Banana Flower Salad

This was probably the most or one of the most labor intensive dishes I've ever made. The people who ate it were divided on if they liked it or not. Some did, some didn't care of it, so it might be an interesting dish for some culinarily adventurous people, but maybe not a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients:

• Banana Flower
• 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame or olive oil
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 handful of mint leaves

Instructions:

1. Clean and prepare the banana flower
1. Take off leaves (you can serve salad in leaves if you are feeling up to it - I was too lazy)
   

   
2. Shuck the flowers by taking off the outer leaves and stamen (this takes FOREVER)
   
3. Once you get to the middle part (when the outside leaves are pretty tender as well as the stamens, you can just chop up the middle part into small pieces and also throw in the lemon water mixture)
   
4. As soon as you shuck the flower, put into lemon water mixture to prevent oxidation (I used the juice of 2 lemons and then 2 cups of water) and soak for about an hour
2. Cut up one bunch of cilantro and the mint leaves
3. Mix one teaspoon of garlic hot sauce with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of sesame or olive oil and wisk together
4. When it's time to serve, strain the banana flower from the soak.
5. Combine all ingredients and toss together.