Sarkara Varatti Recipe (Jaggery Banana Chips)

Sarkara Varatti Recipe (Jaggery Banana Chips) – Jaggery coated banana chips recipe with step by step instructions. Deep fried Sarkkara Upperi, thick plaintain chips, made with green raw banana (pachakaya) and coated with thin layer of melted jaggery.

Jaggery Banana Chips or Sarkara Puratti is served on banana leaf during traditional Kerala Sadya during Onam, Vishu, Weddings and other occasions. It is also a tasty tea time snack. Sarkara Varatti is very easy to make and it is tasty.

Banana Chips  or Ethakka Upperi  are made out of finely sliced round banana pieces and deep fried in oil. Sarkkara Varatti  or Sarkkara Upperi is prepared by cutting bananas into a thick piece, deep fried and then mixed into melted jaggery.

GUTTANS TIPS FOR MAKING BEST SARKARA VARATTI

SOAKING BANANA IN SALT WATER AFTER PEELING

• Soaking in salt water prevents the banana from darkening.
• This salt water helps to preserve the banana colour.
• Salt water also removes stickiness of the banana.

OIL FOR FRYING KERALA BANANA CHIPS

• Mostly, banana chips are fried in coconut oil. It can also be fried in sunflower oil.
• Do not mix coconut oil with other oils as it foams. Oil should neither be too smoky nor dull and low heat.

PEELING BANANAS

• Score the banana along the ridges to easily peel it.
• Banana gives a milky sap on cutting. This makes hands sticky and stains the fingers.
• Dip hands in salt water or rub hands with oil before peeling to avoid staining fingers.

SLICING BANANAS

• Wipe banana with a tissue, if needed, before slicing. Slice the halved banana into ¼” thick pieces.
• Keep sliced pieces in baking sheet or in a plate lined with kitchen tissue to absorb moisture. Ensure that the banana pieces are dry before cooking.

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Sarkara Varatti Recipe (Jaggery Banana Chips)

Sarkara Varatti, thick plaintain chips, made with green raw banana (pachakaya) and coated with thin layer of melted jaggery.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

CourseSnack

CuisineKerala

Servings10 people

INGREDIENTS

 

• 1 Kg Raw Plantain (4-6 nos)
• 1 ¾ cup Jaggery (grated or powdered – 250 g jaggery)
• 1.5 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1.5 tsp ground dried ginger (or ginger powder)
• 3 tbsp rice flour (roasted)
• ¾ tsp cardamom powder (8 nos)
• ¾ tsp cumin powder
• Oil for frying

INSTRUCTIONS

PREPARE THE PLANTAIN BANANAS

• In a big bowl, mix together the water and salt. Keep aside.
• Cut the top and bottom tips of the plantains.
• Score the banana skin from top to bottom, along the ridges.
• Peel the outer skin of the bananas. Make sure to remove the green part fully.
• Immerse the peeled bananas in the salt water for 10-20 minutes.
• Scrub bananas well in salt water and rinse 2-3 times in clear water to remove sap.
• Drain and keep aside for another 10-20 minutes.

SLICING AND FRYING THE BANANA CHIPS

• Heat the oil in a deep, wide frying pan on medium heat.
• Pat the drained banana with a tissue paper to dry it, if needed.
• Cut the banana vertically (along the length) into half. Cut the halved banana into ¼” thick semi-round pieces.
• Reduce the heat and slide the sliced bananas into hot oil. Make sure that the pan is not over crowded. Stir gently to avoid slices sticking together.
• Cook in high flame for 2-3 minutes, after that, reduces the flame to medium high.
• Stir occasionally and flip the chips for even cooking. Fry for 10-15 minutes, until chips turns crisp and cooked well.
• Remove the fried banana chips with slotted spoon and then drain on paper towels.
• Follow the same procedure to cook the remaining batches.

COATING THE BANANA CHIPS IN JAGGERY MIXTURE

• Heat grated jaggery with ¼ cup of water. Strain jiggery syrup to remove impurities, if any.
• Grind together sugar and cardamom and make powder. Grinding both together is a quick way to get powdered cardamom.
• Roast rice powder till it turns light golden colour. Once roasted, add ginger powder and cumin powder and roast together for a minute and turn off.
• Heat a big heavy bottomed, wide pan. Cook the jaggery mixture over medium low flame until it becomes thick and with single thread consistency. To check this, put one drop of the boiling jaggery in cold water. If it reached right consistency, it won’t dissolve and instead it should form like a drop.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the fried banana pieces and mix well and stir continuously.
• Add the powdered cardamom and sugar, mix well. This gives a good appearance to the sarkara upperi and the slices do not stick to one another.
• Switch off the stove, add the mix of roasted rice powder, ginger powder and cumin powder.
• Stir continuously, so that all the slices are evenly coated with the jaggery mixture and separated.
• Once the chips cool completely, store it in an airtight container.

Notes

1. Rice Powder : Traditionally, brown rice powder is used. For this, dry roast 2 tbsp Kerala matta brown rice and grind it to fine powder. If it is not available, roast white power and use in the recipe.
2. Measuring Tools Used : 240 ml cup, 15 ml tablespoon and 5 ml teaspoon.

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