Pisang Goreng are a popular Southeast-Asian street snack. Bananas are deep fried till golden brown; crispy on the outside, sweet and creamy on the inside.
Pisang Goreng (also called Goreng Pisang) is a Southeast-Asian street snack popular in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Pisang Goreng simply means “fried bananas” but don’t let that simple name deceive you. Sweet ripe bananas are covered in a batter then deep-fried till golden brown. Cooking the bananas deepen their natural flavor, making them even sweeter and more flavorful. Crispy on the outside but sweet and creamy inside.
A perfect teatime snack that pairs well with coffee, tea (like Malaysian Teh Tarik), or Milo.
What Kind of Bananas to Use for Pisang Goreng
You can use just about any kind of banana that you have access to. They just need to be sweet and slightly firm; not too green and not too ripe.
When I lived in the United States, my options were quite limited so I would use the regular bananas from the grocery store as long as they were flavorful and sweet. Sometimes, I would be able to find the smaller Lady Finger bananas at the Asian supermarket so I would use those as they tend to be a bit sweeter.
Some use plantains but I do have a bit of a sweet tooth so plantains are not my favorite option for Pisang Goreng. I prefer a sweeter banana for this recipe.
Here in Southeast Asia, we have access to more banana varieties. If you can find it, the best kind of banana to use is pisang raja.
How to make Pisang Goreng
In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup rice flour, 1/4 cup corn starch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
The rice flour gives the Pisang Goreng a fluffy and crispy texture. You can use regular wheat flour for more of a deeper crunch, or use a combination of the two.
Slowly drizzle ice-cold water into the dry ingredients while whisking until you get the consistency of pancake batter.
You’ll need approximately 1/2 cup to 1 cup of water but do not pour all of it into the dry ingredients immediately. It’s important to slowly add the water a little at a time until you get the right consistency.
Heat cooking oil in a wok or frying pan to approximately 325 degrees F. You should have enough cooking oil to deep fry the bananas.
For this recipe, you’ll need 6 to 8 bananas. You may cut them in half if they are very long. Peel then coat the bananas in the batter.
When the oil is ready, carefully place the bananas in the oil and fry them in small batches till golden brown.
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As soon as they are ready, remove them from the wok with a spider skimmer.
Place the bananas on paper towels to absorb the excess oil or on a cooling rack.
Serve while still warm.
Enjoy your Pisang Goreng with a cup of Teh Tarik, coffee, or Milo!
Alternatively, you can enjoy it as a dessert alongside vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
Pisang Goreng (Banana Fritters)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rice flour
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 – 1 cup ice cold water
- Cooking oil for frying
- 6 – 8 bananas peeled
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- Slowly drizzle ice-cold water into the dry ingredients (about 1 tablespoon at a time) while whisking until you get the consistency of pancake batter.
- Heat cooking oil (enough for deep-frying) in a wok or frying pan to approximately 325 degrees F.
- Coat the bananas in the batter, then deep-fry in small batches till they are golden brown.
- Remove the bananas from the wok with a spider skimmer. Place on paper towels to absorb the excess oil, or on a cooling rack.
- Serve while still warm. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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