Deep-fried bananas are one of the more unusual banana deserts. These can be made from either regular yellow bananas, or their less sweet relatives, plantains. Thin banana slices can be deep-fried to make crispy chips, but thicker slices can be made into a softer banana desert. Before they are deep-fried, banana slices are usually covered with a sweet batter. When they are done, they should be drained on an absorbent material and served warm.
A couple types of bananas can be used to make deep-fried bananas. Regular yellow bananas can be used once they are ripe, or just before they ripen. Ripe bananas will usually be a little mushier than bananas that are still green.
Plantains can also be used to make deep-fried bananas. These close banana relatives contain more starch and less sugar than regular bananas. This makes them less sweet and much firmer.
Banana chips are one type of deep-fried bananas. These are usually made from very thinly sliced bananas or plantains. These slices are then deep-fried until they are browned and crispy. Banana chips are usually a much healthier snack than regular potato chips.
Thicker banana slices or chunks are usually covered in a sweet batter before they are deep-fried. A simple batter can be made from milk, flour, and sugar. Other ingredients can also be added for extra flavor, such as vanilla, cinnamon, or finely crushed cookie crumbs. The banana chunks are then covered in the batter.
To deep-fry bananas, a deep-frier or a pot filled with oil can be used. This oil should be clean, and it should also be allowed to reach about 350° F (177° C). The batter-covered banana chunks can then be carefully added to the oil. These should be cooked until the batter becomes golden brown and crispy, which will usually only takes a few minutes.
Once the deep-fried bananas are done cooking, they should be removed from the oil and immediately placed on an absorbent material. Paper towels are usually used for this task, but brown paper bags or coffee filters can also be used. Draining the deep-fried bananas will help remove some of the fat from the oil.
Deep-fried bananas are usually served warm. They can be eaten plain or sprinkled with powdered sugar, brown sugar, or ground cinnamon for extra flavor. Some cooks prefer to drizzle the cooked bananas with honey or serve them with ice cream.