What happens when a Marathi mulgi from Chattisgarh marries a TamBrahm paiyyan from Kerala? It is a marriage of not just these two individuals, but also of two cultures, of ideas and most importantly of several palatable encounters! I've been having the time of my life through and through and I have to confess, when it comes to experimenting with food from Kerala, exciting, sumptuous and divine are mere understatements!
A beautiful weather this morning got me thinking about the first road-trip I took with my husband to explore the many facets of the picturesque state of Kerala. With this road-trip, came the much awaited adventures with some authentic street food - a taste of which you cannot experience elsewhere!
At one such instance I recall how I hesitantly got out of the car, early in the morning, outside a tea-shop somewhere between Kochi and Kumarakom to see my husband excited over what looked like various forms of 'Bhajiyas'... A strong aroma of ripe bananas blended with coconut oil caught my attention and when I tasted this particular local delicacy, a favourite with my husband, I was instantly transported to a different world. It was sweet and savoury, crisp and hot and a perfect combination with a piping hot glass of masala chai! And that my friends was the "Pazhampori" (pronounced as pal-am-pori), or Banana Fritters in simple English. Never mind the pronunciation, because things like these are best experienced with taste and not the way they are called!
For those whose palates can a heady concoction of coconut oil and ripe bananas, this is one deep fried snack you should not miss next time you're in God's Own Country.
More so, you can try your hand at making these at home and get familiar with its taste so that you can experience more enchanting little short-eats on your next trip. Here's a simple, easy-to-follow recipe that was shared with me by my lovely niece...
PAZHAMPORI
Prep Time: 15 mins | Cooking Time: 20 mins | Servings: 10-15 nos
Ingredients:
- Bananas - 1-2 nos (long, ripe but firm - Ethakkai or the Nenthra variety of Banana)
- Maida - 1 cup
- Water - for preparing a thick batter
- Sugar - 2 teaspoons
- Salt - 1 teaspoon
- Turmeric - a pinch for the colour of the batter
- Coconut Oil - to deep fry
Procedure:
- Whisk the maida, sugar, salt and turmeric with water to form thick batter of dropping consistency
- Slice the banana diagonally into thin pieces - you can either slice them long or of medium length depending on the size of the fritters you want
- Dip the banana slices into the batter and ensure it is well-coated
- Deep fry them in hot coconut oil until golden brown
- Place them on a tissue paper to remove excess oil and serve
A plate of hot Pazhamporis accompanied by a hot cup of chai, cool breeze and an old movie on TV is hopefully what today evening is going to look like! Will let you know if I succeeded in this picture perfect evening! Until then, Bon Appetit!
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