Crispy Banana chips are a common and a popular snack. These Banana Chips are made with Plantain “Bananas” and Turmeric spice to give them the gorgeous yellow color and flavor. Find the full recipe below for the banana chips.
Squirrels are climbing untroubled the age-old trees, exotic birds are making their rounds seeking food, the dogs are peeking up the wall looking to meet the neighbor’s cats and I am sitting in my garden listening to the wind and the sudden silence.
It is a peaceful day and the coastal belt seems to sleep as if time and live itself has stopped its running, perpetual nature.
Only some lost clouds seem to have found their way to Goa and with them a blowing wind and the red aggressive dust of the hills.
We organized a few meet ups with some of our friends before their move from Goa and spent the time with them laughing and remembering old shared stories.
A little bonfire, some cashew fenni and freshly roasted Cashew nuts and I would always make Banana chips for the friendly gathering.
Banana Chips are common all over the world, however in India they are literally omnipresent and easily to be found ready made in packets in local markets (Goa tip! – you get it in the Mapusa market).
They are called banana chips in India even when plantains are used and not bananas.
Plantains are related to the banana. Find the explanation here -> What’s the difference between bananas and plantains.
Plantain are harder and always more suited to make chips, compared to the softer and sweeter bananas. So either you get plantain to make these chips or you get some harder, not so sweet banana type which isn’t to juicy or slimy.
So, I use plantains for my “banana chips”
They are prepared with turmeric spice to give it the deep yellow natural color. Turmeric, known as Haldi spice in India or Curcuma in Europe, is also antibacterial. Besides giving great flavor to the banana chips, it helps in storing the chips for a longer period.
These banana chips are seasoned and fried to make them nice crispy. They are easy to recreate at home!
Banana Chips Recipe – Plantain Chips below:
- 3 small Plantains or 2 big ones or harder banana type.
- pinch Salt
- 1½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 Teaspoon Chill Powder
- 3 Tablespoon Oil
- Peel the Bananas and cut them into thin slices, the thinner the better so that they get crunchy after frying.
- In a bowl combine the Salt, Turmeric and Chill Powder and drag the banana slices all through the spice mix so that they are covered both sides with all the masala goodness.
- Heat up a pan with the Oil and wait till it is hot. Once it has the desired temperature, take down the heat to a lower level and carefully slide in the banana chips, one batch at a time. Fry on both sides 2-3 mintues till they are golden brown.
- Keep the cooked chips on a kitchen paper towel to get rid of excess oil.
- You can store them in a airtight container a few days.
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I always want to make banana chips at home but never do it. These look wonderful!
such lovely, unique images of goa….love the last one & the fields too. squirrels are very cute 🙂 i like pepper chips too
Hi Helene! Banana with chilli and turmeric! Definitely never thought of seasoning like that. I’m curious how that tastes like. Our family love banana chips – this savory chips must be hard to stop eating!
Oooh, how strange you should post this! We bought some plantains (it’s the same as a cooking banana, right, I think?) and weren’t quite sure what to do with them. My wife looked about for ideas and we came across this. The recipe we followed said you should cut slightly thicker slices and then put a glass on top and press and twist to compress them and make the edges slightly cracked as it will help to give them a more crispy finish.
It was an interesting dish… one of the things I wasn’t sure if I enjoyed or not, but when they were really hot and we managed to get an extra crispy piece they were nice. I can imagine that if we used a slightly more ripe plantain they would be great, and yours certainly look beautiful!
Love your photos – that banyan tree… just one word: “whoa!”
ok… the recipe said to cut thicker slices and to put a glass on top to press out the juices? interessting thought. I ll have to check that out. You are right by the way, the rawer the banana the easier it will be to fry them crispy. They kind of taste like breadfruits just a bit sweeter.
I have no idea if plaintains are the same as cooking bananas, since I havent used them before. Something to try in my house!
the banyan tree is awesome right? 😉
that sounds kind of like the Cuban version. If you are using a green plantain then you cut it in inch-and-a-half thick slices, fry until golden, then smash them and fry again until crispy. They are great with a little salt. Or, if you are using a very ripe plantain (when they start going black they are perfect) then you slice them in long diagonal slices and fry them only once. Then they are sweet and soft and delicious.
thats an other interessting way of making banana chips. I ll try that surely out in the future. Interessting that u guys use ripe bananas instead of the hard ones. in my experience it is easier to work with the rawer ones, but as mentioned I ll have to try it out first! =D
I love banana chips, but love the idea of making our own chips! So fun, and healthier:-) I love when you share the pictures of Goa, they are so beautiful! Hugs, Terra
I’m SO excited to see this post and know more are coming. I can’t be the only one who’s really interested in learning where other food writers live. I’m fascinated by the ways we’re all the same and intrigued by the differences.
For instance, no elephants around here. Kangaroos!
Love the banana chips!
The pink temple looks so different and pretty. Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful photo inspirations… And I never knew there was a difference between cooking bananas and just eating bananas – I’ve ever only seen bananas and plantains at my local grocer. Very interesting…
I have never made banana chips. I imagine they would work better with slightly under-ripe bananas? I love all the images of Goa but especially the one of the incredible beach xx
Now I must make some banana chips too! They look so good and so much better than those storebought!
Thank you for sharing those beautiful gao photos.
i love crispy banana chips 🙂 how long can it be stored by the way?
Latest: Of Latest Hit: Sesame Ramen
now.. usualy they dont survive a day in my house (they r devoured in no mans time).
but I guesse in the humidity and hot season it can survive 2 days but I wouldnt give it more then a day in the rainy season.
In a cold climate I d say max. 3 days all together. In general its better to cook them fresh and eat the chips then and there! In case u have any left (if that even happens) then I d suggest u store them in a air tight container in your fridge.
Thanks for asking! 😉
Just gorgeous! And the banana chips look amazing.
Goa is such a magical place – my mum often talks of visiting it 🙂
You do it justice! And homemade banana chips? My favourite snack ever 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I always wanted to do banana chips, but weren’t sure how! looks pretty easy, would love to try that! the turmeric just stains it a beautiful golden! wondering if this would work in the oven, as I dont really like deep frying, very messy.
Hi Shuhan! yes of course u can try it in the oven. I would have done that if I had an oven. just add a small amount of oil to the spicy mix (just so that it spreads and cooks better) and your all set to go!
ohhhh I love Banana Chips yours look super good!
What a beautiful place! I do enjoy banana chips, but have never made them at home…love your choice of spices 🙂
I love this sort of thing. So crispy and crunchy. Yum!
Hi Helene,
These banana chips look amazing! I didn’t know it was so easy to make them at home. Love it!
I love fried banana chips or as we call them in the southwest tostones. I’ve never seasoned them with turmeric which sounds VERY interesting! I love turmeric and adore chili powder so the combination is something I will definitely have to try! Love your GOA impressions! Thanks for sharing.
Generally I do not read article on blogs, however I would like to say that this write-up very compelled me to check out and do it! Your writing style has been amazed me. Thanks, very nice article.
I have not eaten banana chips in years!! This looks so good. I must look for some raw bananas and try this soon.