Sharkara Varatti/Sharkara Upperi
1.Raw Banana (Nendrakaya/Pacha Ethakka)—4 no.’s(800 gm)
Turmeric powder-1 tbsp
Remove the outer green cover of the Nendrakaya/Kerala Banana and put them in a vessel of water.Add the turmeric powder.Let it soak in it for 15-30 minutes.
After 15 minutes drain the water and slit it vertically into two half’s and cut it horizontally into 1/4” pieces.Repeat till all the bananas are cut through.
Tip:Rub in a tbsp of coconut oil into your hands and knife so that the stain from the Kaya doesn’t discolor your hands.
2.Coconut oil-as required
Heat coconut oil in a kadai and fry the banana pieces in hot oil on high for the first 3 minutes.Then reduce the heat to medium and fry till the bananas are almost done.Increase the heat to high and fry for a minute and drain them from oil.Repeat with the remaining banana pieces. I fried them in two batches.
Once cooled store the banana Chips in containers. It’s better to do the frying a day and coat them in Jaggery the next day. I got around 250 gm of fried bananas with this.
Tip 2:Make sure to remove a piece and check whether it’s cooked through.
3.Raw rice-1/4 cup
Clean & wash the rice.Dry roast the rice in a cheenachatti/kadai till puffed and golden.Once cooled a bit grind this in mixie till powdered.This is the Pori powder.Store in containers.
4.Jaggery-200 gm
Water-1/2 cup
In a vessel bring to boil the Jaggery & water.Off the stove when jaggery is completely dissolved.Strain this to a kadai or urali.
Heat this till the Jaggery syrup attains one string consistency.Reduce the heat to low and add the fried banana chips to this and stir in till the Jaggery syrup is well coated on the banana Chips .
5.Cardamom-8-10
Cumin jeera-2-3 tbsps
Dry Ginger-2 pieces
Powder at the above ingredients separately.
Now add a tbsp of dry ginger powder (chukku Podi),2 tsp of jeera powder and a tsp of cardamom powder to this and continue to mix .
Sprinkle 2 tbsps of Pori Powder and stir in.Off the stove and continue to stir.Now sprinkle a tbsp of sugar and stir in so that the banana Chips doesn’t stick together.Sharkara Varatti is ready.Remove them into a container.Homemade Sharkara Varatti or Sharkara Upperi is ready.
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