CC Banana Curry

What to tell you first?  That I love Rose Eliot, respected elder of British vegetarian cookbooks.  That I wish I knew what cookbook writers tasted when they made the recipe.  That bananas are horrendously expensive in Melbourne following the Queensland cyclone and some would gasp in horror at putting them in a curry.  That dinner is always an adventure with Sylvia in the kitchen.

Let's start with Rose Eliot.  I have admired her for a long time.  When I first went vegetarian I was introduced to her cookbooks and have been buying them ever since.  She has a prodigious output.  One of her more recent books (2006) is called Vegetarian Supercook.  These recipes are fresh and modern compared to some of her older books.  Yet it has taken me over a year of owning the book to actually cook from it.  Blame blogging.  Blame a busy life.  Blame the tyranny of choice of too many cookbooks.  Thankfully the Cookbook Challenge is prompting me to return to some of my unused cookbooks.

The Cookbook Challenge theme last fortnight was spice.  I took the opportunity to finally make Rose Eliots's Banana Curry with Cashew Rice.  Sadly, the spice was rather understated.  I have had so many dishes work from her cookbooks that I wondered why this one didn't seem quite right.  I changed a few ingredients but I also disagreed with a couple of things.  Her suggestion of tossing cashews through rice seemed unnecessarily fiddly.  It was easier to sprinkle cashews on top.

Cooking dinner seems to take longer than ever these days.  I take any shortcuts I can.  As you will see in the photo below, Sylvia still has a different dinner to us many nights.  I often offer her some of what we have but I have enough problems getting her to eat the plain food she prefers.

Sylvia was eating dinner while I was cooking but not terribly interested in it.  I turned around at one point and found she had climbed into her toy pram with two dollies on her lap.  I much preferred it when she ran into the loungeroom to dance around the room while eating a tofu nugget.

I wish I knew why she is not so keen on vegetables suddenly, then tells me I am "a bit naughty" if I try eat a piece of the fruit that I am sharing with her (because don't toddlers own the whole world).  I hope you get the picture of how much constant supervision is required to try and get her to eat.

A few disclaimers.  My bananas might not have been as green as Rose intended - beggars can't be choosers when racing around the shops (especially when I got to Brunswick St at 10am on the day in question, only to find that the shops I needed were still closed, so I had to return to our local pool for Sylvia's swimming lesson, and then back to Brunswick St where Sylvia made mischief in the Brunswick St bookstore).  I didn't quite cook the potatoes enough the first night (but a burst in the microwave for the potatoes before reheating the following night fixed that).  I probably cooked the meal a bit longer than Rose intended (see above.rant about Sylvia).

E looked at the fresh bunch of curry leaves and said they looked like a hedge.  He thought some curry powder might improve the meal.  I loved the spices on paper but it needed a bit more oomph.  Perhaps it would work better in summer with the delicate flavours and the fruit.

I've wanted to try banana in curry for ages.  My interested in bananas in a savoury recipe was piqued by this adventurous recipe.  I am glad I have finally had my first experiment.  It may take a few more goes before I am convinced I got it right.  It is not a difficult or time consuming recipe and with a bit more spice, I think it might be lovely.

To see what my fellow Cookbook Challengers made with spice, go here.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
This time last year: Food props - food photography
This time two years ago: Refugee Week Stew
This time three years ago: Pumpkin chutney
This time four years ago: WHB Soda Bread for Remembrance

Banana curry
adapted from Rose Eliot's Vegetarian Supercook
serves 4

500g baby potatoes, halves
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 green capsicums, chopped
2 tsp mustard seeds
5g or small bunch of curry leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
4 cloves garlic, crushed
250ml coconut cream
1 tsp tamarind paste
1/2 - 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
4 bananas
125g cashews (or in my case, 4 handfuls)
rice, to serve (Rose suggested 300g but I found this a bit much for us)

Cook potatoes for about15 minutes until cooked but not falling apart.  Drain and set aside.  Cook the rice and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large saucepan and fry onion and green capsicum for about 10 minutes over medium heat.  Stir in mustard seeds and heat a minute or two until they pop (though I am not sure if mine popped).  Add curry leaves, turmeric, ginger and garlic and stir for about a minute.

Add coconut cream, tamarind paste, salt, bananas and cooked potatoes and cook for about 5-10 minutes until bananas start to soften.  Serve hot over rice and sprinkle with roughly chopped cashews.

On the stereo:
Time Pieces: the best of Eric Clapton