Banana Chips are a tasty and crispy vegetarian Indian snack, also known as kele ke chips. Learn to make healthier banana chips in an air fryer.
About Banana Chips
Banana Chips, known in Hindi kele ke chips, are a vegan, gluten-free, crispy snack made with raw banana or plantain.
They are one of the beloved snacks across South India. From traditional snack shops to supermarkets, you will find plantain chips in various flavours in South India. Over the years, they have also become a widely loved edible souvenir for travellers.
Traditionally, these kele ke chips are deep-fried in coconut oil and later seasoned with only black pepper and salt.
I am sharing a healthier non-fried version of classic banana chips done in an air fryer with minimal oil.
Homemade vs Packaged Chips
One debatable question that always comes up about homemade chips – why make them at home?
My Answer: Homemade Chips are free of artificial flavour, colour, preservatives, and chemicals. They are made using grade-A quality oil in a hygienic environment. You can customize the seasoning and quantity of chips as per requirement (make a small or large batch).
All these reasons apply to homemade banana chips also.
More Reasons To Make Chips At Home
- air fryer friendly
- zero preservatives
- no wastage of oil
- easy to customize
- gluten and nut free
- vegan and vegetarian
Ingredients Required
Banana: You need green bananas (kachha kela) or plantain for making chips. A plantain is more like a potato with no taste, thick skin, and starchy. Do not use ripe bananas. I make a delicious sabzi and kebab using it.
Seasoning: Salt, Black Pepper, Turmeric, Red Chilli Powder
Oil: I use coconut oil to brush the chips and air fryer basket. Traditionally, plantain chips are deep-fried in coconut oil. You can use vegetable or refined oil also.
Apart from these ingredients, you need water.
How To Make
Step 1) Make slits in the skin of the plantain. Remove the thick green skin. Wash it with running water (image 1).
Step 2) Make thin slices of banana using a mandoline slicer or chips slicer (image 2).
Step 3) In a large and wide bowl, add water, salt, and turmeric powder. Stir to combine. Soak banana slices in this water for 5 minutes (image 3). This step helps remove the starch and give chips a salted flavour.
Step 4) Drain all the water. Arrange banana slices in a clean kitchen towel. Gently pat them dry (image 4).
Step 5) Brush the air fryer basket with coconut oil. Preheat the air fryer to 150 degrees Celcius.
Step 6) Arrange banana slices in the air fryer basket without overlapping each other. Air Fry at 150 degrees Celcius for 15 minutes. Shaking the basket once or twice during cooking time.
Step 7) Once the chips are ready, transfer them to a bowl immediately while they are hot. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and red chilli powder. Toss them in the seasoning.
Air Fryer Banana Chips are ready to enjoy.
Banana Chips Flavours
Plain Salted: Some purists like their banana chips only seasoned with salt. And trust me, plain salted chips are my favourite flavour too.
Salt & Pepper: Plantain Chips with a hint of black pepper tastes good too. The heat of pepper balances the sweetness of banana and coconut oil.
Spicy: You can make spicier chips by tossing them in salt, pepper, and a dash of red paprika or chilli powder.
Fusion Flavours: Add garlic powder, cheese powder, and onion powder for an infusion of modern flavours into your plantain chips.
Storage Suggestion
Like any other chips or munching snack, store banana chips in an air-tight container at room temperature. They remain fresh for 15 – 20 days. However, the taste of chips slowly changes after that, and they become rancid. It is best to make them in small batches to be consumed within a week or two.
Keep them away from moisture, and damp, humid places. You can pack plantain chips in a ziplock bag for travelling or school.
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Air Fryer Banana Chips Recipe
- Mxing Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 large size raw banana/plantain (kachha kela)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
- 4 Cup water
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Ingredients For Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
Instructions
- Make slits in the skin of the plantain. Remove the thick green skin. Wash it with running water. Make sure the shape of the plantain remains intact.
- Make thin slices of banana using a mandoline slicer or chips slicer. You can do the same using a knife but ensure all pieces are thin and of equal size.
- In a large and wide bowl, add water, salt, and turmeric powder. Stir to combine. Soak banana slices in this water for 5 minutes. This step helps remove the starch and give chips a salted flavour.
- Drain all the water. Arrange banana slices in a clean kitchen towel. Gently pat them dry. Moist or wet slices won't turn crisp properly while frying.
- Brush the air fryer basket with coconut oil. You can use vegetable or refined oil also instead of coconut oil. Preheat the air fryer to 150 degrees Celcius.
- Arrange banana slices in the air fryer basket without overlapping each other. Air Fry at 150 degrees Celcius for 15 minutes. Shaking the basket once or twice during cooking time.
- Once the chips are ready, transfer them to a bowl immediately while they are hot. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and red chilli powder. Toss them in the seasoning.
- Air Fryer Banana Chips are ready to enjoy.
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