Mangalore Buns- Fried banana pooris

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Mangalore buns, as the name suggests is a delicacy from Mangalore, Karnataka. Although it's called a bun it's not a baked food, but similar to deep fried pooris. It's a great way to use the over ripe bananas. This mildly sweetened bun is soft and fluffy in texture. It's traditionally made with maida or all purpose flour but I have used whole wheat flour. Here is the easy recipe to make these delicious buns.

Ingredients:
Wheat Flour/Plain Flour : 1.5 Cups
Long Ripe Banana : 1
Yogurt: 2-3 Tbsp
Cumin Seeds: 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda:  1/4 tsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Sugar : 2-3 tsp

Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Mash the banana with fork leaving no lumps (It can even be pureed in the blender).

2. Sift the flour with baking soda and salt.

3. Add Sugar and cumin seeds and combine well.

4. Mix in mashed banana, yogurt and knead the flour to make a soft dough. Add a little water if needed.

5. Apply few drops of oil and cover and keep aside for 3-4 hours.

6. Heat oil in a deep pan for frying the buns.

7. While the oil is getting hot, start rolling the buns. Take small lemon size dough and roll into 1/4" thick round sheet.

8. Slowly drop it into hot oil and fry on both sides until the color changes to golden brown.

9. Remove on absorbent paper towel and the delicious mangalore buns are ready to devour. 

10. Serve hot with coconut chutney or tomato sauce.

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Banana Halwa | Festive Sweet and Deepavali Celebration

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Deepavali - the festival of lights spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness. The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a three to five-day period, but the main festival night of Deepavali coincides with the darkest, no moon night of the year. 

It's one my favorite festivals. lights, colors, sweets, savories and family get-togethers always make this festival very dear to me. I have very fond memories of Deepavali since my childhood. When we all grew up and went to different places to study and work, it was the only time of the year when my sisters, my brother and I would meet up at home. We always looked forward to this festival. 

The night before the Deepavali traditionally the water wells (bavi) and copper pots were cleaned and decorated with marigold flowers and Creepers. Bathroom is cleaned and the fireplace is worshiped before the water is filled in the decorated pots (hande). My job was to beat the jagante (metallic plate with a stick to beat it) while my mother filled water in the pot. This is filling water or 'Neeru tumbuva habba'. I never missed to be home for this day even if that meant taking an additional day off from college or work.

Next morning (Naraka Chaturdashi) we did oil bath (Enne Snana) and in the evening we lit clay lamps and lined them inside and outside the house along Veranda, windowsills, Tulsi and compound wall and gate. Me and my sisters made big rangolis together and decorated with colors and flower petals. This was done for all three days of the festival and 2 clay lamps were lit for one full month of Kartika.

We did Lakshmi Puja (prayer to goddess of Wealth and Prosperity) on no moon day (Amavasye) with all the family members together, it was followed by setting off crackers, pots, rockets and other fireworks.

Next day (Bali padyami) we usually had puja in my father's and uncles' hotels. We all cousins used to dress up and go from one hotel to the other enjoying puja, prasad and most importantly the chit-chat and photo time we all got together :)

My mother makes holige, karchikayi, Avalakki Chooda and other Sweets. From last 2 years I am missing the festival at my mother's place. Yet another year has gone by and my kitchen is gearing up for the festival.

Like the clay lamp which burns itself to spread the light in darkness, let's spread happiness around us this Deepavali. Here is a sweet recipe from coastal Karnataka to indulge on this festive occasion. I wish you and you family a very happy and prosperous Deepavali.  - ದೀಪಾವಳಿಯ ಸಿಹಿ ಹಾರೈಕೆಗಳು.

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
6 Medium size Ripe Bananas
1 Cup Sugar
1 Tsp Cardamom Powder
4 Tbsp Clarified butter /Ghee
8-10 Cashew - chopped into small pieces
1 Tbsp Roasted White sesame seeds for garnish

Method:
1. Peel Bananas, add cardamom powder and Sugar and grind it into a smooth paste in a mixer.

2. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a thick bottomed pot and roast broken cashews until it turns to golden color.

3. Add the ground banana paste and start sauteing. It will take about one hour to cook completely.
   Scrape the sides and mix it well every 10-15 minutes and add the remaining ghee little by little.

4. Once the banana mixture turns transparent and becomes sticky turn off the flame.

5. Pour it on a greased plate and level with back of a spoon. Sprinkle roasted sesame seeds on top and let it cool down completely.

6. Cut them into small cubes and enjoy the delicious sweet on this festive season.

Notes:
1. Adjust the amount of sugar according to sweetness of banana, usually this dish is made with nendra balehannu  (Musa Nendran Banana) but you can pretty much use any type of banana.
2. You can use sliced almonds or pistachio for garnishing instead of sesame seeds.

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Whole Wheat Banana Bread

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Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour:1 ¾ cup
Granulated Sugar :1 cup
Unsalted Butter at room temperature: 115 gms or 1 stick
medium size Ripe Bananas, lightly mashed : 4
Ground Cinnamon : ½ tsp
Baking Powder : 1 tsp
Baking Soda: 1 tsp
Salt: 1 tsp
Eggs: 2
Whole Milk: 2 Tbsp
Vanilla Essence: ½ tsp


Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degree celcius.

2. Grease a loaf pan with butter and dust with dry flour. Pat and remove excess flour and keep it aside.

3. In the bowl cream together the butter and sugar with an electric whisker.

4. Add the eggs and whisk to combine.

5. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla essence and whisk. 

6. Sift the dry ingredients through a sieve (wheat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt)

7. Whisk the dry ingredients with the wet mixture together until just combined by adding milk. Do not overmix.

8. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes. Test it by inserting a toothpick in the center and if it comes out wet than let it bake until 1 hour.

9. When ready, let it cool for about 20 minutes. Slice and serve with butter and honey.

You can save it refrigerated for a week. Wrap it in an aluminum foil and refrigerate. Reheat in the microwave and serve hot.

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Almond - banana dessert : Badami-Balehannina payasa

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A high fat food that's good for your health? That's not an oxymoron, it's almonds. Almonds are rich in monounsaturated fat, linked to lower risks of heart disease and controlling cholesterol levels.

Here is a quick sweet recipe with goodness of almonds and richness of banana. That's almond banana dessert/ payasa/kheer.

Ingredients:

Ripe banana: chopped 1/2 cup

Milk: 500 ml

Almonds: 15-20

Sugar: 1/4 cup

Cashew: 10-12

Raisins: 2 tsp

Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp

Saffron: few strands

Clarified butter/ Ghee: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Soak almonds in water for 30 mins, remove the skin and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside until needed.

2. Bring milk to boil in a thick bottomed pan and boil until it reduces to 3/4 and becomes thick.

3. Add chopped banana, sugar, cardamom powder and cook until sugar has melted and milk has started to thicken.

4. Reduce the flame and add almond paste and stir well.

5. Boil for 5 more minutes and turn off the stove.

6. Heat ghee in a small pan and fry cashews and raisins and add to payasa.

7. Keep it in the fridge for atleast one hour, garnish with few saffron strands and serve chilled.

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Whole wheat banana muffins

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Muffin is a quick and easy sweet bread product that can be made in a flash :-) it's my daughter's favorite snack. I usually make blueberry muffins but today I tried a different one with healthier options. It's wholewheat banana muffin made with brown sugar and honey. Here is the quick recipe for making this simple and delicious snack.

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour: 1 cup

Baking soda : 1/4 tsp

Baking powder : 3/4 tsp

Salt: 1/4 tsp

Cinnamon powder: 1/4 tsp

Bananas: 1 large or 3 small ripe bananas + 1 small banana for garnishing 

Brown sugar: 1/4 cup

Egg:1

Milk: 40 ml

Honey: 60 ml

Vegetable oil: 30 ml

Vanilla essence :1/2 tsp

Broken almonds: 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Take a big bowl and mix whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon powder.

2. Take another bowl and mash the bananas with a fork and add lightly beaten egg, vanilla essence,sugar, honey, milk, and oil and mix well.

3. Add in broken almonds and mix.

4. Mix the wet ingredients with dry flour mixture and combine slowly. Do not over mix the batter.

5. Line the muffin tin with muffin cups ( paper or silicon) or grease them with oil or butter.

6. Put equal quantity of batter in each cup and put a spoonful of water in the empty cups. Water helps in baking the muffins evenly.

7. Put a slice of banana on each muffin

8. Bake for 18-20 mins in a preheated oven at 190 celicius.

9. Insert a toothpick in the center, if the toothpick comes out clean, muffins will be ready.

10. Cool them down for 5 mins and store in airtight jar.

Notes:

1.You can replace wheat flour with all purpose flour.

2.You can use white sugar instead of brown.

3.Nuts of your choice can be used like cashews, almond or walnut.

4. Dried banana chips can also be used for garnishing.

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