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Usually, making banana chips requires a specialized fruit dehydrator. However, with these 2 super simple methods, all you need is an air fryer or an oven, and you might not even need an air fryer. Check out PasGo Team's guide on making chewy banana chips and crispy banana chips (dried) below!
Even though Tet is approaching, I'm generally lazy and didn't plan on making cakes, preserves, or dried fruits. However, the other day, I was invited to dine at Ngon Pho, and I fell in love with some of the snacks there!
Ngon Pho, as the name suggests, the food is exactly like its name. From the colors to the aromas, everything exudes the rich flavors of Vietnamese cuisine, making diners want to immerse themselves in the culinary experience.
Beyond the enticing aroma of sun-dried squid, crispy Hue-style beef noodles, and Hanoi-style hotpot, what captivates me the most is the area dedicated to various cakes and dried fruits at Ngon Pho. The trickiest part is if you want to make dried fruits at home, you need an oven or a specialized fruit dehydrator, neither of which I have! However, I've discovered 2 ways to make dried bananas (haven't found other types yet) without needing either, using just bananas, fresh lime, and sugar. You can try them out for this Tet holiday!
1. How to Make Chewy Banana Chips
Ingredients for Chewy Banana Chips
- Ripe Bananas: 1 bunch
- Lime: 1 large
- Honey: 1 small bowl
Note: Choose any type of banana you like, but it must be ripe and evenly yellow, firm to the touch, not mushy, dark, or soft. If it's too green, the dried bananas will taste bitter, and if it's too ripe, the sugar content in the bananas will ferment, causing an unpleasant smell and taste.
Tools for Making Chewy Banana Chips
- Air fryer/oven. We can't use a pan for making chewy banana chips because bananas easily burn and lose too much moisture, resulting in unappetizing and aesthetically unpleasing final products.
- Knife, large bowl
How to Make Chewy Banana Chips Using an Air Fryer
+ Step 1: Prepare the bananas
- Peel the bananas, slice them in half or into thirds for quicker and easier drying. If the bananas are small, you can leave them whole.
- Prepare a large bowl of boiled water to cool, squeeze in lime juice, stir well, then soak the bananas for about 10 minutes, then remove and drain.
Prepare the bananas before drying
+ Step 2: Making chewy banana chips using an air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C for about 10 - 15 minutes. Then, arrange the bananas on a tray lined with parchment paper and reduce the temperature to 150°C for the first drying. Remember to flip the bananas to ensure even drying on all sides, check every 5 minutes. The total drying time for the first round is 10 minutes.
- For the second drying, reduce the air fryer temperature to about 100°C. Dry each side for 10 minutes, with a total drying time of 20 minutes.
- For the third drying, maintain the temperature at 100°C, then brush a layer of honey on each banana surface and dry each side for 8 minutes. The total drying time for the third round is 16 minutes.
Drying bananas using an air fryer
So you've completed making chewy banana chips, it's that simple, isn't it? Bananas dried this way will be naturally sweet and fragrant.
How to make chewy banana chips using an oven
With this method, you follow the same steps from preparation to baking as when using an air fryer. The only difference is you use an oven instead of an air fryer, but the finished product of chewy dried bananas is still guaranteed. Using an oven may be quicker because of its larger capacity, allowing you to dry more bananas at once.
Chewy dried bananas look irresistible and taste addictive
2. How to make crispy banana chips (dried)
Ingredients for making crispy banana chips
- Green bananas: 1 bunch (use slightly ripe green bananas for easier shaping and crispiness)
- Lime: 1 fruit
- Refined sugar: 3 tablespoons (adjust according to preference)
- Cooking oil
Tools for making crispy banana chips
- Pan, air fryer, oven.
- Chopsticks, spatula,... for frying bananas
- Knife, large bowl
- Oil-absorbing paper
How to make dried banana chips using a pan
- Prepare the bananas as you would for making chewy banana chips. Peel and slice the bananas about half a centimeter thick or cut them in half or quarters lengthwise, then soak them in a bowl of boiled water mixed with lime juice. After 10 minutes, remove and drain well.
- Heat cooking oil in a pan until hot, then fry the bananas until golden on both sides. Fry each batch until all the bananas are done, then remove and place on oil-absorbing paper to reduce excess oil.
- Place sugar in a large bowl or a plastic container with a lid, then add the bananas and gently shake for 1-2 minutes. Alternatively, you can pour sugar into a pot, melt it slightly, then dip the bananas until coated evenly. This step is optional; you can skip it if you prefer.
Or, even simpler, you fry the bananas and sprinkle sugar like this
How to make dried banana chips using an air fryer, oven
The preparation steps are similar to making crispy banana chips in a pan. Then, you can lightly fry the bananas with oil before transferring them to the oven or air fryer. This method results in less oil absorption by the bananas, and the dried bananas are crispier.
Drying temperature: 180 - 200°C for 15 - 20 minutes. During drying, remember to check and flip the bananas to ensure even drying. Now, you've completed making crispy dried bananas, you can sprinkle sugar or skip this step.
Sugar-coated bananas will be sweeter than chewy dried bananas, suitable for those who enjoy sweet treats. Additionally, sugar-coated bananas also have a longer shelf life than chewy dried bananas. With these two simple methods, you can make dried bananas to enjoy during the 3 days of Tet, quick and clean, guaranteed.
