American Bakery Style Banana Nut Bread

American Bakery Style Banana Nut Bread

Fool proof recipe for the tastiest American Bakery Style Banana Nut Bread. Baked in a loaf pan. With step by step pictures.

Banana Nut Bread – There is this little thing that happens every time at my place. My husband usually picks up bananas from the grocery store on his way back from office and he always picks up more bananas than we can eat. There will be no takers in the house after the bananas have become overly ripe. So what do we do with the ripe bananas? I do what I do best with ripe bananas. Banana nut bread or Banana muffins . Last week, he confessed to the crime that he intentionally picks up extra bananas so he can have a good slice of his favorite banana bread often.

Come with me. Let me show you how to do the best American bakery style banana nut bread. This is the only Banana Nut Bread recipe you will ever need. I adapted this recipe very minimally from Chef Joanne Chang’s Flour cookbook. I like her method of beating eggs and sugar until fluffy and then adding it to the batter. It creates a great texture to the finished bread. I add a small tablespoon of cocoa to enhance that dramatic color of the bread. This is one nice spiced up banana bread.

“You can’t teach calculus to a chimpanzee. So just share your banana, share your banana bread, Banana Nut Bread. OK”

Overly ripe bananas are the secret to a good Banana Nut Bread.

Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F.

Peel four medium sized bananas and mash them with a back of a fork. Set aside.

Butter and flour a bread loaf tin. Preferably a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. I also line it with parchment paper so the baked bread releases smoothly in one piece. Its not necessary but I do it. Its just me. I cannot take in tensions. The baked bread stuck on the bottom of the pan is the last thing I wanna see. I am sorry I have issues. Thanks for listening. I am happy I shared it with you.

Measure and add all the dry ingredients to a bowl. I measure the flour alone by weight as its accurate. Lets sift the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, salt, cardamom powder, cinnamon powder and the cocoa powder. Most of the time, baking soda and other leaveners might lump up. Sifting helps in eliminating this. Just use your hands to break the lumps while sifting. Sifting also helps in even mixing of the ingredients. Once sifted, set aside.

In a bowl, add in the eggs and the granulated sugar.

Beat together the eggs and sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy. It will take about 5 minutes.

Slowly drizzle in the oil. Slow is the key. You want to create an emulsion. Dumping all the oil at once will create the egg mixture to break. Drizzle the oil slowly so everything becomes one homogenous mixture. Once the oil has been added, add in the vanilla and the yogurt.

Add the sifted flour mixture and the nuts to the batter. Chop the nuts coarsely. Walnuts or pecans work well.

Fold the mixture until roughly mixed. Add in the mashed bananas to the batter.

Fold the mixture until everything is combined well. No specks of flour should remain visible. Make sure the nuts are evenly distributed. Transfer it to a loaf tin and bake for 60 – 80 minutes until the center springs back when lightly pressed. Do not open the oven door for the first 45 minutes. Moving the pan while baking might cause the middle of the batter to deflate. So no moving or opening the oven door unnecessarily.

Let the Banana Nut Bread cool on a wire rack completely.

Store Banana Nut Bread in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Dry Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups -200 grams all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Other Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 very ripe bananas
• 3/4 cup walnuts or pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F.
2. Peel bananas and mash them with a back of a fork. Set aside. Butter and flour a bread loaf tin. Preferably a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan.
3. Measure and add all the dry ingredients to a bowl. Sift the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, salt, cardamom powder, cinnamon powder and the cocoa powder. Set aside.
4. In a bowl, add in the eggs and the granulated sugar. Beat together the eggs and sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy. It will take about 5 minutes.
5. Slowly drizzle in the oil. Slow is the key. You want to create an emulsion. Dumping all the oil at once will create the egg mixture to break. Drizzle the oil slowly so everything becomes one homogenous mixture. Once the oil has been added, add in the vanilla and the yogurt.
6. Add the sifted flour mixture and the nuts to the batter. Chop the nuts coarsely. Walnuts or pecans work well.
7. Fold the mixture until roughly mixed. Add in the mashed bananas to the batter.
8. Fold the mixture well until everything is combined well. No specks of flour should remain visible. Make sure the nuts are evenly distributed. Transfer it to a loaf tin and bake for 60 – 80 minutes until the center springs back when lightly pressed.
9. Let the bread cool on a wire rack completely.
10. Store it in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 60 mins
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: American

Dry Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups -200 grams all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Other Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 very ripe bananas
• 3/4 cup walnuts or pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F.
2. Peel bananas and mash them with a back of a fork. Set aside. Butter and flour a bread loaf tin. Preferably a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan.
3. Measure and add all the dry ingredients to a bowl. Sift the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, salt, cardamom powder, cinnamon powder and the cocoa powder. Set aside.
4. In a bowl, add in the eggs and the granulated sugar. Beat together the eggs and sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy. It will take about 5 minutes.
5. Slowly drizzle in the oil. Slow is the key. You want to create an emulsion. Dumping all the oil at once will create the egg mixture to break. Drizzle the oil slowly so everything becomes one homogenous mixture. Once the oil has been added, add in the vanilla and the yogurt.
6. Add the sifted flour mixture and the nuts to the batter. Chop the nuts coarsely. Walnuts or pecans work well.
7. Fold the mixture until roughly mixed. Add in the mashed bananas to the batter.
8. Fold the mixture well until everything is combined well. No specks of flour should remain visible. Make sure the nuts are evenly distributed. Transfer it to a loaf tin and bake for 60 – 80 minutes until the center springs back when lightly pressed.
9. Let the bread cool on a wire rack completely.
10. Store it in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 60 mins
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: American

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/american-bakery-style-banana-nut-bread/

Poondu Kuzhambu

South Indian style Tamilnadu Spicy Chettinad Poondu Kuzhambu recipe with step by step pictures.

My husband Vinodh’s grand mother – Sinthayamma paati was 94 when she left us. Paati had a cook called Naacha. Naacha came to paati as a 10 year old. She never married and was 78 years old when paati died. She retired after paati left us. My son was 6 months old then and paati’s health was slowly going downhill. She had this habit of chewing tobacco called as pogailai in Tamil. Vinodh’s father had stopped the supply of tobacco due to her deteriorating health. We visited her when my son was 6 months old and Vinodh’s parents had to travel at that time. So it was me, my son, paati and Naacha in the house for a week. Naacha would hide the tobacco in her saree and sneak it in paati’s hands and make sure that no one was watching. It was a cute little scene. I did not tell about this to anyone as I felt that it was the very few little pleasures of life that was remaining for paati. She could barely walk. She would sit all day long in the portico watching people come and go at the farm. She was very old, ate very less and I thought the tobacco kept her going. I told this to my father in law after paati died and he laughed. He too knew what was going on. Even he chose to remain silent as he felt it was the little pleasures of life. Naacha left us once grand mom died. She still comes to the farm and I get very happy when I see her. She is so caring, an awesome cook and I love her food. This is her Poondu Kuzhambu recipe. Poondu Kuzhambu is my favorite. Everytime I make this Poondu Kuzhambu at home, I remember paati and Naacha and their cute little bonding. Below is a picture, the only picture of Naacha that I have.

Here it is, Naacha’s awesome poondu kuzhambu.

Here is the video of how to make poondu kuzhambu

Heat a pan and add in the Indian style sesame oil. When the oil is hot, add in 3-4 methi-fenugreek seeds. Do not add a lot as the Poondu Kuzhambu curry will turn very bitter. 3-4 seeds are good enough. Add in the cumin and the black pepper too. Let it crackle. The oil will foam a little. That’s fine. Add in 10 cloves of roughly sliced garlic and saute briefly.

Add in one sprig of curry leaves and roughly chopped onions. Saute for 2-3 minutes until the onions turn soft. Add in the tomatoes and fry for a minute.

When the tomatoes are briefly sauteed, add in the kuzhambu milagai thool / kuzhambu masala powder. If you cannot source kuzhambu milagai thool, you can substitute sambar powder. If you want it spicy add in a tablespoon more of kuzhambu milagai thool. Saute to combine. Add in the fresh shredded coconut and remove off heat.

Let the Poondu Kuzhambu masala mixture cool a bit.

Grind the Poondu Kuzhambu masala to a very smooth paste. Add a cup of water while grinding. Set aside.

Soak a big lime size tamarind in 2 cups of hot water for 15 minutes. Crush between your fingers and make a pulp. Strain the liquid and set aside.

Heat oil in a kadai and add in the mustard seeds and urad dal. Let it splutter. Add in two whole pods of peeled garlic. If the garlic cloves are big in size, slice them. Fry for a minute.

Add in a lot of curry leaves. About 3 sprigs. Curry leaves are an important flavor component. So do not skip. Add in the small onions too and saute for 2-3 minutes.

Add in the tamarind pulp/juice, salt, asafoetida, turmeric and coriander powder.

Add in the ground Poondu Kuzhambu masala. Wash the mixie with little water and add. Stir well and let it simmer covered with a lid on a very low flame for 30-40 minutes. Stir once in 10 minutes so it does not scorch at the bottom.

Add in the jaggery. This is the SECRET to a good poondu kuzhambu. It brings all the flavors alive. The spicy, tangy, oh so yumm……. It wont be sweet. It just brings all the flavors alive.

Let it simmer for 5 minutes more. Remove off heat and serve Poondu Kuzhambu with rice or idli. It tastes awesome with idli and dosa. It tastes double awesome the next day.

For the Masala

• 2 tablespoon Indian sesame oil
• 4 methi seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon black pepper corns
• 10 cloves garlic
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 2 very ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoon kuzhambu milagai thool (adjust according to spice level)
• 1/4 cup fresh shredded coconut (use little more for a rich kuzhambu)

Other Ingredients

• 1 lime size tamarind
• 4 tablespoons Indian sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon urad dal
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 whole pods peeled garlic
• 3 sprigs curry leaves
• 10 Indian shallots, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon coriander powder
• 1 tablespoon jaggery

1. Heat a pan and add in the sesame oil. When the oil is hot, add in 3-4 methi-fenugreek seeds. Add in the cumin and the black pepper too. Let it splutter. The oil will foam a little. That’s fine. Add in 10 cloves of garlic and saute briefly.
2. Add in one sprig of curry leaves and roughly chopped onions. Saute for 2-3 minutes until the onions turn soft. Add in the tomatoes and fry for a minute.
3. When the tomatoes are briefly sauteed, add in the kuzhambu milagai thool / kuzhambu masala powder. Add in the fresh shredded coconut and remove off heat.
4. Grind the masala to a very smooth paste. Add a cup of water while grinding. Set aside.
5. Soak a big lime size tamarind in 2 cups of hot water for 15 minutes. Crush between your fingers and make a pulp. Strain the liquid and set aside.
6. Heat oil in a kadai and add in the mustard seeds and urad dal. Let it splutter. Add in two whole pods of peeled garlic. Fry for a minute.
7. Add in a lot of curry leaves. About 3 sprigs. Curry leaves are an important flavor component. So do not skip. Add in the small onions too and saute for 2-3 minutes.
8. Add in the tamarind pulp/juice, salt, asafoetida, turmeric and coriander powder.
9. Add in the ground masala. Stir well and let it simmer covered with a lid on a very low flame for 30-40 minutes. Stir once in 10 minutes so it does not scorch at the bottom.
10. Add in the jaggery. This is the SECRET to a good poondu kuzhambu. It wont be sweet. It just brings all the flavors alive.
11. Let it simmer for 5 minutes more. Remove off heat and serve with rice or idli. It tastes awesome with idli and dosa. It tastes double awesome the next day.

Notes

If you cannot source kuzhambu milagai thool, you can substitute sambar powder.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 60 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: South Indian