Goreng Pisang with Kicap Cili

I wonder how people would react to eating banana fritters with a soy and chilli dipping sauce?

Banana fritters, or "goreng pisang", as commonly known in Malaysia, are a favourite teatime snack usually sold by "makciks" (aunties in Malay) at mobile roadside stalls. It is indeed one of my favourite "sights" when I go back home, and is easily recognisable by the gigantic bunches of bananas lying on the ground beside the stall, a super large wok filled almost to the brim with oil, bubbling with golden banana fritters. And then there's the huge tray of banana fritters on the side table sitting on a thick bed of crisp golden bits of fried batter (like Tenkasu - from Tempura). Not to mention the hungry patrons crowding around the stall, waiting patiently under the hot sun for their afternoon snack. The good thing about it is that they are really cheap - like RM1.00 for 10 pieces! And utterly delicious, of course!

When I was little, I used to dip the banana fritters in sugar. The first time I encountered this method of eating the bananas with soy and chilli sauce was when my cousins used to cycle to the goreng pisang stall and buy back some for teatime. I never understood how bananas could go with soy, let alone chilli, so I stuck with just enjoying mine with sugar. It was only years and years later that I realised what I was missing out on. Goreng pisang with kicap cili (soy chilli) was the best thing ever! Sweet bananas with the salty, spicy sauce with a hint of garlic - yum! I bet anyone who tries it will love it! It's a strange combination (or so I thought), but it works perfectly!

To make the sauce, finely chop a few cloves of garlic and some bird's eye chillies. Mix this into some light soy sauce with a pinch of sugar to taste. Let it steep for a while before serving. You can add some kecap manis if you prefer it to be thicker and sweeter. Then, just dip your banana fritters in and enjoy!