Why it works: Lemon and basil match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,823 recipes. Both carry 3-hexenal, which smells apple, fruity. The science ↓
Banana Blossom Salad
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the banana blossom
Fill a large bowl with water mixed with the juice of 1 lemon. Set aside.
Remove the tough outer layer of the banana blossom and discard it, along with the undeveloped "baby" bananas inside.
Carefully pull away the next several layers of leaves, regularly cutting into the stem to make it easier to break them off (the aim is to keep the leaves whole if possible).
Lay several leaves on top of one another and slice the leaves crosswise into 1/4-inch wide strips.
To keep the leaves from turning black, place sliced leaves in the acidulated water, turning occasionally.
Continue in this fashion, releasing the leaves, discarding the undeveloped bananas and cutting the leaves into strips, until you reach the "heart."
Cut this center in half lengthwise, remove as many "babies" as possible, and slice the remaining leaves widthwise about 1/4-inch thick.
Cook the chicken
In a medium saucepan, bring the 4 cups of water to a boil.
Add the chicken breast, return to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the meat is tender.
Remove the chicken from the pan and let cool slightly, then shred the meat with your fingers.
Make the peanuts and dressing
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put raw peanuts in a shallow pan and bake, stirring occasionally to ensure even roasting, until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
Set aside to cool. When the nuts are cold, grind them with mortar and pestle.
In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Set aside and allow to cool.
Pound the garlic and shallot into small pieces with a mortar and pestle; or grind in a food processor.
Stir into sugar water, then add the remaining ingredients.
Assemble and serve
In a large salad bowl, toss all the vegetables, mint and basil together with the chicken.
Setting aside a handful for garnish, mix in the ground peanuts. Add dressing and toss.
Sprinkle with the remaining peanuts and serve immediately.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 13 of 17 ingredients. The other 4 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 13 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 100g cooked | 165 |
| Peanut | 1 oz (28g) | 161 |
| Banana | 1 medium (118g) | 105 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Bell Pepper | 1 medium (119g) | 31 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Lime | juice of 1 lime (44ml) | 11 |
| Soy Sauce | 1 tbsp (15ml) | 9 |
| Clove | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Shallot | 1 tbsp minced (10g) | 7 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Basil | 5 leaves fresh (2.5g) | 1 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
| Peppermint | not in our table | 0 |
| Mung Bean | not in our table | 0 |
| Salad | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Lemon + basiltop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,823 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
-
Lemon + peppertop 3% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together27,047 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
-
Lemon + minttop 4% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,998 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Basil + peppertop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,294 recipes
Shared aroma: methyl cinnamate (strawberry).
-
Mung bean + peanuttop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together29 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (popcorn, roasted).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Banana blossom
- Provides the crisp, fibrous base of the salad and its mild, slightly tart flavour.
- Chicken breast
- Supplies the protein and tender, shredded meat that gives the salad body.
- Fish sauce
- Adds salty, savoury depth that seasons the dressing.
- Sugar
- Balances the sharp lime and fish sauce with sweetness in the dressing.
- Peanuts
- Add roasted, nutty crunch and richness throughout the salad.
- Lemon juice
- Acidifies the soaking water, slowing browning of the sliced blossom leaves.
The step that matters
Keep the sliced blossom in acidulated water. Cut banana blossom oxidises quickly and turns black on contact with air. Keeping the slices submerged in lemon water slows this browning and keeps them pale and fresh.
Swap the banana
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (lemon, chicken, mint, basil, mung bean, pepper, peanut):
- Limefits better
- Coconutfits better
- Avocadofits better
- Bananathe original
Fit is the average pairing score against lemon, chicken, mint, basil, mung bean, pepper, peanut. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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