Banana Bread in Myanmar Way!

From the weekly grocery items, Banana, a potassium-rich food, is the one we can't omit to ensure it does not run out at home. The regular daily routine for my husband's lunch bag is one banana with his lunch box on the weekdays. But sometimes he brings it back if he is not hungry. When that old spotted banana which is no longer good to eat as fresh, some American families make them into banana bread.

For me, I like Burmese way of making banana bread since we grew up with this type of sweet baked food. In my memory, my mom's spiritual belief is to make an offering of unripe banana and coconut bowl for the prayer. As my mom is a very traditional and culturally conscious Burmese lady, she always prepares this offering every month, to be kept in our prayer room. When bananas ripen, she made them into various Burmese sweet desserts.

This Banana dessert is sweetened with sugar and coconut milk. But it is easy and worth making at home.
Ripe bananas can be used in other kinds of Burmese sweet desserts in which can be eaten as snacks.
Just want to mention a few are steamed bananas wrapped in bananas leaves, Banana fritters and steamed banana leaf wrapped sticky rice with banana filling.

Banana Bread in Myanmar Way

Ingredients

5 cups  Mashed banana ( Ripen with black spots & soft)
3 cups  Sugar
1 cup    All purpose flour
1 tsp     Salt
1 can    Coconut milk ( 8 oz.)
1 cup    Grated coconut
2 tbsp   Melted butter
1/4 tsp  red color ( food color) (powder or liquid)
2 tbsp   toasted poppy seeds

Instructions

1. Mash the banana in the food processor or chopper ( we may use the strainer and press it down with hand to get mashed banana).

2. Into the mixing bowl, pour all the ingredients together and mix it well.

3. Preheat the oven with the temperature of 375 degrees F.

4. Brush the melted butter to the surfaces of the tray.

5. Pour the banana bread mix into the tray and bake for 45 minutes.

6. After 45 minutes, the top layer surface is getting firm. Take the tray out of the oven and brush with melted butter.

7. Sprinkle the poppy seeds on top of the bread and bake again for 30 minutes.

8. It is ready when the top layer is golden brown.

9. Cool down to room temperature and chill in the fridge.

10. We may cut preferred shape or bite sizes when serving. It is better to serve with cooled from the fridge. Suitable with green tea.