Friday 7 September 2007

Kerala Banana Chips

It is an integral part of the traditional Kerala meal called sadya had during weddings and traditional festivals such as Onam.

In Kerala, unripe bananas are used to make salted chips. It is the first time I am making the banana chips. As most of you know it was Onam last week.

For the first time in 17 years I clelbrated Onam in my Home.Most of the years we were in Kerala, when it was Onam or Onam was few days after we came from India so i didn't celebrate on those years.

Few years back we had to take the plane on the morning of onam to be back here. So you can imagine how that was.
This year we stayed for summer here in Belgium so i started planning the sadhya, as we had asked a malayalee couple ( well she is malayalee he is from belgium) for the sadhya. So when i went for shoping in Brussels i saw these bananas in the super market and thought why not make it myself.
I have to admit when i was making the chips the whole house was smelling like the smell you get in the streets were they fry the chips. (Most of the malayalees will know that, there is always a guy frying these banana chips in small shops near the bus stands or just outside a railway station etc)

This my entry for JFI hosted by Mandira


Busy Frying


Raw Banana 2
Coconut oil for deep frying or anyother vegetable oil. If you want to have the smell of Kerala you must use coconut oil.
Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp
Salt - to taste
Method :Peel banana and slice into thin round pieces or split bananas into 4 thin pieces and slice. Heat oil and fry the banana pieces. When it is 3/4 done, add turmeric powder and salt mixed in 1tsp water and fry well.

46 comments:

Richa said...

fresh chips, straight from the kadai, yum :) looks very tempting!

Suganya said...

WOW...Nice recipe for JFI...This is my fav....Love this a lot....

FH said...

I love Banana chips but never made it at home. Looks delicious, love the statue too:))

TBC said...

I love these chips but have never tried making it at home even for the sadya.
I have not even seen the Kerala bananas here:-(
Nice entry for the event.

Mishmash ! said...

Looks nice!I have tried making it at home too...but not this much, very small quantity and the taste of the home made fresh chips is nothing compared to the store bought ones we get outside India, isn't it ?:)

Shn

Kribha said...

Home made banana chips looks so yummy. Thanks for sharing that we have to fry chips in coconut oil to get that authentic smell. Great tip.

bee said...

pravs, your post brought back memories of the small shcaks along the highway wher they fry the kaaya and kappa chips, and you can buy hem hot to go in a brown paper bag. it's a luxury to eat these, at home in belgium. belated onam greetings to you.

Finla said...

Thankx richa, they were v ery delicious. I had to restrain myself while i was making them :-)

Thankx sukanya...

It was delicious Asha. I too love the statue :-)

My first time making it TBC. I was really sirprised how easy it was

It is true Mishmash not same when we buy outside india. I think even outside kerala it taste different unless if you buy from a kerala shop

Kribha, it was my pleasure. We all learn tips from each other.

Anonymous said...

wow
what a spread of banana chips
i luv that kathakali doll more ;)

Chef Jeena said...

Hey Happy lovely banana recipe the pics look great! :)

Seena said...

I was thinking to fry them at home..Ippol manassilayi, how to do it..thanks HC for the recipe..

Mandira said...

I was waiting for this entry... :) looks fab.

Mandira said...

I don't have your entry in gmail. Please send the details and pic to ahaarmail@gmail.com

Mansi said...

Hey, nice chips!! My mother-in-law makes these at home; but i'm not too much of a chips person:( the statue is great though:) and this was the first entry that came to my mind when I saw JFI-Banana annoucement:)

Pooja V said...

This look so gorgeous. Can i please take fistful of these ?

Rajitha said...

fresh anything sounds great...everyone at my home is nuts about this...

bha said...

fresh banana chips, and filter coffee....just like heaven.....that kathakali doll is beautiful

Suma Gandlur said...

Good entry. Looks so delicious.

Lissie said...

i love banana chips! your chips looks very thin which makes them even more tasty!
you can make rice sevai upma using rice noodles. break them into pieces before making upma.

amna said...

hmm.. my sis had posted same recipe some time back in her blog Spicy Chilly :)

Finla said...

Thankyou Bee, Here if i want to have them i've to make them myself.
Thanks for the greetings.

Anushraji i also like the statue, i want watch it and eat the chips :-))

Thankyou jeena

Seena you should try it now that u got the idea how to do it.

Thanks mandira, when i saw your event i tht of this chips in a second :)

Thankx Manasi, i like the banana chips, but love tapioca chips more, but can't get tapioca here abd one must have this chips for onam.

You may take few handful pooja

Thankyou rajitha

Thankyou bhags. I don't know which smell i like fresh codffee or the freshly fried chips smell, i thiink i like both

Thankx Suma
Thankx for the tip lissie and i like the chips thin then they are more crispier

So Nags did you get to tast the chips your sister made.

Shella said...

Guess what, when I visited Kerala recently I had sweet banana chips, i.e., ripe etakaya chips. I dont know how many of you have had a chance to taste them, but they were utterly wonderful, with a sweet & salty flavor. I just couldnt munching them. They were very black in colour. I wish I had some left, to post a photograph of them.

Namratha said...

Ohhh I simple love this and I mean exactly this one and not the regular banana chips. When my uncles and cousin bros go to Sabarimalai every year they make sure they bring back kgs and kgs of these chips...yummy! They are so thin and so much tastier than the ones we get in Karnataka.

Sig said...

Oh wow, you reminded me of that smell... that is just mouthwatering... The chips look lovely... I should try making these at home as well!

sunita said...

We all adore banana chips...thanks for the recipe.

Cynthia said...

This a very popular snacks in the Caribbean, however, we ours with green plantains.

Kajal said...

WOW....my dear you make my favorite chips of banana........this is rocking snack. Thanks for dropping me.

Happy weekend.:)

Viji said...

Good to see your face HC, the banana chips are apt for the event. Viji

Finla said...

Shella thanx for visiting. I think you are talking about sharkarpuraty, that is coated with jaggery.

Narmata i know whay you mean. My sister is in B'lore and when ever she goes to kerala one of the things she buys is kilos and kilos of banana chips.

Sig you should make them it is so easy. I guess everybody loves the smell of frying chips especially in coconut oil.

Thankyou sunita

Cynthiya we also make ours with green bananas.

Thankyou kajal, i think most of us love banana chips.Hope you are also having a good weekend.

Thanks viji. I was not sure about adding a picture. But in the end i did it anyway.

Dori said...

Yum...banana chips! I grew up always eating banana chips, although they weren't the exact same as these. Very tasty, and not something I ever though of making myself. Looks really great!

swapna susarla said...

Thanku for dropping by.chips looks good.i never tried them .u have a nice blog over here.

Sharmi said...

waw fresh chips! I used to have them in India. here I am lazy to make and dont get fresh ones. will drool at your pics.

amna said...

thanks for dropping by :)

Anonymous said...

A small dash of hing (kaayam) on top of the chips would add to the taste really well. You need to sprinkle when the chips are really hot. :-)

Swaruchy said...

banana chips are one of my favs dear...looking good :-)

Savithri said...

I love banana chips!

Those look great:)

Sona - quick picks/pick quicks said...

homemade chips....wow!!..its mouthwatering..and nice 'kathakali statue too!"

Menu Today said...

Hi,
Nice presentation!!!I love both sweet and salty version of this banana chips. Thanks for sharing

amna said...

isnt it time for an update :)

Latha Narasimhan said...

Nice chips! Making at home ensures use of fresh oil! You have explained with pictures beautifully!

Finla said...

Thankyou meeso, even i grew up with banana chips, but my mom used to make them at home as she had then in the garden.

Thankyou swapna. Happy to know that you like my blog

Sharmi for once you can drool on my dish, normally it is me who is doing on your dishes :-)

Thankyou nags for comming here again

Sam thankx for the tip. I will try it next time.

Sirisha,glad that you liked it.

Savithri thankyou.

Hey i also like the kathakali statue,a kitchen scinteist

Thanx menu today.

Laavanya said...

They look really good Happy Cook. Have a qn. abt the last step though. You mention that salt and turmeric have to be mixed in little water and added when 3/4th done... do we add this water mixture to the oil? Will it not splatter then...? Thanks. Hope to try this sometime.

Finla said...

Thanks lavanya
You have to add the water mixture to the oil. And it does spatter everywhere. I just keep a lid ready to cover it for a few seconds.

Pdk said...

i have always had doubt about which brand of coconut oil to use for kerala cooking... i love ur chip... kind a craving.. sometimes i wonder what is all that craving for food with women... hehe..

Shella said...

Hey Happy Cook, no its not sharkaraverati. I am a Mallu dear, & I know the difference. I asked my aunt what this new tasting chips was, & she told me that this quite new in the markets, made of sweet etakaya.

If I can lay my hands on a packet I will post the photographs

Finla said...

Shella i've never heard about this sweet banana chips as you said it is new in the market, hope you get hold a new packet and post in your blog :-)