The Happy Home Cook: Turon with Jackfruit
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Turon with Jackfruit (Photo by Astig Vegan)
The traditional Turon has saba bananas covered in brown sugar and wrapped in lumpia wrapper, then fried. It also goes by “Lumpiang Saging” or “Banana Lumpia.” Some say Filipinos invented Turon to deal with the surplus of bananas in the Philippines. The addition of yellow jackfruit in the filling upgrades the regular Turon to “Turon Espesyal.” But over the years, restaurants and street vendors have innovated and invented other ways to make their Turon stand out. Others use ube, chocolate, coffee, hazelnut spread, and other filings and flavors. You can customize yours at home. I like mine with just the banana and jackfruit. Mainly, I want to use super ripe ones, so I wouldn’t need to use sugar anymore.
Because it’s (accidentally) vegan, Turon can be your go-to snack when you’re visiting the Philippines. It’s a default vegan snack along with taho soy pudding, banana cue, kamote cue, and binatog. A famous mall chain here in the Philippines called SM (short for Shoe Mart), has a Turon stand where you can conveniently order at, especially when shopping with omnivore family and friends. But you can also find Turon as street snacks sold at tiny mom-and-pop food stands. Usually, street vendors don’t seal the sides of the Turon wrap. In my household, we like to seal them for a neater presentation.
You can serve Turon at parties and gatherings. Ideally, you want to serve them hot because, over time, it will lose its crispness. It’s great for those who are transitioning to a plant-based or vegan lifestyle and feel overwhelmed where to start. This Turon recipe is easy, simple, and versatile. Almost anyone can make it!
Ingredients
Serves: 12 pieces
· 5-6 ripe saba bananas, you can also use plantains
· 1 cup organic brown sugar
· 1 package lumpia wrapper (check the label if vegan)
· 10-12 pieces yellow jackfruit, sliced in half.
· water, for sealing the Turon
· oil for frying
Instructions
1. Peel off one piece of the lumpia wrapper and place one piece of saba banana on the lower center of the wrapper.
2. Place jackfruit on top, covering the bananas
3. Sprinkle brown sugar on top. The amount of sweetness is up to you.
4. When rolling the Turon and you would like to try the street food style of presentation, roll up the wrapper and seal the end with water. You do not need to seal the sides. You will end up with a long log shape.
5. If you would like a neater, daintier look, fold up the lower bottom of the wrapper to cover the filling but before rolling up, fold the sides of the wrapper into the center, then roll up and seal the ends with water. You will end up with a shorter log shape. Repeat the process of wrapping for the rest of the saba and jackfruit.
6. Heat medium pan over medium heat. Pour about two inches of oil.
7. Once hot, fry the wrapped Turon until golden brown on all sides. Transfer to a strainer to remove excess oil.
8. When ready to serve, transfer to a serving plate. Best when served warm.
NOTES
You can use other kinds of fillings for your turon, such as ube, chocolate, hazelnut, etc.
Instead of using cane sugar, you can use super ripe bananas and jackfruit, or dust some organic powdered sugar on top when serving.
Once again, if you find yourself in the Philippines and you’re vegan, you can conveniently rely on Turon. It’s available in malls, restaurants, and the streets. But if you’re outside of the Philippines, or if you’re feeling crafty in the kitchen, you can make Turon from scratch. Making one is no rocket science. You don’t have to bend backward to veganize it because it’s already vegan (double-check the label of your lumpia wrapper). Heck, you don’t even have to seal the sides if you don’t want to! Plus, you can customize and have fun with other flavors too. There may be no magic in making it, but there is in tasting it. I hope you enjoy it! Kain na, let’s eat!
First published in: http://www.astigvegan.com/turon-with-jackfruit-recipe/
Chef Richgail Enriquez
RG Enriquez at astigvegan.com discovers ways to show that Filipino food can be vegan, healthy, and delicious without losing its soul. Born and raised in the Philippines, RG veganizes the Filipino food of her childhood. She has appeared on the television show, "Adobo Nation" and given demonstrations and talks at "Savor Filipino", "Taste of South Lake”, “Barrio Fiesta”, Pitzer College, and Cal-State East Bay.
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