Banana Chips | Banana Wafers (Kerala Style & Regular)

Love Banana Chips? But don’t really know how to make it at home? Here’s the post that can be handy for you, if you are looking for the perfect Banana Chips Recipe. In this post, I have shared 2 recipes of one of the snacks that is liked by many and can also be easily made at home. These are the easy and simple ones that can be made with any variety of raw bananas. And the other one, which is the Kerala style recipe that uses the unripe Nendran variety of bananas and coconut oil.

About Kerala Banana Chips

These Kerala Style Banana Chips are slightly different than the easy Banana Chips Recipe shared below. One of the differentiating factors between the two is that the Kerala specialty uses unripe Nendran variety of bananas and coconut oil too.

The frying of the equally scrumptious banana slices in coconut oil and the firm texture of the typical Nendran bananas is what sets these crispy chips apart from the regular chips or wafers made from any variety of raw unripe bananas using a regular oil.

These Kerala Style Banana Chips are also known as ‘ethakka upperi’ in Malayalam language. These also form a part of the lavish, all-vegetarian ‘Sadya’ meal that is popular during the religious festival of Onam.  

In this recipe post, I have shared a detailed method to get the perfect taste and texture in these Kerala style fried banana wafers. These homemade chips taste better than the store-brought ones. They are literally fantastic!

Growing up, Nendran chips used to be a favorite with us siblings as my dad would get them for us from his visits in Kerala. We used to call these banana wafers.

Nendran plantains are not easily available everywhere in India. So, you can use other varieties of raw bananas. However the taste and texture may differ slightly.

In Kerala cuisine, just like this Banana Chips Recipe, both raw bananas (plantain) or ripe bananas are added in many other recipes too – this chips recipe being one of the most loved.

While it’s easy and simple to deep fry, the method for making Nendran Banana Chips is quite unique and different.

It involves soaking the cut bananas in turmeric water, which enhances their color and acts as a mild preservative.

The bananas are often sliced directly into the hot coconut oil – a technique that requires some practice but results in evenly fried, crispy chips with an authentic taste.

A few spoons of salted water is added to the hot oil while frying the banana slices. This makes the chips get a nice salty taste.

Follow the method in the detailed step-by-step section below to make a batch as small or as large as you like—it’s easy to halve or double the quantity.

How to make Kerala Banana Chips

Preparation

1. Rinse 500 to 550 grams or 3 unripe Nendran bananas and dry with a clean kitchen towel. The bananas have to be completely unripe with a green skin.

2. In a large bowl, take 4 cups water.

3. Add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder.

4. Mix very well with a spoon.

Prepare Plantains

5. Now, peel the bananas. Don’t throw away the peels – you can use them to make a delicious banana peel thoran.

Keep in mind that your fingers may blacken while slicing the raw banana. But that’s a small price you have to pay to enjoy these homemade chips.

6. Halve and place them in the turmeric water for 30 to 40 minutes. They should be completely immersed in the water.

Keeping the bananas in turmeric water helps to get rid of the stickiness and prevents the bananas from darkening .

7. Before frying, take ½ cup water in a bowl.

8. Add 1 tablespoon salt.

9. Mix very well. Keep the salt solution aside.

Slice Bananas

10. Now, take 2 banana pieces and wipe them dry with a clean kitchen towel.

They should be completely dry before you slice them. Make sure there are no water droplets or moisture on them.

Make Kerala Banana Chips

11. Heat 1.5 cups coconut oil in a heavy kadai for deep frying. Keep the heat to medium.

If you do not have coconut oil, then you can use sunflower oil or any oil for frying.

12. Add a thin 1 or 2 banana slice in the oil. If they come up steadily on top, the oil is ready. The oil has to be medium hot, so fry on medium heat.

Do not fry on low heat as then chips will absorb too much oil.

13. For slicing bananas, it is better to use a Mandoline slicer as the slices are thin. Thin slices make for crispy chips.

14. Using the Mandoline slicer, directly slice the banana in the hot oil. Be careful while doing so.

Alternatively, you can slice the banana chips with the Mandoline slicer on a tray or plate and then add the slices in the oil.

15. As soon as you add the slices in the oil, stir them with a slotted spoon.

16. Do not overcrowd the kadai with the banana slices while frying.

17. Begin to fry on medium heat.

18. In between, you can turn over the banana chips.

19. Fry the chips till they start turning crispy.

20. Keep turning them and frying until they become lightly crisp. As soon as the bananas are added in oil, it takes about 5 to 6 minutes for the bananas to become lightly crisp.

Timing will vary with the thickness and make of the kadai, the intensity of heat, the quantity of chips and the thickness of the slices that are added to oil.

21. As soon as they become lightly crisp, sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt solution in the oil. For a more salty taste, you can sprinkle 2 teaspoons salt solution.

Sprinkle salt solution all over and evenly.

22. Be careful when doing this, as the oil sizzles and splutters.

23. As soon as the oil bubbles and sizzles, cover the kadai with a splatter screen or mesh screen (if you have one) or else skip.

The splatter screen prevents the oil from spluttering outside.

24. After adding the salt solution, continue to fry for 2 to 3 minutes or till the sizzling and bubbling stops.

When the bubbling becomes reduces or disappears, that time you can remove the splatter screen.

25. The Banana Chips have to be completely crispy. When you move them towards the side of the pan with the slotted spoon, you should hear the crispy sound.

26. With a large slotted spoon, remove the chips draining the extra oil in the kadai.

27. Place the Banana Chips in another sieve which is placed below a pan or bowl. This helps in draining the extra oil, if any.

28. Alternatively, you can also place the fried Banana Wafers on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil.

This way, fry in batches. For 3 Nendran plantains, I fried in 3 batches. While frying the later batches, if the chips taste too salty, you can reduce the amount and add about ½ teaspoon salt solution.

Storage

As soon as the wafers cool down to room temperature, place them in a clean, dry, airtight jar. Cover the jar tightly to retain their crispness and store at room temperature in a cool, dry place.

These chips stay fresh for a couple of weeks when stored properly. Always use a dry spoon or clean hands to take them out, as any moisture can affect their texture and shelf life

Serving Suggestions

Traditionally, Kerala Banana Chips (Ethakka Upperi) are served as part of the grand vegetarian Sadya feast during Onam and other festive occasions.

In a Sadya, they are typically offered at the beginning of the meal, placed on the top left corner of the banana leaf along with other fried items and pickles.

These chips are also commonly enjoyed as a tea-time snack with a cup of South Indian Filter Coffee or Chai.

In many Kerala households, they are served to guests during special occasions, festivals, or as part of a snack platter along with Murukku, achappam, and other regional treats.

They make for an excellent accompaniment to everyday Kerala meals, especially with rice, sambar, or rasam, adding a delightful crunch to the plate.

Expert Tips

1. Make sure that the Nendran bananas that you are using for this recipe are completely unripe with a green skin.
2. In case, you can’t source Nendran plantains, then use 3 regular ones (500 to 550 grams).
3. Once you cut the banana into pieces, keeping them in turmeric water will prevent them from getting dark as well as help to get rid of the stickiness in them. This method also gives the chips a nice yellow color.
4. Don’t have a Mandoline slicer at home? Don’t worry. Use a knife to thinly slice the bananas and then fry them in the hot oil.
5. To fry the banana wafers, you can use coconut oil for a traditional flavor, but you can also opt for sunflower oil or any other high smoke point oil as an alternative.
6. Make sure to fry these banana wafers on medium heat. If the heat is low, the chips will absorb a lot of oil. In case the heat is high, the chips won’t cook evenly.
7. You can also bake these Banana Chips. Since, I did not have great results with baking, I stick to frying.
8. In case these chips turn soft after sometime, just microwave them for a minute or so. This way the chips will crisp up again. Alternatively you could roast them in a pan or wok until crisp.

How to make regular Banana Wafers

This is one of the simplest recipes requiring just four ingredients: raw unripe bananas (any variety), salt, crushed black pepper, and oil for deep frying.

Despite its simplicity, these homemade Banana Chips are incredibly tasty. I usually use Robusta bananas, but any green, raw variety works well.

To prevent discoloration, slice the peeled bananas using a mandoline slicer directly into a bowl of water.

You can also slice them directly into hot oil, though that method needs some practice. Thin slicing is crucial, so use a slicer that yields very fine slices.

Ingredients

• 4 medium-sized raw unripe bananas
• 3 to 4 cups water
• salt as required
• crushed black pepper or black pepper powder, add as required
• oil for deep frying as needed

Prep

1. Add 3 to 4 cups of water to a bowl. Peel and slice 4 raw bananas directly into the water using a mandoline.
2. Heat oil in a kadai or wok for deep frying.
3. Meanwhile, drain a batch of banana slices, pat dry thoroughly with a kitchen towel. Ensure that there are no water droplets or any moisture on the slices.

Fry

1. Once the oil is medium hot, deep fry the banana slices in small batches on medium heat.
2. Avoid overcrowding; overcrowding leads to soggy chips.
3. Stir gently with a slotted spoon to prevent sticking.
4. Fry until the oil’s bubbling reduces significantly and slices turn crisp.
5. Remove and drain on paper towels.
6. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight jar. Sprinkle salt and freshly crushed pepper (or red chili powder/herbs, if preferred), shake the jar, and store.
7. Alternatively, once the chips have cooled, season them with salt and pepper, then store in an airtight jar.
8. Serve these crisp, spiced banana wafers whenever you like!

What to do with banana peels

Also, I usually don’t throw the banana peels. I soak them in water and keep in the refrigerator. The next day, I make a really tasty banana peel and coconut stir-fry with them.

So, whenever you use raw banana, you don’t have to throw the peels. You can make a nice stir-fried dish with these.

Banana Chips recipe from the blog archives was first published on August 2013.