Banana Loaf

Cardamom Banana Bread

“They’re too ripe for me, I won’t eat them will you?”

The Maharani stared at the bananas, now gently browning with age as if their skins had developed 3rd age liver spots. The ethylene had done its’ best and the bananas were now getting sweeter and softer by the moment. For me the bananas had three options:

  • Banana milk shake
  • Banana ice cream
  • Banana loaf

I weighed up the gastronomic longevity, milk shake….gone in a jiffy, ice cream…extreme delayed pleasure or banana loaf…a gift which would keep giving over the next few days. Decision made and after a brief flour flurry the cardamom banana loaf was working its magic with the baked air and playing havoc with our hunger…quite literally driving us bananas.

Serves plenty

  • 3 tbs olive oil, plus some for greasing
  • 250g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 3 ripe bananas
  • 125 g unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 large free-range eggs
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 3 tablespoons runny honey
  • 1 tbs lightly crushed walnuts
  • 1 tbs pumpkin seeds

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How To Make Banana Loaf

Heat your oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.

Using a loaf tin, around a 1 ltr grease it lightly with a little olive oil (don’t use the 3tbs mentioned in the ingredients), sprinkle some flour around the inside of the tin and the shake any excess out.

Using a mixing bowl, pop the bananas in and mash with a fork, until a little chunky.

In another bowl, cream the butter with a wooden spoon, and crack the eggs in one by one beating each one until resembles loose scrambled eggs. Sieve in the flour, cardamom, honey, banana, nuts and pumpkin seeds, mix until all the ingredients are assimilated but not too smooth.

Spoon the mix into the loaf tin and bake in the oven for about 30 - 40 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. To check if the loaf is cooked, slide a cocktail stick or skewer into the middle of the loaf, remove it after 5 seconds and if it comes out clean it’s reday; if it’s a bit sticky it needs a bit longer.

When ready, remove the tin from the oven and allow to cool and when it’s cool to touch turn it over and gently tap it out onto a wire rack. Enjoy with a cup of chai!





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Cardamom Banana Bread

“They’re too ripe for me, I won’t eat them will you?”

The Maharani stared at the bananas, now gently browning with age as if their skins had developed 3rd age liver spots. The ethylene had done its’ best and the bananas were now getting sweeter and softer by the moment. For me the bananas had three options:

  • Banana milk shake
  • Banana ice cream
  • Banana loaf

I weighed up the gastronomic longevity, milk shake….gone in a jiffy, ice cream…extreme delayed pleasure or banana loaf…a gift which would keep giving over the next few days. Decision made and after a brief flour flurry the cardamom banana loaf was working its magic with the baked air and playing havoc with our hunger…quite literally driving us bananas.

Serves plenty

  • 3 tbs olive oil, plus some for greasing
  • 250g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 3 ripe bananas
  • 125 g unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 large free-range eggs
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 3 tablespoons runny honey
  • 1 tbs lightly crushed walnuts
  • 1 tbs pumpkin seeds

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