Tea Time With Homemade Plantain Chips
Some afternoons, I crave a warm cup of Masala Chai or Chaya (Malayalam for tea) with a crispy snack. Homemade plantain chips, light, crispy, and salty, perfectly satisfy this craving, especially on a rainy day. I decided to make this on such a day, a rainy Sunday afternoon. With fall approaching, it's the perfect time to enjoy the warm flavors of masala-infused tea with a crunchy, healthy snack.
Let's start by making the Plantain Chips:
Ingredients:
2 large, green plantains, peeled and cut in half across the width, not along the length
Bowl of room temperature water with a pinch of turmeric powder
Fill a pot you are using for frying halfway with avocado oil, set aside on the stove
Salt to taste
Recipe:
Immerse the green plantains in turmeric water for about 5-10 minutes to remove any impurities. After soaking, rinse them and dry with a paper towel. To prevent the yellow stain from the turmeric from getting on your fingers, it's advisable to wear disposable gloves while handling the plantains.
Use a hand held mandoline to slice the plantains into thin discs and save them into a bowl and set aside to fry them. The mandoline I use is the Oxo brand. Use with caution, as the mandoline is very sharp and can cut your fingers if slicing quickly or mishandled.
Fill your pot halfway with oil for frying. I've chosen avocado oil for this recipe due to its high smoke point and for a healthier alternative. Heat the oil over medium-high heat and test the temperature by adding one raw plantain slice after 5 minutes. Since every stove and pot varies, I haven't specified an exact frying temperature. Another way to check if the oil is ready is to dip the rounded end of a wooden spoon (its handle) into the oil; if bubbles form around the handle, the oil is at the right temperature for frying, and you can remove the handle and begin frying.
Individually add the plantain slices in batches and fry them until they reach the crispiness of a potato chip. In the video for this recipe, I've demonstrated what over-frying looks like compared to a perfectly fried chip. Refer to the video for further guidance.
When the chips reach the desired crispiness, use a slotted spoon to move them from the oil to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil. Sprinkle a bit of salt on the chips while they're still hot. Adjust the oil temperature to avoid burning the chips. Fry the next batch, place them on the same lined baking sheet, and salt to taste, repeating this process until all the raw plantain slices are fried.
This snack would pair well with a warm, comforting masala chaya or chai to enjoy!
Masala Chaya with Tea Leaves:
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of Masala Chaya blend (your preferred loose leaf black tea blend)
1 and 1/2 cups of your choice of milk
1 and 1/2 cups of water
Sugar as per your preference
This quantity makes 3 cups of tea, plus a bit more for serving. For 4 cups of tea, combine 2 cups of milk with 2 cups of water. If you opt for low-fat or nonfat milk, you can decrease the water amount. You can substitute with milk alternatives like soy or almond milk, although the flavor will differ.
Recipe:
Combine 1 and 1/2 cups of milk with 1 and 1/2 cups of water in a pot and warm the mixture.
Incorporate the Masala Chaya blend and stir until well combined. Let the tea blend steep in the milk mixture until it turns a golden brown hue. Heat the tea until it reaches a boil, making sure not to over boil it.
Add sugar to reach your preferred level of sweetness and stir until combined.
After the tea has boiled, pour it through a small strainer into cups to catch the tea leaves. As mentioned earlier, this recipe will make 3 cups of tea with a little excess to serve.
Enjoy with some crispy Plantain Chips!
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