F.b.i. (fried Banana & Ice Cream) Recipe

Prepare bananas

Peel the bananas and slice each banana lengthwise into halves. For larger pieces, cut each half in half again crosswise so you have 6–8 finger-sized banana pieces total. Pat each piece lightly with paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Make sealing paste

In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with cold water until smooth to form a thin paste. This will act as glue for the wrappers.

Wrap bananas

Lay a spring roll wrapper on a clean surface with one corner pointing toward you (diamond shape). Place a banana piece near the corner closest to you. Fold the corner over the banana, then fold in the two side corners snugly, and roll up toward the opposite corner. Brush the final corner lightly with the cornstarch paste and press to seal. Repeat until all banana pieces are wrapped. If wrappers are large, you can place two smaller banana pieces together in one wrapper. Keep wrapped parcels covered with a damp cloth while you finish to prevent drying.

Heat oil

Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed skillet or deep saucepan to a depth of about 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5–4 cm). Heat over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small piece of wrapper into the oil — it should sizzle and rise to the surface quickly without browning immediately.

Fry parcels

Fry the wrapped bananas in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for about 1.5–2.5 minutes per side or until the wrapper is golden brown and crisp. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to turn parcels so all sides brown evenly.

Drain

Remove fried parcels and drain on a wire rack or paper towels for 1–2 minutes to remove excess oil. Keep warm in a low oven (about 200°F / 95°C) if making multiple batches.

Warm the honey slightly in a small microwave-safe bowl or in a small saucepan over low heat until runny and easy to drizzle (about 10–20 seconds in microwave or 30–60 seconds on stovetop). Do not boil.

Place the toasted sesame seeds in a small dish. If seeds are not toasted, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning.

When ready to serve, drizzle warm honey over the fried banana parcels and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top. Dust lightly with powdered sugar if using.

Spoon 1 scoop of coconut ice cream onto each dessert plate or shallow bowl.

Arrange 2 fried banana parcels beside the ice cream (or 1 large parcel and 1 scoop, depending on portion size). Drizzle the honey and sesame seed mixture over the parcels (and a little over the ice cream if desired).

Garnish with a mint leaf and serve immediately while the parcels are hot and the ice cream is cold to provide a contrast in temperature and texture.