Tostones and Turon: Exploring Filipino and Puerto Rican Flavors

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.

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.

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.

Recommended Recipes:

• 
  Pasta with Shrimps and Mushrooms in Olive Oil Recipe
  As a Filipina who loves bringing simple ingredients to life, I’ve recently been finding so much joy in the ease and creativity of cooking pasta, especially pasta with shrimps and mushrooms. Lately, pasta has become one of my favorite go-to dishes that is quick and easy to prepare. The other day, I cooked ham pasta…
• 
  Ham Pasta in Olive Oil Recipe
  Some days, the usual meals just lose their appeal. Bored of the repetition, I turned to my pantry in search of inspiration. I craved something comforting yet simple, and pasta felt like the right choice. A quick check in the fridge revealed some ham, and I thought, why not? I also found a bunch of…
• 
  Chicken Gandules Recipe
  Figuring out what to cook for every meal can be a struggle (unless you’re a chef or something). But somehow, I always manage to throw something together with whatever we’ve got in the kitchen. Today, while experimenting, I came up with a new recipe – Chicken Gandules well, new to me at least! This is…
• 
  Filipino-Style Sopas Recipe: A Hearty and Delicious Soup
  As a proud Pinoy, I’m excited to share with you our family’s recipe for Sopas, a traditional Filipino soup dish with Spanish influences. This comforting soup is perfect for cold and rainy days and is a staple in many Filipino households. In this recipe, we’ll use traditional Pinoy ingredients to give Sopas our own unique…
• 
  Authentic Chicken Afritada Recipe: A Classic Filipino Dish
  I cooked another traditional Filipino dish—Chicken Afritada! It’s simple to make and a new recipe to introduce to my Puerto Rican husband. I’m excited to see if he’ll like it. Interestingly, I discovered that Chicken Afritada was actually introduced to the Philippines by the Spaniards, which surprised me since I had always thought it was…