Pho Soup of Banana Blossoms and Salmon in Lemon Grass Galangal Coconut Broth with Glass Noodles

Healthy and delicious!  This is a nice tasting asian style soup creation!
  
     Banana blossoms are very popular wherever bananas are grown in the tropics worldwide.  From India to the Philippines, banana blossoms are used in many traditional recipes.  The whole banana flower has an artichoke kind of flavor, but the blossoms in the center taste quite different.  The flavor of banana blossom is like a starchy, bitter flower kind of flavor with a hint of banana.  Fresh banana blossoms are best, but dried banana blossoms are good for this soup too.  Dried banana blossoms are available in asian markets.  I used dried banana blossoms for this recipe.
     Many banana blossom recipes require chile pepper and coconut milk.  Those two flavors seem to accent the banana blossom flavor.  Shrimp is the most popular kind of seafood for a soup that is made with banana blossoms.
     Salmon is not exactly a tropical fish, but it is nice with the flavor of banana blossom.  Lemon grass and galangal (Thai blue ginger) gives the broth a very nice asian flavor.  Any fish or vegetable broth can be used to make this recipe.  I made the soup in the pictures with a light shrimp broth.
     Glass noodles are clear noodles.  These noodles are made with various starches like mung beans and tapioca (cassava).  I chose tapioca thread noodles for this recipe.
  
     Banana Blossoms and Salmon in Lemon Grass Galangal Coconut Broth with Glass Noodles:
     This recipe makes 1 large bowl of soup!
     Heat a pot of water over high heat to cook the glass noodles with later in the recipe!
     Heat 3 cups of light shrimp broth in a soup pot over medium heat.
     Tie a lemongrass shoot into a simple knot.
     Place the knotted lemongrass in the broth.
     Gently boil the lemongrass for about ten minutes, till the flavor infuses with the broth.
     Remove and discard the lemongrass.
     Add 1 minced garlic clove.
     Add 1/2 teaspoon of ginger paste.
     Add 1/4 teaspoon of ground galangal.
     Add 1 sliced shallot.
     Add 1/3 cup of chopped onion.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of Thai fish sauce.  (Thai fish sauce is available in most grocers and asian markets.)
     Add 1/4 teaspoon of thin soy sauce.
     Add 4 drops of sesame oil.
     Add sea salt and white pepper.
     Add 1 pinch of coriander.
     Add 1 pinch of cumin.
     Add 2 pinches of turmeric.
     Stir the broth.
     The flavor should taste similar to a Thai Pho Tom soup broth.
     Raise the temperature to medium high heat.
     Add 8 to 10 dried banana blossom flowers.  (If you are using fresh banana blossom flowers, then add them a little bit later in the recipe.)
     Note:  Start cooking 1 portion of tapioca thread glass noodles in the other pot of boiling water!
     Boil the dried banana blossoms for 2 minutes, before adding the rest of the ingredients.
     Add a 4 to 5 ounce filet of salmon that is cut into wide slices.  Leave the skin on the salmon for this soup recipe.
     Add a few thin slices of carrot for color.
     Add a few thin slices of celery.
     Add 1/2 cup of coconut milk to the broth.  The broth will turn to a pale opaque yellow color after the coconut milk is added.
     Add 1 cup of napa cabbage that is cut into wide slices.
     Add 1/2 of a thin sliced green jalapeno pepper.
     Add 6 to 8 feather cut snow peas.
     Boil the soup for one minute.
     Add 1 teaspoon of lime juice.
     Ladle the soup into a large soup bowl.
     Drain the water off of the tapioca thread noodles after the noodles become tender.
     Place the noodles in the center of the soup.
     Try to arrange a few pieces of salmon and a few vegetables on the surface of the soup around the noodles so the soup looks nice.  Use a pair of tongs for arranging the ingredients.
     Try to place a few of the banana blossoms on top of the glass noodles.
     Sprinkle 1 thin sliced green onion top on the broth.
     Place a few cilantro leaves on the surface of the broth.
     Float 2 thin lime slices on the broth.
  
     The soup broth has a traditional flavor.  The banana blossom flavor is comfortably bitter with a long lasting fresh banana flower after taste.  The salmon flavor is perfect for this soup!  Salmon skin is very healthy.  The layer of fat under the salmon skin is good for healthy skin and a strong heart.  Tapioca thread glass noodles are fun to eat!
     This is a nice tasting chopsticks and spoon pho soup!  Yum!  ...  Shawna