For Bananas That Taste Like Candy, Fry Them The Filipino Way

Bananas already have a natural sweetness, but what if we told you that you can make them taste like candy? Banana cue is a Filipino concoction achieved by frying the fruit in oil. Bananas then develop a dessert-like flavor with the help of brown sugar, which clings to the fruit, creating their signature candy-like sweetness.

Making a batch of this two-ingredient snack is easy. You fry the bananas in hot oil, and add the brown sugar once the bananas develop a beautiful brown color. The sugar then caramelizes and starts clinging to the bananas. This is also the telltale sign that it's time to take them out of the oil to keep the bananas from becoming too bitter. Banana cue is best enjoyed hot, but give them enough time to cool down after frying so the sugar can harden, contributing a satisfying candy-like crunch usually found in a classic banana cue.

Like the iconic turon, banana cue is one of many must-try traditional Filipino foods. When you buy it from a street vendor in the Philippines, the fruit comes pierced with a skewer, with two for each stick. However, there's no need to recreate that when you're making it at home, though you might want to try it for an authentic experience. It's typically enjoyed as a merienda, or midday snack, but it can be enjoyed any time of day.

Even though making banana cue seems straightforward, it comes with its share of intricacies that make or break it. For instance, you don't find just any type of banana used for this sweet snack. Saba bananas, which are native to the Philippines, are the most common, and best, choice for their firmness. It might be hard to find this variety in the U.S., but it's not completely impossible to find them fresh or frozen. Plantains are the second-best thing. Using the wrong bananas can result in a mushy texture. Meanwhile, the differences between brown and white sugar become more apparent here. While you can get away with using white sugar, brown sugar gives banana cue its classic appearance and contains molasses, which gives the bananas sweetness similar to caramel.

When frying the bananas, use a neutral oil so as not to mess up the flavor harmony. Something like canola oil, or another neutral oil with a high smoke point, works best. Start with high heat, lessening it only when adding the brown sugar to avoid burning. Afterward, don't grab paper towels to soak up excess oil — it's hard to separate them from the sugar coating. A wire rack or paper egg cartons — which catch dripping oils effortlessly, allowing for easy cleanup — do the job. Tea towels are also an economical option.