Have you been to Kerala during the Onam festival? You will feel like all the bakery and food stores are painted in yellow. The shops stack the yellow colored fried plantain chips sealed in plastic bags which make us feel so. Although these chips are available all through the year, it’s demand is high during Onam. The fried plantain chips are the most popular snack in Kerala during Onam. Like cakes for Christmas, we buy lots of plantain chips for our relatives and friends whenever we visit them. It is almost like a custom now. No Onam celebration without these fried plantain chips.
So as I said, we buy these chips from the local shops. Have you ever tried making it at home? If not, you should. The homemade chips are so addictive and is entirely different in taste than the store ones. After trying the homemade fried plantain chips, I have never bought it from shops. Every year, I make it at home, even though it is very difficult to get unripe plantains here in the US.
The salty fried plantain chips holds the first place in the banana leaf while serving the Sadya, the vegetarian banquet during Onam. They are not really hard to make at home. So here goes the video recipe for homemade plantain chips.
How to make Fried Plantain Chips
Fried Plantain Chips
Fried Plantain Chips
Ingredients
- 2 unripe plantains
- A pinch of turmeric
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Wash and peel the green skin of the plantain.
- Mix the turmeric powder in 2 cups of water.
- Slice the peeled plantains into thin 2mm discs.
- Immerse the sliced plantains in turmeric water for 10 minutes.
- Drain and keep aside until all the water is gone.
- Mix the salt in 1/4 cup water and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a pan on high.
- When the oil is super hot and almost near its smoking point, add the plantain slices into the oil.
- The chips will sizzle a lot at first and then will decrease slowly.
- Now reduce the flame to medium.
- Deep fry with occasional stirring until it turns crisp and starts to brown.
- Strain and transfer to a bowl. Use a paper towel if needed.
- Sprinkle the salt water on top of the chips and mix vigorously to coat well.
- The crispy fried plantain chips is ready.
- Let it cool completely. Enjoy the homemade crackers.
- This will keep in an air-tight container for 1 week.
Notes
Immersing the plantain slices in turmeric water helps to remove it's stain and keep it from turning black.
The fried plantain chips is an integral part of Onam Sadya and in some places, it is served along with breakfast also. This Onam, instead of buying the chips, try making it at home. Gift your loved ones the homemade plantain chips. No gift is more valuable than the homemade food.
Happy Cooking
