Golden banana fritters drizzled with honey, a crisp lunchbox and merienda favorite.
Maruya is a Filipino banana fritter made from ripe saba bananas dipped in a simple batter and fried until the edges turn lacy and brown. Street vendors and home cooks alike sell them as a merienda (afternoon snack), and they're a common lunchbox treat because they hold up well at room temperature and taste just as good a few hours after frying. The batter is deliberately thin, just enough flour, sugar and egg to bind and lightly coat the banana, so the fruit's natural sweetness and the fryer's crisp edges do the real work. Saba bananas are starchier and less sweet than dessert bananas like Cavendish, which is why they hold their shape and don't turn mushy when fried; ripe plantains are the closest substitute if saba isn't available. A finishing drizzle of honey (a modern addition alongside the traditional sugar coating) adds shine and a floral sweetness that plays well against the fried batter's crunch.
Serves 4
Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add egg and cold water, whisking until smooth and pourable, similar to pancake batter.
Heat oil in a deep skillet to 175C (350F). Test with a drop of batter; it should sizzle and rise immediately.
Dip banana slices in the batter, letting excess drip off, then lower gently into the hot oil.
Fry 2-3 minutes per side until deep golden and the edges look lacy and crisp. Fry in batches so the oil temperature doesn't drop.
Drain on a wire rack over paper towels. While still warm, drizzle with honey or roll in brown sugar, then serve immediately.
Use saba bananas if you can find them at a Filipino or Asian market; they're starchier and hold shape better than Cavendish bananas.
Keep the batter cold and don't overmix; a lumpy batter fries up lighter than an overworked smooth one.
Fry in batches of 3-4 pieces so the oil temperature stays steady; overcrowding drops the temperature and makes fritters greasy.
Turon-style: wrap the banana in a lumpia wrapper with a strip of jackfruit before frying, no batter needed.
Add a pinch of ground cinnamon to the batter for warmth.
For a less sweet version, skip the honey and serve with a sprinkle of salt instead, a common street-food style.
Best eaten fresh within a few hours. Store leftovers uncovered at room temperature up to 1 day and re-crisp in a 180C (350F) oven for 5 minutes; refrigerating makes them soggy.
Maruya has long been a Filipino merienda staple, sold by street vendors and made at home using saba bananas, a starchy plantain-like variety grown widely in the Philippines. The honey drizzle is a common modern addition alongside the traditional sugar coating.
Ripe plantains are the closest substitute since they're starchy like saba; very ripe Cavendish bananas will work but turn softer and sweeter, so fry them for less time.
The oil probably wasn't hot enough when you added the batter, so it soaked in instead of crisping immediately. Use a thermometer and keep it around 175C (350F).
Mix it up to 2 hours ahead and keep refrigerated; the baking powder loses lift after that and the fritters won't puff as nicely.
Per serving (160g / 5.6 oz) · 4 servings total
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