Banana Blossom sour soup (Khmer somlor machou Trayong Jeak)

Banana Blossom sour soup (Khmer somlor machou Trayong Jeak)

You need to soak the banana blossom after you cut it with water and vinegar or lime juice to prevent it from getting black color when you cook because banana blossom will turn dark after you cut it. You do the same with the green banana or banana tree(use the white part inside the banana tree) when you cook.

1 small banana (about 3 cups sliced) peels the old leave out use only the younger leaves inside, thinly sliced (Soak with water and vinegar for at least 15minutes)
1/2 yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper thinly sliced
3 cups of water
1 can of chicken broth
8 oz of Tilapia or any white fish you can use Trey Cheur (dried fish) also
2 T of kroeung with garlic and galangal in it
2 cloves of garlic smashed
1 T of tamarind powder
1 T of prahok more or less up to you
Fish sauce or salt to taste
Handful of Holy Basil

In a medium soup pot on high heat add water, chicken broth and garlic bring to a boil add kroeung and Tamarind before you add banana blossom to prevent the banana blossom turn black color to the soup.
Now add the banana blossom and bell pepper cook until the banana blossom is soft
Then add Prahok, Fresh fish, fish sauce or salt to your taste. Cook until the fish is done, if you use trey cheur do put it at the beginning with water and broth so the dried fish flavor will come out.

Turn the heat off let it sit for 3 minutes with lid open then add the Holy Basil to the soup.

Serve with cook rice and fresh chili.
Enjoy!