Banana flower, used mainly in South Asian and Indian cuisine, is a pointed large male bud of a banana tree, weighing about 1 kg. The petals are tightly pressed together (similar to cabbage) and after peeling off each individual petal, we find a set of yellowish or brown stamens at the base of the flower with a distinct smell of unripe bananas. The color of the petals is purple to crimson at the base and gradually turns into brownish-orange at the tip.

The petals are stiff and due to the high content of tannins, their taste is bitter in their raw state, so they are usually eaten cooked. After peeling the outer stiff leaves, it is possible to consume the center of the flower similarly to an artichoke, the taste of which also resembles. The flower is cut into wider slices before preparation and then heat treated for a longer period of time so that the bitterness disappears and the leaves soften properly. Cooked slices are added to Asian dishes, such as meat mixtures or toasted and fried noodles or rice, to which they give a light banana aroma. For greater tenderness of the dish, only sticks can be used, which do not need to be cooked for as long as the petals. Stiff and decorative petals can also be used raw as original salad bowls.

Banana blossoms are distinguished into male and female. Female flowers grow into bananas after pollination, and male blossoms are used as vegetables in Asian cuisine. The banana tree comes from tropical regions, but banana blossom producers are mainly Thailand and Vietnam, where it is a common vegetable.