Origins of Banana chips and easy-to-make recipes to prepare this snack at home

Fried in coconut oil, crisp and salty with a hint of sweetness, banana chips are listed among the must-haves of Kerala. Banana chips are usually covered with sugar or honey to have a sweet taste, which is fried in oil and spices. Banana chips are often compared to chifle, which are made from firmer, yet starchier fruit varieties of the genus Musa, commercially called plantains or "cooking bananas". Reportedly, the frying technique of banana chips was first mentioned in Apicius, a Roman cookbook, which says about frying food in Olive oil.

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Banana Chips an important part of Kerala tradition

In the past, almost every house in Kerala had an ace banana chip chef and usually, it was the matriarchs of the house. However, nowadays, banana chips is a major small scale industrial activity in Kerala. One such acclaimed production unit is the Calicut Halwa and Bakery on Jew Street at Market Junction in Kochi.

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The recipe:

• 500 to 550 grams unripe nendran bananas or 3 unripe nendran bananas
• 4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder (Haldi)
• Half cup of water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1.5 cups coconut oil
• Mandoline slicer
• Strainer or kitchen paper towels
• Splatter screen or mesh screen

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Instructions:

• Rinse 3 unripe nendran bananas and dry them with a clean kitchen towel. The bananas have to be completely unripe with green skin.
•  In a large bowl take 4 cups water and add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder.
• Mix very well with a spoon.
• Now peel the nendran plantains. Don't throw away the peels. With the peels, you can make delicious banana peel thoran.
• Halve the peeled bananas and place them in the turmeric water for 30 to 40 minutes. They should be completely immersed in the water.
• Before frying, take ½ cup water in a bowl along with 1 tablespoon salt.
• Mix very well. Keep the salt solution aside.
• Now take two banana pieces and wipe them dry with a clean kitchen towel. They should be completely dry before you slice them.

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