Why did she put a banana on my curry?

[VanilIaSugarr]

Just that.

Growing up, homemade curry was a rarity, but whenever my DM made a curry she always chopped a banana on top.

Was this really a thing in the 70 and 80s? I’m making curry tonight and can’t imagine adding a banana.

It’s definitely a thing. DH still does this for the kids to balance the spiciness of the curry

I've seen recipes for bananas in curries in BBC Good Food - not many, but they exist - and they always make me feel sick. Don't think it's an Indian thing though - maybe African or Caribbean?

If we need to balance the spiciness we use yoghurt or coconut milk.

I've had a Brazilian Xinxim curry served with slices of fried plantain before, which is very similar idea and the sweetness works well with the salty spicy curry.

Oh my life you've taken me straight back to my 70s childhood!!!

There is an interesting thread all about this in Chat started by AtleastitsnotMonday just a few days ago on 1st July.

Dh (before he was dh) once made us a curry from a slow cooker recipe book in which banana was one of the main ingredients. The cooked banana was pink, and the curry tasted horrible, sorry to say!

I order a curry from the takeaway that normally has pineapple in it. Once it came with banana in so I picked all the banana out and ever since have specified "no banana" in the notes section when we order! Banana has no place in curry

Like cooked it in or sliced it, plain, on top?

If left to his own devices, my dad puts bananas, apple and raisins in curry. Culinary crime in my view!

There are curries which have banana in. In the 70s and 80s lots of Indian restaurants used to offer a coconutty curry variation often called a ‘Malayan’ which would have banana , coconut and cream. Sometimes a pineapple or two . Not sure whether this was a real dish or some weird thing requested by Brits

Raw banana chopped up and used as a garnish tastes amazing on a curry - my Mum always did it. I call her recipe "1970s racist curry" because I suspect it stems from a muddled conflation of Indian and Caribbean cuisines. I do like it though.

Yes! The apple and raisins were also included. I think fruity curry is from the Kashmir region. I might put some chopped apples in either the cauliflower curry and see if anyone notices.

I gagged reading that. As kids my dad would put apple and raisins into curry which was bad enough but banana in a curry sounds revolting.

Fruit has no business in cooked foods and that includes pineapple on a pizza!

Covert - so true

I think you are probably right in saying it is a 70’s type thing.

As a teenager in the 70’s I used to LOVE Vesta Curries and they always had dried fruit in them.

Now, whenever I have curry they always have to have both sultanas and banana in them. 😍😛😋

We had an annabel Kramer curry from when the kids were little. Still a firm fav 20 years ago. Apple and banana in.

my mum used to have dishes of raisins, desiccated coconut and sliced banana to go with her 1970s curry. I wasn't keen.

MIL grew up in Ghana and South Africa and has an amazing African curry recipe that is topped with lots of varieties of fresh and dried fruit and nuts.

My mum did this on my chilli con carne!

Now, that is just wrong ^overtherainbow*!

I put raisins in the mild chicken curry I make for small children!

Same as above posters. My mum made curry with pots of sliced banana, raisins, desiccated coconut and peanuts to be added on top. The banana did taste a little odd in fairness.

My mum did that! Sliced banana on a pickle tray along with mango chutney etc. Must ask her why...

I know a couple of indian restaurants that serve a curry with banana in it. Our local one does and I almost always have that and ask for extra banana! I am vegetarian so it's veg with banana

Bananas are one of my favourite foods especially cooked banana. DH makes a gorgeous egg and banana curry - two of my favourite foods.