Sharkara upperi / Kerala's own sweetened banana chips

Any Sadya (Daawat) or feast in Kerala is unfinished if they do not serve this sweetened banana chips.
It is very crunchy and has a sweet coating which is made with jaggery syrup. They also add some spices to it.
Making this is not easy and is a precision job.
I have made this once before and it was a disaster. Last weekend I was lucky to see a professional cook make this. I assisted her and my reward was watching her prepare it in close quarters.

Important points to note.
The chips need to be fried to the right amount of crispiness.
The jaggery syrup must be heated to the right consistency.

Ingredients:
Nenthirakkaya / Raw banana - 1 1/4 kgs
Sharkara / Jaggery - 3/4 kgs
Dried ginger / chukku - 150 gms
Jeera / Cumin seeds - 75 gms
Oil for frying (preferably Coconut oil)
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 2 tbsp

Method:
Remove the skin from the Nenthirakkaya and place in a large bowl filled with water.

Slit each kaya lenghtwise. Then cut into 1/2 inch size semi circles.

Heat oil to boiling point and remove the froth by frying a piece of tamarind in it.

Now add the cut Banana pieces and reduce flame.

Keep stirring often and cook on a low flame for 20 - 25 minutes......or until all frothing stops.

Then move this batch to a colander.

Look how it snaps and it is completely dry inside.

Fry the next batch the same way.

Boil the Jaggery with 2 cups of water and strain to remove all impurities.

After sieving, keep it for boiling in a heavy bottomed vessel and add 1 tbsp ghee.

Dry fry the chukku (dry ginger) and pound before getting it ground in the mixer.

Dry fry the Jeera.

 Add this to the powdered ginger powder and add 1 tbsp sugar.

The ginger + jeera powder will look like this.

Sieve this to remove the unpowdered bits. Keep aside in a closed container.

Continue cooking the jaggery till it passes the 'thakkali' or tomato stage.
This stage is when you drop a tsp of jaggery syrup into a vessel containing cold water, jaggery forms a soft ball.

Look how much the jaggery has reduced...

When it passes this 'tomato stage' and reaches the next stage (thickens further) add the fried chips and about 6 tbsp of the ginger + jeera powder.

Turn off flame and move from the stove top.
Mix well and stir continuously for 5 minutes till it cools a bit.

Stir occasionally until it cools completely.
After it cools down, the chips would be evenly coated with the jaggery mixture.
Store in an air tight container.

There will some powder in the bottom; a mix of jaggery and the spices. This can be used to make 'puli-inji'.