Fish & Chip Day Today! Great Recipe!
Yes. You are in the right place. We are a plant based website, but we still love fish and chips! So, as it is Fish & Chip Day today, here is a great recipe for you! Of course, we are not using ‘fish’, we are instead using banana blossom! You could also use tofu if you prefer, just press it well first.
When is Fish & Chip day?
This is a relatively new day and the date was moved this year from the first Friday in June, to Friday 4th September 2020! People across the country will be celebrating their love of fish and chips as they come together on National Fish & Chip Day!
In 2019, National Fish & Chip Day was one of the biggest awareness days of the year in the UK with over 60 million people hearing, seeing or reading something about it, so don’t miss your chance to be part of it! Of course, if you are vegetarian or vegan, then fish might not be your thing, hence this recipe!
The ‘fish’ recipe
This is not a new recipe, but it is one of the most searched recipes on the blog, so I thought I would repost it today! Of course, I will be making this later for dinner (it is one of my favourite meals)! The chips I will more than likely get from our local chip shop as they make them so fresh and tasty and sometimes it is nice if someone else does the work!
Banana blossom flowers battered and turned into plant-based fish!
- 1 tin banana blossom
- 44 g plain flour
- 1/4 teaspoon dill (the powdered herb)
- 1/4-1/2 sheet nori seaweed torn into small pieces (or sub 1/2-1 tablespoon nori flakes)
- Salt to taste
- pinch *Black pepper (optional)
- 60 ml plant based milk (the thicker the better) we have used oat & almond
- 1-5 sprays oil per 'fish'
Drain the banana blossom and check how many 'fish' you have. Gently unfold them if necessary, then squeeze out all of the liquid.
Put half of the flour on a plate, add the dill, nori, salt and pepper if using.
Put the remaining flour in a bowl and add the milk, mix well until you have a smooth batter.
Get your pan ready and spray with oil. Set up your workstation so you have the blossom, the flour, the batter, then the pan. Heat the pan until very hot.
Roll the banana blossom in the flour mix until it is totally coated. Try and get a bit of flour / nori between the folds of the flower. Lightly shake off the excess then dip in the batter coating the banana blossom completely. Place in the pan.
Repeat with the remaining blossoms when you have space in the pan (I cooked 2 at a time). After a couple of minutes cooking, turn the banana blossom over so it can cook on the other side (you might find you need to cook 3 or 4 sides). Remove from the pan and place on a baking tray. Finish cooking in the oven. Use a medium heat and cook until browned to your liking (this depends on how long you cooked it in the pan, how much oil you used and personal preference)! I cooked mine for about 10 minutes (while I got the rest of my meal ready).
Enjoy!
If you can resist eating them all at once, they do store in the fridge for a couple of days!
If you make these please share your photos using #LifeDietHealth or tag us on instagram @LifeDietHealth Thank you!
Will you join in?
Will you join in with Fish & Chip day and Britain’s best-loved fast food by tucking into a portion of sizzling fish and chips? The only real debate here should be whether you top them with salt, vinegar, tomato sauce, mayonnaise or mushy peas (love me some mushy peas)! I’m going just with salt and vinegar! Delicious!
You can find out more by visiting www.nationalfishandchipday.org.uk and if you do join in, please share using the hashtag #NationalFishandChipDay
What is Banana Blossom?
Banana Blossom are the flowers from the banana tree! On a banana tree, there is a deep purple pod, and I believe the male pods would not turn into bananas if left, so you’re not harming the fruit production of the tree if you harvest them at the correct time. Inside this pod, if you peel the outer leaves off, you will find the yellow/green edible part. This is the banana blossom, or banana flower. Perfect for making banana blossom fish! You can find my original post here and see photos of the trees on our visit to Morocco.
If you want to buy some, here are a few links to different brands (and a booklet). We do receive a small commission if you purchase through these links (at no extra cost to yourself).
Sharing
I love seeing your creations and interpretations of my recipes! Feel free to share and tag me @LifeDietHealth or using #LifeDietHealth on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter.
I’m taking my Fish and Chips over to Angie’s Fiesta Friday where I am co-hosting today! Why not come along and see what everyone else is sharing! We’d love to see you!
Leave me a comment below and let me know if you’ve used banana blossom before? I would love to hear if you’re having ‘fish’ and chips today too!
Speak soon
Laurena x
This foodstuff sounds very interesting in itself and as a meat substitute. What a great idea to use it for (no)fish & chips!
Thanks Irene. It is a great food, with a fantastic texture! I love the name (no)fish! Have you ever seen it? tried it?
No, but now I will look for it at the International food grocers around here!
This is such an amazing idea, Laurena. I cannot remember if I have eaten something like this, but maybe. Haha! Thank you very much for co-hosting this week!
Jhuls 🙂 InshaAllah you are well. Thank you – it is really really good, I’m excited for dinner tonight! 😛 Last minute co-hosting (as in I was asked yesterday)! Have a fun Fiesta xxx
Wonders will never cease, I think my mind is blown😝Fish and chips used to be a Friday tradition growing up. Hope all’s well with you, wishing you a restful weekend, hopefully ☺️
OMGosh Eva it was so tasty (my tin appeared to have more squished in than usual)! I had mushy peas too and it was so good! You really should look out for banana blossom 😍👍🏼Hope you have a fab weekend 😘
I’ve never had mushy peas, I must be missing out haha. By the way, I’ve seen recipes for vegan KFC with ‘bones’ but that just seemed weird to me…🤔xx
WHAT!!! No mushy peas??? Oh my! I love mushy peas (& will never forget a girl at uni being amazed by them and asking if we just got peas and mashed them😂)!!! Oh… I have been playing with chicken recipes but not with bones!🤦🏽♀️ (I almost posted it today until I discovered it was fish & chip day)!
You’ve got me thinking about a chip butty now😋
Ooo yum! Unbelievably my son said what’s that when he saw it on the menu🤦🏽♀️Oh, and he said he hoped you weren’t commenting with the newly signed Chelsea players name as he wanted me to guess!😋😂
I must admit I’m at a loss regarding the Chelsea stuff, maybe I’m just a bit slow😝 I was also wondering how many youngsters or English-speaking people outside the UK would understand what a chip butty/sarnie was lol
Lol… me too! Oh you’ve got me giggling away now. I recall once in the hotel, someone asked Mum for sarnies and she said we don’t have that!😂😂😂
Wow, this looks interesting. I’ve never heard of Banana Blossom before. I’ll have to look out for it and give this recipe a try.
Hello Veronica. Thank you. I’m not sure whereabouts in the world you are, but this is a relatively new food in the UK. It is really good… probably one of my favourite foods now! 😊 I’d love to see photos and know what you think once you find some.
I remember this. I still need to give it a try. I’ve actually seen fresh banana blossoms at the Asian store I frequent. It’s time to take the plunge and bring one home to try. Thanks for cohosting. Btw, for future reference, you CAN link more than one post. I saw some beautiful Turkish cookies on your blog and don’t recall that you’ve linked those before.
Oh wow Angie… fresh banana blossoms would be an amazing purchase! You really should get some! Yes, I know I can link more than one post, but I like my posts to be current! 😛 The Turkish cookies I will post for you soon! 😛 No worries about co-hosting (even at short notice), you’re welcome! 😀 xxx