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With this healthy banana bread recipe, you're only a few basic ingredients away from the best banana bread ever! It's made with whole wheat flour and honey.
By
Femi Niyi
on
Jul 21, 2025
Servings
2
Difficulty
Medium
Prep
15 mins
Cook
20 mins
Introduction
A dish initially inspired by Ina Garten's Real Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce but that went wild and became an Asian Italian American dumpling dish. The filling uses pork and veal and incorporates traditional Italian ingredients like parsley and parmesan but also incorporates flavors from my grandma's pantry like ginger and rice vinegar. It's a combination that offends multiple grandmas but surprisingly works well together. The pomodoro sauce is untraditional in that it is made in a steamer, where the steam tenderizes the tomatoes alongside its seasonings becoming a sauce in a matter of minutes. Dumplings are then steamed directly on top and topped with chili crisp and basil. You can make your own dumplings, or use store bought frozen ones! –Frankie
What makes this banana bread healthy?
A dish initially inspired by Ina Garten's Real Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce but that went wild and became an Asian Italian American dumpling dish. The filling uses pork and veal and incorporates traditional Italian ingredients like parsley and parmesan but also incorporates flavors from my grandma's pantry like ginger and rice vinegar. It's a combination that offends multiple grandmas but surprisingly works well together. The pomodoro sauce is untraditional in that it is made in a steamer, where the steam tenderizes the tomatoes alongside its seasonings becoming a sauce in a matter of minutes. Dumplings are then steamed directly on top and topped with chili crisp and basil. You can make your own dumplings, or use store bought frozen ones! –Frankie
Want to make someone’s day? Bake them some banana bread! Just yesterday, I said, “I’m going to bake some banana bread,” and watched a full-grown man’s eyes light up like a kid’s on Christmas morning. Banana bread is one of those classic, all-American comfort food recipes that fills the whole house with warmth and makes everything better. Banana bread is magic.
What makes this banana bread healthy?
A dish initially inspired by Ina Garten's Real Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce but that went wild and became an Asian Italian American dumpling dish. The filling uses pork and veal and incorporates traditional Italian ingredients like parsley and parmesan but also incorporates flavors from my grandma's pantry like ginger and rice vinegar. It's a combination that offends multiple grandmas but surprisingly works well together. The pomodoro sauce is untraditional in that it is made in a steamer, where the steam tenderizes the tomatoes alongside its seasonings becoming a sauce in a matter of minutes. Dumplings are then steamed directly on top and topped with chili crisp and basil. You can make your own dumplings, or use store bought frozen ones! –Frankie
Ingredients
For the Stew Base
1 pound (475g) plum tomatoes (about 3 medium tomatoes), cored and roughly chopped
2 medium (7-ounce; 200g) red bell peppers or 2 red shepherd peppers (see note), stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 medium (8-ounce; 225g) red onion, roughly chopped
1/4 of a Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, stemmed and seeded
1 1/2 cups (355ml) Nigerian stock
For Jollof Rice:
1/4 cup (60ml) peanut, vegetable, or other neutral oil, divided
1 medium (8-ounce; 225g) red onion, thinly sliced, divided
3 dried bay leaves
2 teaspoons Caribbean/Jamaican-style curry powder (see note), plus more if needed
2 teaspoons dried thyme
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black or white pepper
2 tablespoons (30g) tomato paste
3 teaspoons (12g) unsalted butter, divided (see note)
1 1/2 cups (355ml) Nigerian stock
2 cups (400g) converted long-grain rice or Golden Sella basmati, rinsed
1 plum tomato (4-ounces; 120g), halved then sliced thinly crosswise into half-moons
Directions
For the Stew Base: In a blender jar, combine tomatoes, red pepper, onion, Scotch bonnet or habanero, and stock. Blend until a smooth puree forms, about 2 minutes. This will yield just shy of 5 cups (1.18L).
Transfer the stew base to a 3-quart saucier or saucepan, cover partially with a lid to contain splatter, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom occasionally, until reduced by half (roughly about 2 1/2 cups; 590ml), about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
For the Jollof Rice: In a 4- or 5-quart pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons (30ml) oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add half the sliced onion along with the bay leaves, curry powder, dried thyme, a large pinch of salt, and a large pinch of black or white pepper. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is fragrant and the onion softens slightly, about 3 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste and 2 teaspoons (8g) butter. Cook, stirring continuously, until the tomato paste darkens, about 3 minutes. Stir in reserved stew base, cover partially with the lid to prevent splattering, and cook at a gentle simmer over medium-low heat until reduced by half, about 15 minutes.
Stir in stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Season with salt and pepper; if the curry flavor is lacking, you can add more to taste (the curry powder should come through pleasantly but not be overpowering, though this is a question of personal taste).
Notes
Red shepherd peppers are sweet, long, thin-skinned Italian peppers, similar to Nigerian tatashe peppers. They have great flavor and bring a deep red color to Jollof rice. If you can't find them, red bell peppers can be used instead.
Lion curry powder is my favorite brand. If you can’t find it, Ducros is an acceptable substitute, as are Jamaican or West Indian curry powders.
3 teaspoons butter is the same as 1 tablespoon, so to evenly divide the butter into 3 teaspoons, first cut off a 1-tablespoon piece using the markings on the wrapper for guidance, then divide into equal thirds.
This recipe works best with converted long-grain rice (also known as parboiled rice), including converted styles of basmati (such as Golden Sella).
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