As Myanmar is opening its doors to the rest of the world, Burma, Rivers of Flavor (Artisan Books, October 2012) by Naomi Duguid takes us on a tour of the country and its cuisine.
This book landed on my desk earlier this week and I have not yet found time to follow Naomi on her travels to Rakhine State (near Bangladesh) and Kachin State (up north).
I did fall under the spell of a few of the recipes.
I give you first a 'meltingly lush' treat that might not be out of place for a late Saturday morning breakfast or Sunday brunch.
Fried
Sesame-Seed Bananas
Makes 24;
Serves 6 to 8
There are
versions of sweet banana treats all over Southeast Asia. Sometimes the bananas
are fried in a batter until crisp, sometimes they’re cooked in oil or lightly
grilled, sometimes they’re simmered in sweetened coconut milk.
These fried
bananas are meltingly lush, and they’re given an extra layer of flavor by a
squeeze of lime juice. (Some friends like a little dusting of chile powder on
top as well, for that hot-sweet-tart hit.) You can also serve them with
tart-sweet mango or lime sorbet. They’re good for dessert, but almost better as
a snack. Make plenty, for it’s hard to turn down second helpings.
Choose ripe
bananas that are still firm. Cutting regular bananas crosswise in half mimics
the size of the small sweet bananas that are used in Southeast Asia. If you do
come across a hand of small sweet bananas, by all means use them.
The sesame
seeds in the batter give a pleasing crunch that turns to chewiness as the
bananas cool, as well as a mild sesame flavor.
Batter
1 cup rice
flour
1/4 cup
tapioca flour
2
tablespoons sugar
3/4
teaspoon salt
3/4 cup
water
1 cup
sesame seeds
6 bananas
or 12 small tropical bananas
Peanut oil
for deep-frying
3 limes,
cut into wedges, or sorbet or ice cream for serving (optional)
Combine the
flours, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Slowly add the water, stirring to make a
smooth, thick batter. Stir in the sesame seeds. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Peel the
bananas. If using large bananas, cut crosswise in half. Cut the pieces or the
small bananas lengthwise in half (in either case, you will now have 24 pieces).
Set aside.
Put out a
slotted spoon or a spider by your stovetop along with one or two plates. Set a
deep-fryer, stable wok, or wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add 2 inches of
oil, raise the heat to high, and heat until the oil reaches 360°F. Use a
thermometer to check the temperature, or drop a dollop of batter into the oil:
If it sinks slowly to the bottom and then rises to the surface, the oil is at
temperature. If it bobs right up without sinking or darkens immediately, the
oil is too hot—lower the heat slightly; if it doesn’t rise to the surface, the
oil is not yet hot enough.
Stir the
batter, then drag 1 piece of banana through the batter and slide it carefully
into the hot oil. Repeat with 2 or 3 more pieces, one by one. Fry, moving the
pieces around carefully and keeping them from sticking to one another, until
lightly golden and crispy. Lift out of the oil with the spider or slotted
spoon, pausing to let excess oil drain off, and transfer to a plate. Repeat
with the remaining bananas and batter.
Serve hot,
with the lime wedges, sorbet, or ice cream, if you like.
(* Excerpted from Burma: Rivers of Flavor by Naomi Duguid (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2012. Photographs by Richard Jung)