Crispy Turon (Filipino Banana Lumpia with Caramel)
Crispy turon, the Filipino banana lumpia: ripe saba rolled in brown sugar and cinnamon, wrapped in a spring roll wrapper, fried until blistered and then lacquered in proper caramel for a shell that actually snaps.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Rest: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 10 rolls 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Filling
- 5 ripe saba bananas, or 3 large very ripe plantains
- 1/2 cup (100 g) dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 1/2 cup ripe jackfruit (langka), drained and cut into thin strips, optional
Wrappers and Seal
- 10 spring roll wrappers, 20 cm (8 inch) square, thawed
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 1 tablespoon water
Frying and Caramel Shell
- 3 cups (720 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or sunflower
- 1/2 cup (100 g) white sugar
To Serve, Optional
- Vanilla ice cream
- Sweetened condensed milk, for drizzling
- Flaky salt
Instructions
- Peel the bananas and cut each one in half lengthways. If using plantains, cut them lengthways into strips roughly 1.5 cm thick and 12 cm long.
- Stir the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt together in a shallow bowl. Press each banana piece into the mixture so it is coated on all sides. Set the coated pieces on a plate.
- Whisk the flour and water together in a small bowl to make a smooth paste. This is the glue that stops the rolls bursting in the oil.
- Lay a wrapper on the bench as a diamond, one corner pointing at you. Place a coated banana piece horizontally across the lower third, add a few strips of jackfruit alongside if using, and sprinkle over any sugar left on the plate.
- Fold the bottom corner up and over the filling, tuck it under, then fold in the left and right corners. Roll up tightly, brush the final corner with flour paste and press to seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers.
- Pour the oil into a deep pan to a depth of about 4 cm and heat to 175 C (350 F). If you do not have a thermometer, a scrap of wrapper should sizzle steadily and turn golden in about 30 seconds.
- Fry the rolls in batches of 3 or 4, seam side down first, for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and blistered. Do not crowd the pan. Lift onto a wire rack, never onto paper towel.
- For the caramel shell, tip the white sugar into a clean dry frying pan over medium heat. Leave it undisturbed until it starts to melt at the edges, then swirl the pan, do not stir, until it becomes a smooth amber caramel, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Working quickly and two rolls at a time, turn the fried turon in the caramel with tongs so they pick up a thin lacquer, then return them to the wire rack. The caramel sets hard in under a minute.
- Rest for 10 minutes before serving. The filling holds serious heat straight out of the pan. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of condensed milk and a pinch of flaky salt.
Notes
- Bananas: saba is the authentic choice and holds its shape without turning to mush. Plantains are the easiest substitute. Cavendish bananas work in a pinch but collapse, so slice them thicker and fry a minute less.
- Jackfruit: canned in syrup is fine, drain it well and pat dry, or leave it out entirely. Plain turon is just as traditional.
- Wrappers: use spring roll wrappers, not egg roll wrappers, which are thicker and go bready. Keep the stack under a damp tea towel while you work.
- Air fryer version: brush the rolls with oil and cook at 190 C (375 F) for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. They will be crisp but paler, so the caramel step matters more.
- Make ahead: assemble the rolls, lay them on a lined tray without touching, freeze solid, then bag for up to 2 months. Fry from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes and dropping the oil to 165 C (330 F).
- The caramel goes on after frying, not during. Frying the rolls in a sugar slurry browns them unevenly and leaves a tacky coating that softens fast.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
Find it online: https://zhangcatherine.com/crispy-turon/