Bananarama

As I was making dinner with my brother & sister-in-law the other night, it occurred to me I haven’t shared anything foodie here in a little while. And this, my friends, is a good ‘un!

When we did our cooking classes in Thailand, one of the dishes we learned was a steamed banana cake. It is deceptively easy, completely delicious and will satisfy pretty much any food allergy/sensitivity out there: it’s vegan-friendly, dairy-free, nut-free and gluten-free. Unless you don’t do coconut. If that’s the case I can’t help you. But otherwise, read on!

The ingredient list is pretty short:

5 large bananas, mashed
1 c rice flour
1/4 c tapioca flour
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c thick coconut milk
3 c unsweetened dessicated coconut, soaked in water for 10 minutes & drained

And the instructions couldn’t be simpler: reserve 1 c of the coconut, and mix everything together.

You can pour it into tiny bowls, ramekins, or banana-leaf boats if you’re feeling fancy. I generally pour it into a big casserole dish.

Top with the remaining coconut, and steam or bake at 360 F for 30 minutes.

If you don’t do bananas (I know one person who doesn’t like them, and another who’s allergic) I’ve also made this with canned peaches or super-ripe mango. Any fruit that will mash up and also taste good with coconut works here.

If you’re feeling hesitant because of the amount of sugar, you could probably cut it down to as little as 3/4 cup – this dish is super sweet – but don’t omit it entirely. It would probably also work with sugar substitutes, though they’re made of nasty chemicals, so I can’t recommend them. If you were considering using something like agave nectar rather than refined sugar, I’d try adding an extra tablespoon of each of the flours, to make sure it sets up properly.

This recipe makes 8 generous servings, and is excellent for breakfast the next day.

Enjoy!

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