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When I created this blog, part of my vision is to keep an archive of recipes I learned from my mother and to share family favorites and foods I prepare on a regular basis.
I grew up and lived in Philippines till I was in my late twenties. Part of our culture allowed me the freedom to live with my parents until I got married. So naturally I got to enjoy my mom’s home-cooked meals for several years until I eventually moved out and migrated to the US to marry my sweetheart.
It’s been years since I last tasted my mom’s mouth-watering humba, pancit, and escabeche (hmm just thinking about them makes me drool!).
I learned to recreate them however, but still to my opinion her version cannot be duplicated exactly. There’s something unique in the way she cooks and played with the ingredients that is both beautiful and fascinating. As always, I’m her number one fan!
Today’s recipe is deep-fried ripe saba banana stuffed with sautéed ground pork, which is simply called “banana meat” for as long as I can remember.
Just like the loslos recipe, it originated from my birth place and hometown, Dalaguete, in the southern part of Cebu, Philippines. Little is known of how the dish came to be but I’m guessing it was one of those recipes that exist because of the abundance of local ingredients which in this case are saba bananas and pork.
Banana meat is commonly served during fiestas and special occasions and has always wowed guests upon first bite.
It’s soft, sweet, and juicy on the outside while meaty on the inside. It has the perfect balance of texture and flavor. I hope you give this a try as it makes a great appetizer and snack any time!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Yields: 10 pieces
Ingredients: 
10 pieces ripe saba bananas
1 pound ground pork
½ teaspoon salt
1 tbsp soy sauce
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ medium onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 cups canola oil
1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup water
Tools You’ll Need:
Knife
Cutting board
Small mixing bowl
Fork or spoon
Skillet or cooking pot (for sautéing the meat)
Frying pan (for frying banana meat)
Kitchen tong
Paper towels
Plate
Procedure:
1. Peel onions and garlic. Mince garlic and chop onions finely
2. In a skillet or medium cooking pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil on medium high and sauté garlic and onions until garlic has browned a little and onions are translucent.
3. Add the meat and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and soy sauce. Cook for another minute and remove from heat. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
4. Meanwhile, peel bananas.
5. Use a knife to cut one side of the banana without going all the way through. Leave half an inch of space on both ends.
6. Prepare the flour paste for sealing. In a small bowl, combine water and flour and stir with a spoon or fork until a smooth mixture is formed.
7. To stuff the banana: Hold the banana with one hand, with the slit facing you. Slide your thumb into the slit to make it bigger. Scoop a tablespoon of pork filling and stuff it inside. Seal with the flour paste and set aside. Repeat until all the bananas have been stuffed and sealed.
8. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan. Fry bananas until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
9. Serve warm.
Wow. It looks delicious. Thanks for sharing your menu.
You’re welcome. Enjoy!
Uy, interesting ito ah. Never heard of stuffed bananas before, masubukan nga. Looks delicious 🙂
It’s quite famous where I came from Ms. Lalaine. It’s best to use ripe saba (not overripe). It’s really good!
That is new for me, looks really interesting
Thank you! Thanks for stopping by as well. 🙂
I miss these…thank you for sharing. I only got to eat these during fiestas. I remember my mom and grandma used to take me to Dalaguete to visit relatives and friends during fiestas. I will definitely try making these Dalaguetnon delicacy.
You’re welcome! As a Dalaguetnon myself, I am proud of this local dish. “Only in Dalaguete” I should say 🙂
Hi mia! Musta na? Good to hear that u are always a Dalaguetnon!! There’s no place like home.
I agree! I’m proud of my roots 🙂 I’m guessing we’ve known each other and we’re from the same hometown 🙂 Message me in Facebook and let’s reconnect 🙂
Thank you for this recipe Mia. I will try to make this very soon. I’ve been looking for this recipe for a long time.
You’re welcome, Flo and enjoy cooking!
Hi! I am also from Dalaguete. Nice to meet you ate Mia.
Hello, Amy! Thanks for stopping by! Let’s connect 🙂