What is pisang goreng?
Pisang goreng is a delicious fried plantain fritter, found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. It tastes naturally sweet and is crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside.
However, it is essential to get ripe plantains and not the classic Cavendish bananas whose consistency is far too soft to withstand deep frying. The frying is usually done in palm oil but this can be replaced by coconut oil, for example.
Pisang goreng literally means “fried plantain”.
What is the origin of pisang goreng?
This extremely popular fritter is typically eaten on the street for breakfast or as an afternoon snack at afternoon tea. Pisang goreng can also be prepared quickly at home, and appeals to children and adults alike.
Pisang goreng is usually consumed with a cup of tea or coffee. Places called warung kopi, the local version of coffee shops, offer pisang goreng as an accompaniment to breakfast drinks.
The most widely used varieties of plantain for these donuts are pisang raja, pisang abu, pisang tadulk and pisang krepok. Local growers seek to obtain varieties of bananas that are both sweet and tender but resistant to handling and extensive cooking.
The older version is to fry the plantains without the addition of batter, but many street vendors or establishments have now specialized in sophisticated batter. In trendy cafes, pisang goreng can be served with powdered sugar, cinnamon, jam, or ice cream, usually chocolate or vanilla.
Street vendors usually specialize in one area, while those who fry usually prepare pisang goreng and also tofu, sweet potatoes and a wide variety of local fruits and vegetables that are always fried.
How to make pisang goreng
The batter that covers the pisang goreng is quick and easy to make. It is made from a mixture of self-rising flour, cornstarch, rice flour, salt, baking powder and iced carbonated water. It is a very very thin and light batter so as not to alter the taste or consistency of the plantain.
The batter must be very cold and it must have time to rest for about twenty minutes. Plantains are then added, which can be whole or in pieces. The plantains marinate in the batter for a few minutes to soak it up perfectly.
For frying to be successful, the temperature difference between the frying oil and the donut dough must be very important, hence the importance of keeping the preparation in the fridge and having a very hot oil at the time.
Frying only takes a few minutes, until the plantains are golden brown. They are then put to drain on absorbent paper and eaten immediately.
What are the variants?
The batter for pisang goreng is quite classic but can also be filled with tapioca, breadcrumbs, coconut milk, milk or even vanilla extract.
The name of this dish and its preparation differ from place to place. In Bali, this dish is called godoh biu and in Java it is gedhang goreng.
In the Philippines, you can also find fried bananas, just like in Suriname or Southern India. Fried bananas also appear in South American cuisine.
Pisang Goreng
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons self-rising flour
- 2½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon rice flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons ice cold still or sparkling water
- 6 ripe cooking bananas , peeled and halved (small bananas, varieties of pisang raja, pisang abu or failing that, plantain)
- Oil (for frying)
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the self-rising flour, cornstarch, rice flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add ice water, and whisk until smooth without lumps. It is important to add water gradually while monitoring the consistency, and possibly adding more water only if necessary. The dough should not be too runny or too thick, it should be able to stick to the banana pieces.
- Cover the batter, and let it rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Peel and then cut the bananas in half lengthwise.
- Place the banana slices into the batter. Mix gently, and let stand for 5 minutes before frying.
- Heat a large amount of oil in a frying pan or wok.
- When the oil temperature reaches 350 F (175°C), fry the well-coated banana pieces until golden brown.
- Transfer the cooked banana fritters to paper towels to soak up the excess oil.
- For the best flavor, serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Sources
Wikipedia
Daily Cooking Quest
Wok and Skillet
Just Eat
Esther and Morgan are the two foodies behind Renards Gourmets. They are based in Paris where they develop four-handed recipes and culinary photos.
Avianna says
A go-to snack of ours. So easy to prepare since bananas are always available in our place.
dewaterbang says
DewaTerbang