Nori-wrapped banana blossom in a light, yet crispy dill & chive batter made using Kestrel’s Vegan-friendly Premium Lager with a side of twice-cooked chunky chips, tangy homemade tartare and minty-mushy peas... a vegan take on a non-vegan classic, British dish (and it tastes even better!).
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. Make the chips first by peeling and cutting the potatoes into chunky slices. Boil a large pan of water with a good pinch of salt, then add in the chips and boil for 3 minutes, then drain off the water and lightly shake.
2. Place the chips on a non-stick baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle over the flour and season with a good pinch of salt and ground black pepper. Place the chips in the oven to bake for 30 minutes or until golden and crispy.
3. Drain the can of banana blossom and shake off any excess brine. Assemble two ‘fillets’ from the fruit, staking smaller pieces of banana blossom to form a fillet if necessary.
4. Cut the nori sheet in half, then carefully wrap one half around each banana blossom fillet. Sprinkle over a little lemon juice to help the nori sheet stick and season with a little sea salt.
5. Make the batter by mixing the flour, cornflour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a mixing bowl along with Kestrel’s vegan-friendly Premium Lager until a smooth, classic batter forms. For the dill & chive batter, add in the fresh dill and chives then mix through.
6. Slowly heat through the vegetable oil in a deep pan on a medium heat. Dip the tip of a wooden spoon handle in the oil and when bubbles form around the end, it’s hot enough to deep-fry.
7. Carefully pick up the nori-wrapped banana blossom fillets and dip in the batter, coating both sides by turning it over with a spatula. Let any excess batter drain off.
8. Slowly lower one of the fillets into the hot oil - being extremely careful as the oil may spit - and allow it to fry for around a minute until golden in colour and crisp in texture. Carefully turn it over to fry the top-side if necessary. Remove the battered fillet from the oil once done and place on a clean tea-towel on a plate to drain off any excess oil. Sprinkle with a little sea salt then repeat the process for the other fillet.
9. Make the Minty-Mushy Peas by cooking the frozen peas in a pan of boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then drain and shake off any excess water. Add the vegan butter, fresh mint, lemon zest and juice, milk, salt and pepper to the peas in the empty pan. Using a stick blender, blend the mixture until combined, only slightly for a chunkier texture or for longer to achieve a smoother texture.
10. Make the Tangy Tartare Sauce by mixing the vegan mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, chopped gherkin, dill, capers, salt and pepper in a bowl until well combined.
11. Serve the battered ‘vish’ fillets with the twice-cooked chunky chips, a side of the Minty-Mushy Peas, Tangy Homemade Tartare Sauce, a wedge of lemon to garnish and a sprinkle of fresh dill to finish. Enjoy!
*This post is part of a paid-for collaboration with Kestrel Lager.
