Go Bananas!

Jihvā for Ingredients (JFI) is an online monthly food event, celebrating the Ingredients and what they can do for our Jihvā. This is the brainchild of Indira of Mahanandi. This month JFI celebrates the goodness of Bananas at Mandira’s Ahaar.

These are some of my favourite ways (other than just eating plain bananas) to use Ripe Bananas; very simple recipes yet very close to my heart and palette.

These Banana recipes are being sent to Mandira. Thank you Mandira for hosting this month’s JFI-Banana. 

                           

Kelichi Shikran: The name brings back some warm comforting memories. Shikran Poli was my favourite combination in school days and reminds me very much of my grandmother (I don’t know why but it does!) Mashed ripe bananas (my mom says slicing doesn’t give the same taste to shikran-it has to be mashed with the hands!), sugar and milk all mixed together to the desired proportion that’s Shikran. The taste is as good as it is simple to make it! I also add a few dry fruits like cashews, raisins and dates.If a person like me (not at all fond of sweets) can relish this, anyone can!

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 Kelichi Shikran recipe

Serving: For 1 bowl/1 person

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1 large ripe banana

~ ½ cup milk (room temperature)

½ tsp sugar

Choice of nuts and dry fruits (I have used Cashewnuts, Raisins and dates) 

† Mash the banana with your hand in the bowl you want to serve the Shikran

† Add milk, sugar and the nuts/dry fruits mix nicely.

† Serve with Roti.

                        

Kelichi Koshimbir (Banana Raita): Ok if you are worse than me; as far as sweet tooth is concerned then this is another homely, comforting dish for you. Ripe bananas are sliced and mixed with yoghurt, green chillies, salt, sugar and some cumene powder to make this delicious Kelichi (Banana) koshimbir (Raita).

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Kelichi Koshimbir recipe

Serving: For 1 bowl/1 person

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1 large ripe banana

~ ½ cup curd/ yoghurt whisked

1 green chilly slit and chopped

A pinch of sugar

Salt to taste

¼ tsp cumene powder 

† Slice the banana

† Add the other ingredients and mix well.

† Serve with Roti  

                          

Kelicha Sheera: Sheera is a traditional Maharshtrian sweet, usually served as ‘Prasad’ for Satyanarayan puja.The Sheera that is made for ‘Prasad’ usually has slices of banana in it and most people love this version of the Sheera most; also that it is made for God makes it much more divine! I have already blogged about Mango sheera here. The recipe is the same.Just replace the mango pulp with slices of banana to make this divine Kelicha Sheera.

                          

                                Dancing Banana and friends                

Makki di Roti-Sarson da Saag

The festival of Lohri was celebrated on 13^th Jan. The traditional Lohri food Sarson da Saag and Makki di Roti is specially cooked for the main course on this day along with sweets and other delicacies. I learnt this mouthwatering duo -the Punjabi way from my Punjabi colleague. Whenever she brings this for lunch I swap my lunch box with her! Now I make it often specially for dinner coz it tastes better if the Roti and Saag are both piping hot. So here’s a typical Punjabi recipe (my friend’s) for Sarson da Saag and Makki di roti.

For the Sarson Saag 

1 big bunch Sarson leaves (mustard leaves)

1 bunch Spinach leaves

½ bunch Bathua leaves (Chenopodium album) (optional)

2 onions chopped

2 tomatoes chopped

4-5 garlic pods finely chopped

½ inch ginger piece crushed

½ tsp cumene seeds

2 tsp Makki flour (Cornmeal)

Salt to taste

1tsp butter for cooking and as much as you can have for topping

1 tsp oil

Roughly chop the cleaned, washed leaves of Sarson, Spinach (don’t remove spinach stalks) and Bathua. Pressure cook for ½ hour. Cool and coarsely puree in a food processor. In a pan heat 1 tsp butter and oil. Add cumene seeds,chopped garlic, crushed ginger and onion .Sauté till onions become translucent. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till they become tender. Add the Sarson puree and cook for almost 15 minutes .Add water if required. Add salt. Make a slurry of the Makki Flour in water and add to the saag.Cook for a few minutes. Serve piping hot with Makki Roti.

For the Makki Roti 

2 cups Makki Flour (cornmeal)

Lukewarm water

Salt to taste

Oil for cooking

Butter for topping

Add salt to the Makki flour. Knead into a dough by adding warm water. Divide into small balls. Pat each ball into a small round Roti between your palms, or make rotis by patting on a flat surface like you do for Bhakri, or on a plastic sheet taking care that the Roti is not too thin.Cook on a hot griddle brushing oil on both sides.Top with a spoonful of butter and serve hot with Sarson da Saag. 

For variation try adding fresh green Methi(fenugreek) leaves and chopped green chillies to the Makki dough.It tastes even better.This can be eaten like a paratha without the saag  with lotso butter!