PAZHAM PORI - BANANA FRITTERS RECIPE

      Pazham Pori - Ethakka Appam/Ethakka Porichathu is a common Kerala Palaharam(snack) prepared with ripe bananas.  Traditionally Nendhra Pazham(Ethapazham) is used in this type of Kerala style Banana Fritters recipe.  Thinly sliced Nendhra Pazham(Bananas) are dipped into a pre-mixed batter and then they are deep fried in Coconut Oil for a more authentic and traditional Kerala style - Pazham Pori.
      Pazham Pori - A Popular Tea time snack, we all grew up with. A colloquially famous term "Kadi & Kudi" - which literally means Bite along with a Sip. A snack to glorify the tea time.  It is very common in a South Indian household to prepare a tea time snack(Naalumani Palaharam), every evening to go along with Tea or Coffee.  When sweet treat lingers in then comes along the famous Pazham Pori - our Gods Own Country's Banana Fritters.
      Pazham Pori is a common Palaharam I frequent(when I mean frequent here, it's quite frequent...) at home.  My husband and kids are hardcore fans of Pazham Pori.  Whenever we visit Cochin, it is a common snack my MIL's sisters prepare Pazham Pori for tea time and least to mention how my husband and SIL compete with each other to gobble up the hot Pazham Pori's.  The moment they are out of the oil, it goes into their mouth, I literally wonder how they eat those fuming hot slices of fried bananas.
     It had been a common question raised by my husband to his mother why they don't prepare Pazham Pori with any other Banana varieties rather than Nendhra Pazham.  Even my son asks this to me.  But until I came to Malaysia I didn't have an answer to this question. As of I know, we have only used Nendhra Pazham for the recipe.  But in Malaysia, they use various other varieties of Bananas for the purpose
    There is a similar version of the same recipe in the name of PISANG GORENG (Fried Bananas) which is a famous snack in Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia.  Though Pisang Tanduk(Nendhra Pazham) is used in the recipe, most commonly we can find Pisang Goreng/Banana Fritters prepared with Pisang Abu (Monthan Vazha Pazham) or Pisang Awak(Karpuravalli), Banana varieties like Pisang Raja and Pisang Nangka are also used in the recipe. Not all varieties of Bananas are suitable for preparing Pazham Pori/Pisang Goreng.
 

For more recipes from GODS OWN COUNTRY - KERALA  click here...

Cuisine - Kerala (India)
Recipe - Snack
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 3-4
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 15 - 20 Minutes
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes.

For more KERALA NADAN PALAHARAM RECIPES, Click here...

INGREDIENTS :

For Pazham Pori/Banana Fritters Recipe :

Nendhra Pazham - 2 Nos. (Medium Sized)
Oil - To Deep Fry

For the Batter:

All-Purpose Flour/Wheat Flour - 1/2 Cup
Rice Flour - 2-3 Tbspn
Baking Soda - a Pinch
Salt - 1/4 Tspn
Sugar - To Taste(adjust accordingly)
Cold Water - 3/4 (approximately)

HOW TO MAKE PAZHAM PORI / BANANA FRITTERS

METHOD:

• Mix all the ingredients mentioned under 'For the Batter'.
• Use cold water to make the Batter.
• Mix the ingredients without any lumps.
• The consistency of the batter should be slightly thicker so that it coats the banana slices.
• Adjust the amount of Sugar according to the sweetness of the Bananas.
• Peel the Bananas, and cut them into thin slices or into rounds.
• Heat Oil in a deep pan and allow it to smoke off.
• Reduce the flame to medium-high and wait for few minutes.
• Dip the Banana slices in the batter.
• Deep fry the batter dipped Banana slices on a medium-high flame until they turn Crispy and Golden Colour.
• Once done, remove the fried Pazham Pori from oil and drain it on paper towels.
• Serve Pazham Pori/Banana Fritters hot.

NOTES:

• Commonly All-purpose flour is used while preparing the batter for Pazham Pori.
• Can be substituted with Wheat Flour(Aatta) too.
• Rice Flour gives a crispy texture to Pazham Pori.
• Adding Baking Soda is optional, but it helps to retain the crispiness even after a long time.
• Adding Sugar to the batter is optional (if the Bananas are sweet can avoid adding sugar).