Get to know more about the Fillipino craze for banana ketchup

An intricate fusion of many ethnic groups tied together with the main influence of its neighbouring Asian cuisines and beautifully topped off with a twist of Spanish influence, Filipino food has travelled the globe and brings to the table some delicious foods. With a menu heavily centred around three main flavour groups, sweet, spicy and salty, the Filipino cuisine whips up beautiful combinations of the three flavours.

One of their tasty creations is a condiment that was born and made popular with a little creativity alongside making use of local resources; banana ketchup. Tangy, sweet and with a kick of spice. This condiment, although it may sound odd, makes for a tasty side.

How it all started:

Filipino food technologist Maria Y Oraso is the one who came up with this inventive idea of resourcefully using the fruits found within the area to create a condiment inspired by American culture. In 1942, with a little red dye, some spice and bananas that were locally plentiful, she created this unique twist on the much-loved American sauce; ketchup. Towards the end of WWII , banana ketchup began to be mass produced by the Magdola V Francisco after which is became widely popular within the Philippines. One version suggests that the growth in popularity was after American soldiers ran out of tomato ketchup.

Today, banana ketchup is a popular condiment used throughout Philippine and loved by many.

Banana sauce is not a foreign concept for the Filipinos. Rather, it has been widely used for a very long time due to the abundance of bananas that grow within the land.

Nutritional benefits:

Being made from bananas actually gives banana sauce a high nutritional value due to the many health benefits of bananas. Additionally, banana sauce can be made with minimal sugar due to their naturally sweet nature.

Some of the nutritional benefits of this sauce include:

1. Digestion

One banana contains around 10% of the daily required fibre intake. Fibre aids in the control of blood sugar levels, gets rid of fatty substances and aids in the movement of the bowels . It also keeps your gut healthy and safeguards it from harmful bacteria.

2. Weight management and feeling of hunger

Bananas also contain starch that does not get digested in the small intestine. This results in feeling of being full for a longer period of time, helping you with feelings of hunger as well as in weight management.

3. Healthier heart and better blood pressure

With one banana containing 10% of the daily potassium requirements, bananas are great for maintaining a healthy heart and a healthy blood pressure. A potassium rich diet can lower blood pressure and 27% of those who eat a high amount of potassium have a lower risk of heart disease.

4. Great source of vitamin C

Although not so well known for vitamin C, bananas are very rich in vitamin C with one medium banana providing around 10% of your daily vitamin C requirements. Vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron, production of collagen and serotonin and alongside this it protects the body from damage of cells and tissues.

Banana ketchup is full of many more benefits. The benefit of being packed full of important nutrients and brimming with energy, gives it only more reasons to be throughly enjoyed. 

How is banana ketchup enjoyed?

In many Filipino households, this condiment is used alongside many dishes. Chips, hotdogs, omelettes, fish, fried chicken and many more assorted dishes are eaten with this condiment. The actual taste of banana ketchup is described as very similar to tomato ketchup. ; tangy with a sweet kick to it. The method of how the banana ketchup is made also affects the taste. Traditionally, no tomato is added to the condiment and the final product often has a stronger banana flavour. Store brought banana ketchup is a little closer to tomato ketchup than homemade, but still encompasses the traditional Filipino banana ketchup flavour.

Here is a recipe you can use to spice up your condiment’s selection at home:

Banana ketchup recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 bananas, cleaned
• 1/8 tsp cayenne powder
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• Colouring (optional)
• A pinch of cinnamon powder
• A pinch of paprika
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 small piece of red bell pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic - chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/8 tsp cloves crushed

Method:

1. Bring a pot of water to boil and place the bananas into the pot. Boil for 12 minutes. Remove from the pot and let cool.
2. Peel the bananas and slice each into 3 pieces.
3. Place the bananas, ball pepper, garlic and onion in a blender with 2 cups of water and blend until completely combined and well blended.
4. Transfer to a bowl and add the salt, spices, chilli, vinegar, and sugar. Mix well.
5. Place the mixture in a pot and cook until the mixture thickens or for 1 hour.
6. Cool the mixture and transfer to jars or containers

At Sing Kee we offer authentic Filipino banana ketchup for you to ejoy without the hassle. Head over to our page to check our extensive range and discover why we love traditional Filipino food.