Banana flowers (musa acuminata), also called banana blossoms or a banana heart, are mainly enjoyed in South Asian cooking. However, whether you're looking for a great meat substitute to cook with, it might be worth scouring your local farmers' markets for this unique and underrated food.
Banana flowers are easily recognizable by their purple, cone-shaped leaves. These flowers grow inside their leaves from the bottom of banana clusters in groups called hands. Each individual flower is considered a "finger." Here, the teardrop-shaped plant hangs waiting to be plucked off by the growers.
Banana flowers do not share their fruits' sweet and tropical taste. However, there is a hint of that banana flavor present, especially in its scent.
Source: tastingtable.com