Go Back
–+ servings
A bowl of caramelized plantain slices with a fork picking up one piece showing the soft inside.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Filipino Minatamis Na Saging Sweet Banana

Make a small batch of Filipino Minatamis Na Saging with tender saba bananas in a coconut sugar syrup. This easy recipe for two is great warm or over ice.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Asian, Filipino
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Servings (Adjustable): 2
Calories: 147kcal
Save Recipe Share on Facebook Share on X

Ingredients

  • 2 saba banana slightly ripe (or finger bananas)
  • 5 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • 1 ½ cups water

Instructions

  • Properly wash the saba banana and dry with paper towels. Peel the saba banana, remove the phloem bundles (if any), and slice each banana into 4 equal rounds.
    A wooden plate with peeled and sliced bananas, a whole banana in a basket, a peeled banana on a napkin, a bowl of brown sugar, and a red checkered cloth on a white surface.
  • Add coconut sugar to a small pan. Stir in the water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
    A clear bowl filled with light brown granulated sugar held above a gray surface.
  • Boil the coconut sugar mixture for 2 minutes while stirring to dissolve the sugar.
    A close-up of a pan with dark liquid boiling and bubbling, being stirred with a wooden spoon.
  • Once the coconut sugar has been dissolved, slowly add the slices of saba banana. Continue to boil for 1 minute, turn the saba banana rounds, and boil for another minute.
    Sliced plantains frying in oil in a pan with a wooden spatula.
  • Turn the heat to low (140°F/60°C) and simmer the saba banana for 15 to 20 minutes, uncovered, turning over on one side every 2 minutes.
    Sliced bananas simmer in a dark syrup in a white pan with a wooden spoon; a red checkered cloth, brown sugar, and bananas are nearby.
  • Turn off the heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Enjoy it as is, top it on a bed of shaved ice or include it as one of the ingredients in a classic Filipino Halo-Halo.
    A white bowl filled with caramelized, sliced plantains on a light-colored surface with sugar and a banana visible in the background.

Notes

Saba banana is widely available in the Philippines. This recipe was kitchen-tested several times using a variety of degrees of ripeness from the saba bananas.
Saba banana is also exported from the Philippines and is available in the US. It’s mostly found in the Asian market section.
If saba banana is not available, use a small banana instead.
Slightly ripe saba bananas were used in this recipe. The flesh is firm to the touch while the peel has turned yellow with some areas still green. A slightly ripe Saba banana can easily be peeled.
Do not use ripe Saba banana if you do not want overly soft to mushy Minatamis na Saging.
The white stringy parts inside the bananas are called phloem bundles.
The remaining sugar syrup is known in the Philippines as arnibal. It can be used to sweeten Taho - a well-loved Filipino breakfast or snack, and Sago’t Gulaman, a refreshing Filipino beverage.
Traditionally, brown sugar is used when making Minatamis na Saging. But not all store-bought brown sugar is vegan and vegetarian-friendly, as some use bone char in the process.
 
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 181mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 32IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Equipment

measuring spoon
Measuring Cup
Knife
Chopping board/plate
Non-stick small pan

© LittleBitRecipes.com - All content and photographs are copyright protected by us. We appreciate sharing our recipes; but copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights. Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to us along with a link back to the original content.

QR Code linking back to recipe