Tostones and Turon served on a plate with ketchup.

Tostones and Turon: Exploring Filipino and Puerto Rican flavors

  • Posted byby PinayRican
  • Last Updated: 3 weeks ago
  • 2 min

The Philippines boasts an incredible variety of over 20 types of bananas, many thriving even in home gardens. My personal favorite is the versatile Saba, perfect for cooking in countless ways – sweet desserts, satisfying snacks, or even as part of a main dish. Interestingly, Puerto Rico shares a similar history with bananas in their cuisine. My Puerto Rican fiancé and I quickly bonded over our respective banana traditions. I introduced him to the sweet and crispy Filipino Turon, typically enjoyed as a dessert or snack, while he shared the savory delight of Puerto Rican Tostones, made from green plantains (plátanos) and a wonderful accompaniment to almost any meal. He was instantly won over by the Turon, and I was equally captivated by his Tostones. Both are surprisingly easy to prepare, making them perfect options when hunger strikes and you’re looking for simple, delicious recipes to try.

Table of contents

Turon Recipe

Ingredients:

  1. Ripe Saba Banana
  2. Lumpia wrapper
  3. Sugar
  4. Cooking Oil

Procedure:

  1. Peel off the skin of ripe banana and cut into half.
  2. Roll the banana in the sugar to coat it.
  3. Put the banana in a wrapper and wrap it thoroughly. Sealed the edges with a little damp of water.
  4. Preheat the cooking oil in a pan and fry the wrapped banana.
  5. Cooked until golden brown.

Turon is mostly good for breakfast, dessert or merienda (snack) because of its sweet flavor.

A plate of Filipino Turon.

Tostones Recipe

Ingredients:

  1. Green or Yellow Platanos
  2. Cooking Oil
  3. Adobo or salt to taste.

Procedure:

  1. Peel off the skin of the Platanos
  2. Cut into small pieces diagonally.
  3. Preheat the cooking oil.
  4. Fry the banana until it is half cooked. Do not overdo it. Take out the banana and cook the rest.
  5. Flaten the half-cooked bananas then put in the cooking oil again. Cook until it becomes crispy.
  6. It can be eaten plain or seasoned with salt or adobo.

Tostones goes with along in almost all of the dishes. It is good as a snack or as a main course as well.

A plate of white rice with red beans surrounded with avocado pieces, tostones with seasoning and scramble eggs.

Recommendations:

Filipino-style sopas recipe: a hearty and delicious soup.

Pork Adobo recipe – One of Filipino’s pride dishes.

Arroz Caldo recipe – A classic Nanay’s breakfast delicacy.

Authentic chicken afritada recipe: a classic Filipino dish.

Maja Blanca recipe – A delicious desert similar to the Tembleque (Puerto Rican coconut dessert).