Vegan beer-battered banana blossom 'fish' tacos with pickled onion, Baja sauce, cabbage slaw and avocado.
Why you'll love it
If you're looking for a creative, delicious alternative for your next taco night, these vegan banana blossom 'fish' tacos are exactly what you need. Banana blossom has a unique, flaky texture and, combined with seaweed and lemon, does a brilliant job of mimicking fish. This dish is perfect for anyone wanting to try something new that's completely free of animal products, and it delivers a real burst of flavour. With crunchy lettuce, tangy pickled onion, creamy avocado and a homemade Baja sauce with lemon and sriracha, these tacos will be a real treat for your taste buds!
Tips and variations
- Marinate the banana blossom for the full 4 hours if you can — it makes a real difference to the flavour.
- No deep fryer needed — a medium, deep pot with a few centimetres of oil works perfectly.
- Leftover Baja sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to a week and is great on other tacos or bowls too.
You might also like
- Vegan banana blossom sushi — another creative way to use banana blossom.
- Mushroom taco bowl (vegan) — for more plant-based taco flavour.
Try it at Poke Mar
Craving it already? You can enjoy this (or something very close to it) at our San Pedro Alcántara location.
Method
- For the 'fish': drain the canned banana blossom. Rinse carefully under cold water to remove the brine and place in a medium bowl. Add the remaining 'fish' ingredients, cover and refrigerate to marinate for 4 hours if possible.
- Pickled onion: slice the red onion as thinly as possible with a very sharp knife. Place in a bowl and add the lemon juice. Refrigerate for as long as possible.
- Baja sauce: put all the ingredients in a clean jar, shake well and refrigerate.
- Slaw: in a medium bowl, mix the finely shredded cabbage with the other slaw ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
- Crispy batter: in a medium bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Chill the beer too.
- To assemble: take the marinated banana blossom out of the fridge and place on a plate. Cut into taco-sized pieces with a very sharp knife. If you like, warm the tortillas in a dry pan and wrap them in a clean tea towel to keep warm. Heat a medium, deep pot over medium-high heat and add about 3-4 cm of vegetable oil. Once hot, lower the heat slightly. Take the flour mixture out of the fridge and add the beer, whisking until smooth. Dip two pieces of banana blossom into the batter, making sure they're fully coated. Carefully lower them into the hot oil. Fry for about 2 minutes, turning halfway, until golden on all sides. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining banana blossom. Take a tortilla, add a little lettuce, then a piece of 'fish', and top with pickled onion, Baja sauce, slaw, avocado, coriander and a squeeze of lime.
