Sharkkara Varati/ Sharkara Upperi

 Sharkkara varatti is a Kerala style jaggery coated deep fried thick nendran banana chips also known as sharkkara upperi and usually prepared as a sweet snack during the festival of Onam in Kerala.Sharkkara Varatti /Sharkara Upperi recipe is given below with step by step photos.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Sharkkara Varatti / Sharkara Upperi.

Ingredients:-

Raw Nendran banana.-3 or 4
Grated Jaggery.          -3/4 cup
Powdered sugar.         -2 tsp
Cardamom powder.    -1/2 tsp
Cumin powder.           -1tsp
Dry ginger powder.    -1 &1/2 tsp
Rice four.                   -1/2 tsp
Coconut oil.  - for deep frying

Instructions:- 

Cut and remove the green outer skin of raw nendran bananas lengthwise. Chop the peeled raw nendran bananas each into two halves lengthwise.Then chop the raw banana halves into quarter inch thick semi circle shape slices and keep them in water.

Method:-

1). Heat coconut oil in a deep frying kadai. Add chopped thick raw nendren banana slices in hot oil and deep fry them on medium flame till crispy and golden colour. Transfer the deep fried thick nendran banana chips on a tissue paper to absorb excess oil.

2). Now the deep fried thick and crispy banana chips are ready for making sharkkara varatti.

3). In a vessel add grated jaggery and 2 tbsp of water and boil the grated jaggery on medium flame till it dissolves in water and strain the boiled jaggery syrup to remove impurities. Add the strained jaggery syrup and powdered sugar to a non stick pan and stir well and boil until it reaches to one string consistency. Add cardamom powder and cumin powder into the pan and mix the meted jaggery syrup.

4). Add the deep fried thick nendran banana chips into the melted jaggery syrup in the pan and stir well.Add dry ginger powder and rice flour over the jaggery banana chips mixture. Keep on stirring the mixture with a flat spatula till the fried banana chips are nicely coated with melted jaggery.

5). Sharkkara Varatti /sharkara Upperi is ready.Once cooled store the sharkkara varatti to a dry airtight container.