Chocolate and Classic Maruya (Banana Fritters)

The plantains I bought were ripening fast and if I waited another day, they would end up in a trash can.  So, I thought about the snack I used to have growing up called Maruya.  Maruya is a Filipino snack that is usually eaten as a mid-afternoon snack or merienda. It is prepared by dipping thinly sliced bananas in batter and fried then tossed in sugar. Some shaped them like a hand or a fan and others mashed the bananas and mixed them in the batter and fried.  They are regularly sold as street food and it’s popular among the students during recess.

My version is a bit different than the norm.  I made two different flavors. One is chocolate and the other is the classic flavor with a twist.  I called them Maruya chips.  It’s because I cut the bananas crosswise.  My children had them as their snack today.  I probably didn’t have anything left to take pictures with if I didn’t stop them from consuming them all.  🙂

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Prepare the ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 2 large plantains, cut crosswise about 1/2 inch( very ripe plantain is best)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup almond milk or fresh milk
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• zest of whole orange
• 2/3 cup of sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• Powdered sugar (optional)
• oil for frying

Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl; set aside.   In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine milk, egg, nutmeg, vanilla extract and orange zest in another bowl.  Add the flour mixture to the milk mixture and mix until well-combined.  Half the batter and add 1/2 teaspoon cocoa in one of the batter; set aside.  You should have two flavors of batter.  One is chocolate and the other the classic.

Heat a deep pan with oil over medium-low heat.  Coat the sliced bananas by dipping them into the batter.  Add to the pan and fry on both sides until golden brown. Repeat the process for the remaining bananas.  Place cooked fritters in a bowl lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess oil then immediately add to the cinnamon sugar bowl and toss.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

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©annascuisine.wordpress.com (2013)   Unauthorized use and/or duplication of material herein without expressed and written consent from this blog’s author, Annabelle Bedell, is strictly and completely prohibited.

Filipino Tropical Sundae (Halo-Halo)

Summer is here.  The weather yesterday was extremely humid and warm.  The heat index was in the 100′s. Our air conditioning system was blowing non-stop.  It could hardly keep up cooling down our entire house. So, I planned on making halo-halo for dessert to cool off.  To those of you who don’t know what halo-halo is.  It is a Filipino dessert that is a  mixture of shaved ice and evaporated milk added with fruits, beans and ice cream, served in a tall glass or a bowl.

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Juliet Shirey, a friend of mine came to visit, and she wanted to eat some Filipino food. So, that’s what I prepared for lunch. It was just the two of us, so I served it family style like the way we do it back home. I cooked Pinakbet a la pobre, Caldereta with pineapple (my brother Ronald’s recipe), and Tortang Talong (eggplant omelet where you soak the peeled, roasted eggplant  in beaten egg and fried) and steamed white rice.   I called  the dish “a la pobre” because I added sardines instead of meat in the ingredients. It’s for people who can’t afford meat.  The meat in Caldereta is normally cut  larger than what you see in the picture but I wanted it cut in smaller pieces.

I haven’t had steamed rice since I changed my eating habits, but today was the exception. I can’t eat food prepared this way without rice; di pwede!

After lunch, I requested my friend to be a food critic.  I made her try the mango cake.  Yes, the mango cake!  Remember?  The cake I made for our anniversary.  I had three slices left. First bite, she said “oh!”  She said it melted in her mouth and the icing was perfect.  The cake is dense and I wanted to make some changes, but she said not to do it because it really goes well with the icing.

While my friend was enjoying the cake, my children reminded us about the halo-halo (mixed fruit dessert with ice cream) we were supposed to be having.  It would be the most refreshing dessert since it was very warm outdoors.  Sure, but I couldn’t find the ice shaver machine, so I used a blender as an alternative.

There are many different recipes for halo-halo out there. I always like to make my own with tropical fruits, such as Macademia nuts, coconut strings, mango, and pineapple.  Then, sprinkle it with toasted coconut and toasted pounded rice (pinipig).  Garnish it with fried banana and drizzle with chocolate syrup.  Oh, my! What an ultimate treat!  I call it  ”Filipino Tropical Sundae”. Sounds good doesn’t it?  I forgot to drizzle some chocolate syrup on mine, so don’t forget to add it when you make one.  Here’s a photo of my Tropical sundae.  Have a great summer!

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A special thank you to Venus Bowen for providing the halo-halo ingredients.  Thank you so much, Venus Bowen.

FILIPINO TROPICAL SUNDAE

My version of the halo-halo dessert

• 1/2 cup Almond Plus milk (has 5 grams of protein and less sugar content)
• 4 tablespoons Evaporated milk
• 1-2 scoops of protein powder (optional)
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 1 tablespoons sweet tapioca pearl (sago)
• 1 tablespoon pineapple tidbits
• 1 tablespoon red sugar palm fruit (kaong)
• 1 tablespoon green sugar palm fruit (kaong)
• 1 tablespoon azuki beans
• 1 tablespoon cooked plantain
• 1 tablespoon coconut sport strings
• 1 tablespoon fresh ripe mango
• 1 tablespoon jack fruit
• 1 scoop of purple yam ice cream (or vanilla ice cream)

Toppings:

• 1 teaspoon cooked pounded young rice
• 1 teaspoon Macademia nuts; coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon toasted coconut
• 1 teaspoon coconut sport strings
• Maraschino cherry with stem
• chocolate syrup
• Fried plantain for garnish

Instructions:

• Put all the above ingredients except the toppings, Almond milk, and ice cubes in a tall glass or a sundae glass like you see in the picture. Set aside.
• Add almond milk and ice cubes in the blender and blend until smooth.
• Scoop the milk mixture and add in the fruit mixture.
• Add one scoop of purple yam ice cream (or vanilla) on top of the milk mixture.
• Sprinkle with the toppings and drizzle with the chocolate syrup.
• Garnish with Maraschino cherry and fried plantain.
• Mix and enjoy.

Note:   You can add sugar if you prefer.