Things You’ll Need
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Chef’s knife
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Paper towels
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Skillet or deep fryer
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Oil
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Tongs or slotted spoon
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Plate
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Seasonings
Banana chips can be flavored to be savory, spicy or sweet. Image Credit: Visage/Stockbyte/Getty Images
Banana chips offer all of the crisp and delicate crunch of potato chips with a slightly sweeter taste and thicker, softer texture. Bananas are packed with potassium, which your body needs for the healthy functioning of your heart, kidneys and nervous system. Bananas contain very few calories, though frying them in oil will add a few. Use green bananas for making chips because ripe ones won't fry up as crisply.
Step 1
Peel the bananas and discard the skins.
Step 2
Slice the bananas into coins that are about 1/8 inch thick. The thinner the coins, the crisper they will be. For larger chips cut the slices at a slight diagonal. Try to keep the thickness as consistent as possible so that they all cook at the same rate.
Step 3
Pat the slices lightly with a paper towel on both sides to remove any excess moisture.
Step 4
Pour 1/2 inch to 1 inch or so of oil into a skillet or deep fryer. Canola oil and vegetable are preferred. Heat the oil until the surface begins to shimmer or the deep fryer records a temperature of at least 350 F.
Step 5
Place just enough banana coins into the skillet to make a single layer without crowding them. Don't crowd the fry basket too much if you are using a deep fryer. Fry the banana coins for one to three minutes depending on their thickness, turning them with tongs or a slotted spoon halfway through the cooking time if you are cooking them in a skillet.
Step 6
Remove the banana chips from the hot oil either with tongs, a spatula or slowly and carefully lifting the fry basket when they start to look crisp around the edges. Set them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
Step 7
Season the banana coins with the spices of your choice. Salt and pepper, chili powder and curry powder each provide a savory flavor, while a mixture of sugar and cinnamon makes for a sweeter snack.
Warning
Do not use ripe bananas because they get mushy rather than crisp.
