Deep-fried bananas take ripe bananas, coat them in a lightly spiced batter, fried, finished with sugar and a drizzle of warm chocolate sauce. This is the sort of dessert that does not need a complicated occasion. Serve it after dinner, bring it out for a weekend treat, or make a batch when the fruit bowl is giving you a very obvious hint that those bananas need attention.
What are Deep-Fried Bananas?
Frying bananas is hardly a new culinary idea. Across tropical regions where bananas and plantains have long been everyday ingredients, cooks have developed plenty of ways to fry, bake, boil and sweeten them. Similar fried banana desserts can be found in several Asian, Caribbean, African and Latin American food traditions, although the ingredients used vary.
In Southeast Asia, for example, fried bananas are particularly well known, with versions such as “pisang goreng” in Indonesia. Some recipes use a simple flour-based coating, while others include rice flour, coconut, or spices.
Pro Tips for the Best Deep-Fried Bananas
- Letting the batter rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes helps it become easier to work with and gives you a better coating.
- Coat with flour first because a light coating gives the batter something to hold onto and helps create a more even exterior.
- Make sure the oil is properly heated. Oil that is too cool can leave the coating greasy, while excessively hot oil can brown the outside before the banana has warmed through.
- Drain briefly after frying on a rack or paper towel to help remove excess oil before you add the sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of bananas should I use?
Choose bananas that are ripe enough to be naturally sweet but still firm enough to handle. If the bananas are extremely soft, they may be difficult to cut, skewer, and coat without breaking.
Why do I need to coat the bananas in flour first?
The flour gives the wet batter a dry surface to grab onto. Without it, the batter can slide off the banana easily, leaving you with patchy coverage.
Can I make these bananas without skewers?
Skewers make the pieces easier to dip and turn, but they are not essential. You can use tongs or a slotted spoon to carefully coat and fry the banana pieces instead. Just handle them gently because the batter is soft before it sets.
Can I use plant-based milk?
Yes, a plant-based milk can work in the chocolate sauce. Choose one with a fairly neutral flavour if you do not want it to compete with the banana and chocolate.
How to Store Any Leftovers
Deep-fried bananas are best eaten shortly after cooking because that is when the coating has its best texture. But you can store leftovers in the fridge and eat within a day or two. Store the chocolate sauce separately if possible, as this makes reheating easier and prevents the coating from becoming unnecessarily soft.
Ingredients
How to Make Deep-Fried Bananas
Start by mixing flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Pour in the apple cider and whisk until combined. Add the eggs and vegetable oil, then whisk again until you have a smooth batter. Then, refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Start by mixing flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Pour in the apple cider and whisk until combined. Add the eggs and vegetable oil, then whisk again until you have a smooth batter. Then, refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Trim the ends from the bananas, then cut each banana into quarters, and thread the pieces onto skewers.
Trim the ends from the bananas, then cut each banana into quarters, and thread the pieces onto skewers.
Take each skewered banana and roll it in the flour, and next, dip the floured banana into the chilled batter.
Take each skewered banana and roll it in the flour, and next, dip the floured banana into the chilled batter.
Fry the battered bananas until the coating is golden brown.
Fry the battered bananas until the coating is golden brown.
While the fried bananas are still warm, coat them with sugar.
While the fried bananas are still warm, coat them with sugar.
Heat milk, whipping cream, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Heat milk, whipping cream, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir the hot mixture with dark chocolate in a bowl.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir the hot mixture with dark chocolate in a bowl.
Arrange the warm fried bananas on a serving plate and serve them with the chocolate sauce. Enjoy!
Arrange the warm fried bananas on a serving plate and serve them with the chocolate sauce. Enjoy!
;Resize,width=767;)
