Banana Fritters or Pazham Pori is a traditional snack from Kerala and can be very commonly found in local bakeries as well as restaurants. It is also a snack which is often made in Kerala as an accompaniment with the evening tea. It is essentially banana slices dipped in a batter and deep fried. But the bananas used for these are the Kerala bananas or Nendra Pazham (as called in Malayalam). These are firmer bananas and do not become mushy very easily.

I still remember how we used to long to have pazham pori every summer vacation when we used to travel to Kerala. We couldn’t even wait to get to our grandparents’ house to have these. The first railway station after we enter the state of Kerala, when coming from Bhopal, was Palakkad. And as soon as the train halted there, dad used to go and buy these for us. When I look back, those pazham poris we had from the station were no good at all. They were made with full bananas and not slices and the bananas were mostly just half ripe. Inspite of that, we just had to have that from the railway station!

Since it is not a difficult preparation, I make this at home whenever I get good Kerala bananas. Only drawback I would mention about this snack is that it is deep-fried..;)

Things to keep in mind

• Bananas: You will need to use Kerala bananas for this recipe. I really cannot suggest any replacement for those. And make sure the bananas you use are ripe yet firm.
• Rice Flour: I add a little rice flour to the batter for crispiness. However, if you do not have that, you can skip it
• Turmeric: Adding turmeric is purely optional. It is mainly added for a light yellow color to the fritters.

Recipe

Ingredient List

• Kerala Banana / Nendra Pazham – 1 large or 2 medium
• All Purpose Flour – ½ cup
• Rice Flour – 1+1/2 tbsp
• Salt – a pinch
• Sugar – 1 – 1.5 tbsp, depending on the sweetness of the bananas
• Turmeric – a pinch, for color (optional)
• Water – ½-¾ cup, as needed
• Oil – for frying

Step by Step Process

1. Cut each banana into half first and then each half into three pieces lengthwise. If the bananas are large, you can cut it into three first before cutting into three or four pieces lengthwise.
2. In a bowl, add the all-purpose flour, rice flour, salt, sugar and turmeric (if using) and mix well. Slowly add the water, enough to make a thick batter.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Once well heated, dip each banana slice into the batter to coat it well and add it to the hot oil for frying.
4. Turn it around till they are golden brown on both sides.
5. Strain the fried fritters it into a plate lined with tissue paper to absorb any excess oil.
6. Enjoy this tasty snack with your favourite cup of tea or coffee!