Thai Fried Bananas are a delicious snack or dessert sold on the streets of Thailand. These sweet bananas are coated with a coconut-flavored batter and deep fried to crunchy, golden perfection. Read on to learn how you can make this delicious Thai street food from the comfort of your own home!
Like so many traditional foods from Thailand, the fried bananas sold on the streets are the result of years of expertise. The street vendors who specialize in this one delicious snack are using recipes passed down through generations, honing it every day. While I don't have that same wealth of experience, I have developed a recipe for fried bananas that my Thai husband says is the best he's tasted outside of Thailand!
The key to making these delicious fried bananas lies in the batter. The batter needs to be light, airy, and supremely crispy. I've found that using rice flour and club soda works best to achieve this delicate, crunchy outer shell. When combined with finely grated coconut, sugar, salt, and a sprinkling of white sesame seeds, this crispy batter is the perfect complement to the sweet banana inside.
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How do you say Fried Bananas in Thai?
Fried Bananas are referred to as either gluay khaek (กล้วยแขก) or gluay tod (กล้วยทอด). Gluay is the Thai word for banana. Khaek is a term that refers to people or things from a foreign land, a reference to the dish's origins in South Asia. Tod is the Thai word for deep fried. For more Thai culinary words, see this handy HOW TO: Interpret a Thai menu guide.
Ingredients
- Bananas: Bananas form the inside of this delicious street food. They will be peeled and sliced horizontally. See below for the best bananas to use in this recipe.
- Rice Flour: Rice flour is one of the key ingredients for creating a light, crispy batter for these fried bananas. It absorbs less oil during frying, resulting in a perfectly crisp banana without the greasiness.
- Club Soda: Club soda is the other secret ingredient to help make the batter light and crunchy. The bubbles in this drink introduce air into the batter, allowing for a less dense outer shell.
- Shredded Coconut: Shredded coconut adds its wonderful flavor and aroma to the batter. Look for unsweetened, completely dried coconut flakes at your Asian market.
- Sesame Seeds: Sesame seeds add their nutty flavor to the batter. You can use white or black, or a combination of the two.
- Granulated Sugar: White granulated sugar is added for a touch of sweetness.
- Salt: Salt is added to balance out the sweetness of the banana.
The Best Bananas to Use
Thailand is fortunate to be home to many different varieties of bananas, including gluay hom, gluay nam wa, and gluay kai. The nam wa variety is typically used to make Thai fried bananas. They are naturally sweet and fragrant with a somewhat dense texture. If you are not able to find this variety near you, the closest substitutes are Burro bananas or very ripe plantains. That said, Thai fried bananas made with the regular Cavendish bananas you can find at the supermarket are still quite delicious.
When choosing bananas, choose the ones that are not quite ripe. They should be mostly yellow, but still have a few green spots. That way, the bananas will hold up to the frying process, but still be sweet when eaten. If you are substituting plantains, however, they need to be very ripe in order to be sweet enough.
How to Make Thai Fried Bananas Dessert
Step 1: Mix all of the dry ingredients together. Then add the club soda and continue to mix until the batter is free of lumps.
Step 2: Peel the bananas, then slice each one into 3 or 4 segments lengthwise. You want each banana segment to be roughly ¼" thick.
Step 3: Add a mild-flavored oil to a pot and heat over medium heat until the oil temperature is roughly 350°F.1 Dip each banana slice into the batter, ensuring it's completely coated, then place into the hot oil.2 Allow to cook until golden brown.
Step 4: Once the bananas are golden brown, remove them from the hot oil and place on a paper towel to drain. Serve immediately while they are still warm.
NOTES:
- If you don't have a cooking thermometer, you can test if the oil is ready by dropping a small bit of batter into it. If it immediately sizzles and floats to the top, it's ready!
- Cook the fried bananas in batches, ensuring each banana has enough room in the pan to sizzle and fry. Overcrowding can result in bananas stuck to each other, or worse, soggy bananas where they were touching each other.
Serving Suggestions
In Thailand, these fried bananas (and their kin fried pumpkin and fried taro) are served on the streets as a snack between meals. They should be enjoyed shortly after they come out of the fryer for maximum crispiness.
In western Thai restaurants, fried bananas are often served as a dessert. They may be accompanied by a scoop of Thai coconut ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Although this isn't the traditional way fried bananas are served in Thailand, it does make a delicious dessert...
Thai Fried Bananas Dessert Storage
If you happen to have any leftover fried bananas, they can be kept for a short while at room temperature in a container lined with paper towels to soak up any excess moisture. For longer term storage, they should be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
To reheat, place the fried bananas on a baking sheet and into the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes. They won't be quite as crispy as when they were freshly made, but they'll still be good.
FAQ
In Thai, deep fried bananas are known as gluay khaek (กล้วยแขก) or gluay tod (กล้วยทอด). Gluay is the Thai word for banana. Khaek is a term that refers to people or things from a foreign land, a reference to the dish's origins in Malaysia and Indonesia. Tod is the Thai word for deep fried. In Malaysia and Indonesia, fried bananas are known as goreng pisang.
Fried bananas are said to have originated in Malaysia and Indonesia, but are now prevalent throughout South and Southeast Asia. Thai fried bananas are eaten as a street food snack or dessert.
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Recipe
Thai Fried Bananas Dessert
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup club soda
- ¼ cup shredded coconut unsweetened
- 2 Tablespoons sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 bananas see note 1
Instructions
- Make the Batter: Mix all of the dry ingredients together. Then add the club soda and continue to mix until the batter is free of lumps.
- Slice the Bananas: Peel the bananas, then slice each one into 3 or 4 segments lengthwise. You want each banana segment to be roughly ¼" thick.
- Fry the Bananas: Add a mild-flavored oil to a pot and heat over medium heat until the oil temperature is roughly 350°F.2 Dip each banana slice into the batter, ensuring it's completely coated, then place into the hot oil.3 Allow to cook until golden brown.
- Serve: Once the bananas are golden brown, remove them from the hot oil and place on a paper towel to drain. Serve immediately while they are still warm.
Notes
- In Thailand, the bananas used to make fried bananas are known as Gluay Nam Wa. If you're not able to find these, Burro bananas or very ripe plantains make the best substitutes.
- If you don't have a cooking thermometer, you can test if the oil is ready by dropping a small bit of batter into it. If it immediately sizzles and floats to the top, it's ready!
- Cook the fried bananas in batches, ensuring each banana has enough room in the pan to sizzle and fry. Overcrowding can result in bananas stuck to each other, or worse, soggy bananas where they were touching each other.
Cath
So sweet! I love the story about how you met. Even if i don't know both of you at all.
Rachel
Thanks Cath 🙂
Shannon | JustAsDelish
Hi Rachel, thanks for dropping by my blog.
I love Thai food, and glad to know of your blog. your recipes, photos & videos is amazing! We have fried banana too in Malaysia, but the thai version looks more like a dessert.. yummy!