Green Plantain Bananas
Estimated Inventory, 40 lbs : 0
Description/Taste
Green plantains have an elongated banana-like shape that’s curved and tapered at both ends. Like bananas, they have a somewhat angular appearance, featuring three distinct ridges along the outside. These fruits range from about 15 to 30.5 centimeters long and have a light green hue with occasional lighter patches of yellow. Their thick, smooth skin is rigid and hard to peel. It has a matte finish, dotted with black specks and occasional brown bruises. Green plantains have a light yellow flesh with a firm, starchy texture similar to potato or yuca root. This lean-flavored flesh has a very low sugar content that tastes somewhat bland when uncooked. Plantains' color changes from green to yellow to black as they ripen and become sweeter.
Seasons/Availability
Plantains are available year-round.
Current Facts
Green plantains are botanically classified as Musa paradisiaca and belong to the Musaceae family, which also includes bananas. Unlike bananas, plantain plants eventually stop producing fruit, but they are among the longest-producing varieties of banana plants. In ideal tropical conditions, a single plant may continue to bear fruit for up to fifty years. Plantains are referred to by many names in different countries, including Banane plantain in French, Kochbanane in German, Pisang in Indonesian, Plátano in Italian, and Banana-da-terra in Portuguese. Green plantains are technically classified as a fruit but are typically cooked like vegetables. Their color changes as they ripen, starting as green with a firm, starchy, potato-like texture. They then turn yellow, becoming softer and slightly sweeter. At full ripeness, their skin turns black, marking the point when they are the softest and sweetest. Plantains are the tenth most important food staple in the world, sustaining large populations in Central and South America, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and Africa.
Nutritional Value
Green plantains are a source of vitamin K, supporting blood clotting and bone health, while their vitamin A content encourages good vision, immune function, and skin health. Their high potassium may help regulate blood pressure and support heart health, while the dietary fiber in these fruits aids digestion, promoting regularity and gut health. Green plantain's vitamin C supply boosts the immune system and supports collagen production for skin and tissue repair. They provide the body with vitamin B6, a nutrient that plays a key role in brain development and function, as well as in converting food into energy. The magnesium in Green plantains contributes to muscle and nerve function, while copper supports the formation of red blood cells, and iron aids in oxygen transport within the body, preventing fatigue and promoting vitality.
Applications
Green plantains must be cooked to be truly edible. They can be fried, boiled, baked, pickled, and grilled. Since Green plantains are very hard and starchy, they are often prepared like potatoes. These vegetables are frequently fried to make tostones, a Latin-Carribean side dish where the plantains are sliced, fried, and mashed to create fritters. They can also be sliced and tossed into salads and rice bowls. Green plantains are often paired with garlic, olive oil, and pork skin to create a dish called mofongo. These fruits may be braised in broth and mixed into soups, stews, and curries. They’re sometimes ground up to create flour. In Uganda and Tanzania, Green plantains are used in brewing beer, while in Indonesia, they are commonly fried in coconut oil. Complimentary ingredients include pork, poultry, corn, shelling beans, pineapple, coconuts, papayas, chiles, and cumin. Green plantains should be stored at room temperature where they will keep for 7 to 10 days.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Plantains are a popular fruit in Cuba, where they are frequently used to make the fried dish tostones. The island’s warm, tropical climate made plantains an ideal crop, especially during the food shortages that followed the Soviet Union’s withdrawal of financial support after the rise of Fidel Castro. As rationing and widespread hunger took hold, Cubans turned to local crops like plantains as a vital source of sustenance. Tostones became a dietary staple, with people mashing, pan-frying, and seasoning them with salt as a daily means of survival.
Geography/History
Green plantains are native to Southeast Asia. They flourish in tropical and subtropical climates with humid environments. Plantains were introduced to Africa from their native Southeast Asia through ancient trade routes during the 6th century. They were then brought to the Caribbean by Spanish colonists and African slave traders. These fruits cannot be foraged from the wild but are produced in tropical gardens and grown commercially in their native region as well as in the Caribbean, Central and West Africa, Southern Asia, and Florida. Outside of these regions, Green plantains have become increasingly popular in the United States and Europe, where they may be available at farmers’ markets and specialty stores, especially those with a focus on Latin and Caribbean cuisine.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Green Plantain Bananas. One
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