1. Ingredients for Escargot with Banana and Tofu (for 3-4 people)
– 400g escargot (snail) meat
– 7 unripe bananas
– 2 blocks of firm tofu
– 200g pork belly
– Fresh turmeric, chopped shallots, garlic, lemongrass, and bird’s eye chili
– 50g spring onions
– 50g perilla leaves
– 50g betel leaves
– Seasonings: shrimp paste, vinegar, salt, fish sauce, seasoning powder, sugar, MSG, cooking oil, garlic powder, palm sugar, whole peppercorns, turmeric powder, and fermented rice paste.

Ingredients for Escargot with Banana and Tofu
2. How to Make Escargot with Banana and Tofu
Step 1: Prepare the Escargot
Soak the escargot in a mixture of water and rice wash with a few slices of bird’s eye chili for about 2 hours to remove any dirt or grit.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the escargot, ginger, and lemongrass. Cook for 5 minutes. Use a skewer to remove the escargot meat from the shells.

Preparing the Escargot
Step 2: Prepare the Unripe Bananas
Wash the unripe bananas thoroughly. Peel and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Soak the banana pieces in a mixture of salt and vinegar to remove any bitterness and prevent discoloration.

Preparing the Unripe Bananas
Step 3: Marinate the Pork Belly
Wash the pork belly and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Marinate the pork with 1 teaspoon each of MSG, seasoning powder, fish sauce, and sugar, and 2 teaspoons of garlic powder.

Marinating the Pork Belly
Step 4: Prepare the Remaining Ingredients
Wash and chop the betel and perilla leaves. Cut the spring onions, removing the roots. Cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces.
Step 5: Fry the Tofu
Heat oil in a pan and fry the tofu until golden brown on both sides. Set aside.

Frying the Tofu
Step 6: Fry the Bananas
Boil 3 of the bananas with turmeric for about 30 minutes. Reuse the oil from frying the tofu to fry the bananas until golden.

Boiling and Frying the Bananas
Step 7: Sauté the Pork Belly and Escargot
Sauté the garlic until fragrant, then add the marinated pork belly and cook until golden and crispy.

Sautéing the Pork Belly
For the escargot, sauté garlic, shallots, and lemongrass in hot oil. Add the escargot and cook for about 5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of shrimp paste to enhance the flavor.

Sautéing the Escargot
Step 8: Braise the Escargot with Bananas and Tofu
In a pot, combine 3 liters of water with the pork belly, tofu, escargot, 1 tablespoon each of seasoning powder, MSG, and whole peppercorns, 3 tablespoons each of palm sugar and fermented rice paste, and 1 teaspoon each of fish sauce and turmeric powder. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the boiled bananas and cook for another 10 minutes. Finally, add the betel leaves, escargot, perilla leaves, and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce. Turn off the heat.

Braising the Escargot with Bananas and Tofu
3. Final Product
The Escargot with Banana and Tofu dish has a tantalizing aroma and is best served with fresh rice vermicelli. It offers a delightful blend of flavors, from the slight sourness of the fermented rice paste to the distinctive taste of shrimp paste.

Final Product
When enjoying this dish, you’ll experience a wonderful combination of textures and tastes: the richness of the pork belly, the crunch of the escargot, the soft and chewy bananas, and the unique blend of herbs and spices.