Banana Fritters (Turon)

Turon

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
6-8 pieces ripe cooking bananas or plantain, cut in half lengthwise, about 3″length
12 – 15 strips of jackfruit (langka), optional
12 – 15 pieces spring roll wrappers
1 cup brown sugar
Cooking oil for frying

Directions
Separate the spring roll wrappers, arrange your plates in sequence: sliced banana, sugar, and jackfruit.
Lay the spring roll wrapper, dip the banana in sugar and put on one end of the wrapper, lay a slice of jackfruit on top.
Fold starting at the end of the wrapper with the filling, fold the 2 sides in, then roll up to the end. Seal the end with water.
Heat up the oil in medium heat and fry the turon with the sealed end side down first (to keep it sealed). Cook until slightly browned and flip.
Fry the other side, and once slightly browned, sprinkle sugar (1 tablespoon per roll) onto the oil to caramelize and glaze the fried roll.
Cook until golden brown.

This fried banana with langka (jackfruit) all sealed in a lumpia wrapper is our version of a sweet spring roll. It is peddled around the cities and towns for the perfect merienda (mid-morning or afternoon snack).

Pancit Canton or Bihon (Filipino Noodles)

Pancit Canton or Bihon (Fried Rice Noodle)

Total Time: 50 mins
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients
1 (12 ounce) package dried rice noodles
1 teaspoon vegetable or canola oil
1 onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups diced or shredded chicken meat, breast or thighs
1 small head cabbage, thinly sliced
4 carrot, thinly sliced
10-15 green beans or snow peas, sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 lemons – cut into wedges, for garnish

Directions
Place the rice noodles in a large bowl, and cover with warm water. When soft, drain, and set aside.
Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Stir in chicken cabbage, carrots and soy sauce. Cook until cabbage begins to soften. Toss in noodles, and cook until heated through, stirring constantly. Transfer pancit to a serving dish and garnish with quartered lemons.

Lumpiang Shanghai (Spring Rolls)

Lumpiang Shanghai (Meat or Vegetable)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 200 Pieces

Ingredients
2 lbs ground pork (or preferred meat)
1 cup green onions, finely chopped
1 can (8 oz) water chestnuts, finely chopped
1 large carrot, pared and shredded
1 onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1-1/2 salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 package (50-count) spring roll wrapper
1 Egg, beaten
Oil for deep frying
1/4 cup water

Direction
In a bowl, combine pork, carrots, green onions, chestnuts, soy sauce, pepper and salt.
Separate wrappers into individual sheets and lay wrapper in a square on a flat working surface.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of meat mixture on edge of the side closest to you and spread mixture across the whole length of wrapper. Pull the side with filling over and roll into a log, leaving about 1/4-inch of the wrapper. Lightly dab water on the remaining 1/4-inch and complete rolling to seal into a tight log.
Repeat with remaining wrappers. Cut logs into four 2-inch length pieces.
In a pan, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium heat. Fry lumpia in batches, turning on sides as needed, until wrapper is golden brown and crisp and meat is cooked through. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Serve with sweet and sour sauce or ketchup.

Notes
Do not overcrowd pan during frying.
A beaten egg is a much better sealer for the wrapper instead of the usual water or water and flour mixture. The egg also keeps the Lumpiang Shanghai tightly rolled.
However, the problem could be that of having a filling that is not thoroughly cooked – so just make sure you fry the Lumpia using medium low heat so the wrapper does not turn golden brown right away, leaving the filling uncooked.

Adobo Chicken or Pork

Adobo Chicken or Pork

Filipinos found that cooking meat (often chicken and pork) in vinegar, salt, garlic, pepper, soy sauce and other spices, was a practical way to preserve meat without refrigeration.

Ingredients
4-5 lbs. chicken thighs or pork
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1 Onion -optional

Directions
Heat up oil on med high
Add garlic and saute for a quick minute
Add Meat and saute for a few and then turn heat up high and fry for 5 minutes.
Add Vinegar, Soy Sauce, Black Peppercorn and Bay leaves but don’t stir! Just let it sit for about 10 minutes on med high.
After 10 Min stir occasionally and then lower heat to taste. Add soy sauce or other flavors as desired. Then let it simmer for another 10 minutes on med high.
When the gravy (sabaw) is a thin consistency (dribbling off spoon) then you add onions, stir the adobo, and turn the heat to high for 2 minutes. Then turn off heat and serve with steamed rice.