Every holiday season, in my previous life, when I was with my ex and lived at the Hudosn Mews in Greenwich Village in NYC, our neighbors Susan and Joe would leave a beautifully packed bag of banana bread on our door. This is Susan’s mother’s recipe. I love this recipe because the cake is exceptionally moist, not cakey, and it is lightly spiced with Indian spices – cinnamon, mace, and powdered ginger. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and candied nuts of any kind. Better still, make it in small tins, and you can give your neighbors and loved ones an edible jewel of a gift.
(recipe from Indian Home Cooking by Suvir Saran and Stephanie Lyness)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, well beaten
3 ripe bananas, broken into pieces
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground mace
1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter and flour an 8 1/2x4 1/2-inch loaf pan.
2. Cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until combined. Beat in the bananas.
3. Combine the flour, spices, salt, and baking soda in another bowl, then fold the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture just until combined; do not overmix. Divide the batter between the pans and bake until a tester stuck in the middle of the banana bread comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool on a rack before removing from the pan.
You lived in the Village? Interesting. I don't see it, but interesting. xoxo
Posted by: Anthonysgodfather | Saturday, December 04, 2010 at 09:47 PM
Hey Suvir,
Thanks for visiting my blog and for your kind words! I'm glad you liked what I did and it means a lot coming from you. really appreciate your work :-)
Posted by: Prerna@IndianSimmer | Sunday, December 05, 2010 at 10:49 PM