Banana Fritters

As I have a bunch of overripe bananas, I thought I'd stir up some banana recipes. Of course, the obvious is Banana Bread, but I thought I'd go for the more exotic or fun recipes.  This one, called Kuih kodok or godok pisang, is basically a banana fritter, and is easy to make with few ingredients.

Ingredients:

8-9 ripe bananas
1 cup flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
oil for frying

Preparations:

1. In a medium bowl, mash bananas (you can use a fork, or a bean or potato masher).
2. Add Flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well to form a thick batter.
3. In a large skillet or wok, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium heat.
4. When oil is hot, lay a spoonful of batter in skillet.  Fry a few at a time, so the oil temperature doesn't drop. When golden brown, remove fritters (a slotted spoon works nicely for this), and set aside on a wire wrack to cool (and drain). You may want to put paper towels below the wire wrack to catch any dripping oil.
5. Serve warm.

Make Your Own Oyster Crackers

Ingredients:

Oil for brushing the dough
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
6 tbsp cold butter, cut into bits
2/3 cup iced cold water
1/2 tsp salt or sea salt plus more for sprinkling

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add butter, and work with your hands until a crumbly dough forms. Slowly add 1/2 cup ice water and mix with a fork. Continue adding water 1 Tbs. at a time mixing until the dough forms a ball.

Divide dough in half. If dough is sticky, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10-20 minutes. With a rolling pin, roll dough out to 1/8 - 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into squares (or whatever shape you desire). Place on baking sheet, brush with oil, and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool. 

Store in an air tight container. Makes about 32 one inch square crackers, or 60-70 smaller crackers (depending on how you cut 'em).


***

Cost Breakdown:

• 1 3/4 cups Flour = 20¢ - 28¢
• Oil = less than 2¢
• 1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder = 5¢
• Butter = 75¢
• Salt = 5¢ 

Price per batch = $1.07 - $1.15
Price at the grocery store = $2.30-$4.20 

Store brand ingredients: Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Soybean Oil With Thbq For Freshness, Salt, Yeast, Malted Barley Flour, Sodium Sulfite, Enzymes (Protease), Baking Soda. Allergy Warning: Contains Wheat And Soy. May Contain Traces Of Milk And Eggs.

***

Crystalized Ginger Recipe

1 cup peeled, thinly sliced or chopped ginger
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
Additional sugar to coat (optional)

Preparation:
In a covered saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the ginger pieces and sugar. Stir and cover. Reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for five minutes.

Remove from heat and allow it to sit for 20 minutes. Strain the ginger pieces from the syrup (saving the syrup to make easy homemade ginger ale).

Heat the oven to 200 degrees F. Place the ginger slices in a glass pan. Place the pan in the oven until the slices are almost dry but still chewy. Allow it to cool.

Toss the cooled ginger in sugar to lightly coat it, if desired.

Store the crystallized ginger in an airtight container for up to two months.

Candied ginger is used in many cultures to relieve nausea.