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Maruya (Filipino banana fritters)
Fans of saba banana in a light batter, fried golden and dusted with sugar
Maruya is classic Filipino merienda: in barrios from Luzon to Mindanao, saba bananas are sliced into fans, dipped in batter and fried for the children's afternoon snack. Outside is crisp and lacy, inside the banana turns soft, sticky and tangy-sweet. A light dusting of sugar is enough because the fruit is sweet. It contains gluten, milk and egg. Saba bananas can be found in Asian shops; firm, just-ripe plantains work too. Chef's tip: choose bananas that are yellow with a few brown spots; under-ripe saba stays starchy, overripe falls apart in the oil.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 saba bananas or ripe plantainspeeled
For the batter
- 3 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk
- 1 ¾ cups vegetable oilfor frying
To finish
- 1 tbsp sugar
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Cut each of 4 saba bananas or ripe plantains lengthwise into 4 slices, leaving them joined at one end, then press gently to spread them out like a fan.
Step 2: Whisk 3 ½ oz plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 pinch salt, then whisk in 1 egg and ½ cup milk to a smooth batter like thick cream.
Step 3: Deep-frying safety: use a heavy, deep pan no more than a third full of oil, keep children well away from the stove, and never leave hot oil unattended. Heat 1 ¾ cups vegetable oil in a deep frying pan to 170–350°F, when a drop of batter sizzles and rises at once.
4 minStep 4: Dip a banana fan in the batter, let the excess drip off and lower it into the oil, keeping the fan spread. Fry 2 at a time for 2–3 minutes per side, until deep golden and crisp. The common mistake is crowding the pan, which drops the heat and makes them greasy.
12 minStep 5: Drain on kitchen paper, sprinkle lightly with 1 tbsp sugar and cool for a few minutes before serving, as the banana inside is very hot.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does maruya (Filipino banana fritters) take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of baking powder?
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp.
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