Indonesian Pulled Banana Peel Curry
Sustainable pulled banana peel transforms into tender, aromatic shreds through a spiced marinade of sweet chili sauce, ketjap manis, ginger, garlic, sambal, turmeric, cumin, smoked paprika, and Chinese five-spices. Braised with water until softened, served on bread with crackers for a surprising plant-based dish.
Ingredients
- 3 banana peels, whole
- 1 el sweet chili sauce
- 2 el ketjap manissoy sauce + brown sugar1:0.75 soy + 0.25 sugarumamiadds glutenadds soy
less caramel sweetness
- 2 cm fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ tl sambalcayenne pepper0.75:1heat
different flavor profile
- ½ tl turmeric
- ½ tl cumin
- 1 tl smoked paprika powder
- 1 tl Chinese five-spices
- salt, pinch
- 2 el olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Trim the woody ends from the banana peels.
- 2
Scrape out the white inner flesh from the peels using a spoon.
- 3
Create long shreds by laying the peel white-side down, inserting a fork into the peel, and pulling with a second fork to draw out strands. Cut the strands into smaller pieces.
- 4
Peel the ginger and garlic, then finely press both using a garlic press.
- 5
Combine sweet chili sauce, ketjap manis, sambal, turmeric, cumin, smoked paprika, Chinese five-spices, and salt. Stir in the pressed ginger and garlic.
- 6
Toss the banana peel shreds with the marinade and let sit briefly.
- 7
Heat olive oil in a shallow pan or skillet.
- 8
Cook the pulled banana peel in the oil.
- 9
Add a splash of water and cook until the water evaporates.
- 10
Continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes, repeatedly adding water in small amounts until it evaporates each time, until the banana peel becomes tender.
- 11
Transfer the pulled banana peel to a bread roll. Serve with crackers if desired.
Tips
Pressing ginger and garlic together ensures even distribution throughout the marinade.
Adding water gradually in stages rather than all at once allows the peel to absorb the spice flavors while softening.
Choose sustainably sourced crackers if serving on the side.
Good to Know
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water.
Prepare marinade and banana peel shreds up to 4 hours in advance. Marinate when ready to cook.
Serve on bread rolls with crispy crackers and additional sambal or chili sauce on the side.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip scraping the inner white flesh—it shreds best and provides the desired texture
Do not add all water at once; gradual addition prevents the peel from becoming mushy
Substitutions
less caramel sweetness