Baked Bananas with Coconut and Jaggery

by Suneeta Vaswani

Serves 6

Here the always-available humble banana is transformed into an exotic dessert. Perfect for a brunch table.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
Shallow baking dish

6    firm ripe bananas, preferably lightly spotted   6
1⁄2 cup   grated coconut, preferably fresh (or frozen,    125 mL
thawed), divided
2⁄3 cup   grated jaggery (gur) (see Tips, left) 150 mL
3 tbsp    raw cashews (see Tips, left) 45 mL
1 tsp     ground cardamom    5 mL
1 cup     coconut milk 250 mL
11⁄2 tsp cornstarch    7 mL
2 tbsp    chopped unsalted pistachios 25 mL

1.   Peel and cut bananas in half lengthwise. Arrange in single layer in baking dish.
2.   In a bowl, mix together coconut, jaggery, cashews and cardamom. Sprinkle evenly over bananas.
3.   In a small bowl, stir together coconut milk and cornstarch and gently pour over top.
4.   Bake in preheated oven until top is thick and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Garnish with pistachios. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Tips
Jaggery is unrefined brown sugar usually made from sugarcane. It is rich tasting, like molasses. Dark brown sugar can be substituted, but the flavor will be altered.

Raw cashews are sweet tasting and in no way resemble roasted cashews. They are always unsalted. There is no substitute. Both jaggery and raw cashews are available in Indian markets.

Recipes reprinted with permission from Complete Book of Indian Cooking, by Suneeta Vaswani, Robert Rose Inc., 2007.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the businesses in question before making your plans.