Banana Turrones@Kulinarya

Thank you to fellow KCC member Pia for this month's challenge of Filipino Aphrodisiac Food. Now didn't we all think of the same thing when we read Pia's email? Yes, balut, a boiled, fertilized duck egg is the ultimate in Filipino aphrodisiac food, sold by street vendors all over the country. Not my favorite food, to be honest.

After a bit of researching, I was pleased to find that bananas, widely grown in the Philippines, are in Gayot's list of top ten romantic foods. The banana "is a complete meal, loaded with potassium, magnesium and B vitamins. Central Americans drink the sap of the red banana as an aphrodisiac, while Hindus regard it as a symbol of fertility. A banana left on a doorstep indicates that a marriage is about to take place. Bananas made an early appearance in the Garden of Eden; according to Islamic myth, Adam and Eve covered themselves not with fig but banana leaves."

So what better way to sweeten a Valentine's Day meal than with these Banana Turrones? I sliced some bananas (plantains are ideal, but regular bananas will do), placed them on a spring roll wrapper, sprinkled brown sugar over the filling, and rolled these into tight batons. Deep fry them briefly in vegetable oil until golden brown and drain well on paper towels. In the meantime, make a dipping sauce by mixing 1 cup coconut cream with 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence. Simmer on low heat, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Serve Turrones with the Coconut Cream dip, or cinnamon sugar on the side.

By the way, the lovely serving dishes were made by some very creative students at Impressions Art Studio in Singapore, who offer batik, ceramic and canvas painting in a bright and cheerful room on the second floor of an historic shophouse. Thank you Anna and Raquel for loaning these dishes for my post today!

Kulinarya Cooking Club was started by a group of Filipino foodies living in Sydney, who are passionate about the Filipino culture and its colourful cuisine. Each month we will showcase a new dish along with their family recipes. By sharing these recipes, we hope you find the same passion and love for Filipino Food as we do.