Check here for our popular pan-fried plantains or raw banana pakora (fritters) recipe.
About the recipe
Fried plantains, also called ripe banana pakora, fritters, or bajji are popular evening snacks in Mangalore, Udupi region. These are sold as street food and snacks at restaurants. The plantains should be ripe with atleast 40 % of the skin or peel turned from yellow to black for best results. These fried plantains are also called pikkale kele bajo in konkani, my mother tongue, where pikkale means ripe, kele means banana, and bajo means fried in batter. Traditionally Nendrabale banana is used in the recipe. Today, I have used Burro banana available here in the United States (grown in Mexico), which is of the same variety. The best part about the batter is that it can also be used to fry raw banana, potato, squash, sweet potato, jalapeno, anaheim, cauliflower, broccoli, paneer (tofu), aubergine (eggplant), okra, bell pepper (capsicum), breadfruit, bread, shrimp (prawns), chicken, crab, pork, clam. (You have to cut the vegetables into rounds or lengthwise, dip them in batter, and fry.)
Ingredients
Plantain (Banana): Nendrabale or Burro plantains taste the best. See that the plantains are ripe. Chickpea flour, Also called besan, is the base for the fritter batter. Spices: Cumin seeds, turmeric powder, hing, red chile powder, and salt are traditional spices used to make fritters. Coconut oil: Plantains taste the best when fried in coconut oil. If it is unavailable, then use vegetable oil or any neutral oil. See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make fried plantains?
Peel and slice the plantains into ½-inch thick circles or cut them lengthwise. Heat oil in a pan for frying on medium flame.
Make the batter to fry the plantains.
Add chickpea flour, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, hing, red chile powder, and salt to taste and mix in a bowl. Add water little by little and whisk to form a lump-free, medium-thick batter. Tip: When you dip each plantain slice, you want the slices to coat with the batter. If you add too much water by mistake, adjust the batter by adding extra flour. The exact amount of water may vary every time based on the brand of chickpea flour. Go with the eye measurement. So start with ¼ cup and slowly increase as needed.
How to fry sweet plantains?
Once the oil is hot, dip each plantain slice in the batter and drop them in oil (5 to 6 slices, depending on the size of the pan). Fry till the plantains are crispy and golden brown. Transfer this to a paper towel to absorb any oil. Repeat the process for the remaining plantains. Fried plantains taste best when served fresh and piping hot.
Tips
Consistency of batter and frying temperature is very important to get the crispy outer texture. Do not fry them if the oil is warm (i.e., not hot enough or yet to reach its optimum temperature). This will absorb excess oil and make the fried plantains soggy. If the oil is too hot, the fritters will become brown soon. The best tip is to always fry by switching the flame between medium and medium-high. Battered plantains taste great without the addition of baking soda. You don’t need it while frying. Adjust and use the spices as needed. Do not overcrowd the pan while frying. Want the crispy outer covering for fritters? You can try one of these: Either add 2 tablespoon of rice flour while making the batter or add 1 tablespoon of hot oil while preparing the batter. If there are any leftovers, you can reheat them in the microwave, but they will not be as crispy or tasty as the fresh ones.
Serving suggestions
These fried plantains taste the best when served as an evening snack with a cup of hot chai or filter coffee. You can also serve this as a finger food or appetizer with tomato ketchup and/or any chutney you choose, like green mint or sweet dates chutney.
More Fritters / Pakoras
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Recipe card
