Grilled Filipino Banana Lumpia with Caramelized Brown Sugar

Toss the banana halves with half of the brown sugar and the cinnamon until lightly coated.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 6 ripe but firm saba or regular bananas, halved lengthwise
• 12 spring roll (lumpia) wrappers
• 3/4 cup (150g) brown sugar
• 2 tbsp melted butter, plus more for brushing
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp jackfruit strips, optional
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Toss the banana halves with half of the brown sugar and the cinnamon until lightly coated.
2. Lay a lumpia wrapper on a flat surface, place a sugared banana half near one edge, add a few jackfruit strips if using, and roll tightly, folding in the sides and sealing the edge with a dab of water.
3. Brush each roll all over with melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining brown sugar.
4. Heat a grill to medium and oil the grates, or use a flat griddle over the coals.
5. Grill the lumpia, turning often, until the wrappers are crisp and golden and the sugar caramelizes, about 6-8 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and a pinch of salt, and serve hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
7. Turon, the Filipino banana spring roll, is beloved street food sold sizzling from carts across the islands. Grilling instead of deep-frying gives the wrapper a smoky char and lets the brown sugar bubble into a brittle caramel shell, a clever campfire-friendly twist on a classic that turns ripe bananas into the easiest crowd-pleasing dessert of the summer.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 310 kcal
• Protein: 3g
• Fat: 7g
• Carbohydrates: 62g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 34g
• Sodium: 150mg