Thursday, April 16, 2009

Of Bananas and Caramels

“Heyyyyyy I have invented something really yummy! Make it now and tell me what you think!! That was *MD’s opening line from the other end of the telephone at well past 11:00 pm, one evening.

“Mummmmmm, yummmmmmmmmm, very, very, nice”, she continued with all the special effects.

“Ok, what is it?” I asked impatiently.

MD continued with what it seemed from the “beginning” (as we say, shuru say). “You see, I had a sudden craving for something sweet and there were no sweets in my larder! All I could find were some bananas which is exactly not what would have satiated my craving. But then you see, a little imagination and a lot can be done with a banana fruit! I cut them up gole-gole, lit a slow fire, put the tava on the flame, smeared the tava with ghee, and then laid out the banana pieces on the ghee. When the side down had turned golden, I sprinkled the non-golden side with sugar and turned them over. Soon when the sugar caramelized, I turned them up and switched off the flame. I left them on the tava to cool a bit and become crispy and nowwwwwwwwwww I am having them. Mummmmmm, yummmmmmmmmm, very, very, nice…………………………”

As if this was not enough, “Make it right now”, she implored.

“First, I am not having a craving for sweets, second there is no banana at home,” I replied.

But perhaps MD did not know then that I had heard her recipe with rapt attention and registered it in my mind for future recall. And, out of curiosity more than any thing else, I tried her recipe the following day. “Hmm, not bad”, I thought to myself. I got a little bold and served it to a couple of friends too. “Where did you learn to make this?” was the first question I was asked as I watched my friends nibble on the caramelized bananas with great relish! Here’s a picture I took of the bites still on the tava being cooked – in fact, I served in the tava itself – with one fork each for everyone – that lent the serve an exotic air!!


Well, I have never made a post on food on my blog before, so glad to broaden the scope, thanks to MD!

*MD: For any of you who may wonder who I am talking about, MD is my sister.

4 comments:

Absolutely Serendipitous said...

Glad to a food post on your blog. Though I'm not a big fan of banana fruit but the recipe looks tempting. Love the picture...golden brown, crispy top and love the way you served it to your friends.

Munchmany said...

Wow!!! Now this what i call "Necessity is the mother of invention".

Congratulations to MD for whipping up such a delight.

And to you Ambrosia, a big "Thank You" for sharing this masterpiece of simple cooking.

Mukta Dutta said...

:D :D : D :D :D :D. (I am grinning).

A very cool cat said...

Wow, cool! I love bananas - MD will remember the banana pancakes I used to get for lunch to office - and this looks and sounds yum! Thanks, Ambrosia, for sharing!

So this is what MD's up to when she should be updating her blog. :D