Place all salad dressing ingredients into a blender and mix until sugar is dissolved; set aside.

Remove the 4 outer leaves of the banana blossom to use as a garnish; cut off the bottom core and the tip.

Using a sharp knife, start at the top of the blossom and slice crosswise into the thinnest possible strips.

As you move down, you will eventually encounter what looks like tiny bananas; remove all the leaves and discard the baby banana pieces.

Stack the leaves, roll them into a cylinder, and continue slicing.

Place the blossom shreds into a bowl of cold water and add the 2 Tbsp of lemon juice or white vinegar to prevent the leaves from turning brown.

Use your fingers to separate the slices into rings and let sit for 20 minutes.

Drain and rinse once, but keep in water until ready to use; drain again when ready to use.

Once you have prepared the banana blossoms, place chicken in a bowl and add half the dressing; set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.

In a large bowl, add the banana blossom shreds, chicken, and remaining salad ingredients, including the remaining salad dressing. Toss thoroughly and arrange on the reserved outer banana blossom leaves; garnish with ground peanuts and fried shallots; serve immediately

Straits Restaurant
333 Santana Row, Suite 1100
San Jose, CA 95128
(408) 246-6320
www.straitsrestaurants.com