Bananas and dishes made with them have always been unavoidable items in traditional Kerala cuisine. Payasam (dessert) made with bananas is usually served with the iconic vegetarian sadya. Check out the recipe of payasam ice cream, a modern and innovative take on the traditional dessert.
Ingredients
1 big banana
3 -4 tbsp ghee
¼ cup palm jaggery
150 gms (3/4 cups powdered) jaggery
¼ cup water
1 cup first extract of coconut milk
½ cup cashews (soaked in water)
¼ cup second extract of coconut milk
½ tsp cardamom powder
½ tsp dried ginger powder
Palm full of fried coconut shards
Ghee to fry
Preparation
Steam the banana; remove the skin and seeds
Mash the steamed bananas and set it aside to be used later
Heat ghee in an uruli or a thick bottomed pan
Add the mashed banana and cook well
Add the palm jaggery when the banana is almost done
Meanwhile, melt the jaggery in ¼ cup water
Allow the banana – palm jaggery mixture to cool down
Grind this along with the jaggery syrup and the rest of the ingredients in a mixer jar
Transfer this smooth paste into a dish and keep it in the fridge for at least 6 – 8 hours
Pour the cold ice cream mixture into the ice cream maker
Churn it for at least 20 minutes
Transfer the ice cream into a freezer safe box
Keep it in the freezer for a few hours before serving
Garnish the ice cream scoops with coconut shards fried in ghee
In case you do not have ice cream maker, take out the ice cream mix from the freezer every 1 -2 hours, blend it in mixer jar or using an electric beater
You could also use regular jaggery instead of palm jaggery.