In 2016, while living alone in Ahmedabad, Arina Schude became acutely aware of how much food waste was generated in everyday cooking. Shopping and cooking for one often meant dealing with leftovers, spoiled greens, or piles of discarded scraps. This observation marked the beginning of her journey into what she now calls “trash-to-treasure” cooking—a way to rethink how we use ingredients and reduce waste in the kitchen.
It was an invitation to conduct a workshop on reducing kitchen waste that first sowed the seeds for Arina’s experiments. Expecting disinterest, she was surprised by the enthusiasm of the participants—mostly home cooks eager to learn new ways of reusing food creatively. The workshop turned into a lively exchange of traditional and modern methods, reinforcing her belief that no-waste cooking wasn’t a new idea, but a forgotten practice deeply rooted in Indian homes.
Motivated by the experience, Arina began researching waste generated before cooking even began, experimenting with recipes that used every part of an ingredient. Over the next few years, she conducted “trash cooking” workshops across India—in Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru—collaborating with restaurants and cafés.
Her journey eventually led her to write a cookbook published by HarperCollins India, capturing her learnings and recipes from years of experimentation. Through her work, Arina hopes to inspire others to see “waste” not as something to discard, but as an opportunity—to cook smarter, eat better, and care more for the planet.
This recipe turns banana peels—often tossed away—into a rich, golden syrup with a subtle caramel flavour. By simply combining the peels with sugar and letting time do its work, you end up with a sweetener perfect for desserts or drinks.
| Banana peels (the riper the better, but not at the stage where they are starting to blacken) | 4-5 |
|---|---|
| White sugar (preferably a smaller grain size or just blitzed to a coarse texture) |
What You Will Need
Airtight container or glass jar; Fine mesh strainer; Cheesecloth or muslin cloth; Mixing bowl; Sterilised glass bottle or jar (for storing the syrup); Baking tray lined with a silicone mat (if making candied banana peels); Oven (for drying the candied peels)
Instructions
Cut the banana peels into thin strips of 1–2 inches in length and weigh them.
Weigh an equal amount of sugar, then transfer both the sugar and the peels to an airtight container. Give it a good mix to ensure the peels are covered in sugar, then close the lid.
Leave overnight or for a minimum of 8 hours. Give it a mix every 3–4 hours if you can.
The sugar draws out the moisture from the peels and dissolves in the liquid. Wait until all the sugar has dissolved, and give it a good mix towards the end if you see any granules.
Place a strainer over a bowl. Wet a piece of cheesecloth, wring out the excess water, and line the strainer with it.
Strain out the syrup and squeeze as much liquid as you can from the peels.
Transfer to a bottle and store in the refrigerator.
Bonus Tip: Do not throw away the leftover banana peels from the recipe above. You can make a quick candied banana peel by following these steps:
Line a baking tray with a silicone mat.
Take the banana peels left over from making the syrup.
Retain the strips or cut into smaller squares.
Arrange on the lined baking tray in a single layer and bake in an oven at the lowest temperature until dry and crispy. Make sure they do not burn.
Give them a toss once or twice at regular intervals to ensure even drying.
These candied peels are delicious to munch on as a snack and also make for a fun dessert topping.
Try adding the candied peels to salads for a sweet element. Mix into cake, muffin or banana-bread batter for an added crunch and an extra banana flavour.
Tips:
- You can add a shot of vodka to the peel syrup for a longer shelf life.
- Once you try it the first time and understand the flavour, feel free to experiment with other sweeteners such as brown sugar, jaggery powder or coconut sugar.
- A pinch of cinnamon can be added for more flavour.
This recipe is from ‘The No-Waste Kitchen Cookbook: 75 Recipes to Begin Your Zero-Waste Journey’ by Arina Suchde published in 2023 (HarperCollins India). Excerpted with permission from the author and the publisher.
Arina Suchde is a Mumbai-based chef, mixologist, and cookbook author with over a decade of experience in the food and beverage industry. Trained in India, London, and New York, she has led workshops, taught in schools, and collaborated widely, championing a kitchen philosophy rooted in creativity and zero-waste cooking.
Illustrations by Sayan. From ‘The No-Waste Kitchen Cookbook: 75 Recipes to Begin Your Zero-Waste Journey’ by Arina Suchde (HarperCollins India, 2023). Excerpted with permission from the author and the publisher.
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