Creole
Bakabana: fried plantain with peanut sauce
Bakabana is fried plantain in a thin batter, nearly always served with peanut sauce. A portion on the street in Paramaribo costs roughly SRD 15 to SRD 40.
The name is Sranan Tongo and means literally "fried banana". It is plantain, not a dessert banana: starchier, less sweet and it holds together in the oil.
The plantain has to be ripe, yellow with black patches, or it turns mealy. It is sliced lengthways or on the diagonal, run through a thin batter and fried until the outside crisps and the inside almost melts.
Peanut sauce comes with it, and the Surinamese version is sweeter and thinner than the Indonesian satay sauce familiar in Europe.
Frequently asked questions
What is bakabana?
Bakabana is battered, deep-fried plantain served with peanut sauce. The name is Sranan Tongo for "fried banana" and it is one of the best-known Surinamese snacks.
Is bakabana a dessert?
No. In Suriname it is a snack or side dish rather than a dessert, eaten between meals or alongside a main, usually with savoury peanut sauce.