Chinese Dessert of Bananas Fried in Batter with Sesame Recipe
A simple yet impressive dessert: pieces of banana in a light batter, fried until golden and sprinkled with sesame seeds. In many Chinese restaurants, similar desserts are served at the end of the meal – crisp on the outside, soft and sweet inside. A bit like small Polish apple fritters, but in a banana-and-sesame version.
This dessert combines the comforting taste of bananas with a light, bubbly batter and nutty sesame seeds, giving you a restaurant-style Chinese sweet that’s easy to make at home with basic ingredients.
Chef's tips
Use well-chilled sparkling water for an extra-light, airy batter. Don’t overcrowd the pan, or the oil temperature will drop and the batter will soak up more fat instead of turning crisp.
How to serve
Serve on a warm plate, drizzle with honey or maple syrup and add a scoop of vanilla or coconut ice cream. For a lighter option, pair with thick natural yogurt and a few fresh fruit slices.
Ingredients
- ripe but firm bananas medium - 3 piece
- flour - 80 g
- potato or corn starch about 2 tablespoons - 20 g
- baking powder - 0.5 teaspoon
- sparkling or still water cold - 100 ml
- white sesame seeds - 2 tablespoon
- sugar for the batter - 2 tablespoon
- salt - 1 pinch
- oil for deep-frying - 400 ml
- honey or maple syrup for drizzling, optional
Preparation
- In a bowl, mix the flour, starch, baking powder, sugar and a pinch of salt.
- Gradually add the cold water, whisking with a whisk or fork until you get a smooth, fairly thick batter – it should coat a piece of banana but not be too stiff. If it is too thick, add a little water; if it is too thin, add a bit more flour.
- Peel the bananas and cut them into thick slices or diagonal pieces about 3–4 cm long.
- Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or pot to about 170–180°C. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop in a little batter – it should start sizzling immediately, float to the surface and brown slowly.
- Pour the sesame seeds onto a small plate. Dip each piece of banana in the batter, let the excess drip off, then gently roll it in the sesame seeds.
- Carefully place the banana pieces into the hot oil, a few at a time so they don’t stick together. Fry for 2–3 minutes, turning, until golden and crisp on all sides.
- Lift the fried pieces out with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towel to drain excess oil. Repeat until you have used all the bananas.
- Serve the dessert warm, immediately after frying. You can drizzle the banana pieces with a little honey or maple syrup, or serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
I like to fry the bananas in small batches so they stay really crisp and to serve them straight from the pan to the table. A sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds on top just before serving adds even more aroma.
