Banana in Sweet Cardamom Flavored Coconut Churnu with Almond Slivers.

"Banana in Sweet Cardamom Flavored Coconut Churnu topped with Almond Slivers served with simple Chapati" ... I am sure all of you end up with extra bananas and coconuts at home after temple visits ... this is one dish I loved to relish from childhood and prepare it often with them when in excess ... awesome combo with chapati for bf or dinner ... Yummilicious …. 

** Bananas as you all know are delicious edible fruit that are relished worldwide. Both ripe and raw bananas are used in preparation of delicious dishes as this is one versatile fruit that adapts itself very well in any form. While you can eat the ripe ones as it is they can be prepared into various dishes in cooked, baked, fried, frozen forms too. I think this is one fruit that has been transformed into the maximum types of dishes and there is almost nothing more left to imagination. Cakes, cookies, bakes, breads, buns, ice creams, bajias, bhaji, curries, roti etc. need I say more ?? … even toddlers once they are around 6-8 months old are introduced to this awesome fruit. It is now even advice by dietitian to have a banana a day to keep the Dr. away, change of tune from apple a day, isn’t it ?? 

** Banana is considered a whole meal on its own. A decade back Bananas got a very bad rap and many followed suit by avoiding it altogether, as the calorie content and carbs in them were considered to be higher which meant, it lead to weight gain. Well, me too fell in that trap as weight is something I am struggling with for a few decades now. But then a bad back ache and meeting the right Dr. put me back on road and now I eat them on regular basis and no I have not gained weight, though I have not lost too, I have overall gained lot of my lost health. Trust me we should follow our Mom and Grandma’s diet to be fit and fine, my granny never had any health issue except a few acidity one’s till the ripe age of 80 and my Mom, got a little bit of health problem after she crossed 78 yrs and oh, yes they both ate bananas every day. 

** Bananas are considered to be auspicious too and are a must to be offered to God during any festive season along with Coconut, flowers, agarbatti (incense sticks) etc. We Hindus, especially in southern parts of India always offer the same when we visit temples and there are always sellers sitting outside the temple premises with them. The offering is shown to God and then the same coconut is halved, while the fruit is either just broken on edge or one is removed from the set in which there are 5 bananas and given back. Sometimes if it is an auspicious day and you visit a few more temples then you end up having a them in excess though we do distribute them to friendly neighbors. Prasadam/ Naivedyam should always be shared and had otherwise it is believed that God is not at all pleased. 

** Coming to excess Bananas, Mangalore Buns is one dish that is often prepared using bananas by Konkani Saraswats as that is our favorite snack dish that is served for breakfast with some chutney or dalitoy or in the evening for tiffin when children come home hungry. But them you can’t have it too often, can we? I remember Mom preparing this snack and giving us to eat as it is, though once we grew up, it almost stopped. I guess bananas got emptied as it is, coz. usually we never bought bananas to prepare this dish. After marriage, I came across this problem and most of the time prepared fruit salad with custard adding in more bananas or I at times added it to rava bhakri. One afternoon, as I was lazing around, I suddenly remembered this dish and from then it’s been prepared at least twice a year. 

** Here is my method of preparing "Banana in Sweet Cardamom Flavored Coconut Churnu topped with Almond Slivers” … My Style … The recipe is very simple and easy; Do try it and relish with parathas, roti, poori or as it is, tastes awesome …. 

** In a clean stainless steel bowl add in finely grated fresh coconut (white upper part of the coconut only). Say about a handful/ ½ cup for 4 bananas (if small 6) along with 2 tblsp of sugar powder, ½ tsp of cardamom powder and 1 tsp of homemade ghee and mix well. The powder should be well mixed with the coconut gratings. 

** Peel off the skin of Ripe Bananas, cut them into small sized cubes and immediately add them to the coconut sugar mixture in the bowl along with 2 tablespoon of almond slivers or pieces and give a good toss. Mix well, but do not crush the bananas otherwise, the whole dish will turn mushy. Also see to it that the bananas are just ripe and not over ripe. 

** "Banana in Sweet Cardamom Flavored Coconut Churnu topped with Almond Slivers” is done and ready to be served. Serve this immediately once prepared to avoid it getting discolored and loose taste as it is or with chapati, roti, paratha, poori etc. I serve it usually with chapatti for breakfast or dinner, as it is a very filling dish. 

** Do try out this dish and give it to children who are otherwise reluctant to eat bananas as it is. Bananas are very good for health having high potassium content and good for bones. It is advised by orthopedics now to be had on daily basis unless off course you are diabetic in which case do consult your physician. 

** Note : You can use sugar instead of the powder form too, in which case you either have to keep mixing it till the sugar has melted with the coconut or run it in a mixer for a minute, but avoid grinding the same we need it like churan /loose texture mix filling and not a paste. You can also use a pestle in and crush the same too. 

** Note : Always use the uppermost white part of the coconut flesh gratings for preparing of churan and not that darkish colored that is towards the shell portion. We Konkani Saraswats always grate coconut white part and keep it separate and then continue with the remaining portion. The white ones are used for garnishing etc. while the remaining is used for curries or chutney powder.

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