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Ripe plantain and jackfruit wrapped in a thin spring roll wrapper, coated in brown sugar and fried until caramelised and crisp.
Turon
- 4 ripe saba bananas or small plantains, halved lengthways
- 8 spring roll wrappers
- 100 g ripe jackfruit, sliced (optional)
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- oil, for frying
- Roll each banana half (with a strip of jackfruit if using) in brown sugar to coat.
- Place near one edge of a spring roll wrapper and roll up tightly, tucking in the sides and sealing the end with a little water.
- Heat oil for shallow or deep frying.
- Fry the rolls in batches, turning often, until golden and the sugar has caramelised on the outside, a few minutes per batch.
- Drain on paper and cool slightly before eating, since the caramelised sugar holds heat.
What is turon?
Turon is a Filipino street snack of sliced banana, often with a strip of jackfruit, rolled in a spring roll wrapper with brown sugar and fried. As it fries, the sugar melts and coats the outside in a thin, crunchy caramel shell.
It is sold from carts and stalls across the Philippines as an afternoon merienda (snack), alongside banana cue, which is fried banana coated in caramel on a stick.
Ingredient notes and UK swaps
- Bananas: saba bananas are traditional and hold their shape. They are sold frozen or in tins in Filipino shops. Firm, just ripe ordinary bananas or ripe plantain are the best swaps.
- Jackfruit: ripe jackfruit strips in syrup, sold in tins, add a fragrant sweetness. Leave them out if you cannot find them.
- Wrappers: lumpia or spring roll wrappers from the freezer section. Thaw them under a damp cloth so they do not dry out.
- Sugar: light or dark brown sugar both caramelise well.
Serving and storing
Turon is best eaten warm, within an hour of frying, while the shell is crisp. Some people serve it with vanilla ice cream. Uncooked rolls can be frozen on a tray and fried from frozen, though the sugar coating is best added at frying time.
Tips for the best turon
- Roll tightly, since a loose roll lets the caramelising sugar leak out rather than coating the roll.
- Fry over medium heat rather than very high, so the sugar caramelises without burning before the wrapper crisps.
Getting the sugar to caramelise evenly
Roll the banana in sugar evenly before wrapping, and fry over medium rather than high heat, so the sugar has time to caramelise on the outside without burning before the wrapper crisps through.
Frequently asked questions
What bananas should I use for turon?
Saba bananas (a short, starchy plantain) are traditional, though regular plantains or firm bananas work as a substitute.
Can I bake turon instead of frying?
Yes, though it will not caramelise or crisp in quite the same way as frying.
Why did my turon wrapper burst?
The roll was too loose or too full. Roll it tightly, seal the edge with a little water or flour paste, and fry over a medium heat.
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- Spring roll wrappers. Thin wrappers for a properly crisp turon.
