Apple Turon
When we first move to Greece in 1984, there were hardly any Asian shops. There is a supermarket in Psyhico where most of the diplomats live and there AB supermarket has a small selection of rice,soya sauce and some noodles
Looking back I think it was much more aimed for the Japanese. Of course we have learned to improvise, cook and eat what Athens has to offer. It was, still is exciting indeed to go to the market and shop food you never had.
One of my childhood memory in Cebu was when it was the fiesta of the village at my mothers’ side family, all the ladies would gather in the kitchen of Lola Asyang grand house on the hill. I remember too well how large was the kitchen and all those huge pots bubbling with food.Great aunts, aunts all sit down and roll the banana turon.
Banana in Athens in 1984 was as exotic as the way the Greeks saw me and my sister. Also where on earth can we get a spring roll wrapper at that time? Then of course the number of Filipino increased drastically towards 1990. Lumpia wrapper was imported from other European market and a Greek guy opened Salamat store. And banana was beginning to be available at the market.
Then of course every Filipino party offers turon.Some don’t get it right either the wrapper too soggy or the banana is too thick. But why pay a lot for the banana when apples are very cheap in Greece.
We experimented with apples and it turned out great.
Then on my 2nd week here in Oslo, I discovered the immigrant area. I was so happy to see the spring roll wrapper and it is exactly the same brand I used in Greece and UK. Thus I know the quality. I bought few packs you never know when we crave for spring rolls.
One day we bought some Pink Lady apples which turned out not so crunchy. I know they will just rot in the fruit basket and we can’t afford to throw food here in Oslo. So I made some apple turron which I kept on my freezer… Whenever we craved for such delight I have them ready.
I used organic brown sugar and thinly sliced apple for this turon. I say this a treat because we don’t fry up food and this is deep frying.
Hey..Schatzli,
All the food i took for granted.. when i was in asia.. *sigh*.
Sometimes i wished i was back in asia.. just because the food prices are so cheap.. wherelse.. here it’s so expensive..!
3 pieces of watermelon for 3 bucks.. wherelse we get a whole watermelon back home for that price.
Like you .. i have to learn how to improvise.. and freeze up food more often. .instead of throwing them away.
I luv turon esp with banana & jackfruit.I’d like to try apple turon soon, lets see if seb would luv it:)
yum, schatzli! favorite ‘to ng 14-year old ko. umuungot nga so i need to get some plantains. here that’s the only banana that’s good enough to make these. i can never get good saba here. the regular bananas don’t have the right texture. i do get fabulous organic pink lady apples! ma-try nga next time.
I just love turon! Do you think I can make them here in CH? I’m not a good cook like you.
ah, something for me to try..
[…] I remember then when we discovered filo wrappers, we would make lots of TURON . Banana was exotic those years, we would supplement with apples. The basic fare was pancit (basically it was sotanghon at first) lechon kawali, leche flan (hey eggs are cheap here), maja blanca. But every flat I go to had the same fare. Why because that’s all we could get. […]