Turon

Turon is a Filipino snack also called banana lumpia, with fruit enclosed in a wrapper and fried with a sugar glaze. Vanjo Merano’s selected plantain option pairs lengthwise-cut fruit with slices of ripe jackfruit.

The plantain pieces are rolled in sugar before being placed on lumpia wrappers. Jackfruit is laid on top, then the wrappers are folded around the filling and their edges sealed with water.

Cooking oil is heated with some of the remaining sugar. Once the brown sugar floats, the wrapped fruit is added and fried until the wrapper turns golden brown and sugar sticks to its outside.

Merano describes draining excess oil from the fried rolls before eating. His recipe card serves the finished turon hot as a dessert or snack, with the fruit filling enclosed in the glazed wrapper.

The combination brings banana-style fruit, ripe jackfruit and the caramel coating into a sweet street-food snack. Merano also suggests a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side for a dessert plate.