Well I tried this yesterday and my internet crashed right smack in the middle - so here we go again.
The menu for the dinner:
Chinese Chive Dumplings
Shrimp & Lemongrass Soup
Banana Flower Salad
Lemongrass Patties
Rice Noodles with Sesame Herb Pesto
Coconute Pumpking Brulee
The menu was inspired by the banana flower - it was interesting looking and the recipes we found for it sounded pretty good. The tendency for bitterness was mentioned - but it was understated by tons and tons!
See the pretty banana flower. I don't think Jean or I could recommend anyone even consider eating one of these things.
![[Image: IMG_5563.jpg]](http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w229/cookafloat/IMG_5563.jpg)
Banana Bell Salad
Banana Growers
Ingredients:
From Mai Chee Vang, Hmong Community, Far North Queensland
1 kg banana bell (banana flower), sliced
½ barbecued chicken or a whole poached chicken breast - diced
2 tbsp Thai mint
2 eschalots, sliced thinly
1 stalk lemongrass
3 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 birds eye red chillies
½ lemon wedge
4 coriander sprigs to garnish
4 Thai basil leaves to garnish
2 tbsp toasted ground rice*
* To make ground rice, lightly toast a handful of uncooked glutinous rice into a hot wok. Stir constantly until the rice browns, then grind, using a mortar and pestle, to a rough consistency (much like ground coffee). Alternatively, use a coffee grinder.
Method:
Wash the banana bell thoroughly and slice into thin shreds.
Leave to soak in cold water with slices of lemon.
After rinsing 2-3 times, squeeze out excess water and transfer into a large mixing bowl.
In another bowl, mix the cooked chicken with lemon juice, lime leaves, ground rice, chillies, fish sauce, and salt to taste.
To this mixture add the sliced banana bell, mint, and eschalots.
Lightly mix, taking care not to bruise the banana bell.
Garnish with coriander and Thai basil.
Banana bell salad is traditionally served with steamed sticky rice or as an accompaniment to a meal.
We continued with the salad with grilled chicken and used bean sprouts and some green leaf lettuce instead of the banana flower. It was really tasty!
For herbs we used Rau ram (Vietnamese Cilantro), mint and basil.
The menu for the dinner:
Chinese Chive Dumplings
Shrimp & Lemongrass Soup
Banana Flower Salad
Lemongrass Patties
Rice Noodles with Sesame Herb Pesto
Coconute Pumpking Brulee
The menu was inspired by the banana flower - it was interesting looking and the recipes we found for it sounded pretty good. The tendency for bitterness was mentioned - but it was understated by tons and tons!
See the pretty banana flower. I don't think Jean or I could recommend anyone even consider eating one of these things.
Banana Bell Salad
Banana Growers
Ingredients:
From Mai Chee Vang, Hmong Community, Far North Queensland
1 kg banana bell (banana flower), sliced
½ barbecued chicken or a whole poached chicken breast - diced
2 tbsp Thai mint
2 eschalots, sliced thinly
1 stalk lemongrass
3 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 birds eye red chillies
½ lemon wedge
4 coriander sprigs to garnish
4 Thai basil leaves to garnish
2 tbsp toasted ground rice*
* To make ground rice, lightly toast a handful of uncooked glutinous rice into a hot wok. Stir constantly until the rice browns, then grind, using a mortar and pestle, to a rough consistency (much like ground coffee). Alternatively, use a coffee grinder.
Method:
Wash the banana bell thoroughly and slice into thin shreds.
Leave to soak in cold water with slices of lemon.
After rinsing 2-3 times, squeeze out excess water and transfer into a large mixing bowl.
In another bowl, mix the cooked chicken with lemon juice, lime leaves, ground rice, chillies, fish sauce, and salt to taste.
To this mixture add the sliced banana bell, mint, and eschalots.
Lightly mix, taking care not to bruise the banana bell.
Garnish with coriander and Thai basil.
Banana bell salad is traditionally served with steamed sticky rice or as an accompaniment to a meal.
We continued with the salad with grilled chicken and used bean sprouts and some green leaf lettuce instead of the banana flower. It was really tasty!
For herbs we used Rau ram (Vietnamese Cilantro), mint and basil.
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough! 
