Nendran Chips|Ethakka Upperi|Varatha Upperi|Kerala Banana Chips

I have been wanting to post this for a very long time now. But something or the other came my way and it took me so long to post it on the blog. Initially, I was not very confident of making the chips, later when I was confident enough; I was living in places where I couldn’t find the Nendrangai. I wanted to post it before Vishu, so when I went to Chennai last month I had plans of getting the kai, but I couldn’t. So I was thinking this year also, I won’t be able to post it, as in Pune I hardly find it. But, my good fortune, a shop selling South Indian items opened up just a couple of weeks back very near my place. And I asked him if he could get me Nendrangai. And he did get it. So finally, the ever popular chips recipe is on my blog.

What you’ll need

Makes about ½ kg Chips

1. Nendrankai /Raw Kerala Banana – 6, (1.5 Kg)
2. Coconut Oil – to deep fry
3. Salt – as required
4. Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

Method

1. Wash the plantains well and pat dry them.
2. Make slits on the skin vertically, make sure u don’t go too deep and cut the fruit.
3. Now, with your hands, carefully remove the skin. Save the skin and prepare thoran with it.
4. Slice it thin and spread on kitchen tissues or newspaper.
5. In a small bowl, add about 2 to 3 tsp of salt and ½ tsp turmeric powder, mix well and keep aside.
6. Heat oil in a Kadai for deep frying
7. Once the oil is hot, reduce the flame to low, and slowly add the sliced plaintain in batches.
8. Now, increase the heat to medium high and fry, keep stirring once in a while.
9. Fry till the bubbles have almost stopped.
10. Now, reduce heat to low and add ½ tbsp of the salt – turmeric water to the oil, increase heat to medium and keep stirring till the spluttering sound stops.
11. Drain on to kitchen tissues, continue the process.
12. Cool completely and store in airtight container.

Note:

1. Remember to add lesser amount of the salt-turmeric water as you proceed with the frying the batches, as there will be salt in the oil. Else the chips will become salty.
2. After adding the salt-turmeric water, fry till the sound stops, else the next batch will not be crisp.
3. Also slice the banana thin and spread on a kitchen tissue for atleast 10 mins to get crisp chips.