Baked 'Fish' (Banana Blossom) with Vegan Tartar Sauce

When we shared with customers our previous vegan fish & chips recipe, many requested for a healthier recipe - we get you! As many people are taking the big step to move towards a healthier lifestyle, all the deep-fried beer-battered and flour breaded 'fish' recipes were not right up their street.

You would be pleased to know that this recipe is oil-free, gluten-free and refined sugar-free thanks to Nina. 

The texture after baking is soft, juicy and flakes apart, eerily similar to fish ‘flesh’. Thanks to the crunchy, flavoursome crumbing and the saltiness of the brine and dulse, it just tasted like everything one can remember crumbed fish to be. Kind of scary what you can create from plants eh?

Served with a roasted pumpkin salad and homemade vegan tartar sauce, this makes a perfect summery lunch or fancy dinner when you have guests around. Or why not serve it with baked potato chips instead for a wholesome, plant-based fish and chips?!

Ingredients:

• 1 can banana blossoms, 260g drained weight

• 1 tsp dulse flakes, optional

• 1/4 cup unsweetened plant-based milk

• 3 tbsp chickpea flour

• 2 tsp miso paste

• 2 tbsp Nutritional yeast

• 3 tbsp polenta (cornmeal)

• 2 tbsp brown rice flour

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

For the tartar:

• 1/2 cup plain vegan yoghurt (coconut or soy, choose a thick one!)

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

• 1 tbsp dill pickles, chopped

• 1 tbsp capers, chopped

• Black pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C and line a tray with baking paper.

2. Drain banana blossoms, rinse off the brine and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with dulse flakes.

3. In a shallow bowl, combine milk, chickpea flour and miso sauce to make a batter.

4. In a separate shallow bowl or plate, combine nutritional yeast, polenta, rice flour, garlic powder and onion powder for the crumb.

5. Dip banana blossoms first in the batter, then in the crumbing to coat, and place on the baking tray.

6. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden and crispy.

7. Meanwhile, to make the tartar sauce, combine all ingredients and mix well.

8. Serve crumbed "fish" together with tartar (see Notes for serving suggestions!).

Notes:

• Serving suggestions: Delicious with a side of salad and baked pumpkin or sweet potato/potato chips!

Recipe by: Nina; IG@naturallynina

If you give this a try, be sure to let us know in the comment section below, and let us know what other recipes you wish to see. Don’t forget to snap a picture of your epic creation for Instagram, and tag us at @souleygreen @naturescharmsg with the hashtag #souleygreen #naturescharmsg if you do - we love seeing your recreations!