Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Susie Theodorou
“In isolation I’ve leaned hard on the everyday Bangladeshi food my mother cooked when I was growing up,” says Sohla El-Waylly. “It makes me feel safe in a way grilled cheese or fried chicken just can’t. She’d fry up these crispy, sweet fritters anytime there was a ripe banana around, so during quarantine I called her for the recipe. When I make kolar pitha now, it transports me back to her kitchen, which is exactly where I need to be.” Traditionally these banana fritters are sweetened with a syrup made from gur or jaggery, which gives them a musky aroma and a dark brown color. This version uses maple syrup, which hits many of the same notes as those sweeteners.