Turons were a staple of my childhood. They are crispy Filipino sliced plantains wrapped in an egg roll (lumpia) wrapper with caramelized bits of sugar. What’s not to like? Drool…
I have many childhood memories of trying to eat a turon (pronounced “two-roan”) fresh from the deep fryer, which result in almost burning myself. Now that I’m older, I’ve found that I still don’t have enough restraint!
The Basics
- Over-ripened plantains
- Egg roll wrappers – I prefer lumpia wrappers, which is a Filipino type of egg roll wrapper.
- Sugar
- Sliced jack fruit – optional
- Deep frying oil
The Rundown
Sliced over-ripened plantains in half then length-wise. Over-ripened plantains look blackened, but trust me – they are still good to eat.
Carefully peel off a lumpia wrapper. Place a slice or two slices of plantains in the center. Sprinkle sugar on each side and use a spoon to slightly mash sugar into the plantain. Add a slice of jack fruit if you have any.
Tuck in the side and roll up. Wet the end with a dab a water to make it stick to the wrapper. Continue until all turons are made.
Heat oil until hot. You can test out the oil by ripping extra piece of lumpia wrapper and tossing it into the oil. If the oil is hot enough it should immediately bubble. If it browns too quickly, let oil cool.
Brown each turon until golden brown, which should be able 3-4 minutes on each side. The sugar on the inside will seep out and will caramelize on the outside.
Some people like to cool fried foods on paper towels, but since this has caramelize sugar, you run the risk of getting pieces of towel with your roan. I used a piece of wax paper to cool mine, and it was a lot easier!
Additional Notes
Like most fried things, this won’t retain it’s crispiness for long. Try to serve within an hour from frying or they might become soggy.
Tags: deep-fry, filipino recipe, fruit, recipe
