Stuffed Bananas ( भरली केळी )

This delicious sweet dish is a speciality of CKP community of Mumbai . 

Bananas used in this dish is a special variety called rajali ( राजाळी ) . 

These bananas are thick stout and reddish in colour and have a grainy texture . 

If this variety is not available in your area you can also use the long yellow South Indian bananas . 

Ingredients - 

3 .......................... Rajali bananas 

1 bowl ................. grated fresh coconut 

3/4 bowl ..............grated jaggery 

1 bowl ................. thick coconut milk ( grind grated coconut and extract the juice ) 

3/4 tb sp ...............ghee 

1/2 t sp ................ cardamom pd 

1 tsp .................... almond and pistachio slivers 

Method - 

In a non stick pan add 1 tb sp ghee , grated coconut and jaggery and cook on a low flame till the jaggery melts . 

Stir nicely and when the mixture becomes dry and sticky add cardamom pd and switch off the gas . 

This is the stuffing for bananas . 

Now peel the bananas and keep the peel aside . 

Cut the bananas into 2 inch pieces and give them two diagonal vertical cuts keeping the piece intact . 

Stuff these cuts with the coconut jaggery filling . 

Now in a pan add little ghee and saute the bananas carefully for 2/3 minutes till they are golden brown on all sides . 

Now remove the bananas from the pan and arrange the peels at the bottom of the pan . 

On the peels arrange the sauted bananas . 

Pour on them the thick coconut milk and if the some coconut filling is left that too sprinkle on top . 

Cover the pan with the lid and cook on low flame for 10 minutes . 

Move the bananas upside down and let the other side too cook for further 10 mintues . 

When cooked sprinkle the almond pistachio slivers and decorate . 

You can have this delicious sweet hot or cold as per you liking . 

The peels at the bottom of the pan prevent the bananas from burning . 

These crispy sweetish banana peels also taste yummy .