I love food.  All sorts of food.  But I tend to be drawn more toward lean options, rather than deep-fried foods.  My husband bought me a deep-fry machine more than 6 years ago , which I honestly have used only a handful of times.

Well, today was one of those times.a

That’s right, I made an exception for Banana Empanada, as we say in my mother language, Portuguese.  A very simple, quick, and delicious side dish.

You might be trying to imagine what kind of main dish or entrée that banana empanada may accompany.  Well, in Brazil, it can accompany a great variety of different meats, as well as beans.  It may sound like an unusual combination– except in Brazil.  However, believe me, beans and bananas go very well together.   It won’t kill you to give it a try. 

And it is not just bananas– we also bread and deep-fry spears of pineapple to eat with beans.  Further, we enjoy feijoada, Brazil’s national bean-based dish, with either pineapple or fresh sliced oranges.  (By the way,  feijoada will be our next post).

Brazilians are not oddballs– just creative cooks.    What can I say?  We love fruits in any form.  We adore beans as well.   So then you can imagine that it didn’t take much to get us to combine both together.

Just as the Japanese created tempura vegetables, and Caribbeans and Hispanic Latins eat fried plantains and tostones, Brazil enjoys the delicious union of both – banana empanada (Breaded Deep-fried Bananas).

Relax and enjoy!

Brazilian Breaded Deep-Fried Bananas

Yield: 10 banana halves

Segment: Brazilian cuisine

Ingredients:

5 ripe but firm bananas*

1 cup all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1-2 teaspoon(s) milk or water (for a dairy-free version)*

1 cup bread crumbs

Vegetable oil (enough to completely cover the bananas)

* If using plantains instead, make sure that they are very ripe.  Regular bananas are actually the best choice for this recipe. More milk or water mixed in with the beaten eggs will make the coating thinner.

Directions:

In a deep-fry machine or heavy-bottom saucepan, heat the oil to 350ºF (180ºC).  While oil is heating, peel the bananas, remove the stringy parts that cling to the peeled fruit, and cut crosswise in half.

Mix the salt with the flour, and dredge the banana halves in it: that is, drag each banana half through the dry ingredients to get an even coating on it.  Shake to remove excess flour.  Next, soak the banana halves in the beaten eggs mixed with milk or water.

 

 Finally, cover the banana halves in bread crumbs.

Fry each half until lightly golden (it is important not to overcrowd the pan).  Remove with a slotted spoon.  Place on a plate lined with a double layer of paper towels.  Serve warm.

 

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Receita em Português:

Banana Empanada  

Rendimento: 10 metades

Ingredientes:

5 bananas pratas maduras mas firmes

1 xícara de farinha de trigo

1 colher de chá de sal

2 ovos grandes, levemente batidos

1 ou 2 colheres de chá de leite ou água (para uma versão sem lactose)*

1 xícara de farinha de rosca

Óleo vegetal suficiente para fritar as bananas

* Quanto mais leite ou água for misturado aos ovos batidos, mais fina ficará a crosta das bananas.

Modo de Preparo:

Em uma panela funda e de fundo grosso, aqueça o óleo até atingir a temperatura de     180º C.  Enquanto o óleo estiver esquentando, descasque as bananas, remova os fiapos e corte verticalmente ao meio. Depois, misture o sal com a farinha de trigo e enfarinhe bem as bananas, sacudindo para retirar o excesso de farinha. Passe as metades das bananas nos ovos batidos misturados com leite ou água. Finalmente, passe na farinha de rosca.

Frite as bananas até que elas fiquem levemente douradas. Retire e ponha em um prato forrado com 2 folhas de papel toalha. Sirva morno.

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