Vietnamese fried banana

Instructions

1. Peel the bananas, then flatten into a thinner, more even shape using the flat side of a knife or a second chopping board.
2. To make the batter for the bananas, in a large bowl combine the bot chiên chuối, water, a pinch of salt, sugar and coconut milk. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.
3. To make the dipping sauce, combine the ingredients (except the toasted sesame seeds) in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce by half, until thickened. Taste and add more salt and sugar, if you like! Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. When ready to fry, heat enough oil to deep-fry in a large saucepan or wok. Test the heat of the oil by adding a little batter to the oil – it should sizzle and rise to the top. Dip the flattened bananas into the prepared batter, then deep-fry in batches until golden-brown. Remove to a wire rack to drain.
5. Transfer the Vietnamese fried bananas to a large serving plate. Pour the coconut dipping sauce into small bowls and sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately.