Christmas Piesangslaai (Banana Salad)
This Christmas Piesangslaai recipe brings a familiar sweet-and-savoury favourite to the festive table: sliced bananas folded into a creamy, lightly curried dressing. South African families have their own versions, but mayonnaise, condensed milk and a little lemon juice make a lovely balance here, with mild curry powder adding warmth rather than heat.
It suits a hot South African Christmas because there is no stove to switch on, and the salad is served chilled. Put it alongside cold gammon, roast chicken or meat straight from the braai. Choose yellow bananas that are ripe but still firm, and make the salad close to lunchtime so the slices keep their shape. A small bowl goes a long way among the other Christmas sides.
Ingredients
Creamy curry dressing
Bananas
Instructions
- 1Whisk the mayonnaise, condensed milk, lemon juice, curry powder and salt together in a mixing bowl until smooth.
- 2Let the dressing stand in the fridge for 10 minutes so the curry powder can hydrate and its flavour can settle.
- 3Peel the bananas just before assembling the salad, then cut them into rounds about 1 cm thick.
- 4Add the banana slices to the dressing immediately. Fold gently with a broad spoon until every slice is coated, taking care not to mash them.
- 5Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. The salad should be cool, with distinct banana slices rather than a soft mash.
- 6Give the salad one gentle fold before serving chilled. Put it out just before everyone sits down to eat.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 292 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 36.5 g
- Protein
- 2.6 g
- Fat
- 16.7 g
- Saturated fat
- 3.4 g
- Sugar
- 22.6 g
- Fibre
- 3.3 g
- Sodium
- 160 mg
- Cholesterol
- 14 mg
Estimated values based on the ingredients used.
Notes
Christmas tips
- Make the dressing up to a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Slice and fold in the bananas shortly before lunch for the best colour and texture.
- Use firm yellow bananas with few brown spots. Very ripe bananas taste sweeter but tend to break apart in the dressing.
- For an outdoor Christmas spread, serve a small bowl and keep the rest refrigerated at 5°C or below. Discard salad left out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the temperature is above 32°C.
- This sweet, creamy salad is especially good beside salty gammon or braai meat. Add a crisp green salad to the table for contrast.
Frequently asked questions
Can I leave out the curry powder?
Yes. Piesangslaai varies from household to household, and a plain mayonnaise, condensed milk and lemon dressing works well. For just a hint of curry, use 2.5 ml instead of 5 ml.
Will the bananas turn brown?
The lemon juice and coating of dressing help slow browning, but they cannot prevent it indefinitely. Slice the bananas last, coat them immediately and serve the salad the same day.
How long can I keep leftovers?
If the salad has stayed properly chilled and has not exceeded the serving times above, cover and refrigerate it promptly, then eat within 24 hours. The bananas will soften and may darken. Freezing is not recommended because the texture suffers.
