Description
Golden Vietnamese banana fritters with a light, crunchy batter for the perfect snack.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup regular rice flour
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder (optional)
- 1 tablespoon roasted black sesame seeds
- 1 cup water
- 3 bananas (any variety; see notes)
- Neutral oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Make the batter: In a wide shallow mixing bowl, mix together rice flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, black sesame seeds, turmeric powder, and water. Stir until smooth and well combined.
- Heat oil: In a wide skillet (about 11 inches), add about 1 1/2 inches of neutral oil, such as vegetable oil, and heat to 300-310°F.
- Prepare the bananas: Peel the banana and slice it in half lengthwise. Use a Ziploc or thick plastic bag to roll up the banana half snugly. Use a large mallet or a flat object like a small cutting board to gently flatten the banana until thin but not so much that it breaks apart. Carefully peel it from the plastic bag and dip it into the batter. Repeat with the remaining bananas.
- Batter and fry bananas: Using a wide spatula, transfer the coated bananas into the hot oil. Deep fry as many as your skillet can fit without overcrowding. I was able to fit them all in an 11-inch skillet. Fry for about 7 minutes total or until golden. Flip and turn gently to prevent sticking and ensure even browning. Remove from the oil and drain on a wire rack. If necessary, clean the skillet of any fried bits before the second fry.
- Batter and fry again: Dip the fried bananas back into the batter for a second coating. Return it to the oil to fry again for 3 more minutes. Again, make sure the bananas don’t touch and flip as needed for even cooking. Transfer to a wire rack to drain excess oil and allow it cool as it will be very hot (about 15 minutes), and enjoy.
Notes
For Thai bananas, choose ones with mostly black skin — that’s when they’re ripe and sweet. Cavendish bananas should only have light speckling. If they’re fully black, they’ll be too soft to work with.
Use a nonstick skillet for best results — it helps prevent the batter from sticking to the pan.
To save time, you can also skip flattening the bananas. Simply slice in halves or thirds lengthwise.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: stove top, deep fry
- Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese