Bananas are one of the healthiest, easily available fruits in India that have a host of health benefits. The plant is used in Indian diets for its fruit, flower and trunk to prepare a wide number of recipes, while the leaves are used to serve food. They are a good source of carbohydrates, potassium, essentials vitamins and minerals and have a high percentage of water content. There are many ways in which bananas can be added to our diets. Below, we share five such options.

1. With bread

Yellow bananas are usually consumed during breakfast. They are either consumed directly after peeling or sliced up into pieces. These slices can be put in between two bread slices and consumed or they can be toasted or grilled. One may add some fruit jams or butter to help the banana slices stick to the bread surfaces.

2. With cereals

Bananas are also eaten with cereals like cornflakes oats. The cereals can be soaked in a bowl filled with milk from dairy or other sources like almonds and soy. The flesh of the yellow bananas, preferably the native varieties, should be simply sliced up and added to the soaked cereals in the bowl. One may also add some organic honey or jaggery to further sweeten the dish.

3. As fritters

Green bananas rather than yellow ones are used to cook fritters and consumed with rice, lentil soups and curries. The slices can be simply fried after marinating in salt and turmeric. They can also be fried by dipping in a batter of cornflour and salt.

4. To cook kofta

Green bananas are peeled after boiling them for about 20 minutes. They are then mashed and mixed with maida flour, ginger paste, salt and a bit of sugar. Balls are rolled from this mixture and deep-fried till golden brown. The fried balls are then used to prepare a curry called kofta, with sliced potatoes and various spices.

5. To cook shukto

This Bengali recipe is cooked with green banana slices, potatoes, brinjal, drumsticks and bitter gourd. These are then cooked with ginger, five spices, turmeric, salt and sugar.