Green Bananas

Photo: flickr user quinn.anya

About

Unripe, nutritionally rich bananas that are 5 - 6 inches long and about 1 inch in diameter when peeled. Green Bananas are not to be confused with plantains. Unripe, nutritionally rich bananas that are 5 - 6 inches long and about 1 inch in diameter when peeled.

Information

Other names: Bananas

Translations: Zaļu banānu, Žalių bananų, Verde Bananas, Zelena Banane, Chuối xanh, Zielonych bananów, Groene bananen, हरे केले, Зеленых бананов, Πράσινη Μπανάνες, الموز الأخضر, 그린 바나나, Zelené banány, Pisang hijau, Green bananas, 绿香蕉, Green Banane, Zelené banány, גרין בננות, Gröna bananer, Зелена Банане, グリーンバナナ, Bananes vertes, Grønne bananer, Зелених бананів, Vihreiden banaanien, Зелени банани

Physical Description

Green bananas are elliptically shaped fruits "prepackaged" by Nature, featuring a firm, creamy flesh gift-wrapped inside a thick inedible peel.

Colors: Green, Yellow

Tasting Notes

Flavors: sweet

Mouthfeel: Firm, Starchy

Food complements: Salads, Fruit salads, Fruit cups

Beverage complements: Milk, Milkshakes

Substitutes: Plantain

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: january, march, may, june, november, december

Peak: february, april, july, august, september, opctober

Choosing: Look for bright green color with no bruising or spots on the skin, they should be firm but not too hard.

Buying: You can purchase at your local grocery store or at your local farmers market.

Preparation and Use

You can use in salads, fruit salads, fruit cups, pancakes, or dry them in food dehydrator.

Cleaning: You can rinse the green banana with cold running water prior to peeling.

Conserving and Storing

Green bananas should ripen at room temperature and should not be subjected to overly hot or cool temperatures. Unripe bananas should not be placed in the refrigerator because this will interrupt the ripening process to such an extent that it will not be able to resume even if the bananas are returned to room temperature. If you need to hasten the ripening process, you can place bananas in a paper bag or wrap them in newspaper, adding an apple to accelerate the process.

Social/Political

History: Its said that bananas are thought to have originated in Malaysia around 4,000 years ago. From there, they spread throughout the Philippines and India, where in 327 B.C. Alexander the Great's army recorded them being grown.