📝 About This Recipe
A beloved staple of Philippine street food, Turon is a masterclass in texture, balancing a shattered-glass sugar crust with a soft, honey-sweet interior. These hand-rolled treats feature ripe Saba bananas and aromatic strips of jackfruit encased in a delicate spring roll pastry that is fried until deep amber. It is the ultimate tropical comfort food—crispy, buttery, and irresistibly sweet.
🥗 Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 6 pieces Saba Bananas (very ripe, peeled and halved lengthwise)
- 1/2 cup Langka (Jackfruit) (ripe, sliced into thin strips)
- 12 pieces Lumpia Wrappers (thin spring roll wrappers, thawed)
- 1 cup Brown Sugar (muscovado or dark brown sugar for best flavor)
- 2 cups Vegetable Oil (for deep frying)
- 2 tablespoons Water (for sealing the wrappers)
Salted Caramel Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup Coconut Cream (full fat)
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar (packed)
- 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt (to balance the sweetness)
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (pure extract)
Optional Garnish
- 1 tablespoon Toasted Sesame Seeds (for crunch)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Prepare your workstation by peeling the Saba bananas and slicing them in half lengthwise. Slice the jackfruit into thin longitudinal strips if using fresh or canned.
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2
Spread the 1 cup of brown sugar on a wide, flat plate. Take each banana half and roll it firmly in the sugar until it is generously and evenly coated.
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3
Lay a single lumpia wrapper on a clean flat surface in a diamond orientation (one corner pointing toward you).
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4
Place one sugar-coated banana half horizontally in the center of the wrapper. Lay 2-3 strips of jackfruit on top of the banana.
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5
Fold the bottom corner of the wrapper over the banana, then fold in the left and right sides toward the center, creating an envelope shape.
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6
Roll the wrapper tightly toward the top corner. Dip your finger in water and moisten the top edge to seal the roll shut. Repeat for all remaining bananas.
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7
In a heavy-bottomed skillet or wok, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until it reaches approximately 350°F (175°C).
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8
Once the oil is hot, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of brown sugar directly into the oil. Wait for the sugar to melt and begin to float as dark caramel bubbles.
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9
Carefully place 4-5 rolls into the oil. As they fry, the floating caramel will stick to the wrappers. Use tongs to turn the rolls constantly so they pick up the caramel glaze evenly.
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10
Fry for 3-5 minutes until the wrappers are deep golden brown and the sugar has formed a hard, shiny shell on the outside.
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11
Remove the rolls from the oil and place them on a wire cooling rack. Avoid using paper towels as the caramel will stick to them.
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12
While the Turon cools slightly, make the sauce by simmering coconut cream, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes until thickened. Stir in vanilla.
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13
Serve the Turon warm while the crust is still shatteringly crisp and the center is molten.
💡 Chef's Tips
Use Saba bananas that are very ripe (yellow with black spots) for the best natural sweetness and soft texture. If you cannot find Saba, use firm-ripe plantains as a substitute, though the flavor will be slightly less tangy. Do not crowd the pan while frying; this drops the oil temperature and results in greasy, soggy rolls. Always use a wire rack for draining to ensure the caramel hardens into a crisp glaze rather than a sticky mess. For an extra crunch, you can double-wrap the bananas if your wrappers are exceptionally thin.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a scoop of Macapuno (coconut) or Ube ice cream for a decadent 'Turon a la Mode'. Pair with a hot cup of Barako coffee or ginger tea (Salabat) to cut through the sweetness. Drizzle with the coconut caramel sauce and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds for a gourmet presentation. Serve alongside fresh mango slices to provide a bright, acidic contrast to the fried sugar. Pack them in paper sleeves for an authentic Filipino street-food experience at home.