Kerala Banana Chips
Banana chips stand out as one of Kerala's most renowned products. Crafted with the finest quality bananas, we follow a traditional method in their preparation. The meticulous process involves multiple steps and careful supervision to ensure the production of the finest banana chips.
Ingredients
- 1/2 kg Raw Banana (Pacha Kaya)
- 1/2 - 1 tsp Salt (dissolved in 1 tbsp water)
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder (optional)
- Oil (for deep frying, refer notes)
Instructions
- Wash the bananas and pat them dry with a tissue paper. Score the banana skin from top to bottom, along the ridges. This helps to peel the banana easily.
- Cut the banana into thin slices, using a slicer or knife. (If you are using a slicer, keep 2-3 tbsp of oil in a small bowl and dip the tip of the banana in the oil after 2-3 slice. This helps you to slice the banana easily and also keeps the slices separate). Separate the slices and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a deep and wide pan for deep frying. Heat the oil on medium - high flame. To test whether the oil has reached the correct temperature, add a single slice. If the oil starts bubbling and the slice pops to the top immediately, the oil is ready.
- Reduce the temperature to low and add the sliced bananas. Make sure the pieces are not sticking together and also the pan is not crowded. Once you add enough slices for a batch, increase the flame to medium - high. Gently stir the chips using a slotted spoon. Cook for 2-4 mins (refer notes). Once the chips are almost crisp, you can hear a crackling sound. Add 1 - 1.5 tsp of salt mixture to the chips. Be careful while adding this, since oil bubbles up a lot. Once the bubbling sound, settles down, cook for a min or so and start removing the chips using a slotted spoon. Drain the chips on paper towel.
- Follow the same procedure with the remaining batches. Once the chips cool completely, store it in an airtight container. It can be stored for 2-3 weeks.
Notes
Notes
- I made it with and without turmeric powder. Turmeric powder is usually added to give colour to the chips. I didn't see much difference in the colour with the addition of turmeric. If you want, you can add turmeric along with salt or you can immerse the peeled banana in turmeric water for 10-15 mins. Pat them dry with tissue paper or clean kitchen towel and slice them.
- I used Sunflower oil for frying, but for the authentic taste, you can use Coconut oil for frying.
- If you are making the chips for the first time, I suggest you use the smallest burner to have a better control of the heat. Though I've mentioned, 2-4 mins of frying initially, keep a close watch after 2 mins, since the time varies depending on the heat level and also on the thickness of the slice. Also make sure that the slices are separated while adding to the oil, otherwise it will be clumped together and undercooked. Since my slices were very thin and had a big tendency to stick together, I arranged it separately on a plate and added it two at a time.
- Keep in mind that if you are frying several batches, the oil already has salt from the earlier batches, so add less qty of salt in the later batches. Do a taste test in between to see the salt level and add accordingly.
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