Kerala Banana Chips Recipe (Ethakka Upperi) – Crispy Nadan Kaya Varuthathu for Onam Sadhya
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| Golden Ethakka Upperi, ready for the Sadhya leaf. |
Kerala Banana Chips Recipe (Ethakka Upperi) – Crispy Nadan Kaya Varuthathu for Onam Sadhya
Banana Chips, colloquially called Ethakka Upperi or Kaya Varuthathu in Malayalam, is one of the most nostalgic Kerala snacks for every Malayali. It's a popular Kerala Palaharam made with just two ingredients synonymous with God's Own Country: pure coconut oil and raw Nendhra Kaya (plantain).
These traditional banana chips are made from thinly sliced raw Nendhra bananas, sliced by hand or on a chips slicer for that classic paper-thin crunch. Slightly ripe bananas work too, giving a naturally sweet banana chips version that some households prefer.
There's also Nalumuri, or four-piece banana chips, a variation usually served in a Kerala Sadhya. Here, each round banana slice is cut into four before frying, which is where the name Naalumuri or Naaluvaravu comes from.
Banana chips hold a permanent place in authentic Kerala cuisine, and no Onam Sadhya or Kerala vegetarian feast on a banana leaf feels complete without a small heap of them alongside the rice.
Thin, crispy, faintly sweet and with a mild aroma of coconut oil, Ethakka Upperi is proof that the best snacks need almost nothing. Raw Nendhra bananas, coconut oil and a pinch of turmeric-salt water are all it takes.
Once you crack the technique, you'll wonder why you ever bought a packet of these from a shop.
ഉത്രാടപ്പാച്ചിൽ(Uthrada Pachil)
Today is Uthradam, the first of the four days of Onam. There's a lovely Malayalam saying for this day, "ഉത്രാടപ്പാച്ചിൽ!!!", Uthrada Pachil, which basically means everyone's in a mad last-minute scramble. Buying food items, cooking up a storm, hunting down new clothes and gifts before the big day arrives.
If you're right in the thick of that Uthrada Pachil yourself, let's slip in one easy recipe for your Onasadhya. This is God's Own Country's own Naadan Palaharam, a tiny snack that somehow takes up an outsized place on the leaf: the one and only Kerala Banan Chips - Ethakka Upperi/Kaya Varuthathu
History and Origin
Banana chips trace their roots to Kerala's plantain-rich backyards, where Nendhra Kaya has been a kitchen staple for centuries. Frying it in coconut oil, the region's signature fat, turned a humble raw fruit into a festival essential.
Today, Ethakka Upperi is inseparable from Onam Sadhya, sold by the sackful in Kerala's famous "chips shops" and shipped abroad to homesick Malayalis everywhere.
My Nostalgia and Memory
This recipe holds a special place for me. It was my 600th post, and I saved it deliberately for an Onam season, the way you save the good sari for the good occasion.
Every hundredth post of mine has been a family favourite:
Hainanese Chicken Rice at 100
Mutton Cutlet at 200
Our family's Pesaha Appam & Paal at 400
Madras Mutton Biriyani at 500
For 600, only Banana Chips would do.
I'd always assumed this was a professional's trick, something only chips-stall uncles could pull off with ease. Then I watched my Aunt Sindu Ammai fry a batch in Palakkad, effortlessly, and give away the secret: pour salted water straight into the hot oil just before the slices come out.
I went home, found raw Nendhra bananas, and got frying. My very first attempt turned out beautifully. Living abroad and missing Naadan Palaharangal will do that to you; you learn to make it yourself, or you don't get to eat it at all.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Only 3 real ingredients: Plantain, coconut oil and turmeric-salt water, nothing else needed.
No guesswork seasoning: The salted-water-into-oil trick coats every slice evenly, no patchy salty bites.
Keeps beautifully: A batch stays crisp in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
A genuine Sadhya essential: No banana leaf feast feels complete without a small mountain of these.
Recipe Overview
Cuisine: Kerala
Recipe Type: Snacks
Yields: Approx. 4 cups chips
Servings: 6-8
Difficulty: Medium
Author: SM @ Essence of Life - Food
Time Estimate
Preparation Time: 25–30 Minutes
Soaking Time: 10–20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 30–45 Minutes
Total Time: Approx. 60–90 Minutes
How to Cook Kerala Banana Chips: Step-by-Step Guide
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| Thin, crispy slices, fried the traditional Nadan way |
Ingredients List
For the Plantains:
4 Raw Nendhra Bananas (Plantains)
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
3-4 cups Water
For Deep Frying:
Coconut Oil (enough for deep-frying)
For the Seasoned Water:
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Salt
½ cup Water
Method - Detailed Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Prep the Plantains
Mix ½ tsp turmeric powder into 3–4 cups of water in a large pan.
Peel the Nendhra bananas and immerse them in the turmeric water for 10–20 minutes.
Remove the plantains, pat them dry with a kitchen towel, then slice into thin rounds using a sharp knife or a slicer.
Spread the slices on a clean towel or plate in a single layer. Do not crowd them.
Step 2: Deep-Fry the Chips
Heat coconut oil in a pan on high, then reduce to medium once hot. Coconut oil turns smoky quickly on high heat.
Gently drop the sliced plantains into the hot oil in batches, without overcrowding.
Stir occasionally and flip once or twice until the slices separate cleanly.
Fry for 7–10 minutes.
Step 3: Season and Finish
Lower the flame and sprinkle a little of the turmeric-salt water over the chips.
Close the pan immediately with a lid to avoid splatter, and let it fry until the splashing stops.
Remove the lid, raise the flame back to medium, and toss the chips until crisp and golden yellow.
Lift the chips out and drain on a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining batches.
Cool completely before transferring to an airtight container.
Pro Tips and Notes
Soaking matters: The turmeric-salt water soak removes stickiness and raw smell from the plantains, and stops them from oxidising and discolouring before frying.
Watch the oil temperature: Start high to heat the coconut oil, then drop to medium. Smoking oil ruins both flavour and texture.
Test for doneness: Crush one slice. If it still gives, fry a little longer on low heat until it snaps cleanly.
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| A festival favourite, served in every Onam Sadhya Spread |
Serve Ethakka Upperi as the first item placed on the banana leaf for a traditional Onam Sadhya, alongside Sharkara Varatti and pickles. They're just as happy eaten straight from the tin with evening chai.
Storage Suggestions
Refrigeration: Not required. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.
Freezing and Thawing: Not recommended, freezing softens the crisp texture.
Reheating: If chips soften, crisp them up in a dry pan on low heat for a minute, or in an air fryer for 2–3 minutes.
FAQ
Why aren't my banana chips crispy?
This usually means the oil wasn't hot enough, or the slices were cut too thick. Slice evenly and fry until the splashing sound fully stops before removing from the oil.
Can I use ripe bananas instead of raw plantains?
Slightly ripe Nendhra bananas work and give a naturally sweeter chip, but very ripe bananas won't crisp up the same way.
What is Naalumuri banana chips?
- Naalumuri, or Naaluvaravu, is the version where each round slice is further cut into four pieces before frying, commonly served in a Sadhya.
Recipes You Might Like From My Blog
Unniyappam — Sweet, spiced rice and jaggery fritters, another Kerala festival favourite worth adding to your Sadhya spread.
Delicious Payasams for a Sadhya — Round off the feast with the sweet course.
A Vibrant Onam Sadhya (Serving Guide) — The definitive order and placement guide for a proper Sadhya leaf.
A Crisp Little Piece of Home
Banana chips have been a special snack to me since childhood, one I can gobble up in a single sitting without a tinge of guilt. Mind you, I'm normally a conscious eater. This one snack, somehow, beats every rule I've ever set for myself.
I have a particular weakness for the mildly sweet, half ripe version. And a trip back to my hometown always comes with one unwritten rule: a few packs of these have to make it into my suitcase.
One bite, and I'm back in my childhood, back home again.
Some recipes teach you a technique. This one taught me that home isn't always a place, sometimes it's a sound, the splutter of salted water hitting hot coconut oil, carried across a kitchen thousands of miles from Palaghat.
Fry a batch this Onam, and let that sound fill your own kitchen too.
 – Crispy Nadan Kaya Varuthathu for Onam Sadhy...){kind=link}
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