Ingredients

• 1 banana flower
• 2 lemons
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 2 kaffir lime leaves - if not, substitute with lemon zest
• 2 bay leaves
• salt - to taste
• soy oil

For the curry paste

• 5 shallots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 cm fresh turmeric
• 3 cm fresh galangal - if not, substitute with ginger
• 2 macadamia nuts
• 1 fresh red chili - optional
• 1 tsp salt

• For the banana flower
• Prepare a bowl with 1 liter of water and the juice of 2 lemons. Reserve it.
• Take the banana flower and remove the outer purple leaves (brace until you reach the paler and more malleable leaves.
• Lay the banana flower on a cutting board and slice it into blades (from the thin top to the bulb).
• Quickly place the chopped slices in the bowl with water and lemon. With your hands, separate the slices into rings and let them soak for about 20 min. This prevents the banana flower from darkening and helps to remove bitterness.
• For the curry paste
• Prepare the ingredients – chop onion, garlic, turmeric, red chili, galangal (or ginger and macadamia.
• Heat oil in a wok – medium heat. Then, sauté all ingredients of the curry paste for about 3 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, transfer the sauteed ingredients to a processor or blender, and mix until you obtain a homogeneous paste.
• For the dish
• Prepare the lemongrass by smashing the stalks to release more of the aroma. An alternative is to cut it lengthwise and then tie itself in a knot.
• In the same wok that was used previously, add more oil. Drain the banana flower from the water and place it with the curry paste in the wok. Saute for a few more minutes.
• Add bay leaves and kaffir lemon leaves, plus the lemongrass stalks and coconut milk. If necessary, add a little water to cover the ingredients.
• Keep on high heat until boiling, then cook over low heat until thickened. Correct the salt if necessary.
• Before serving, remove the lemongrass stalks, the bay leaves, and the kaffir lime leaves.