I am currently testing recipes for my friend Christy Morgan and her upcoming cookbook, Blissful Bites: Plant-based Meals That Nourish Mind, Body, and Planet. It is a vegan cookbook featuring recipes from Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, Burma, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
I was honored and excited when she asked me to be a tester, and have been having a delicious time the past few weeks. Using ingredients I have never worked with, we are tasting new and wonderfully complex flavors.
blissful banana fritters
This was my first time making anything fried, and I was nervous. Turns out it was easy, and this recipe will definitely be making repeat appearances at our house.
What is your favorite Asian dish?
Do you shop at Asian markets and use exotic ingredients?
Heather @ kissmybroccoli says
Mmm, I love asian cuisine! I'm a total sucker for fried rice. I've tried a few "healthified" recipes in the past but they are always disappointing...I guess sometimes you just have to go with the "gud" stuff! I LOVE going to this huge Asian market in Nashville that has just about everything you can think of...and a few things you can't! Haha! I can get kabocha squash there year round for uber cheap! And that def makes me a happy girl! 🙂
Funny, my dad was just telling me how great banana fritters are the other day, but I've never tried them!
spabettie says
ha - yeah, I love Asian markets - I could spend HOURS there. This was my first banana fritter - SO VERY good... the bananas get really sweet.
[email protected] says
You know I am ALL OVER the Asian market! 🙂
S @ extremebalance.net/blog says
How MAGICAL to get to test! Oh bliss, indeed! What fun---to be like Christopher Columbus, contacting a new recipe with unexpected greatness... (let's ignore the bad side of that story and focus on FRITTERS!)
...I don't really know what a fritter is. Is it doughnut-like?
spabettie says
I am loving it - so fun, and a great experience when the recipes are delicious! I suppose a fritter is kinda like a doughnut? a bit denser, but that's because it full of delectable banana goodness...
Liz (Little Bitty Bakes) says
I am a firm believer that a quick dip in oil will never hurt a food. 😉
spabettie says
I will follow wherever you lead, my friend!!
Amanda says
Banana fritters sound so delicious! I bet they'd be great dipped in chocolate or peanut butter. Yum.
spabettie says
yep - we dipped them in peanut butter.
then we tried Nutella. 😉
Katherine: Unemployed says
the sesame adds another dimension! great topping
spabettie says
I love sesame and their flavor!
Dorry says
These look delicious! Anything with banana, and I'm pretty much sold. Billy made something similar to this when we were dating for dessert with ice cream. Yum!
spabettie says
they were delicious, and VERY easy! they will definitely make repeat appearances here. bananas with ice cream, like bananas foster, reminds me of ski team. we would frequently make or go out for that after races. 🙂
Leanne @ Healthful Pursuit says
My goodness, these look amazing! You weren't kidding. Great job 🙂
I don't have a favorite Asian dish (I don't get out much I guess). But I do love a good miso, does that count?
spabettie says
miso definitely counts - I love miso too - great flavor.
camille says
I love asian food! I think pho might be my favorite, but really, I love a lot of different things. 🙂 I also love to try new recipes and ingredients, and any day I can go to Uwajimaya is a good day. Have you been there? It's in Beaverton, it's a huge asian super market. Very fun. 🙂
spabettie says
I LOVE Uwajimaya!! (and, by the way, I *JUST* realized you live in the Portland area!) 😀 Having a dad from Hawaii, I especially like the Hawaiian Festival they have each year. and because of this recipe testing I have been doing, I've made several trips to Uwajimaya lately! when I worked at the clinic (off Hawthorne) I would eat pho several times a week for lunch... I really need to attempt it myself, I really miss it!
Jessica @ Dairy Free Betty says
I think the better thing to ask is... is there any asian dishes you DON't like.. haha.. I heart Asian food!!
Those look awesome! Can you package some up when you send my package! hehe 🙂
spabettie says
haa! nope, they're LONG gone!! if I knew they'd travel well I would!