Traveller’s banana pancakes

The Banana Pancake Trail is a loosely defined route which takes in all the most popular of backpacking destinations, from India, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia down to Bali, and where you are guaranteed to find this cheapest and most comforting of foods. Travellers often mistakenly think it is a local dish but in fact the tradition of cooking banana pancakes spread organically as western backpackers started to explore Asia, and yearned for sweet, sticky filling food. The recipe differs from guesthouse to guesthouse, and country to country, but the best ones always are drenched in some form of syrup, crisp and hot and golden and leave you needing a sleep.

 

Serves 2

1 cup of flour

1 pinch salt

1 egg

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup of milk

3 small bananas, sliced or mashed

Oil

 

Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder, then make a well in the centre. Beat the egg and milk together, then slowly pour into the well, stirring all the while. Stir in the banana and leave to stand for ten minutes. Heat the oil in a small pan, and ladle in enough mixture to coat the bottom. When the top begins to dry out and bubbles form, carefully turn it over and cook the other side until golden.  Serve hot with maple or golden syrup, palm sugar or honey.