Thank Banana it's Friday

This weeks star recipe - Savoury Jamaican Rice

In my search for global vegan recipes using Banana's,  I now have a large pile of random recipes and notes. Among them the recipe for Jamaican Banana rice, my problem is I can't remember where I found it....

The original recipe was to be cooked on the stove.   Cooking rice this ways is my personal Achilles heals, never works no matter what technique I try.  I find baking rice in the oven a lot easier and it tastes a lot better. 

Using fruit in savoury dishes isn't a new thing. Iv just never personally tried it with Banana before, so I had to give it a go.

The finished dish has a lovely sweet and savoury taste.  Baking it in the oven leaves the top nice and crispy, while the rice underneath is soft.  The flavours all work well together with just a hint of coconut.  Only problem it looks kind of drab, which is why Iv added Spring onions to the recipe.  It will add colour to the dish and complement the taste. 

Jamaican Rice

2/3 cups of White rice
1/2 White Onion - Sliced
1 Banana - Sliced
1 Apple - Sliced
1 tbsp Desiccated Coconut
1 tsp Brown Sugar ( original recipe used Treacle)
1/2 tsp Curry Powder
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and Pepper
2 Cups of boiled water  + 1/2 Stock cube
Spring onions to garnish

- Pre heat your oven too 180 Celsius

- Add all the ingredients except the banana, spring onions and desiccated coconut into a casserole dish.  Place into the oven.

- Check after 30 Min's and stir.  Then cook for a further 30 - 45 Min's.  Or until all the water is absorbed by the rice. Finally add the chopped banana and spring onion.  Sprinkle the desiccated coconut on top.  Return the casserole to the oven and leave the lid off

- Cook another 15 - 20 Min's then serve. 

Banana Spring Rolls

I had some rice paper pancakes left, after making spring rolls.  Unsuccessfully.....  While my pierogi's looked great, the spring rolls looked a total mess. 

Bizarre fact about me:  I find easy task's hard to accomplish, while I find hard tasks relatively easy!!!!

It's kind of embarrassing sometimes, I'm computer literate but can't use a modern tin opener!!!

My Banana Spring rolls where a hugh improvement on the savoury ones I tried to make.   In Britain Deep fried banana's with syrup sauce are often served in Chinese restaurants for dessert.  I think there more a British/Chinese hybrid than an authentic recipe but they do taste good.

I cut a banana into 3, then soaked the rice paper in hot water to soften.  Placed a piece of banana into each one and topped with a little golden syrup, before rolling them up.  Then baked them in the oven for 15 Min's.

TOP TIP: Don't try to bake rice paper pancakes in the oven, it doesn't work.  Use won ton wrappers instead.

They tasted great but looked a total mess, lol.  I would definitely try this again using home made dairy free Won ton wrappers.  The combination of baked banana with warm syrup is heavenly xx