vegan banana blossom 'chick'n sandwich

Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside these vegan fried "chick'n" pieces are made with banana blossoms and will surprise how similar the texture is to a fried chicken burger.

What is banana blossom?

Banana blossoms are the large flowers that grows at the end of a bunch of bananas. They have a neutral flavour and are therefor very versatile. Due to it's flaky, fleshy texture they make the ideal meat substitute.

Where can I get these?

I have never seen them fresh in supermarkets, but you can now find them more regularly in most supermarkets in the canned goods section. Usually they are canned in brine. Try looking for an organic brand.

Have you tried banana blossoms?

If no, I suggest buying a can of banana blossoms and giving this recipe a go.

Seriously, you will not regret it!

In this recipe the banana blossoms are marinated in a vegan "buttermilk" to soften the blossoms and give it that delicious flavour. Once marinated and double or triple dipped in a flour mixture these are deep fried until golden and crispy.

Served with a chilli mayo and a simple slaw, this makes a delicious, indulgent sandwich or burger.

Why not try this simple homemade burger bun recipe, with a side of these sweet potato fries.

I don't often eat deep-fried food, but when I do it is either these burgers or vegan tofish (tofu fish).

Let's talk about the ingredients

• Banana blossoms - try to find an organic brand

• For the "buttermilk" you will need plant-based milk, plant-based cream, lemon juice and olive oil

• For the flour coating you will need: plain flour, corn-starch, baking powder and a variety dried spices.

• Fresh burger buns or sandwich rolls

• fresh lettuce

• vegan mayonnaise

• a good chilli sauce (optional)

• a simple coleslaw

A few helpful tips!

The longer the banana blossom marinate, the better the result. I suggest letting it sit overnight, but a few hours will work fine too.

You can double coat the banana blossoms in the flour mixture, but triple coating makes them even better! Single dipping will make the coating too thin and might dry out the banana blossoms and may not be as crispy on the outside.

When frying, make sure the oil is hot enough, otherwise the "fillet" will absorb too much oil and be soggy. To test if the oil is hot enough carefully drop a piece of batter in to the oil. It should start rapidly bubbling immediately.

VEGAN BANANA BLOSSOM CHICK'N SANDWICH

Crispy on the outside, soft and tender on the inside. These banana blossom chick'n fillets make a great vegan burger or sandwich.

Prep time: 30 min, plus marinating time

Cooking time: 30min

Serves: 4 generous burgers or 6 mini slides or 2 large sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE MARINADE

• 1 can banana blossoms

• 120ml plant-based milk

• 100 ml plant-based cream or more milk

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

FOR THE FLOUR COATING

• 60g plain flour

• 40g corn-starch

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/4 tsp onion powder

• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

• pinch of chilli powder (optional)

• Vegetable oil for frying

FOR THE SLAW

• 2 cups mixture of shredded green cabbage, red cabbage & carrot

• 1 tbsp finely sliced onion (optional)

• 1 - 2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• salt & pepper to taste

TO SERVE

• 4 - 6 fresh burger buns or 2 - 3 large sandwich rolls

• fresh lettuce

• 2 - 3 tbsp vegan mayonnaise

• 1 tbsp chilli sauce (optional)

• Slaw (recipe above)

INSTRUCTIONS

TO MARINADE

1. Drain the banana blossoms and give them a good rinse with cold water.

2. Transfer them to a large bowl.

3. In a small bowl mix the milk, cream, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and whisk to combine.

4. Pour the mixture over the banana blossoms. Using your hands massage in the marinade.

5. Cover the dish and let them marinade overnight or for at least 3 hours.

TO COAT AND FRY

1. In a shallow dish mix the flour coating ingredients together.

2. Prepare a cutting board to place the coated "fillets" and a second board with paper kitchen towels for resting.

3. Shape a 'fillet' by squeezing banana blossom pieces together into a round shape. I usually use a larger leave on the outside to keep the mixture better together. Squeeze out as much marinade as possible before placing the fillet into the flour mixture.

4. Gently coat the fillet all over before transferring it back into the marinade. Repeating the coating process. You can double coat, but I recommend triple coating.

5. Repeat with the rest. Depending on the size of the fillets you want, I got out 6 small "fillets".

6. Fill a large pan with vegetable oil and heat. To test if the oil is hot enough carefully drop a piece of batter into the oil. Is should start rapidly bubbling immediately.

7. Carefully place 1 or two coated "fillets" into the oil and fry on each side until golden brown.

8. Transfer them onto a paper kitchen towel to "absorb" the excess oil. Sprinkle with a bit of salt.

9. Repeat with the remaining fillets and let them rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

FOR THE SLAW

1. Mix all the ingredients together and let it sit for a few minutes.

TO SERVE

1. Mix the chilli sauce and mayonnaise and set aside.

2. Slice the burger or sandwich rolls in half. Add a few lettuce leaves, followed by a "fillet", chilli mayo and a generous amount of coleslaw.

3. Enjoy whilst still warm!

This recipe was inspired by allplants | Vegan Fried Chicken Burgers and made a few adjustments.

Have you tried this recipe?

If you made this, I would love to see your creations on Instagram.

Make sure to leave a review below and give it a rating.

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