Cardaba Banana
Photo: Anneka Gerhardt
About
One of the favorite varieties of banana is the Saba/Cardaba that can be cooked or eaten as raw. It can be processed into catsup, cakes, and pastries.Interestingly, this banana provides nutritional value that is similar to potato.
Information
Translations: Cardaba Μπανάνα, Cardaba الموز, Cardaba Banán, Cardabaバナナ, Cardaba 바나나, Cardaba Banán, Cardaba בננה, Cardaba Pisang, Cardaba Saging, Cardaba केले, Cardaba Банана, Cardaba Банана, 卡达瓦香蕉, Цардаба Банана, Cardada Banana, Cardaba Банан
Physical Description
It has a blue-green fruit that is often blunt, fat or narrow, but does not resemble mass market fruit. It is more closely resembles a melon as it is often round in shape. The inside pulp of the fruit is white.
Colors: Blue, green, white pulp inside
Tasting Notes
Flavors: Sweet, often bitter if not ripe. Fresh and tender.
Mouthfeel: Soft, Unless not quite ripe.
Food complements: Honey, Coconut oil, Sugary syrup
Beverage complements: Milk
Substitutes: Pisang mas, Pisang tanduk, Pisang kebatu, Pisang raja, Pisang kelat keling
Selecting and Buying
Seasonality: may, june, july, august, september
Choosing: They should be firm, but not soft and there should be no soft spots or dark spots where the fruit has been bruised.
Buying: They are grown in the Philippines are are typically not exported, though they can be grown elsewhere as exotics and are sometimes available in health stores.
Procuring: They are grown in the Philippines.
Preparation and Use
Often cooked, but this process will remove many of the healthy nutrients. Eating the fruit raw, when it is ripe, is the best option.
Cleaning: There are no particular cleaning steps required.
Conserving and Storing
Stored at room temperature and will last three or four days before they begin to rot.