Sharkara Varatti/ Sharkara Upperi

Shakara varatti is a unique preparation from Kerala. It is sweet nendran chips.Sharkara varatti is a must for any wedding or festival occasions. Whenever we visit Kerala we surely buy loads of them. It is a favorite with everyone at home.

Since we moved here I have never had this. So I tried this at home ... a couple of times without success. But today my persistence paid well.

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:
Raw Nendran banana - 2
Dry ginger powder - 2-3 tsp
Jaggery - 1 cup
Cardamom - 3-4


Crushed cumin seeds (optional) - 2 tsp
Powdered sugar - 2-3 tbsp
Oil for frying

Method:
Peel the banana. Slit the banana lengthwise and cut it into 1/4" pieces.
Heat oil on low flame (very important for crispiness) and fry the bananas in batches till they are crispy. Stir the pieces occasionally so that they do not stick to one another. The banana slices should turn reddish brown. Drain oil and keep aside to cool.


In a thick bottomed pan heat jaggery and water till jaggery melts. Strain this to removes any impurities. Now reheat the strained syrup on a low to medium heat, stirring frequently till it reaches a thick consistency. When you put a drop of the syrup in cold water, it should form a pearl-drop (2-3 thread consistency).

Remove from heat. Add the ginger powder, fried banana slices and crushed cumin seeds to this and stir constantly so that all the slices are coated with the jaggery. Let this cool for some time. Then add powdered sugar and mix. This gives a nice appearance to the sharkara upperi and the slices do not stick to one another. Add more sugar if required. Once it is completely cools, store in air tight container.

Preparation Time: About 45 mins