Banana Chips, Plantain Chips, Ethakka Upperi

1. In a large bowl, add approx: 3-4 cups of water, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder; Combine well and set aside.
2. Remove the banana skin, dip the peeled bananas in the turmeric water for 30 minutes.
3. After that, pat dry the plantain using a paper towel to remove the excess water content.
4. Slice the plantain into ⅛ inch thickness using a mandoline/slicer.
5. In a bowl, add the sliced banana pieces, a pinch of turmeric powder and salt; Sprinkle little water(approx: 1-2 Teaspoon) and gently mix it and keep aside for 5 minutes.
6. Spread the sliced pieces in a big flat tray lined with kitchen tissue or towel for about 15-20 minutes for drying.
7. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying, fry few pieces at a time in low heat; Stir and flip them occasionally to keep them from sticking together.
8. Fry until the bubbles subside or fry until golden color (don’t let to over-brown) and crispy for about 5-8 minutes.
9. Drain them with a perforated spoon into a plate lined with paper towels for draining the excess oil and let them cool.
10. Store in an airtight container.

Tips:

• To remove the banana skin, just put a lengthwise slit in the banana skin with a knife and peel off the skin.
• Dipping peeled banana in turmeric water helps to remove the stickiness of plantain, and to preserve the color, and also prevent them from sticking while frying.
• For deep frying, you can use any oil but coconut oil gives an authentic taste to the chips.