Banana cue

Filipino caramelised fried bananas on skewers

Origin: Philippines

From the journey of Banana.

Banana cue is a beloved Filipino street food, skewered saba bananas (a thick, starchy variety native to the Philippines) deep-fried in brown sugar until coated in a crackling caramel crust. The name is a playful Filipinization of 'barbecue,' because the bananas are served on bamboo skewers just like meat from a grill. Sold from bamboo-framed carts throughout the Philippines, banana cue is a daily afternoon snack (merienda) for millions, typically sold alongside camote cue (caramelised sweet potato). The saba banana is a hybrid that has been cultivated in the Philippines for thousands of years and is used in both sweet and savoury dishes, it doesn't get mushy when cooked and has a dense, starchy texture that holds up beautifully to frying. This recipe captures the crisp, amber-caramel coating that is the soul of banana cue.

Ingredients

Main

  • 6 saba bananas (or firm ripe plantains), peeled

Caramel

  • 100 g brown sugar (about ½ cup)

Frying

  • 500 ml neutral oil, for frying

Equipment

  • 6 bamboo skewers

Method

  1. Thread each banana onto a bamboo skewer, pushing through the centre lengthwise.
  2. Heat oil in a wok or deep pan over medium-high heat to about 170°C / 340°F. Add the brown sugar directly to the oil and stir gently: it will melt into a caramel within 1–2 minutes. Watch carefully; it burns quickly.
  3. Add the skewered bananas to the oil and caramel mixture. Fry for 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until the bananas are deep golden and coated in a thick, crackled caramel shell.
  4. Remove and drain briefly on paper towels. Serve immediately: the caramel is at its most crackly and delicious when hot.

Notes

Saba bananas are available at most Filipino or Asian grocery stores. In their absence, use firm (not overripe) plantains: the texture is very similar. Avoid regular sweet bananas: they are too soft and will fall apart in the hot oil. Banana cue is eaten as a snack, never as dessert, and is typically paired with hot instant coffee or sweet milky tea.

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