BBQ Little Bananas - Beeng Mak Guay

Proving that you can barbecue just about anything, in Laos they also bbq little bananas!  It's so simple yet so delectable.  I discovered these while motorcycling in Vientiane and found a street vendor selling them.  Until that point I had never even thought of bbq'd bananas.  I fell in love with these delicious little things - called beeng mak guay.

The recipe couldn't be any simpler either.

• 1 dozen small bananas

It must be the small variety.  This will not work so well with regular large bananas or even plantains (although technically you could use them but it's not the Lao recipe to use those).  And the great thing is that these varieties are now available North American grocery stores too.

1. Unpeel the bananas.
2. Optionally, you can slice the bananas lengthwise in half but it's not necessary.
3. Place them on a low-medium bbq heat and let them cook and roast.
4. Bbq for 10-15 minutes or until bananas are fully browned and slightly blackened all over.

What you'll find is that when you bite into it, it's slightly crisp or chewy on the outside but soft and sweet on the inside.  I've even seen Lao expatriates in Canada make this in the oven so if you don't have a bbq this is certainly an option.  It's healthy and unlike other banana snacks it's not fried.

It makes a nice summer snack.