Meeru kuri Boashi (Banana flower salad)

Four days before I got a big gift box, ya you read correct a gift box from a friend living at one of the island. This is common to every home of Male', relatives, friends who live at the islands used to send some kind of vegetables/fruits or different kinds of sweets & savory snacks as much they can when the boats which travel between the island and capital  Male' comes to Male'. Below is a pic of gift box I got and I have marked the names of fruits and vegetables I got but the fruit "Kulhava" I have no idea what the English name is. So the first vegetable I cooked is Banana flower ( Boashi)

Boashi or Banana flower is used as a vegetable in Asian cuisine. In Maldives Boashi or Banana flower is used to make a cooked salad which we eat with rice. The name of Banana flower is Boashi in Maldivian language but when it is cooked as a salad also the same name is given Boashi, so I am giving a new name to this salad called "Meeru kuri Boashi". This salad is made cooking banana flower with some common ingredients. This salad can be eaten with Maldivian flat bread too.

Banana flower or Boashi

Ingredients:

1Banana flower or Boashi ( large or medium)

2big onions (sliced)

3garlic cloves (chopped)

2spring curry leaves

5piece 3inch pandan leaves

5dry chillies (each cut in to three)

100g dry tuna chips (hikimas)

1/3cup vegetable oil 

salt

1big bowl of salt water (In about 1ltr of water you can dissolve 3tbs of salt)

Method:

First clean the Banana flower by removing the first three to four petals and the small flowers grown around it.

Then wash nicely and cut or slice the Banana flower or Boashi as thinly as you can in to the salt water.

My mum cutting Banana flower or Boashi

Set aside for about 15minutes( While you are cutting the Banana flower wear gloves as the banana flower releases sticky milk, the salt water helps stop the cut out banana flowers changing in to dark color and the stickiness also will reduce). In a big saucepan heat oil, add onion, garlic, curry leaves and pandan leaves, saute until onions are soft.

Drain Banana flowers, you can throw the water now their is no need of it. Add dry chillies & Banana flowers in to the soften onion mixture, stir well to mix.

Cover & cook until Banana flowers are soft. Add dry tuna chips mix (Some people put some aji-no-moto also but I don't like to put aji-no-moto in my foods if you like you can add) and again put the lid on and cook for about another five minutes stirring in between, you may have to season with salt or you may not just taste & decide ..............enjoy