Filipino Banana Fritters (Maruya)
Maruya Say it: mah-ROO-yah
Maruya are crisp, golden banana fritters sold from roadside stalls and cooked at home across the Philippines, most often for merienda, the afternoon snack. Ripe saba bananas are sliced into fanned clusters, dipped in a light batter and fried until the edges turn lacy and crunchy, then showered with sugar while still hot. The contrast is the whole point: a soft, sweet, slightly tangy banana center wrapped in a shell that crackles. They are best eaten standing up, straight from the pan.
Filipino Banana Fritters (Maruya)
Maruya
Pronounced mah-ROO-yah
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Fritters
Frying and finishing
Method
Peel the saba bananas. Slice each one lengthwise into 3 or 4 thin strips, keeping them joined at one end so each banana opens into a fan. Set the fans on a plate.
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a wide bowl. Crack in the egg and pour in the milk, then whisk to a smooth batter about as thick as heavy cream, with no dry lumps left. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
Pour the oil into a deep heavy pan to a depth of about 1 inch (2.5 cm) and heat over medium heat until a drop of batter sizzles and rises at once, around 350°F (175°C).
Hold a banana fan by its joined end and dip it into the batter, letting the strips separate slightly so the batter coats each one. Lift and let the excess drip back into the bowl.
Lower the battered banana gently into the hot oil. Fry 2 or 3 at a time so the oil stays hot, turning once, for 3 to 4 minutes until deep golden and the edges look crisp and lacy.
Lift out with a slotted spoon or tongs and drain on a rack or paper towels. Sprinkle generously with sugar while still hot so it clings.
Keep the finished fritters warm in a low oven while you fry the rest, then serve immediately while the crust is still crunchy.
Regional variant: Maruya with Jackfruit (Maruya con Langka)
Stir 1/2 cup (about 100 g) of thinly sliced ripe jackfruit (langka) into the batter, or tuck a strip of jackfruit between the banana slices before dipping. The fritters take on a perfumed, honeyed aroma; fry exactly the same way and finish with sugar.
Cook's notes
- Use bananas that are ripe but still firm; overripe ones turn to mush and drink up too much batter.
- Keep the oil at a steady medium heat. Too hot and the batter browns before the banana softens; too cool and the fritters turn greasy.
- Resting the batter for 10 minutes hydrates the flour and gives a smoother, crisper shell.
Serve with
Serve hot with strong coffee, hot chocolate (tsokolate) or a cold soft drink, and extra sugar on the side.
Make ahead and storage
Best eaten within minutes of frying. Leftovers keep 1 day in the fridge and can be refreshed in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 minutes, though the crust will soften.
