Nendran chips are deep fried raw banana chips which is originally fried in coconut oil.   It is very popular in Kerala and is usually served in onam sadya function or any special occasions.  These chips are very tasty and are so flavourful by itself.  Nendran chips are perfect snacks to munch anytime in the day or with tea/coffee.  Nendran is a variety of banana grown in some parts of South India and is the most ideal variety for making these chips.  Traditionally, the raw nendran bananas are skinned, sliced into thin slices and deep fried in coconut oil.  But you can also use any normal cooking oil. During deep frying, the chips are sprinkled with a mixture of little salt and turmeric water to make them salty and bright yellow in colour.   Plaintain chips can be bright yellow even without adding turmeric powder.  You can skip adding turmeric powder if you dislike it.  But turmeric can be used for cleaning purpose and give a nice wash/rinse to the plaintains before slicing them.  There is another method for making these chips, where the slices are added to the salt-turmeric mixture and then deep fried.  I have followed the first method and found it easy for me. Nendran chips are very easy and simple to make and can be stored in an airtight container for future consumption.

HOW TO MAKE OR PREPARE KERALA BANANA OR NENDRAN CHIPS RECIPE

Take a fresh raw nendran banana.  Cut/chop both the extreme ends of the raw banana.

Give a straight cut to the skin with the help of a knife, which helps to remove the skin.  Once the skin is slit, peel it with your thumb.  Take a bowl of water and add turmeric powder to it.  Immerse the peeled raw banana in it till submerged for 10-15 minutes.

After 10-15 minutes, take the raw banana out of the turmeric water and pat them dry.

Slice it into one mm thick round slices with the help of a slicer and keep them ready in a plate. You can spread them on a dry clean cloth or in a strainer to absorb the excess moisture in it.  (This step helps in slices not sticking to each other when deep-frying)

Heat coconut oil on a medium flame in a pan.  When the oil becomes hot, drop one slice and test the oil if it is hot enough.  If the slice comes to the top immediately, it means the oil is now ready for use.  Add the slices and deep fry them till the sizzling sound stops.

At this stage,  add a spoonful of salt water over the chips being fried.  The oil may splatter a bit, but not much.  The chips will absorb the salt.  Fry it till the bubbles settle down.  Take it from the oil  and strain them to remove excess oil.

Once the chips come to room temperature or cooled down, store them in an airtight container.  Crispy nendran chips are now ready.

Serve nendran chips as a snack or as an accompaniment for rice dishes.

NOTES/TIPS

Ensure that the slices are separate and little dry while deep frying.  Otherwise they tend to stick to each other.  Do not overcrowd the oil with too many slices, otherwise they won’t get cooked properly.

You can also make chips by  slicing the banana  directly over the oil. In that case, you have to take  care from the hot oil in the pan.

You can skip turmeric powder as the nendran banana gets a natural yellow colour when deep-fried.

Ensure to slice the banana evenly to get crispier chips.

Don’t resuse the oil as it will be salty.