Tropical Banana Bud Salad with Prawns

Name: Tropical Banana Bud Salad with Prawns (Pisang Jantung)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Malaysia
Ingredients: 1 fresh banana bud (about 250 g/8 oz) or ¼ cabbage (about 250 g/8 oz); 1 fresh banana bud (about 250 g/8 oz) or ¼ cabbage (about 250 g/8 oz); 2 tablespoons oil; 2 teaspoons dried prawns, soaked in warm water for 5 minutes to soften, drained and coarsely pounded or ground in a blender; ⅓ cup (85 ml) thick coconut milk; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 baby cucumber, sliced into match-sticks to yield 1 cup; 6 small sour belimbing (baby star-fruit) or 1 small unripe mango, thinly sliced into strips; 6 small sour belimbing (baby star-fruit) or 1 small unripe mango, thinly sliced into strips; 6 small sour belimbing (baby star-fruit) or 1 small unripe mango, thinly sliced into strips; 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced; 200 g (7 oz) medium fresh prawns, lightly poached for 1 minute, then peeled and deveined; Small limes (limau kasturi), halved, to serve; Small limes (limau kasturi), halved, to serve; 3 red chillies, deseeded and sliced; 6 shallots, peeled and halved; 2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved; 1 teaspoon belachan (dried prawn paste); 1 teaspoon belachan (dried prawn paste); 2 teaspoons sugar

Pisang Jantung

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
55 min

Appears in

The Food of Malaysia

By Wendy Hutton

Published 2022

About

No Malaysian with bananas growing in the garden would waste the bud of the banana flower, which is also sold in local markets and eaten like a vegetable. Surprisingly, it tastes very much like artichokes. This version of the very popular salad originates from the Portuguese community in Malacca.

Ingredients

1 fresh banana bud (about 250 g/8 oz) or ¼ cabbage

Asia
Malaysia
Malacca
Fish course
Pescatarian
Gluten-free

Method

Remove the outer red leaves of the banana bud and simmer the tender inner heart in lightly salted water for 20 minutes. Drain the bud and set aside to cool, then discard any hard parts in it. Halve the bud lengthwise, then cut crosswise into coarse slices. Set aside. If using cabbage, rinse, cut into thin slices and set aside.
Grind all the Spice Paste ingredients