Ginataang Puso ng Saging is a hearty Filipino dish where banana blossoms are simmered in coconut milk, shrimp paste, and chilies. This recipe transforms the often-overlooked flower into a simple yet delicious dish.
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Ingredients you’ll need
Notes and substitutions
- Banana blossoms (Puso ng saging): You’ll need 2 banana blossoms, the heart of the banana plant.
- Proteins: I used shrimp and pork belly; feel free to use tofu or chicken.
- Shrimp paste: You can use raw or sautéed shrimp paste. Alternatively, smoked fish or dried fish can be used as substitutes.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Prepare banana blossoms
Peel away the tough outer layers of the banana blossom until you reach the softer, paler heart inside. Slice the heart into thin strips.
Soak them in a bowl of water mixed with 2 tablespoons vinegar (or lemon juice) to prevent browning. If there’s too much sap, massage the slices gently with coarse salt. Keep them submerged until ready to use.
Step 2: Sear the shrimp
Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Quickly sear the shrimp in a bit of oil over over high heat, just until they change color. Transfer them to a plate.
Step 3: Brown the pork
Place the pork in the pan and add a small amount of water. Cook it over medium heat, letting the meat brown and become crisp as the fat renders out.
Season with salt and add a bit more oil if needed. Push it to one side of the pan once browned and crispy.
Step 4: Sauté aromatics
Over mediun heat, sauté the ginger until lightly browned. Add garlic and onion, then continue to sauté until softened.
Step 5: Sauté shrimp paste
Add the shrimp paste, then sauté with the aromatics and pork.
Step 6: Add coconut milk
Add the coconut milk and stir everything together, scraping the bottom of the pan. Then, increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 7: Add banana blossoms and chilies
Drain the soaked banana blossoms and rinse them under cold water a few times. Gently squeeze out the excess water, then add them to the pan along with the chilies. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the banana blossoms are tender.
Step 8: Add shrimp and season
Add the shrimp and season with fish sauce, salt, and pepper to your taste. If the mixture is too thick or dry, add more coconut milk or water to achieve the desired consistency. Then, turn off the heat.
Serve and enjoy your Ginataang Puso ng Saging with steamed white rice or Sinangag!
Recipe FAQs
A banana blossom, also known as a banana heart or puso ng saging in Filipino, is the large, teardrop-shaped flower that grows at the end of a cluster of bananas on a banana tree. It’s often used as a vegetable in cooking.
Banana blossoms have a neutral flavor with a mild, slightly bitter taste and a hint of tartness. When cooked, they take on a tender texture similar to artichoke hearts and absorb the flavors of the dish they’re cooked in.
While banana blossoms can be eaten raw, they’re often bitter and somewhat astringent in taste. Cooking banana blossoms helps soften their texture and mellows out their flavor, making them more palatable.
More gata (coconut milk) dishes
- Ginataang Manok: Chicken simmered in a coconut milk sauce with vegetables and spices.
- Laing: Creamy, spicy dish with taro leaves simmered in coconut milk, shrimp paste, and chili peppers.
- Bicol Express: A shrimp paste stew with pork, coconut milk, and chilies.
- Ginataang Mais: Sweet corn and sticky rice simmered in coconut milk.
- Ginataang Bilo-Bilo: Glutinous rice dumplings, saba bananas, jackfruit, ube, cassava, and sago simmered in coconut milk.
- Ginataang Alimango: Fresh crabs in a rich coconut milk sauce.
- Ginataang Hipon: Shrimp simmered in a creamy coconut milk sauce.
- Ginataang Langka: Green jackfruit cooked with coconut milk and shrimp paste.
- Ginataang Ampalaya: Bitter melon cooked with coconut milk and shrimp paste, sometimes with the malunggay leaves.
Other vegetable recipes you may like
-
Ginataang Puso ng Saging Recipe
-
Tofu and Mushroom Adobo Recipe
-
Laing Recipe
-
Adobong Talong Recipe
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📖 Recipe
Ginataang Puso ng Saging
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Equipment
-
Wok or Sauté pan
Ingredients
- 2 banana blossoms (puso ng saging) peeled and sliced; see note
- 8 ounces shrimp shelled and deveined; see note
- 8 ounces pork belly or shoulder sliced; see note
- 2 tablespoons julienned ginger
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon shrimp paste raw or sautéed
- 1 (13.5-oz) can coconut milk
- 2 green or red chilies whole or sliced; adjust to taste
- Fish sauce, salt, and pepper adjust to taste
- Neutral oil for searing and sautéing
Instructions
-
Peel the tough outer layers of the banana blossom until you reach the softer, paler heart inside. Slice the heart into thin strips.
-
Soak them in a bowl of water mixed with about 2 tablespoons of vinegar (or lemon juice) to prevent browning. If there's too much sap, massage the slices gently with coarse salt. Keep them submerged until ready to use.
-
Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Quickly sear the shrimp in a bit of oil over high heat, just until they change color. Transfer them to a plate.
-
Place the pork in the pan and add a small amount of water. Cook it over medium heat, letting the meat brown and become crisp as the fat renders out.
Season with salt and add a bit more oil if needed. Push it to one side of the pan once browned and crispy.
-
Over medium heat, sauté ginger until lightly browned. Add garlic and onion, then continue to sauté until softened.
-
Add the shrimp paste, then sauté with the aromatics and pork.
-
Add the coconut milk and stir everything together, scraping the bottom of the pan. Then, increase the heat and bring it to a boil.
-
Drain the soaked banana blossoms and rinse under cold water a few times. Gently squeeze out the excess water, then add them to the pan along with the chilies. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the banana blossoms are tender.
-
Add the shrimp and season with fish sauce, salt, and pepper to your taste. If the mixture is too thick or dry, add more coconut milk or water to achieve the desired consistency. Then, turn off the heat.
Notes
- Banana blossoms (Puso ng saging): You’ll need 2 banana blossoms, the heart of the banana plant.
- Proteins: I used shrimp and pork belly; feel free to use tofu or chicken.
- Shrimp paste: You can use raw or sautéed shrimp paste. Alternatively, smoked fish or dried fish can be used as substitutes.
Nutrition
The post Ginataang Puso ng Saging Recipe appeared first on Recipes by Nora.