Weekend Herb Blogging: Sweet-Savoury Banana Spring Roll

I am elated being truly back to Weekend Herb Blogging. For those who have just heard about it and for those who, like me need to be reminded of how this activity works, click here. This week's WHB is being hosted by Joanna of Joanna's Food. My entry is a tempting fusion of sweet and savoury notes. Hence, the name Sweet-Savoury Banana Spring Roll. It's a spin off of a typical banana spring roll which is a favorite Filipino snack/dessert item we call "Turon". Last week, the refrigerator at home bragged an abundant supply of jackfruit courtesy of our dear neighbor. Knowing that it is the best pair to a yummy Turon; momentarily, I thought of preparing sweet banana spring roll with jackfruit, for a lazy afternoon nibble. The Turon, we, Filipinos are accustomed to normally comes in big sizes. Imagine 3 half slices of banana in a spring roll wrapper. That's how big it's gonna be. My threshold for that size only reaches two. It heavily-fills your tummy. That's why I like it when it's prepared in smaller sizes especially if kids will have their bite too. For this recipe I did just that. Although Turon is regarded as a classical Filipino food item, I wish there are other interesting sensory notes that can be infused with it aside from being heavenly sweet. Thus, when I saw the stalks of coriander resting on the kitchen counter, an enticing sweet-savoury union was all I imagined. Together with some other complementing ingredients, I was pleased with what was before me, waiting to be devoured delectably.

Ingredients:
4 pcs banana, quartered
1/2 cup brown sugar for coating
1/2 cup jackfruit, shredded
8 pcs spring roll wrapper, small size
vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese or chopped cream cheese
coriander leaves, chopped
sweet chili sauce

Procedure:
1. Coat banana slices (2 pcs/roll) with brown sugar. Put into spring roll wrapper together with some shredded jackfruit (be generous, the more the tastier) . Fold the ends of the spring roll wrapper and close it with small amount of water.
2. Coat each prepared banana spring roll with brown sugar and deep-fry in vegetable oil until it turns brown.
3. Transfer 2 pcs of fried banana spring roll onto a serving plate and top with grated cheese. Pour over 2 teaspoons of sweet chili sauce and add the chopped coriander leaves (you may adjust the amount of these components according to your liking).

** The cream cheese worked better with the banana spring roll than the cheddar cheese. The saltiness of the cheddar cheese somehow prevented a harmonious fusion, but acceptable just the same. Only, a more balanced mélange of flavors is achieved with the former.