Shikran (Banana Dessert)

Keli chya baaga maama chya.
Pivlya ghaada ni vakaychya.

If you were in an English medium school and Marathi was a second language, you'd remember this poem from your Bal Bharati text book in Std II. It was a poem about the poet's uncle who apparently had some large banana plantations. The poem goes on to describe the how each member of the family tended to the banana plants and it all climaxed in a domestic orgy of Shikran. One may conclude that the uncle's family really, really loved their bananas. Had this poem come in at a slightly later year I am sure one of the pupils would have surely questioned such a banana centric lifestyle. Actually, it was a very sweet poem and whenever I think of Shikran, I cannot help but think of the nicely illustrated yet slightly exaggerated banana plants weighed down by large clusters of ripe yellow bananas. A well prepared bowl of Shikran never fails to transport me back to my mom's kitchen where she'd serve me Shikran and chapattis straight from the skillet brushed with ample amounts of ghee and love.

Ingredients
1 Banana cut into thin round slices
1 cup cooked Whole Milk
2 tsp sugar
4 seeds of Cardamom (Elaichi) crushed
1/4" Vanilla Bean
Pinch of Saffron

Method
In a bowl mix the milk, vanilla bean, cardamom and sugar
Stir till the sugar dissolves
Stir in the bananas
Top with a little saffron if desired
Enjoy with hot chapatis brushed with ample ghee


Visit JFI Banana for more Banana recipes.