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Banana Que Pops (Filipino saba bananas with a crisp caramalised coating)

By Adrian / August 19, 2012

Get ready, get ready for your tooth’s first taste of hurt! Something I’ve missed from back home is Banana Que. A dish that unfortunately didn’t make it into my cookbook. Usually found at streets stalls across the Philippines, this sweet snack is super dooper popular with the locals. It is the ultimate Street F-O-O-D sometimes coupled with Ang Inihaw Na Mais (grilled corn). Enjoyed by all generations -everyone grew up eating it so you’ll see both Lola (grandma) and her grandson hand in hand with a skewer of Banana Que on the other.

They may look ‘err, do you want me to froth at the mouth’ sweet, but you probably won’t even notice gunning down four in a row homeboy.

It’s made with Saba bananas aka Cardaba bananas grown in the Philippines. No bigger than your index finger, they’re smaller in size compared to your regular bananas but are much wider and firmer which makes them a great to cook with as they don’t end up all mushy.  I was able to find a bag of saba bananas at my local Filipino grocery store  – just look in the freezer. They’re usually covered in sugar, deep fried or as in my recipe, they’re shallow fried until the dope sugar coating caramelizes, removed to form a crisp shell, stabbed and then run through a skewer so it can be eaten with ease.  WIN! Who wants sticky fingers?! I like my coating to be quite thin so it makes it easier to gallop them down whilst they’re piping hot hot hot! Cold Banana Que – Like dayem, not in this mouth.

Of course, being one to often deviate from the traditional recipe, I’ve remixed it a little by 1) using raw sugar instead of brown sugar 2) rolling them in sugar prior frying resulting in a more crunchy and even coating plus it works well when 3) shallow frying. So much easier and less disastrous than deep frying.

Filipino banana que pops

I decided to call them Banana Que Pops because admittedly, I ran out of BBQ skewers and only had these leftover fancy canape skewers to use which made them look like lil’ pops. I was actually going to add hundreds and thousands too….so whaaat!

Zee Ingredients

4 saba bananas (I made 4 but it didn’t plate well for the pic lol)

4 canape skewers or regular skewers cut in half

raw sugar

vegetable oil

Optional: hundreds and thousands/sprinkles for the kids

how to make banana que filipino

Zee Procedure

1. Thaw the frozen saba bannas in the fridge overnight

2. Heat up the frying pan on medium heat then add the vegetable oil enough to shallow fry the fools

3. Throw on a handful of raw sugar onto a flat surface

4. Roll each banana into the sugar one by one until they are fully coated.

5. Carefully lay them onto the oil one by one

6. Cook for approximately 2 minutes on each side until it caramelises. Sprinkle a little more sugar on each side and gently but quickly turn them over a few more times until they form a nice golden brown colour with spotted dark hues.

7. Using a tong, place each piece onto a plate with some non stick paper to cool for 5 minutes

8. Run the canape skewer through each piece and serve it into your Luna Park sized mouth.

You’ve been served!

Banana Que pops with raw sugar coating

Street Food at its best. You may wanna make more than the suggested four in this recipe!

PIMPED UP Jeepneys back home!

Making this dish made me miss back home even more, so I’ve uploaded a video I filmed whilst observing the pimped up Jeepney’s in Spanish Manila, Intramuros. How cool are they?! I even spotted one that had my star sign written on the front – Aquarius! The owners take much pride in their trusty sheens. It’s like their form of expression and inject their personalities into the creative and at times, totally outrageous designs.

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Keep eating…LIKE CRAZAAY!

Adrian

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69 thoughts on “Banana Que Pops (Filipino saba bananas with a crisp caramalised coating)”

  2. Oh my Sugar Twin! I’m sitting outside a Shakespearean theatre here in Utah at 11pm, having just seen Titus Andronicus and having NOT EATEN since 5pm, and I neeeeeeeeed this.

    Though warm chocolate chip muffins and and coconut milk ice cream may have to suffice. Boo.

    Reply

  6. HAHAHHAA omg mate that pimped up ride is too funny. But says so much abt the culture. Of its simple and happy life. I love it. Think it’s prolly why the photo at the back of your cookbook is my fav graphic in there. And hey, there’s a Filipino grocery I’ve been meaning to check out (mainly cause that’s the only one I heard of). Hit me up with recommendations for which one’s your fave yo! Am thinking of taking a trip to the west this or next sat for some filo food and grocery shopping haha! Def gonna pick up a pack of these bananas and make em. Too awesome I love it!

    Reply

    1. They jeepneys back home were way cool. I just stood there watching them all drive by.

      YES, that’s right, I did stick a pic at the rear of my cookbook.

      Yes, will be joining you on that filo trip!!!!

      Reply

  25. I love the look of this banana dessert. I would love to try it but just hope I can source those bananas. I’m not sure I’ve seen any that size before. These would be great with ice cream xx

    Reply

  27. Yum! This definitely brings me back to the Phils! Whenever we passed a street vendor, my dad would buy a ton to take home for merienda and we would absolutely demolish them 🙂 That and turon! Could totally go for either right now 😀

    Reply

  31. Ang sarap nito! I had this almost everyday for merienda when I was still in Manila. I like your twist to it. Especially the kewl slick skewers.

    Any advise where to get the wrap for turon in Oz? Any substitute?

    Looking forward to more of your streetfood merienda/chicha/tsibug.

    Salamat!

    Jay

    Reply

    1. Hey Jay,

      Thanks! I use spring roll sheets for Turon as it’s available everywhere.

      I’m looking forward to writing more recipes up.

      Reply

  32. A delicious treat! I wonder if Saba bananas are available here. Will have to enquire at my favorite Asian supermarkets…

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply

  33. was just about to do camote cue today.but banana cue was my have growing up!my problem has always been how to make the camote not soggy.oh well

    Reply
  34. Pingback: Filipino Food: A Sleeping Giant Has Awoken + story published on Broadsheet | Food Rehab: The Tastebud Diaries a melbourne food blog

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