4 Ingredients, 5 Minutes Microwave Plantain Chips  

These plantain chips are for the calorie conscious. Plantain chips have been my favorite for as long as I can remember and it is still very hard for me to resist a bag of plantain chips in the store. So imagine my joy when I discovered that my microwave plantain chips were 1/3 the calories of the store bought bag and realized I could have my cake and eat it too!

Let me tell you a story of how crazy I am for these yummy chips. A few years ago my husband and I were planning a trip to Kerala, India. The travel brochures and videos showing Kerala, with its palm lined beaches and backwaters and its breath-taking beautiful hill slopes, were mesmerizing. But seeing fresh plantain chips being fried in coconut oil and sold right there and then, all warm and toasty, with its heavenly aroma (well, I imagined that part:)…..well that sealed the deal for me!

I have imitated those chips by brushing the sliced plantains with a mixture of a teaspoon of coconut oil, sea salt and turmeric powder and ‘baking’ them in the microwave. Depending on your taste, you may choose a green or yellow plantain. The yellow (ripe) ones are sweeter. I chose a green one that had a few dark spots on it to show that it had ripened a bit, as I like a sweet touch to these chips.  I used a mandolin type slicer to make sure I slice them evenly. I have just 3 settings on mine and used the middle/ medium setting.

The only trick to master here is your microwave settings. For my microwave, 3 minutes on high and 2 minutes on 50 % power is what worked. The lower power helps dehydrate them, while keeping them nice and crisp. The timing will depend on how thin you slice the plantains and on your microwave. You do not need to turn the chips. I played with a couple of batches to get the right setting and thickness……all fun when you can eat the test products;)

Here is a look at the store bought and my home made chips side by side-

Ingredients-

• 1 plantain
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• Sea salt to taste

To make the Plantain Chips-

1. With the edge of a knife, score the plantain skin along its length, a couple of times. This makes the plantain easy to peel. Slice the peeled plantain evenly.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the coconut oil, turmeric powder and the sea salt.
3. Brush a microwave safe plate with some of this mixture, lay the plantain slices in a single layer on the plate. Do not crowd the plate. The plantain will be cooked in two batches. Brush the top of the plantains with the coconut oil mixture.
4. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Reduce power of the microwave to 50 % and cook for another 2 minutes.
5. Repeat with the other batch.

This in my book is instant gratification! Enjoy the yummy chips!

Love,

Sandhya