Banana Peel Tapa

NIKKI SANTIAGO | UNITED KINGDOM

One of the most common kitchen waste products is the banana peel. But did you know, banana peels are in fact edible? Banana peels contain high amounts of vitamins and nutrients. They are great sources of fiber and have protein too. It is important to wash your bananas very carefully to avoid bruising the fruit and ensuring any pesticides are stripped away from the peels before consumption.

Tapa is a staple in Filipino kitchens. Tapa is essentially a thinly sliced, cured meat usually made with beef. Typical recipes for Tapa are peppery and sour from vinegar, but there are also some regions that make their Tapa with a sweeter note. In my childhood, I enjoyed this with garlic fried rice and a sunny side up egg that doubled as a sauce for my Tapa. This meal is a modern take on the traditional tapa and can be served at any time of day.

SAVED FOOD Banana Peels

INGREDIENTS SERVINGS 4-5

METHOD PREP 30 minutes

COOK 60 minutes

Peels of 5 Firm Bananas – cut into 2 inch pieces 1 Garlic Head, crushed or finely minced

1/3 cup Dark Soy Sauce ¼ cup Coconut or Apple Cider Vinegar 2 tbsp Distilled White Vinegar ½ tsp Kosher Salt ½ tsp Granulated Garlic ½ tsp Cracked Black Pepper 1 tbsp Canola Oil, for frying

Vinegar Dip:

1 Garlic Clove, crushed Juice of ½ a Lemon

2 Small Thai Bird Chili, finely minced (seeds and all) ½ Shallot, finely minced ½ tsp, Brown Sugar Salt and Pepper, to taste 2 tbsps Distilled White Vinegar

Vinegar Dip:

1. In a small bowl, gather the garlic, shallot, and chilis. Sprinkle in the sugar, salt, and pepper, then stir.

2. Pour in the lemon juice and slightly muddle everything together.

3. Top with vinegar, mix, then set aside.

Tapa:

4. In a mixing bowl, combine the garlic, soy sauce, vinegars, salt, granulated garlic, and black pepper. Stir until the salt is dissolved.

5. Add the banana peels and massage gently to fully coat with marinade. Set aside in room temperature for at least 20 minutes or as long as overnight in the refrigerator to cure.

6. Drain the marinade from the peels, but save the liquid. Place the peels on a cookie sheet lined with a cooling rack, uncovered in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to slightly dry the peels.

7. In a wide pan over medium heat, warm the frying oil.

8. Add the banana peels in a single layer and cook, turning them every so often for about 3 to 5 minutes.

9. Remove the peels from the pan once they are caramelized.

Place onto a plate.

10. Reduce the marinade in the same pan that was used to fry the peels, gently scraping off the caramelized bits that became stuck to the bottom.

11. Once syrupy, add the banana peels into the pan sauce and stir gently.

12. Remove from heat. Serve while hot with a side of steamed rice or stir-fried noodles and the vinegar dip.