A Fried Thanksgiving

Happy Belated Thanksgiving! After frying our 18 lb turkey for our thanksgiving feast, what were we to do with the 5 gallons of oil sitting in the fryer on our patio? We decided to put the fryer to work...Japan-style: tonkatsu, creamed corn and bacon croquettes, harumi's chicken, baby octopus, fried ice cream. We had to try frying up some leftover halloween candy as well: baby ruth, heath bars, almond joys, butterfingers. Eri, my brother's wife conducted this fried meal . She made this delicious salad to attempt at cutting the grease from our palettes: julienned daikon, fresh octopus, thinly sliced and mitsuba (more fragrant japanese version of flat leaf parsley with a dressing of rice wine vinegar, mirin, sesame seeds, soy sauce all crushed up with a mortar and pestal. I could eat this salad every day!
I also made the best banana cake/loaf recipe this holiday that I must share with you all from david lebovitz's blog:
1½ cups (210 g) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
2 tablespoons (55 g) melted butter (salted or unsalted)
1 large egg white
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup (250 ml) banana puree, made from about 2 very ripe medium-sized bananas
½ cup (125 ml) sour cream, regular or low-fat (or fromage blanc)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup (60 g) chocolate chips or 3 tablespoons (30 g) cocoa nibs
*I made a loaf without choc chips too. I prefer no chocolate but some chocolate lovers might disagree.

Butter a 9-inch (23 cm) square pan and line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350F (180 C).

1. Sift together in a bowl the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix in the sugar.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the butter, egg white, egg, banana puree, sour cream, vanilla and espresso, if using.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and stir in the wet ingredients with a spatula until almost mixed. Add in the chocolate chips or cocoa nibs and stir until just combined, but don't overstir: stop when any traces of flour disappear.
4. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until the center feels lightly-springy and just done.
5. Cool on a baking rack.
Storage: This cake will keep well for 3-4 days, or can be frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap, for a few months.