Banana Bread

Back when I had just started living alone, meals were the least of my concerns. Most of the times it was instant noodles. Or dal and rice if we felt like 'cooking'. My roommate and I survived on this for months on end. At that time I thought that if I wanted a good meal it would have to be cooked by my mom, it didn't even occur to me that I could make it myself! It took me a couple of years to realize that it didn’t really have to be like this, I didn’t really have to eat all this unhealthy ‘instant food’ crap. So then it was down to recipes of sabzis (vegetables) taken down over the phone and the little mess I would then make of them in my kitchen.


It’s been many years since and I can now say that I would be able to make most of the food that I like. Except. Baking. I don’t know why but it scared me to death. I had heard, as I’m sure everybody has, many horror stories about it. All the exact measurements and precise timings intimidated me. But I also love cakes, and couldn’t live with the fact that I could not make at least a simple one. So one fine day, I decided to sum up my courage and give it a shot. I thought I would do it when I was alone at home. That way if it turned out really bad no one would know. So there I was, alone with my oven, with the simplest recipe I could find- Banana bread.

Fortunately for me, it turned out just fine. And I was on a roll! Since then, I’ve almost given up cooking regular food. I’m lucky to have a full time cook now so whenever I find the time, it’s almost always some baking for me. Maybe it had something to do with the banana bread I chose to make- something so simple and homely- something about the aroma, the comforting feeling it gives you when you take your first bite…

So once again, many cakes and cookies later, I visited my good friend today. . This time armed with much confidence than the last. And needless to say, it was as good as the last time, maybe even better. And it reminded me why it would always be one of my favorites…

Recipe
  taken from Simply Recipes

Ingredients


3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed

1/3 cup melted butter

1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
 
Method


No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.