Making Vegan "Valhomas" for local snacks

I've recently started enjoying creating vegan versions of our local dishes. It has been fun to surprise my fish-loving family with meals that taste like they contain fish when they really don't. After experimenting, I've found the perfect substitute for smoked tuna - valhomas. Smoked tuna is a common ingredient in our local snacks, making it difficult for vegetarians and vegans to enjoy them. 

I discovered that banana blossom is the best alternative.

 It's readily available here in the Maldives. The first step is to remove the outer leaves, separate the florets, and discard the outer leaves and hard pistils.

Remove the woody pistil

 Then, slice the remaining blossom into thin slices. 

I blanch the florets and sliced blossom in salted boiling water until softened, then drain and squeeze out the water using my hands. Next, I spread them out on a baking sheet and bake them in a moderately hot oven for about 15 minutes to achieve a drier texture. 

Finally, I chopped up the prepared banana blossoms to make snacks. You can freeze them in a zip lock bag and portion them as needed. 

When using them in recipes, thaw on the countertop or in the fridge and squeeze out any water before using. I've recently started enjoying creating vegan versions of our local dishes. It's fun to surprise my fish-loving family with meals that taste like they contain fish when they really don't. After lots of experimenting, I've found the perfect substitute for smoked tuna - valhomas. Smoked tuna is a common ingredient in our local snacks, making it difficult for vegetarians and vegans to enjoy them.