Caramelised Banana Porridge from Benin

This fresh, citrusy spin on classic caramelised banana porridge works surprisingly well. Inspired by a Beninese recipe, bananas are caramelised in orange juice, lemon juice, brown sugar and cinnamon, then served on top of creamy porridge.

Orange Caramelised Banana Porridge | Beninese Recipes

Another day, another African cuisine to tackle in the kitchen. Given that there are 54 countries that make up the continent, we are going to become very familiar with the cuisine of Africa by the end of our around-the-world cooking challenge. We have already noticed the reoccurring presence of certain ingredients, such as bananas and peanuts, in the African cuisines we have cooked from. We have also noticed many similar dishes between the nations. It is certainly going to be a mission finding a unique vegetarian dish to make from all 54 African countries, but we are more than up for the challenge!

History of Beninese Cuisine

Benin is a West-African nation on the northern coast of Gulf of Guinea. The country was briefly colonised by the French in the late 1800s. As such, Beninese cuisine has been influenced by the French. You can see this through many of the traditional recipes that have a unique French flair to them.

Beninese cuisine is known to be quite flavourful, utilising many fresh ingredients as well as a variety of sauces. Corn and couscous are staples in the Beninese diet, as are rice, beans, yams and tomatoes. Benin has a lot of local produce, particularly fruit. Oranges, bananas, kiwifuit, pineapple and avocados are all very common.

In terms of meat, fish, chicken, beef, pork, goat and even bush rat are consumed throughout the country. However, due to the expensive cost of meat, dishes tend to be light on meat and heavy on vegetable fat such as palm oil. Like many places in Africa, most dishes are served with either tomato or peanut based sauces.  Interestingly, cheese also features in some Beninese dishes, which is fairly unique for an African nation. Wagassi is a cow’s milk cheese from northern Benin that is particularly popular.

Although meals in Benin may be light in meat, most traditional dishes still feature meat or fish in one form or another. Therefore, strictly vegetarian dishes are a little harder to come by.

Popular Beninese Recipes

  • Kuli-kuli- The national dish of Benin, this simple dish consists of ground peanuts that are shaped, deep-fried and seasoned with spices. They are particularly important for providing nutrition to the poor, but are also a popular snack throughout the country.
  • Massa–  Benin’s version of a pancake, made with millet and rice flour. Massa can be served sweet or savoury.
  • Atassi– a common dish made from a mixture of rice and black-eyed beans, often seasoned with fried tomatoes and hot chilis.
  • Toubani– Another type of savoury pancake made from bean flour or cassava flour. It is consumed when warm and is often accompanied by dried peppers and oil.
  • Yovo doko– a typical street food in Benin, these sweet fritters are made of flour, water, yeast, and sugar and are deep fried to be golden on the outside and soft on the inside. The dough is deep-fried until a golden crust develops on the exterior, while the inside remains soft and tender.
  • Wagassi– a cow’s milk cheese from northern Benin, characterised by its mild flavour and a red rind.
Orange Caramelised Banana Porridge | Beninese Recipes

Making orange caramelised banana porridge

During our research of Beninese cuisine, recipes for bananas in orange sauce kept popping up.  Given that none of the savoury vegetarian options for Benin were looking particularly promising, we decided we’d give this sweet treat a go. Besides from storage in a fruit bowl, oranges and bananas are not two fruits that we would think to put together.  We were curious to see how this sweet and citrusy flavour combination would go.

We are big fans of caramelised bananas, and have them quite frequently as part of our various breakfast creations. However, we normally caramelise our bananas by sprinkling them with coconut sugar and frying them in coconut oil. It was quite fun to try out a new technique for making caramelised bananas. In this recipe, you make a sweet orange syrup using orange juice, lemon juice and some brown sugar. Once the syrup has reduced down, you add the bananas to the pan and let them soften.

The result is really interesting. The sweetness of the banana still shines through, but with a light, fresh, citrusy taste to it. These caramelized bananas in orange sauce are pretty versatile in what you can use them for. As they do have a unique flavour profile, we’d recommend keeping whatever you pair them with pretty simple. For instance, if you have them with porridge, don’t go too crazy with adding other strong flavours. If you serve them with ice-cream, make sure it is vanilla flavour.

How to make caramelised banana porridge

These caramelised bananas in orange sauce are extremely easy to make and take about 20 minutes all up, with most of that being cooking time. If you make the porridge to go alongside, you can cook this at the same time as the bananas.

  1. Combine ingredients for orange syrup in frying pan and heat for 12 minutes or until reduced
  2. If you are making porridge, put all ingredients in saucepan and cook at same time
  3. Add bananas to orange syrup and cook for a few minutes each side
  4. Serve bananas immediately with syrup (either on porridge or on their own)
Orange Caramelised Banana Porridge | Beninese Recipes

Ingredient notes for caramelised banana porridge

  • Bananas- For this recipe, we’d recommend you use ripe baby bananas. They are an ideal portion size for serving whole and are lovely and sweet when ripe.  However, if you can only find regular bananas, they will still work perfectly well.
  • Oranges– We used freshly squeezed oranges for this recipe, but you can also sub for 1/4 cup of orange juice.
Orange Caramelised Banana Porridge | Beninese Recipes

Serving suggestions for caramelised banana porridge in orange sauce

We served our caramelised bananas in orange sauce on top of creamy porridge with coconut yogurt, nut butter, coconut flakes and orange slices. You could also serve them with yogurt and granola for another breakfast option. They would also work nicely as a dessert, served with simple vanilla ice-cream or cream.

Citrus Caramelized Banana Porridge | Beninese Recipe

Citrus Caramelized Banana Porridge | Beninese Recipe

Yield: 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

This fresh, citrusy spin on classic caramelised banana porridge works surprisingly well. Inspired by a Beninese recipe, bananas are caramelised in orange juice, lemon juice, brown sugar and cinnamon, then served on top of creamy porridge.

Ingredients

Caramelised Bananas:

  • 2 small bananas (peeled)
  • 2 oranges (juiced)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Porridge:

  • 2/3 cup rolled oats
  • 1 1/3 cup water/ non-dairy milk
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. In a large frying pan, heat orange juice, lemon juice, brown sugar and cinnamon over low heat for about 12 minutes or until mixture thickens to a syrup.
  2. Add peeled bananas into pan. Cook each side for a few minutes, ensuring the bananas get fully coated with the orange syrup.
  3. Meanwhile, make porridge ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently for about 10 minutes or until porridge is thick and creamy. Transfer to bowl, topping with caramelised banana and its syrup along with any other desired toppings.

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a comment & review above or share a photo on Instagram tagging @polkadotpassport so I can reshare your creations!

Other breakfast dishes to try

Like this citrus caramelised banana porridge recipe? Pin it for later!

Here's how to make orange caramelised banana porridge inspired by Benin

Nicola Easterby Bio Image

Hey, I'm Nicola!

I am a travel and food content creator on a mission to discover the best destinations & dishes around the world. Thanks for joining the adventure!

READ NEXT:

Sticky Toffee Pudding Gingerbread Cake

Sticky Toffee Pudding Gingerbread Cake

What do you get when you combine sticky toffee pudding with gingerbread and add cream cheese icing? The ultimate festive cake! If you're looking for a cozy festive dessert, look no further than this sticky toffee pudding gingerbread cake. This cake is moist, rich and...

read more
Raw Snickers Slice (Vegan + Gluten-Free)

Raw Snickers Slice (Vegan + Gluten-Free)

If you are looking for a vegan/ gluten-free alternative to a Snickers bar, you need to try my raw Snickers slice. It's layered with peanut butter mousse, caramel and chocolate and is truly delectable! This raw Snickers slice is my GO-TO when I am craving something to...

read more
Pönnukökur: Icelandic Pancakes Recipe

Pönnukökur: Icelandic Pancakes Recipe

Pönnukökur, or Icelandic pancakes, are thin, crepe-like pancakes filled with thick, creamy skyr yogurt and topped with fresh berries. You need to try this healthy & delicious breakfast from Iceland! Almost every country in the world seems to have a version of...

read more

READ NEXT:

Our Dream South of France Wedding

Our Dream South of France Wedding

This is what it looks like to have a 3-day wedding in the South of France! On the 23rd of August 2023, James and I finally got to have the wedding celebration of our dreams. We had sixty of our nearest and dearest flying from all over the world to join us for three...

read more
Best Time to Visit Antarctica: Month-by-Month Guide

Best Time to Visit Antarctica: Month-by-Month Guide

Planning a trip to Antarctica requires considering many factors, but one of the biggest decisions is timing. This remote, icy continent may not have typical tourist seasons, but each part of its short summer offers something unique.  From dramatic landscapes to...

read more
The Ultimate Packing Guide for Your New York City Getaway

The Ultimate Packing Guide for Your New York City Getaway

Heading to New York City? With its iconic skyline, vibrant neighborhoods, and endless sights to explore, NYC is a dream destination. But packing for a city that never sleeps can be challenging—you’ll need a mix of style, comfort, and versatility to make the most of...

read more
Best ESim for Traveling Turkey in 2024

Best ESim for Traveling Turkey in 2024

Planning a trip to Turkey? This guide will take you through everything you need to know about using an eSIM and my recommendation for the best eSIM for traveling Turkey. Gone are the days of having to find a local phone store and buy a physical sim card when visiting...

read more
Skip to Recipe