Banana skin curry

Name: Banana skin curry
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 2 serving(s)
Ingredients: 2 large, firm banana skins, about 175g, see intro; 2 tsp. turmeric; 2 garlic cloves; 4cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped; 3 green finger chillies, deseeded if you prefer; 1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed and roughly chopped; 2 tsp. coriander seeds; finely grated zest 1 lime, plus juice to taste, keep separate; handful coriander, leaves and stalks separated; 1 onion, halved; 1 tbsp. coconut oil; 400 mL tin full-fat coconut milk; 2 tsp. caster sugar; 300 g tin cooked new potatoes, drained and halved; 75 g baby plum tomatoes, halved, see GH TIP; 25 g salted peanuts, plus extra, optional, to serve

This clever curry uses leftover banana skins and when brined and cooked, they have a similar texture to fine green beans.

By The Good Housekeeping Cookery TeamPublished: 16 May 2023

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As part of our mission to reduce food waste, we found a really clever way to use up banana skins for cooking - our banana skin curry.

We've used ripe (but not overly browned) banana skins and brined them in a turmeric and salt-water solution which gives them a similar texture to fine green beans.

We’ve also used tinned potatoes here as it’s more cost and energy efficient than boiling fresh for such a small quantity, but you could of course cook your own fresh – you’ll need about 175g if you do so.

Serve with fluffy steamed rice and crushed salted peanuts for a lovely crunchy topping.

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Yields:

2 serving(s)

Prep Time:

25 mins

Cook Time:

35 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

Cal/Serv:

700

Ingredients

For the brine

2 large, firm banana skins, about 175g, see intro
2 tsp.
turmeric

For the curry paste

2
garlic cloves
4cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3
green finger chillies, deseeded if you prefer
1
lemongrass stalk, trimmed and roughly chopped
2 tsp.
coriander seeds
finely grated zest 1 lime, plus juice to taste, keep separate
handful coriander, leaves and stalks separated
1
onion, halved

To assemble

1 Tbsp.
coconut oil
400 ml
tin full-fat coconut milk
2 tsp.
caster sugar
300 g
tin cooked new potatoes, drained and halved
75 g
baby plum tomatoes, halved, see GH TIP
25 g
salted peanuts, plus extra, optional, to serve

Directions

1. Step 1For the brine, trim and discard the banana skin bases and stems. Slice the skins into 5mm-wide slices, about 4-5cm long. Put into a bowl and mix in the turmeric and 1/2tsp salt. Just-cover with cold water and chill for at least 30min (up to 4 days).
2. Step 2For the curry paste, in the small bowl of a food processor (see GH TIP) whizz the garlic, ginger, chillies, lemongrass, coriander seeds, lime zest, coriander stalks, 1/2 the onion, 1tbsp water and a large pinch of salt to make a coarse paste. Finely slice the remaining onion.
3. Step 3To assemble, heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan or wok over high heat. Drain the banana skins and pat dry with kitchen paper. Fry the sliced onion and banana skins for 5min, or until the onion is slightly softened. Push mixture to 1 side of the pan.
4. Step 4Reduce heat to low-medium, add the curry paste to the empty side of the pan and cook for 3-4min, stirring occasionally, until aromatic and slightly darker in colour. Add the coconut milk and mix everything to combine. Simmer gently for 15-20min, stirring occasionally, or until the banana skins are tender and the sauce reduced.
5. Step 5Stir in the sugar, potatoes, tomatoes and peanuts and simmer for 5min, to heat through. Stir in the coriander leaves and season to taste with salt and lime juice. Serve with rice, if you like.