The scientific name for banana is musa sapientum, which means “fruit of the wise men.” I believe this- wise people eat bananas! But what do you do when the kids loved bananas last week- but this week they won’t touch them… or…they go past that ‘perfect’ point where your kids or picky partners will eat them?
Growing up in Indonesia, the humble ‘pisang goreng’ was a staple on the snack choice rotation. ‘Pisang goreng’ is basically bananas coated with batter and deep-fried in hot oil. Don’t be put off by fried or fooled – for a fried snack – this delicate, not overly sweet bite is what a crispy cloud must taste like. Upon cooking, the banana almost disappears- leaving only the beautiful natural sweetness, making this a treat for all of the senses.
A highlight from my childhood, fried snacks are the star of every street corner in Jakarta. They are simple masterpieces. Despite the hot, humid and sticky weather, there are plenty of customers at each snack stand, hungrily waiting to claim their share of the fried goodness.
I actually haven’t come across any of the Indonesian varieties of plantains/bananas here in Australia, but the Australian bananas are absolutely fine for this recipe.
Regardless of the variety, it is imperative that you wait until the bananas/plantains are ripe or even overly ripe – the skins should be yellow and have dark spots.
This is the perfect recipe- if you’ve made banana bread or banana muffins just one too many times- and you have a bunch of overly ripe bananas in your fruit bowl. This recipe is surprisingly easy and mess free. It would be a super impressive afterschool snack or could easily be made up fresh with a few friends around after a bbq.
Give it a try. I promise that this delicious, addictive Indonesian fried snack is going to become a household staple in your home too.
Tip: Consume your ‘pisang goreng’ immediately – or you’ll be eating a soggy oily mess.
What you need:
6 ripe bananas (peeled and cut on a diagonal, into 4 or 5 pieces each – pieces should be thick)
Icing sugar for dusting
‘Pisang Goreng’ batter
¾ cup rice flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
2 tsp brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup water
Method
Heat enough oil in a deep pan for deep frying (about 2 inches).
Peel all your bananas and cut them diagonally into 4 or 5 pieces each. Each piece should be about an inch or so thick.
Whisk together all batter ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Once the oil is hot, scoop 1 tablespoon of hot oil and add to the batter.
Whisk again.
Coat the bananas with batter and deep-fry until golden brown and crispy (about 3-4 minutes).
Remove bananas and drain on a wire rack or paper towel to remove excess oil.
Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.
