Ingredients:
1) 2 to 3 firm but ripe bananas (if they are too ripe, they become soft and mushy)
2) 50 gms of flour, 25 gms of corn flour,
3) corn flour dry for coating
4) sugar (as much needed for making caramel)
5) salt
6) Oil
7) Water and Ice
Method:
For the banana fritters
- Take the flour and corn flour and mix together with water till you get a semi thick batter (should ideally just be running off the spoon)
- Cut bananas in a diagonal angle.Be generous in your cutting size.
- Add a pinch of salt to your batter for taste, the salt also brings a bit of fluffiness to your dish.
- Coat the bananas in the dry cornflour and then in the batter.
- Drain off any excess batter and deep fry in hot oil. Use a non scented oil for best results, Olive oil works well too.
For the caramel:
- Take a pan or bowl with a thin base, pour in your sugar and keep over a medium flame. You will slowly see your sugar turning into a white liquid, at this point use a steel spoon to slowly stir your dissolving sugar. Do not worry if chunks of sugar stick to your spoon, just keep the spoon near the hot pan, it will melt off on its own.
- Once you see the mixture turning slightly brownish, ensure you keep moving the pan so as to prevent burning.
- Once you see the caramel color just turning dark, switch off the flame and remove from heat immediately.
Making the toffees:
- Carefully using tongs pick up your banana fritters and coat them evenly with the hot caramel, once coated immediately drop them in a bowl of ice and water. This will shock the caramel and solidify the caramel instantly. Giving you your banana toffees.
- For extra decoration and serving tips, lap up some caramel on a spoon and just lightly drizzle over the fritters in the shape of a net or a web. Serve immediately as the caramel could melt.
Making the perfect caramel can make or break this dish as undercooking the caramel will lead to chunks of sugar showing and overcooking the caramel will lead to a bitter taste. It might take some practice and some supervision.
Recipe by: Girish Venkatraman