This Green Banana Curry is made with, you guessed it, green bananas. If you’ve never tried Caribbean or other ethnic cuisines featuring these fruits, the first thing you need to know is that it’s not sweet!
When boiled and stewed, green bananas work like a taro, potatoes, or sweet potatoes in your recipes, tasting not AT ALL like bananas.
Not only is this Green Banana Curry my introduction to the wonder of green bananas, it also showed me the wild flavor of one of my new favorite foods: Tamarind! Tamarind is the pulp from a seedpod and adds a tangy, rich flavor. It’s not necessary, but it makes the recipe amazing!
{Read more about how to use tamarind and my favorite Tamarind Red Lentil recipe}
Green Banana Curry
1 bunch green bananas (about 5-6 apple bananas)
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red or green bell peppers, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh, grated turmeric (or ½ teaspoon dried)
1 Tablespoon fresh, grated ginger
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk
1 Tablespoon tamarind sauce/paste
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup chopped fresh Thai basil
- Break banana bunches into single bananas. Add to a stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 25 minutes. Bananas will lose their color and split open. Remove bananas from water and set aside to cool. (Tip: use gloves when working with green bananas, as the sap is very sticky!)
- Once cooled, peel bananas and chop into ½ – inch cubes. Set aside.
- In a large skillet heat coconut oil. Add onion and cook until soft and browned, about 10 minutes. Add peppers, garlic, turmeric, ginger, and mustard seeds. Toss to coat and cook for five more minutes.
- Stir in chopped bananas, coconut milk, tamarind sauce, and salt. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until bananas are very soft.
- Stir in cilantro and basil, add more salt if needed. Serve with rice or in wraps.
Yield: 3-4 servings
This looks so good! I am a sucker for curries.