I thought I’d try something a bit different today and ended up making some perfect grain free wraps and taco shells with banana flour!
Well, you guys know I like experimenting with random flours 😉 and I was pleasantly surprised with this latest find! They were so delicious, very pliable and bubbled up/puffed up nicely when cooked just like the ‘real’ thing. 🙂
Overall I’d say it’s a fantastic gluten free option, especially for those who need or wish to avoid grains altogether. In my opinion it has a FAR better texture than the most common grain free choices out there, like almond and coconut… And I suspect it has a lot to do with its high starch content which gives off a much nicer, more elastic, pliable feel. I look forward to experimenting with it more!
We had these taco shells with leftover barbecued chicken (wings), salsa, Red Leicester cheese, sour cream and parsley… which was absolutely delicious. 🙂
NOTES:
Does it taste like banana?
No, don’t worry, it doesn’t actually taste like banana. 😉 It has a fairly neutral, earthy flavour when cooked.
Where can I get banana flour?
Although I have occasionally seen it in the free from section of supermarkets here in the UK, your best bet is independent shops that sell foods from around the world, especially South American, Mexican, Spanish and Caribbean. I got mine from a brilliant Latin American shop in Elephant & Castle (in London) called DistriAndina.
Otherwise you can easily buy it from a multitude of websites on the internet as well. 🙂
This is the one I used, by the brand Goya.
- 100g green banana/plantain flour
- Hot water
- ¼ tsp salt
Directions
PREPARE THE DOUGH :
- Mix the banana flour and salt together in a bowl.
- Heat up some water in a kettle, but don’t let it get quite to boiling point. You just want it to be hot.
- Pour some hot water into the flour, little by little, stirring with a spoon or spatula until it starts coming together.
- Then knead the dough with your hand and adjust by adding a bit more water or a bit more flour as needed. The consistency should be kind of like play dough and very easy to handle. It shouldn’t feel dry, but shouldn’t be sticky either.
- Wrap it up with cling film (or place it in an air tight container with a lid) and let it rest for 10 minutes.
MAKE YOUR GRAIN FREE WRAPS / TACO SHELLS:
- Take one small portion of dough and roll it into a ball. Note: keep the rest of the dough wrapped up in cling film so that it doesn’t dry out.
- Take a large sheet of baking paper and fold it in half. You can also use cling film.
- Place the dough ball in between and flatten it with your hands, then take over with a rolling pin and roll it until very thin.
- Carefully peel the baking paper off. Note: if your wrap/taco shell is sticking to the baking paper, it means your dough is too wet. Knead it again with a bit more banana flour. If it’s cracking and breaking off, it means it’s too dry and needs a little bit more water.
- At this point you can trim off rugged edges and perfect the shape with a knife or pizza/pasta cutter.
- Place it on a plate, wrapped up with cling film to prevent drying, while you’re working on the rest.
HOW TO COOK YOUR GRAIN FREE WRAPS / TACO SHELLS:
- Heat up a non-stick frying pan/skillet on medium heat.
- Once the pan is ready, place one wrap/taco shell on top and cook for 60 seconds.
- Then flip it over and let it cook for another 60 seconds. At this point you should be seeing pockets of air form inside.
- Then flip it again and cook briefly until it puffs up.
- Place your freshly cooked taco shell/wrap on a plate and wrap it up with foil while you work on the rest.
- If you’re making roti, just spread a bit of butter on them as soon as they are cooked before wrapping them up with foil.
Note: if you find that your taco shells/wraps are still looking a bit wet/moist and/or aren’t developing those grilled brown spots, it means your pan is probably not hot enough.
Hope you like them!
Kimi x
THANK you, great recipie!