A popular dish in the Caribbean features banana fritters flavored with rum, a dish that consists of chunks of bananas dipped in flour, then into a rich batter. They are deep-fried in hot oil until golden and then sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Panchamrutham, confections that are spiced and sweetened with honey, are a favorite in India. Other favorites of India include Sweet Banana Lassi, a sweet cooling beverage made of yoghurt and banana, and a sweet yoghurt cheese made with banana, pistachios and almonds, and spiced with cardamom.

The Banana Split, America's classic dessert, became popular in the 1920s. Its first appearance in Pennsylvania in 1904 consisted of a banana split in half, lengthwise, two or three scoops of ice cream, a generous serving of chocolate sauce and strawberry sauce, and the traditional maraschino cherry on the top.

Brazilians make a dessert with mashed bananas mixed with brown sugar, grated ginger, and cinnamon or cloves. This mixture is slowly cooked over low heat until it thickens. When cool, it is molded into a roll, then sliced and served cold.

The banana flower, also called the banana heart, is stripped of its outer reddish leaves, sliced and added to salads, cooked in coconut milk, cooked into curry dishes, or added to vegetable stews throughout Southeast Asian countries of Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Even the leaves of the banana plant become incorporated into the cuisines of nearly all of the tropical regions that grow bananas. A banana leaf can be as long as twelve feet by two feet in width, so pieces of one leaf can go a long way. Wrapping combinations of vegetables and spices in banana leaves and steaming them is common from Central America to Java. The flavor can be described as smoky, slightly cooling, and delicately fragrant. The banana leaf also provides the ideal barrier between the pot and the wood fire, preventing many a rice dish or vegetable stew from burning. In many rural areas of the Philippines the banana leaf is almost essential where cooking over a wood fire is the only way to cook. Throughout Southeast Asia and parts of India the banana leaf is also used as serving plate, and a number of leaves double as a tablecloth. Sometimes a piece of banana leaf is twisted into a small cone and held together with a sliver to create a container for peanuts or boiled corn. A larger cone becomes that day's container for a farmer's lunch, or it might hold some rice and fish. It even doubles as a container for a take-out meal from the local Chinese restaurant. Banana leaves are also used as thatching for houses and the base for hemp-like rope. In the Philippines banana fibers are used to make paper.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. hot paprika
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
3 Tbs. peanut or canola oil
Four 6-oz. red snapper fillets (you can also use catfish or haddock)
4 Tbs. butter
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Pinch salt
1 large firm-ripe banana, diced
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
2 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro or parsley

Preparation:

Stir together the flour, paprika, thyme and salt on a large plate. Pour milk into a shallow bowl. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot, not smoking. Dip fish in milk, then flour mixture. Cook in hot oil, in batches if necessary, until browned on the bottom. Turn fillets and brown other side, about 4 minutes per side for 1-inch fillets. Remove to a platter and keep warm.

Drain cooking oil and wipe skillet with paper towels. Heat butter over medium heat and add pecans, nutmeg and salt. Cook, stirring, until pecans are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add bananas and cook, stirring, about 1 minute or just until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and cilantro. Place fillets on warm plates, spoon some sauce over each and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings
Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

4 lbs. chicken thighs and legs (attached)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Salt, milled pepper
3 Tbs. oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped
Pinch of sugar
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 Tbs. butter
6 firm-ripe bananas, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Rub it all over with lemon juice and sprinkle well with salt and pepper. In a deep, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat. Brown chicken on all sides until golden brown. Remove from skillet and keep warm. Add the onion, tomatoes and sugar to pan and cook, stirring, until soft. Return chicken pieces to pan, add the wine and broth, and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and cover pan. Simmer until chicken is tender, about 45 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.

In another large skillet, heat butter and saute banana halves on both sides until golden brown. Arrange bananas on top of the chicken in the skillet and sprinkle them with the Parmesan. Turn heat on low, cover and cook just until cheese melts. Use a large spatula to transfer the chicken with banana on top to plates.

Yield: 6 servings
Total preparation time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

2-1/2 lbs. red-skin or Yukon Gold potatoes
3 lbs. greenish-yellow bananas (7 or 8)
2 medium onions, sliced
1/2 cup Spanish capers, drained
1 cup pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
2-1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. milled black pepper

Preparation:

Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Cook in boiling, salted water until firm-tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Peel and slice bananas into 1-inch pieces. Add bananas to the potato pot and boil 1 minute more. Drain. In a large serving bowl, layer the warm bananas and potatoes with sliced onions, capers and olives, which have been cut in half crosswise. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper, then pour dressing over the salad. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Yield: 10 servings
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Chilling: 2 hours