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Spiced Black Pepper Bananas with Porridge
Earthy jaggery, freshly ground black pepper, and a hint of ginger transform ordinary morning oats into a deeply comforting breakfast. Simmering slightly underripe bananas in this dark palm sugar syrup ensures they hold their shape while soaking up those warm, complex caramel flavors. It's a brilliant nod to South Indian traditions that brings gentle heat to your bowl. You'll love how the firm fruit contrasts with the creamy porridge.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Stovetop
Ingredients
- 100g jaggery or soft dark brown sugar
- 80ml water
- Pinch sea salt flakes
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 16 black peppercorns, ground
- 1 heaped teaspoon butter
- 2 large just-underripe bananas, cut into 1cm slices
- 80g rolled oats (not the large steel-cut kind)
- 400ml your choice of milk, plus extra to taste
Instructions
- 1Combine the jaggery or brown sugar, water, salt, ginger, and ground black pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- 2Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes to create a thin syrup.
- 3Stir in the butter and simmer for 1 more minute. Add the sliced bananas, turn off the heat, and let the fruit steep in the hot syrup for 10 minutes. This allows the bananas to absorb the spiced caramel flavors without turning mushy.
- 4Combine the rolled oats and milk in a separate large saucepan and bring to a boil.
- 5Lower the heat and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly so the oats release their starches for a creamier texture. Stir in a little extra milk if needed.
- 6Spoon the warm bananas and syrup over the cooked porridge.
Notes
- Storage: Keep leftover syrup in an airtight container in the fridge. It makes an excellent topping for future bowls of porridge.
- Tip: Powdered jaggery dissolves much faster than solid cones when making the syrup.
- Swap: Use date syrup as an alternative to palm sugar if you prefer a different sweetener.