Air Fryer Plantain Chips- Kerala Style Banana Chips

Name: Air Fryer Plantain chips
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 Plantains green; 2 tablespoon vegetable oil or Olive oil; ¼ tsp Turmeric; 1 tsp salt

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These air fryer plantain chips are crunchy with a hint of sweetness. Though these are salted, the innate sweetness of plantains shines from time to time. These Kerala-style banana chips are colored and spiced with turmeric giving them a taste characteristic of the Indian plantain chips.

You can choose to skip it and use the spices that you like. This plantain chips recipe is very simple and easy to make. One can either air fry the plantain chips, oven bake them, or deep fry them. I have touched upon all the methods in this post.

Have you tried our air-fried bananas and air-fried pear? Absolutely easy and delicious recipes!

What are plantains?

Not sure what plantain is? Let us start by understanding what plantain is, as you might be calling it by some different local name.

Plantains are a kind of cooking bananas. They may be eaten ripe or unripe. They could be enjoyed as savory or sweet. I love my air fryer sweet plantains.

These cooking bananas are usually sold green in the grocery stores. Therefore people often call them green bananas. These are extensively fried (Pisang Goreng) in Indonesia and Malaysia in coconut oil. Ethakka appam is a term used in Kerala, India for fried plantain chips.

air fried plantain chips colored with turmeric

The recipe for today is the plantain chips. Plantain chips are enjoyed across Southeast Asia. Though the flavorings used may differ from place to place.

Plantain chips are known as tostones, patacones or plataninas in some of Central and South American countries, platanutres in Puerto Rico, mariquitas or chicharritas in Cuba, Papita in Haiti, and chifles in Ecuador and Peru.

Ethakka upperi is what banana chips are called in Kerala. They are a crispy and delicious snack. They are colored and spiced with turmeric. This is how I like banana chips. This is how I have enjoyed them all my life. You can skip turmeric if you are not up for it.

Why should you make this recipe?

Quick and easy. Making these chips is super easy and quick, especially using an air fryer.
A very low number of ingredients are required. These air-fried plantain chips do not require any specific ingredients that you might not already have in your kitchen.
Gluten- free. If you are looking for a gluten free snack. Look no further.
No deep frying is required. These banana chips are made in an air fryer to golden crispy goodness without using a ton of oil.
Healthy snack. Though plantains are starchy, they are a rich source of fiber, and water-soluble vitamins like A, B6, and C.
These are paleo-friendly snacks.
Vegan friendly. These air fryer plantain chips are the perfect vegan snack.
Kid-friendly. Kids love chips. Air fryer plantain chips make a great healthy snack option to put in front of kids.

Ingredients required to make plantain chips in air fryer

Plantains

I have used 2 standard-sized green plantains for making chips in air fryer. It is important to choose the right type and stage of green bananas. There are all sorts of green bananas available in the market, and any of these would work for this recipe. But make sure that the bananas are green.

As the plantains start to ripen, it develops blotches on their surface, and it becomes unfit for making chips. You need clean and green plantain for making chips.

Turmeric

Turmeric is an optional ingredient. You may or may not use it. I just happen to love it in my banana chips. Kerala banana chips are often made with turmeric. This recipe is what Kerala banana chips would be like if made in an air fryer. And trust me they are very close to the authentic Kerala banana chips that I grew up eating.

Cooking oil

Usually, coconut oil is used for frying banana chips in south India. But any oil like olive oil, canola oil, etc., will work just fine. Since we are not frying the plantain chips, they just need a generous coating of oil on both sides. Use any vegetable oil of your choice.

Salt and spices

These air fryer plantain chips only need some salt and are good to eat. You can add any flavoring or spice of your choice if you want.

Equipment required

Mandoline slicer

We need a mandoline slicer to make thin slices of plantain. You can also use a knife, but we need plantain rings of the same thickness for making the chips. It is difficult to achieve uniform slices using a knife unless you are experienced in this.

Air fryer

I am using an 8 qt Bella professional air fryer for making the air fryer plantain chips recipe.

How to make air fryer plantain chips

Step 1 Cutting the plantain rings

The first step is to prepare the plantain banana rings. Peel the green plantains using a peeler. Go around twice to ensure that the fibrous peel is fully removed.

While you work with another plantain, soak the peeled plantain in a large bowl filled with water. Then place the other plantain also in water. Let it soak in water for 10 minutes. Drain the water and dry them using a kitchen towel.

Use a Mandoline slicer to make thin slices of peeled plantain banana. You can also make them into strips if you want.

Step 2 Oiling the rings

imges showing adding salt, turmeric and oil

In a bowl add the sliced plantains, oil, salt, and turmeric. Then mix the slices to coat them all with oil and spices. Make sure to separate the rings that are adhering to each other and ensure oiling them on each side.

Step 3 Air frying the plantain chips

First, we need to pre-heat the air fryer to 350 ⁰F. To do that, set the air fryer temperature to 350⁰F and let it run with an empty basket for 3-4 minutes. Please understand that preheating is important to get crispy plantain chips in air fryer. Otherwise, they will be hard and not crispy.

Then, open the air fryer basket and put the plantain slices into it. Use something to spread the slices out. There is no need to arrange them in a single layer, but don’t simply dump them piling on each other. Just spread them in the air fryer.

Now let them dehydrate at 350 ⁰ F for 4-5 minutes. Then open the air fryer basket and flip the plantain chips. Put back the basket and air fry for additional 4-5 minutes.

When done, remove onto a plate and repeat with the rest.

For this recipe, it will take four rounds of air frying (chips made with half a plantain at a time).

If you are using a smaller air fryer, with a smaller basket, it will take much longer to air fry. It is always a good idea to keep an eye on them. Open the basket often to see the progress of cooking.

step by step images of air frying plantain chips

It does not matter if some slices are overlapping each other. As the plantain chips will dehydrate, they will shrink in size a bit and there will be more space for air circulation among them. If you have the time and patience to arrange all the plantain slices in a single layer, go ahead. But please note that the plantain chips in this case will cook way faster than the piled ones.

How to make plantain chips in the oven?

To make the plantain chips in the oven, follow the first two steps as such. You will peel, slice and spice the plantain rings and then spread them in a single layer over a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Then bake them in a preheated oven at 350⁰F for 20-25 minutes, or until they become crisp.

How to store air-fried plantain chips

Storage is the key. You made so much effort in making these chips, but if you do not store them appropriately, all your efforts will go in vain.

First, ensure that the chips are fully cooled down. Let them come to the room temperature first. This is when they are best enjoyed and are most crunchy.

Once they are cooled, pack them in an airtight container or a ziplocked bag. They do not like moisture at all. They will store well for weeks in a cool and dry place.

You can also freeze them if you want. Put them in a ziplocked bag and squeeze out the maximum air. Then, seal the bag and wrap it with a foil. Label them with the date and freeze them for months.

How to enjoy air fryer plantain chips?

I like to munch them as such. But you can dip them in your favorite dipping sauce. They are best enjoyed as a tea snack in India. You can also sprinkle some chaat masala or chili lemon flakes and enjoy!

Tips and notes for making perfect air fryer plantain chips

Choose the clean bananas that are green without any hint of yellow.
Turmeric is optional. But it does make a difference.
Soaking prevents the plantains from getting brown.
Use a Mandoline slicer to get perfectly even slices of plantain.
Make sure to separate the rings that are adhering to each other and ensure oiling them on each side. This step is important to make perfectly even cooked air fryer plantain chips.
Preheating is the key to crunchy bananas.
No need to spread them in a single layer, but do not just dump them in an air fryer in a single pile.
2 plantains will require 4 rounds of air frying, where we will place the rings made from about half a banana at a time.
Make sure to cool the air fryer plantain chips completely before storing them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use bananas to make chips?

You can use bananas to make chips. But remember that regular bananas are rich in sugars. Whereas the plantains are rich in starch. It is starch that makes chips crispy. The chips made with a regular raw banana will not be as crispy as the plantain chips. But I have made them with satisfactory results over time. Just make sure to choose very green and unripe bananas only.

Should I soak the plantains before making chips?

Soaking the peeled plantain is optional. But, this step prevents the plantains from getting brown due to starch oxidation and also helps to get rid of some excess starch. If you have time, then do it, else skip it.

Are plantain chips good for your health?

Plantain chips are starchy like potato chips. But way less starchy. Also, they contain a lot more fiber and vitamins than a potato chip. They are all healthier chip alternatives than most conventional chips.

How to make deep fried plantain chips?

First, you need to prepare the plantain slices. Start by washing, peeling, and then slicing the plantains using a mandoline slicer. Coat the slices in turmeric and salt.
In a deep fryer or any deep frying utensil, heat oil to 365 ⁰F (185⁰C). Use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature of the oil.

Then drop the plantain rings one by one into the deep fryer. Add 10-12 slices at a time. Then fry them for 2 minutes at medium heat. Flip them and fry for 1-2 more minutes or until they become crispy. Remove onto a paper towel and repeat until all plantain slices are deep fried.

Are plantain chips keto-friendly?

No way. Plantains are a type of cooking banana. They are rich in starch, which is a carb. No carbohydrate-rich food is suggested for a keto diet.

How to peel plantains?

You cannot peel plantains like a normal banana. The only exception is when is too ripe, you might be able to peel it down, but not as easily as a normal banana would. You still would have to cut the top using a knife.

The best way to peel the plantain is to use a peeler. First, cut the top and bottom of the plantain. Then peel off the hard, green, fibrous, peel using a peeler, until you start seeing the banana flesh.

How long do you air fry plantain chips?

The exact cooking time required to make homemade plantain chip in air fryer will depend on a few factors. Firstly, the amount of unripe plantain rings in the air fryer basket. If they are spread out in a single layer, they will cook faster due to better hot air circulation. But if you are putting the slices of a whole plantain all at once, piled over one another, it will take longer.
I do half the plantain in one round in my 8 qt air fryer basket. It takes me 8-9 minutes per round at 350 ⁰F.

Also, the size and type of air fryer play an important role. Use this recipe as a guide and keep an eye on the chips to know how much time you exactly need.

How do you dehydrate plantains in an air fryer?

To dehydrate plantains in an air fryer, use the temperature setting of 300 ⁰F. The time required will depend on how thin or thick have you sliced them.

banana chips in a plate with green plantain in the background

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Till then,

Make it quick and delicious!

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