Soap Opera !

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Honey Banana Pie

Banana had been the main fruit that was consumed regularly during my childhood. Plantain trees were often grown in the backyard; and the plantains, flower and stem were used for cooking. Banana has been the home remedy for constipation! My grandmother used to advocate bananas for gaining weight! As raw fruits are not often preferred these days, making a dessert with fruits is a desirable alternative. I find this honey-banana pie an easy-to-bake and tasty recipe. Let’s see how to prepare this dessert.

Ingredients:

For the filling:

Banana – medium sized, 2 no

Honey – 2 tablespoons (adjust to taste)

For the crust:

All purpose flour or maida – ½ teacup or 100ml measure

Baking powder – ¼ teaspoon

Salted butter – 25 grams

Method: Peel and cut the bananas into thin slices. Keep aside.

Sieve baking powder and flour 2-3 times. Mix butter and flour in a bowl with your fingers to form a smooth mass. Sprinkle cold water as required to make the dough into rolling consistency. Divide into 2 parts and shape into balls. Roll each ball on a board using rolling pin into a circle of 6” diameter dusting with flour as needed. Place one piece at the bottom of a circular tray or pie dish of 6”diameter, and prick with a fork in several places (Fig.1). 

Fig: Roll the dough ball into a circle and prick with a fork

Bake the tray with bottom piece in a preheated microwave oven using convection mode at 200^oC for 4 minutes (Fig.2). 

Fig.2: Bake the bottom layer in a preheated oven

Remove from the oven. Place the banana slices side-by-side on the bottom piece covering the entire surface. Spread 1 tablespoon of honey over the banana slices taking care to cover all slices. Now place another layer of banana slices over the first layer and spread remaining honey over the second banana layer (Fig.3).

Fig.3: Arrange the banana slices on the bottom layer and top with honey

Now place the second piece of dough layer on top to cover the filling and seal the edges. Prick with a fork and brush with milk (Fig.4).

Fig.4: Cover the filling with second dough layer and seal the edges

Bake in the microwave oven using convection mode at 200^oC for 12 minutes or till the crust turns golden brown in color (Fig.5). Remove from the oven and allow it to cool. 

Fig.5: Bake till the crust turns golden brown

Yummy tasty honey banana pie is ready! Cut into quarters and serve as a dessert (Fig.6).

Fig.6: Cut the pie into quarters and serve!

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Folk Festival

Kolattam (கோலாட்டம்) is a folk dance form performed with a pair of colourful sticks. This art form is usually performed by girls and women for a fortnight following Diwali festival, which culminates in a grand finale called ‘kolatta Jothrai’ (கோலாட்ட ஜோத்ரை). During this festival a bull doll called ‘Pasava’ (பசவா) is made out of clay and carried from the river bank to a designated location by a boy especially selected from the community for this purpose. In a festival dominated by girls and women, this one boy gets  prominence for carrying ‘Pasava’ and he is called ‘Pasavan’ (பசவன்). The girls pray to God for timely monsoon, good harvest and prosperity.

Every morning, after having their bath in the river, the girls visit the place where ‘Pasava’ is kept. After offering food to the ‘Pasava’, they eat their breakfast. In the evenings, they visit each house and perform ‘kolattam’ for the benefit of the household members, who in turn offer money and gifts to them. With the money thus collected, the girls buy oil, turmeric, vermilion, flowers and bangles, which get distributed equally among the girls.

Practise work - Girl performing kolaatam - Acrylic on canvas

On the final day called ‘kolatta Jothrai’, girls have bath in the river, wear new cloths and perform pooja to ‘Pasava’, which is then carried by ‘Pasavan’ in a procession and immersed in the river. In the evening, women and girls perform to traditional songs, moving in rhythmic steps to form various patterns such as snake, lotus etc. It is a treat to watch the synchrony of movements observed by all performers, from little girls to grandmothers. A complex form of kolattam is performed with ropes extending from the sticks tied to a central pole and the performers make exquisite patterns with the ropes by moving rhythmically in mathematical precision. Kolattam performance continues till midnight and all the children enjoy the festival with gay abandon.

Girls and women performing kolattam - Oil on Canvas - 20" x 30"

In this painting, I have tried to bring out the mood of colourful ‘kolatta jothrai’. Girls and women are dressed in bright silk outfits and decked with elegant jewellery. Hair is often decorated with flowers such as jasmine (மல்லிகை), rose (ரோஜா), bachelor’s button (வாடாமல்லி), Arabian jasmine (முல்லை), fire cracker flower (கனகாம்பரம்) and screw pine (தாழம்பூ), to name a few. Girls usually plait their hair and have it decorated with flowers in intricate designs! This work executed using oil paint on canvas is developed from my childhood memory. I have tried to show the colourful clothes, exquisite jewellery and elaborate hair decoration.     

This festival teaches the children about the seasons/climate, effect of monsoon on the harvest, and importance of livestock through traditional songs sung while performing kolattam. In addition, the children learn to share, work as a team and manage public fund. After all, our ancestors have designed traditions and festivals with great insights!

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