Food: cooking banana blossom

Many of you will see this at the grocery store - but never be brave enough to bring it home. Well, now you will! The recipe requires:

1 banana blossom

1/2 cup mustard oil

1/2 sliced onions

3/4 green chilis

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp minced ginger

1 tsp red chili powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/3 cup yoghurt

Salt to taste and a pinch of sugar

So we will only be using particular parts of the blossom. You don't eat the whole thing! Once you open one of the large petals you will notice small sprouts like these in the image. This is what will be cooked. So first separate these from inside each petal. We will also be using the white core of the blossom. 

The sprouts inside the first few petals will be overgrown. And they will have a tough inner petal and a bud. You need to take those out. Keep the outer petals (the yellow petals in this image). This will only be done on the overgrown ones, remember.

Notice the separated insides in this image image. Those will be thrown away.

These sprouts are all the younger ones that were towards the inside of the blossom - and they don't need anything done to them.  

This is the inner white core of the blossom. It will be a little sticky but do not fear. Just chop it up. 

Here you can see the red tray holding what will be cooked and the white plate with the parts that will be thrown away.

Everything needs to be chopped up nicely. And then washed. Wash at least 3 times to get rid of the bitter resin. 

It is time to cook. Throw the onions in the hot oil and let it acquire some color.  

Then throw in the chopped up blossom along with the garlic and the ginger.  

After frying for about 5 mins, pour the yoghurt and mix everything well.  

Now toss in all the spices and mix it in together. 

At this time cover and stir occasionally to avoid burning at the bottom. You also need to check if the blossoms are cooked well.  Don't forget to add the salt and a pinch of sugar. A lot of people use coconut milk in this recipe, but I used yoghurt instead. 

Enjoy with hot steaming rice.