Korean-Style Egg-White Bananas
A traditional Zhejiang dessert: banana stuffed with red bean paste, dipped in whipped egg batter and deep-fried until golden — crisp on the outside, soft and mellow within.
Ingredients
bananas (peeled, halved lengthwise, coated with dry starch on both sides)
3 (about 450 g)
egg whites (beaten until foamy)
150 g
fine sugar
125 g
sugared osmanthus flowers (mixed with fine sugar)
2 g
dry starch (some for coating bananas, some for egg foam batter)
50 g
wet starch (for egg foam batter)
20 g
granulated sugar
50 g
lard (for frying)
1500 g (about 150 g actually used)
Instructions
1
Prepare the bananas
Peel the bananas, halve them lengthwise, and coat both sides with dry starch.
2
Make the filling
Mix the sugared osmanthus flowers with the fine sugar, divide into 3 portions, and roll each portion into a strip the same length as the bananas. Place each strip on one half of a banana, press flat, top with the other banana half, cut into 3 cm long segments, and set on a plate dusted with dry starch.
3
Prepare the egg foam batter
Heat a wok over high heat and add the lard. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until foamy, then add the wet starch and 40 g of dry starch, and stir together into an egg foam batter.
4
Fry the bananas
When the oil reaches about 60% hot (about 132°C / 270°F), remove the wok from the heat. Coat each banana segment with the egg foam batter and drop them into the oil one by one. Once all are added, place the wok over medium heat and continuously ladle hot oil over the bananas.
5
Finish and serve
When the oil temperature rises to about 70% hot (about 154°C / 309°F), remove from heat. Continue ladling and turning until the outside turns light golden, then lift out with a slotted spoon, drain the oil completely, plate up, and sprinkle with the sugar. Serve immediately.
