Pazham Pori

Name: Pazham Pori
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian (Kerala)
Ingredients: 3 large ripe nendrapazham bananas (600 g whole, ~400 g peeled); 1 cup (120 g) maida (all-purpose flour); ¼ tsp (0.75 g) turmeric powder; 2 tbsp (24 g) sugar; ¼ tsp (1.5 g) salt; ½ tsp (2 g) baking powder (optional — for extra puff); ½ cup (120 ml) water (approximately — to make thick batter); Oil for deep frying (400 ml coconut oil preferred); Use only nendrapazham — regular bananas are too watery and their flavour is too mild. The nendrapazham must be fully ripe (skin turning yellow-black) for maximum sweetness.; Coconut oil gives pazham pori its authentic flavour; a neutral oil gives a cleaner taste but less character.; Do not make the batter too thin — it should coat thickly and puff slightly on contact with oil.; Add a pinch of rice flour to the batter for extra crispiness.

🍗 Non-veg📊 Easy

Ripe nendrapazham (Kerala's iconic large banana) dipped in a spiced, golden batter of maida and turmeric, then deep-fried until crisp outside and molten-sweet inside. Pazham pori is Kerala's most beloved snack-breakfast — ubiquitous at train stations, tea stalls, and kitchen windows after school. The best version uses well-ripened nendrapazham where the skin is turning black and the flesh is intensely sweet.

⏱️10 minPrep

🔥15 minCook

🕒25 minTotal

🍽️4Serves

🧺 Ingredients

3 large ripe nendrapazham bananas (600 g whole, ~400 g peeled)
1 cup (120 g) maida (all-purpose flour)
¼ tsp (0.75 g) turmeric powder
2 tbsp (24 g) sugar
¼ tsp (1.5 g) salt
½ tsp (2 g) baking powder (optional — for extra puff)
½ cup (120 ml) water (approximately — to make thick batter)
Oil for deep frying (400 ml coconut oil preferred)

👩‍🍳 How to make Pazham Pori

Peel bananas.
Slice each lengthways into 3–4 flat slices (about 7–8 mm thick).
Alternatively, cut each banana into thirds crosswise then halve lengthwise for smaller pieces.
Pat dry with a cloth if bananas are very moist.
Whisk together maida, turmeric, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.
Add water gradually, whisking until you get a smooth, thick batter that coats the back of a spoon.
It should be thick enough to cling to the banana slices — thinner than a pancake batter but thicker than a crepe batter.
Heat coconut oil in a kadai or deep pan to 170°C over medium-high heat.
The oil should shimmer and a drop of batter should sizzle and turn golden in 30 seconds.
Dip each banana slice into batter, letting excess drip off.
Slide gently into hot oil.
Fry 4–5 pieces at a time over medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side until golden yellow with light brown patches.
The batter should be crisp, not dark brown.
Drain on paper towels.

📖 Cultural notes

|---|---|---|---|---| | 295 kcal | 3 g | 46 g | 11 g | 2 g | Pazham pori is among the most emotionally resonant foods in Kerala — the sight and smell of it frying is described in countless Malayalam novels and films as the sensation of coming home. It is sold on Kerala-bound trains as vendors walk through compartments, and at every town bus stand. The banana used — nendrapazham — is unique to Kerala and a Geographical Indication (GI) product. Some families add a pinch of cardamom or jeera to the batter for an aromatic twist. ---

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