Pisang rai (boiled bananas with grated coconut)

Only good things happen when banana and coconut come together.

Pisang rai boiled bananas with grated coconut Credit: Martin Westlake

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

'In the late afternoon, after his daily nap, my father sits on his balcony with a cup of coffee and something sweet, and pisang rai is one of his favourite treats. You could describe it as a lighter take on fried banana, minus the oil. The bananas are cut into chunks, battered and boiled, then brightened with powdery grated coconut and a good drizzle of palm sugar syrup. It’s a nourishing, warming and a gently sweetened dish that works just as well for breakfast as it does for dessert.’ – Maya

Ingredients

• 2 pandan leaves
• 280 g plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1 tsp limestone paste (Kapur sirih)
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 3 saba bananas, thickly sliced
• 110 g fresh mature coconut, finely grated

Gula bali

• 300 g palm sugar, coarsely chopped
• 100 ml water
• 2 pandan leaves

Instructions

1. Place the pandan leaves and 2 litres (8 cups) of water in a large saucepan over high heat. Cover and bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, combine the flour and 300 ml water in a medium mixing bowl and work into a batter using your hands. Once a thick batter has formed, set it aside.
3. Combine the limestone paste with a splash of water in a small bowl, crushing it between your fingers to help it dissolve. Pour it into the batter and mix well. Add the salt and mix again, then toss the bananas through the batter using your hands.
4. Using a tablespoon, scoop the banana slices out of the batter, one piece at a time, tilting the spoon a little to pour off any excess batter. Drop the banana pieces into the boiling water. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until they float to the top and the batter has become opaque – the fruit should be just visible in the centre.
5. Remove the banana from the water with a spider ladle or slotted spoon and place it on a serving dish. Let cool for about 5 minutes.
6. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of coconut over the top, keeping the rest in a small bowl to serve. Serve with gula Bali or granulated coconut sugar and a cup of strong, steaming coffee.
7. To make the gula bali, place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until it becomes a thin caramel-like sauce. Strain the syrup into a sterilised glass bottle or bowl and set aside to cool. Dip and drizzle away. The syrup keeps for 1 week at room temperature, or for up to 2 months in the fridge.

 

This is a recipe from Paon: Real Balinese Cooking by Tjok Maya Kerthyasa, I Wayan Kresna Yasa. Published by Hardie Grant (RRP $50).

Photography credit: Martin Westlake.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

'In the late afternoon, after his daily nap, my father sits on his balcony with a cup of coffee and something sweet, and pisang rai is one of his favourite treats. You could describe it as a lighter take on fried banana, minus the oil. The bananas are cut into chunks, battered and boiled, then brightened with powdery grated coconut and a good drizzle of palm sugar syrup. It’s a nourishing, warming and a gently sweetened dish that works just as well for breakfast as it does for dessert.’ – Maya