Sarkara Varatti

Sarkkara Varatti, also known as sarkkara upperi, is a traditional Kerala snack made with raw nendran banana, jaggery, and spices. It is one of the first items served on the banana leaf during a sadya, usually placed alongside banana chips. Crispy on the outside and slightly chewy inside, with a perfect balance of sweetness and spice, sarkkara varatti is a must-have in any festive Kerala meal.

Though it is especially popular during the Onam season, which is also a harvest festival, sarkkara varatti is served in almost every traditional sadya – whether it’s a wedding, Vishu, temple offering, or housewarming. In fact, a sadya is considered incomplete without it. The raw bananas are sliced thick, fried till crisp in coconut oil, and then coated with jaggery syrup, cardamom, dry ginger powder, and a pinch of cumin. The final result is a dark golden sweet snack that stays fresh for weeks if stored well.

The combination of banana chips and sarkkara varatti is deeply rooted in Kerala’s food culture – one salty, one sweet – offering the perfect start to the sadya. These two are not just snacks; they carry the flavours of celebration, harvest, and tradition, reminding us of the joy and richness of Kerala’s festive table.

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Crispy

Sarkara Varatti

Author: Ushadevi Cooking Method: Frying Cuisine: Kerala Courses: Snacks, Starters, Sweets & Desserts, Vegetarian

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 25 mins Total Time 40 mins

Servings: 10

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Ingredients

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

• 6 Raw Plantain (Nentra kaya)
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• ³⁄₄ cup Jaggery
• ¹⁄₂ inch Dried Ginger
• 1 teaspoon Rice powder
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 3-4 Cardamom
• Oil for deep frying

Instructions

1. Sarkara Varatti is one of the popular kerala snack and served as a must item in Kerala Sadya

2. First of all, Peel the skin off of Raw plantain and dip in to Turmeric water for half an hour
3. Now slice them in to half lengthwise and again slice in to 1/2 inch pieces
4. Heat oil in a pan, Deep fry plantain in to golden yellow colour. Keep it aside
5. Next, we will melt jaggery with a teaspoon of water
6. we will strain it for impurities, and keep it aside
7. Grind Dried Ginger, Cumin seeds and Cardamom in to powder
8. Heat the Jaggery syrup for two minutes, stir continuously.
9. Add the masala powder and mix well.
10. Now you could add fried banana chips in to it and mix well. Every part of the chips should be covered by the jaggery syrup
11. Finally, Sprinkle a teaspoon of rice powder over it and mix well.
12. Sarkara Varatti or Sarkara Upperi is ready