*Introducing the banana flower!  Or what the Malays here call 'Jantung Pisang' or Heart of the Banana.*

*The banana flower is edible, often cooked in some local dishes with coconut milk, in curries or eaten raw as part of 'ulam' or traditional Malay salads.*

*The outer old tough layers are peeled off and discarded, while the soft insides are often sliced thin before cooking.  The outer layers, called bracts, may be seen these days being used aesthetically as a dish/holder for accompaniments to main dishes.*

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<sub>*Click on image for fullscreen view*</sub>
[![DSC_0683b-i.jpg](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1519379083/tsnym3ln4jbbdfcqm4t4.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/hpiynhbhq/image/upload/v1519379083/tsnym3ln4jbbdfcqm4t4.jpg)

<center>*I actually spotted this while at my neighbourhood 'mamak' for tea time!  Right next to the satay (sate) stall... This little banana tree grows wild and I have often seen fruits on it.  
This was the first flower -  a huge one at that - with a luxurious colour, that I've seen growing there! 
For the uninitiated, the banana fruits will grow out of the top of it... 
Sometimes, you may see both the fruits and this heart of the banana, together on the tree at the same time
Hmmm, I must go back to see if the bananas have sprouted out of it yet!*</center><br>

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<sub>Captured with SONY Xperia M5 | edited with Fotor and picasa</sub>

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I'm posting this for **#Monomad by @brumest;  Friday's topic is 'Flowers'.**
Check out the [rules here.](https://steemit.com/monomad/@brumest/does-anyone-still-remembers-monomad) 

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