Bánh chuối chiên are deep-fried banana cakes, a common Vietnamese street snack: bananas pressed flat, dipped in a beer batter and fried. This version comes from a street vendor at a market near the writer’s house, who shared her tip for making it. Eat them hot, while they are still crisp. Plan ahead: the batter rests for 1 hour before you fry. Ingredients For the batter 100 g rice flour 2 tablespoons wheat flour 1 chicken egg 1 tablespoon sugar Salt 2 tablespoons beer 10 cl water 1 teaspoon baking powder For the cakes 10 fresh yellow bananas ½ litre olive oil, for frying How to make bánh chuối chiên 1. Make the batter Mix the egg, sugar and salt together, then sift the flours into the bowl and mix well. Slowly add the beer, the water and the baking powder, stirring gently until everything is evenly combined. Cover the bowl and leave the batter to rest for 1 hour. 2. Flatten the bananas Peel the bananas, cut them in half and press them gently to flatten them. 3. Fry the cakes Heat the oil for 10 minutes. Dip the bananas into the batter one at a time and lower them into the pan. Fry until both sides turn golden brown, then lift them onto a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil. 4. Dip and fry a second time Let the cakes sit for a little while. Then dip each one into the batter again and fry it a second time. This step keeps the cakes crisp for longer. Serve them straight away. They’re best hot. Share:
