May 31 2008
Chifles or fried green banana chips
Published by Laylita at 6:42 pm under All, Appetizers, Central America, Kid friendly, Quick, Sides, Snacks, South America, Vegetables, Vegetarian
Photo: Chifles made with green bananas
There is something about the weather getting warmer that makes me crave typical South American street food, it must be just being able to spend more time outside. Chifles are green banana or green plantain chips, it is now very easy to find the plantain chips in stores in the US (and even Europe – last summer I found them at Carrefour in France). In Ecuador chifles are made with green bananas most of the time, especially in the highlands, though in the coastal areas they are more likely to use green plantains. Either way chifles are delicious when made fresh, it is very typical to have people selling them in small paper bags right outside of schools and different events, the chips are usually drizzled with a salsa rosada – very similar to one for salchipapas. Chifles are also a great side dish for ceviches, as well as an appetizer that goes very well with aji criollo and beer, there is even a brand of packaged chifles in Ecuador called chifles cerveceros (with a yummy spicy version). These yummy chips are also known as “tajadas” in other Latin American countries.
It is probably easier for most of us who live outside of Latin America to make these with green plantains since green bananas can be hard to find, I am able to find them occasionally and when I do I grab as many as I can get and make chifles, as well as a soup called arvejas con guineo and another soup called repe. It’s funny but I consider ripe bananas to be fruit and green bananas as vegetables. There is a subtle taste difference the two types of chifles, the banana ones have a much more smooth and delicate flavor, while the plantains ones have a stronger chippy flavor, also the color is different, both raw and cooked, the plantains are darker and the green bananas have a more pale color. Another difference is the consistency, the green bananas are very sticky and not as easy to handle, so overall chifles or chips made with green plantains are easier to find and make, but if you do ever find some very green bananas try it and you will taste the difference. If you become a chifle fan and want to try different variations, you can add hot peppers or garlic to the oil to infuse that flavor into the chips.
Photo: Chifles made with green plantains
Ingredients:
Green bananas or green plantains
Canola oil for frying
Salt
Optional – hot pepper or garlic cloves for additional flavor variations
Preparation:
- Peel the green bananas or green plantains; be careful as both tend to stain clothes and cutting boards. The plantains will be easier to peel, but the flesh of the green banana is more likely to stick to its skin.
- Slice the bananas or plantains lengthwise, full length or half length, or slice them as thin rounds or thin diagonal ovals, use a mandolin to get that perfect thinness.
- Heat the oil, either in a deep sauté pan or fryer, ideal temperature for frying these is between 375 F -400 F, there should be enough oil to fully cover the bananas or plantains.
- Add the bananas or plantains to the hot oil; be careful not to overcrowd to keep them from sticking together.
- Fry until the chips get a golden color.
- Remove the chips from the oil and drain on paper towels.
- Sprinkle with salt and serve either warm or cold.
I absolutely LOVE plantain chips and fried sweet plantains. My Puerto Rican friend makes fried plantains every time I visit her and I finally figured out how to make them myself. That and mojito and you are set
wow! holy banana! wonderful!
They look wonderful, wish I could find plantains here.
Hi, I see you can use either green bananas or green plantains. Is there a difference?
Hi Irene, There is a slight difference in the flavor, the green bananas result in a chip that has a smoother taste, but you can barely tell, also the green bananas are little bit more delicate and get stuck together easier. I prefer them made with green bananas, but they are harder to find so most of the time I make them with green plantains. Hope that helps. Layla
I LOVE plantains! This recipe looks so good!
Paz
I like eating chifles once in a while. They make an excellent snack. I believe the same thing can be done to yellow plantains, producing sweeter chips. I like those too.
How do you usually peel the bananas?
Normally, I’d slice the skin lengthwise (always being careful not to touch the fruit itself~) and then use the knife to raise the skin a bit before peeling it off with my hands. I’m curious about how you do it.
Hi Paz - Plantains are great, so many different things to make with them.
Hi Mimee - I bought a bag of the sweet plantain chips a while ago (thinking they were the green ones) and I didn’t like them, but I’ll have to try making them, I’m sure they’re a lot better homemade. I use a similar method for peeling the green bananas, I try to make the lengthwise cut on one of the angles, skin deep only without touching the actual flesh of the fruit, and also use the knife to raise the skin (almost the same method for peeling a yuca or cassava root). Though the greener the bananas the harder it is to do this, the flesh tends to stick to the skin if they’re very green, in that case I peel them just like you would peel a potato, I do this under running water to keep them from staining everything and from darkening. Green plantains are a lot easier to peel.
We have so enjoyed making and eating your banana chips. We make them with Macadamia oil and they are just as successful. Now though we are trying to make Honey coated ones, and unfortunately are not succeeding at all. they either are soft or burn. So if anyone could help us in the making of these or give us any suggestions we would appreciate it very much indeed.
Thank you so much.
Denise