cover loosely and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the banana heart is completely tender and the curry has thickened to a rich, creamy consistency. Taste and adjust salt.
6. Finish and serve: Squeeze over 1 tablespoons lemon juice (to finish) and scatter 1 tablespoons fresh coriander, to finish on top. Serve with roti, steamed rice, or flatbread. Eat slowly. This dish has been a long time coming.
NOTES
Why banana blossom? The banana heart is one of the most nutritious ingredients growing in our own backyards and on local farms. It is rich in fibre, potassium, iron, and antioxidants. It supports gut health, helps regulate blood sugar, and has long been used in traditional medicine across tropical cultures to support lactation, manage anaemia, and reduce inflammation.
Before commercial food systems arrived with their imported broccoli and their pesticide schedules, our culinary repertoire was richer, more rooted, and far more interesting. Banana blossom. Morogo. Amadumbe. Wild spinach. These ingredients grew here, fed our communities, and needed no cold chain, no airfreight, and no chemical treatment to reach the table.
They still can. Every time you buy from a local farmer at a roadside stall, a weekend market, or a farming community, you are doing something quietly radical. You are keeping knowledge alive. You are keeping farmers on their land. Dump the boring broccoli. Go back to the banana heart.