Nendrangai chips (ethakka upperi) is very popular in Kerala and is served as a side dish or had as an anytime snack. It is also served at Onam sadya. When one of our friends went to Kerala, I asked him to bring Nendrankai from there, as I could not get it in my place. I made these chips just as I made raw plantain (vazhakkai varuval) chips except frying in coconut oil. It was very delicious and very addictive that we could not stop eating it. These crunchy and crispy chips with the flavor of coconut oil is very quick and easy to make. Kids and adults alike will love this homemade banana chips. Today we will learn how to make nendran chips at home following this easy recipe with step wise pictures.
Nendran Chips-Kerala Banana Chips
Prep Time : 10 mins
Cook Time : 30 mins
Serves: 4
Recipe Category: Snacks
Recipe Cuisine: Kerala
Author: Padhu Sankar
Ingredients needed Nendrankai/Raw nendran plantain – 3 Salt – 1 tsp Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp Coconut oil for deep frying Slicer or mandoline slicer
Preparation
Buy mature nendrankai (see picture below). Peel the skin and put them in water to prevent discoloration. (I dropped them in water after cutting into half).
Dissolve salt in 1/2 cup of water, add turmeric powder, mix well and keep it aside.
You have to fry it batch by batch.
Method
Heat oil in a kadai, once oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium. To find out if the oil is hot enough, drop a small piece of sliced plantain into the oil, if it raises to the surface immediately, then the oil is hot enough for frying.
Take a banana, pat it dry and then using the slicer, slice one or half of the banana depending upon the quantity of oil and size of the kadai.
Immediately after slicing, drop it into the oil, separating the pieces which is very important. You will hear a sizzling/ bubbling sound.
After a few seconds, add 3/4-1 tsp of salted water. After adding that water, you will hear more noise. Do not panic. Stir using a ladle, so that the plantain slices will get cooked evenly.
Once cooked, the sizzling noise will stop and the oil will be clear as seen in the picture (right) below.
Remove the chips with a slotted ladle and place it in a colander or paper towel to drain off excess oil, if any.
Repeat the same process for the rest of the plantain/ nendrankai.
Serve as a side dish for rice or variety rice or enjoy as a snack anytime of the day.
Note – After frying the first batch, taste and check for salt. If you feel it is salty, reduce the salt water to half tsp. If you feel, you need more salt, add 1 tsp salt water or you can add more salt to the water, mix it well and then add. It is your personal preference.
Use only coconut oil for deep frying. It is the coconut oil which takes this chips to a different level and makes it so addictive. If you do not want to use coconut oil, then I suggest you make vazhakkai chips (link below) instead of nendran chips.
Storage and shelf life – Store it in an air tight container at room temperature. Stays fresh and crisp for 7-8 days.