Recipe: Chinese Toffee Bananas (deep fried in batter, dipped in sugar glaze)

CHINESE TOFFEE BANANAS

4 firm ripe bananas
FOR THE BATTER:
1 egg
3/4 cup cold water (185 ml or 6 fl oz)
1 cup all-purpose flour (125 g or 4 oz)
peanut oil (for deep frying)
FOR THE SUGAR GLAZE:
1 1/2 cups sugar (375 g or 12 oz)
1/2 cup cold water (125 ml or 4 oz)
2 teaspoons black sesame seeds

TO PREPARE THE BATTER:
Beat egg, add water and beat again, then add flour all at once and beat until smooth. Let batter stand while making glaze.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE:
Heat sugar and water in a small heavy pan, without stirring, until golden. Add the sesame seeds, remove from heat; set aside.

TO FRY THE BANANAS:
Start heating oil for deep frying, as the success of this sweet depends on having the glaze ready and the oil hot enough at the same time!

Have ready a bowl containing cold water and ice cubes. Lightly oil a serving platter. Set aside.

Slice bananas thickly, dip into batter to coat, then take one piece at a time and drop into the oil. Do not crowd the pan or they will stick together. If the temperature of the oil drops too much the batter will be heavy and absorb too much oil.

TO (IMMEDIATELY) GLAZE THE FRIED BANANAS:
As soon as each piece of banana in batter is golden, lift out with a slotted spoon and put immediately into the saucepan with the glaze, turning to coat all over. Lift out and drop into the bowl containing cold water and ice cubes. The glaze will harden and become brittle almost at once. Lift out quickly onto a platter which has been lightly oiled to prevent sticking.

Serve as soon as possible, while sugar is brittle and batter crisp.

Source: Charmaine Solomon's Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon and Nina Solomon