Turon
Makes 12, serving 4 to 6
Full of flavor and textural contrast, Filipino turon embody the Asian knack for taking the commonplace banana and turning it into a spectacular fried treat. A popular street food, these fried rolls benefit from the delicate crispness of Shanghai spring roll skins. The bananas become creamy inside during frying and rather custardlike.
You can eat these rolls alone or gild the lily with a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream or drizzle of caramel dulce de leche. Thin strips of jackfruit can be rolled up with the banana, too. The shallow frying can get a little dramatic at the end, but it is well worth the clean-up.
Ingredients
3 ripe, but firm bananas, each about 7 inches long
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
12 (6 to 7-inch) Shanghai Spring Roll Skins (click here for recipe)
1 large egg, well beaten
Canola or peanut oil, for frying
1. Peel the bananas, removing any strings as you work. Cut each in half crosswise, then halve each lengthwise. You now have 12 pieces. Put the brown sugar on a plate and coat the bananas with the sugar. Most of it will stick to the cut sides. Set aside.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. For each spring roll, place a skin, smooth side down, on your work surface. Horizontally position a piece of sugared banana slightly below the center of the skin. Bring up the bottom flap to cover the banana, brush some beaten egg on all of the exposed edges to ensure a good seal, fold in the sides, then roll it up cigar style (instructions in book). Set the finished rolls, seam side down, on the baking sheet. Cover the spring rolls with a kitchen towel to prevent drying.
3. To fry, heat 3/4 inch of oil in a wok, saucepan, or deep skillet over medium-high heat to about 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer. (If you don’t have a thermometer, stick a dry bamboo chopstick into the oil; if bubbles rise immediately to the surface and encircle the chopstick, the oil is ready.) Fry a few spring rolls at a time to prevent crowding, turning as needed, for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown.
In the last 30 seconds or so, the sugars will have melted and leaked a bit. The frying may get louder and be somewhat dramatic. Slightly reduce the heat to brown the skins sufficiently, if needed. Once the rolls are browned, use a skimmer to scoop them up, briefly rest them on paper towel (they will stick to the paper if left too long), then transfer to a communal platter or individual plates. Adjust the oil temperature, as needed, then repeat with the remaining rolls. Let cool for 1 minute before diving in.
Reprinted with permission from Asian Dumplings: Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas, and More by Andrea Nguyen, copyright © 2009. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.
Andrea Nguyen’s Asian Dumplings is a treasure for dumpling lovers and novices alike. Over 75 recipes cover the broad spectrum of what we know today as the “Asian dumpling”: from spicy potato samosas, chicken and vegetable rice rolls, shrimp rice noodle rolls and even red bean buns. Andrea’s Asian Dumplings goes beyond the mere instructional. With an introduction to every recipe in her book Andrea educates her readers on the cultural significance of each dish, becoming your personal dumpling guru.
Andrea is a food writer and cooking teacher living in Santa Cruz, California. Her first book, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen was nominated for three James Beard and IACP cookbook awards. For cooking tips and more information about Andrea and her books, visit: http://www.vietworldkitchen.com and asiandumplingtips.com.
