Plantains - Bananas on Steroids??
The other day while shopping with my hubby at our local Costco in Nanuet, NY, I asked him to please pick out a bunch of bananas that were not overripe. I wanted them for later in the week when the grand-kids converged. Since most of the lot were ready for eating, he had a hard time finding some that fit the bill.
After a few minutes of searching, misssion accomplished, or so he thought.
We get home and while unloading and putting away the groceries, I'm searching for the bananas. What I find are plantains. Though I know how to differentiate between the two, I've no idea what to do with a plantain. Is it a vegetable or a fruit? Do I eat it raw or cooked? Is it ripe when it's green or when it's yellow? Are plantains just Bananas on Steroids? So, I did a little research.
- While there are many differences between Plantains and bananas, both are very nutritious and both are rich in Vitamins A and C and high in fiber.
- They look alike, but plantains are longer than bananas and have a much thicker skin.
- Bananas can be eaten raw, made into chips, preserved or cooked but plantains need to be cooked before they can be eaten. They are rich in starch and low in sugar and become slightly sweeter as they ripen. They remain firm even when cooked and are considered to be the "potatoe of the Caribbean". A plantain changes colors as it ripens from green to yellow and when fully ripened, turns black.
- Bananas are considered a fruit and plantains are usually treated as a vegetable.
So now that I know what to do with my plantains, I'm off to cook them. As for the hubby, I don't ask him to pick out my fruit anymore, or my vegetables. - That way, I know what I'm getting.
Flick photos Bananas by clarity - Plantains by luigig
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