Top Banana you hear.  Ketchup?? you say.  YES we confirm.

It’s true.  The Rubies team has gone and brought back the banana to their stunning line-up.  And it’s going by the name of Top Banana, Ketchup.

If I’m 100% honest, I was 100% skeptical.  And 100% certain I needed to try it right away.  Fortunately for me, I did, and with no less than a platter of freshly baked sweet potato fries.

And it 100% works.

There are 2 bananas in each bottle, and yet there’s just enough spice and heat from ginger and chillies to balance sweet and savoury.  Making it honestly, one of the most interesting condiments I’ve come across in a long time. 

Initially, all I could think of was sweet potato fries.  But when you think about it, people have been cooking with bananas since the beginning of time [maybe].  In curries, fried to accompany meats, and apparently already as a regular ketchup substitute in the Phillipines [fun fact courtesy of Rubies, who knew]…

As you know, my recipes generally get inspired by a. a fridge and pantry raid, b. from ingredients that would otherwise go to waste, or thought of as such, and c. recent culinary experiences, which, in this case, includes my mum’s New Year’s Eve Lamb & Apricot Stew.  So get excited, because this is how it ticks ALL of the #ThinkBeforeYouToss boxes: Top Banana – new fridge staple AND saving ‘ugly’ surplus bananas from landfill it will put smiles on all the faces, Chickpeas and Lentils – pantry staples, Leftover Chickpea Water – save it, bake it, Squash Skin – LEAVE IT ON for extra fibre and texture, Squash Seeds – save these for later [to try this, perhaps].

LIVING THAT NO WASTE – kitchen - LIFE.  Or trying to.  That is, after all, all we can do. 

[I’m also quite eagerly anticipating that moment my –empty -Top Banana Bottle becomes a vase.  But I digress].

So get ready to top, dip, spoon, marinate, drizzle every next meal with copious lashings of food-waste-fighting Top Banana Ketchup. 

But first, this tagine.  The tagine to warm your cockles on these freak winter days.

[Yes, I did go a little Jamie Oliver-come-Jackson Pollock on the plating.  And what].

Squash, Chickpea +  Prune Tagine
nibs etc. original recipe. Serves 6.
Prep Time: 10 mins. Cook Time: 50 mins.

Click here for full recipe.

To Serve:
*Flat Breads
Adapted from Tom Hunt's recipe. Makes 6.
Prep Time: 10 mins. Wait Time: 1h30. Cook Time: 3 mins per flatbread.

Ingredient:
125g Plain Flour
2g Dry Yeast
4g Salt
85ml Water

Method:
In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.  Add ¾ of the water into a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, and start to incorporate with your hands [or fork, if you’re feeling delicate, we won’t judge].  Slowly add as much water as you need until the dough just combines, and comes away from the sides of the bowl cleanly.
Turn out onto a clean working surface and knead for 8 minutes.  Leave to rest in your bowl, covered with a cloth, for 1h30.
When ready to use, divide into 6 portions, roll each into balls.  Dust a surface and rolling pin with flour, before rolling out as thinly as possible into a slightly oval shape that just fits into a small 23cm (18cm base) diameter pan.
Heat said pan over medium high heat, and when hot, add your first flatbread.  Dry fry for about 3 minutes – until puffing up all over – and flip to dry fry for another 1-2 minutes on the other side.  Remove and serve immediately, or wrap in a tea towel to keep warm until ready to serve.
[Tip, dough can be kept in fridge overnight for use the following day].

DISCLAIMER: yes Rubies in the Rubble asked me to recipe test with their new product - yes they gave it to me, yes I loved it, yes I wanted to create a recipe(s) with it, yes IT FIGHTS FOOD WASTE.