What's the difference between Thai bananas and regular bananas?
As although Gluay Naam Waa are used for making fried bananas, grilling or just eating out of hand, they look very different. They are much shorter, around 13cm / 5 inches long, and plumper. The skin is yellowy/green but is faded. It doesn't have that lush, shiny look your supermarket Cavendish banana has.
What are Thai bananas good for?
Nutritional Value Nam Wah bananas are high in magnesium, potassium, and folate. They are a good source of vitamin A and fiber and also contain vitamin B6, manganese, riboflavin, niacin and iron as well as a small amount of protein. Bananas also contain beneficial prebiotics.
Are Thai bananas plantains?
There are over 300 species of banana in the world, about 22 of which are grown in Thailand. These can be divided into two types: the sweet and the savory bananas, commonly known as plantains (which require cooking).
Which bananas taste the best?
The Ladyfingers are the sweetest and best tasting of them all, but since there's no reliable way to determine which kind you're getting, you'll have to undertake some delicious trial and error. These fruits must be very ripe to reach full sweetness; their skin should look deep brown, with dark streaks.
Do you eat Thai bananas raw?
Thai bananas are fully ripe when the the skin is yellow with significant amounts of black. These bananas are best enjoyed raw when ripe to fully enjoy their fragrant, sweet, and custard-like flavor. Uses: Bananas don't need to be refrigerated and make for an excellent addition to packed meals as a snack or dessert.
What are small Thai bananas called?
Lady Finger bananas are eaten fresh or used in desserts. They are known for being sweeter than the common Cavendish-type bananas. Dwarf Lady Finger bananas, typically growing only up to 15 feet (4+1⁄2 m) in height, are also cultivated as houseplants.
How do you pick a Thai banana?
1:343:54HOW TO PICK GOOD NAM WAH BANANAS IN THAILAND - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt's narrow whereas the amazing-looking once it's kind of clumped out. And I found this to be trueMoreIt's narrow whereas the amazing-looking once it's kind of clumped out. And I found this to be true for almost all bananas I've ever had. So if you want good bananas as a rule go for plump.
What is a Vietnamese banana?
In Vietnam, cooks use a type of banana called chuối sứ which is available in some Vietnamese markets in the US if you want to make it the traditional way. In this recipe, we use plantains because the other variety was not available. It's still an excellent choice, just as Filipino bananas are too if you can find them.
How many types of bananas are there?
1,000 typesThere are way more varieties than you probably think. Grown in more than 150 countries, it is widely believed there are more than 1,000 types of bananas in the world, which are subdivided into 50 groups. The most common is the Cavendish, the one most frequently produced for export markets.
Which country has the best banana in the world?
Rank Table of 10 World's Biggest Banana-Producing CountriesRankCountriesProduction of Banana(in Tons)1India30,460,0002China, mainland11,655,7003Indonesia7,280,6598 more rows•Sep 2, 2021
What color banana is the healthiest?
The resistant starch and pectin in green bananas can provide a number of health benefits, including improved blood sugar control and better digestive health ( 3 , 4 ). Green bananas contain a high amount of resistant starch and pectin, which have been linked to several health benefits.
Why are some bananas not sweet?
If you eat a banana that is not ripe enough, it can be very unpleasant. They are slimy and not as sweet as a ripe banana. Unripe bananas are starchy and can cause digestive issues. If you wait the correct amount of time for it to ripen, it will be sweet and delicious.
What kind of bananas are in Thailand?
But four varieties are common to all fruit markets in Thailand: the Kluai Hom or “fragrant banana”, the Kluai Kai or “egg bananas”, the Kluai Nam Waa and Kluai Had Mook.
How do you pick a Thai banana?
1:343:54HOW TO PICK GOOD NAM WAH BANANAS IN THAILAND - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt's narrow whereas the amazing-looking once it's kind of clumped out. And I found this to be trueMoreIt's narrow whereas the amazing-looking once it's kind of clumped out. And I found this to be true for almost all bananas I've ever had. So if you want good bananas as a rule go for plump.
What's the difference between a plantain and banana?
Plantains are usually larger and tougher than bananas, with much thicker skin. They may be green, yellow, or very dark brown. Plantains are starchier than bananas and not very sweet when green. When ripe, they are sweeter and become more so when cooked.
What is Namwah banana?
The most popular banana in Thailand. Everyone should grow this variety! Disease resistant, easy to grow, and a beautiful light green plant with pink in the stem. Flavor has hints of Red Delicious Apple, melon, and jackfruit. Sweet, with a different texture than Hawaiian Apple bananas.
Where to find bananas in Thailand?
Better question – is there any corner where they won’t pop up? Spend any time out and about in Thailand, and you’ll spot bananas for sale in strange places. Certainly the supermarket and at fruit markets, but also at the auto-parts shop, T-shirt shops, and any variety of local businesses.
Banana trees in Thailand
If coming from a cold country, you’ll enjoy having banana trees and their happy leaves surround your holiday. They’re a plant that waves “welcome to the tropics!” While you have the opportunity, take some time to inspect a banana tree up-close and see where the fruit comes from.
The banana flower
Banana flowers are pretty spectacular – we love the tropics for flowers the size of guinea pigs. They’re man-sized flowers, and you can tell that they really mean business.
How to enjoy bananas in Thailand
Dried bananas: Another favourite incarnation of Thai bananas is dried bananas with honey. As sticky brown messes, they really don’t look appetising, but they’re delicious.
So go bananas
As you can see, it’s easy to totally indulge on Thai bananas whether you want to eat them or grow them (or, indeed, bake ’til crispy and add some Sriracha sauce). If the above has you put in a tropical fruity sort of mood, don’t miss:
What is banana blossom?
You can notice a banana blossom when you look at its large, purple colored organic body which begs the question “what is a banana blossom?” or “is banana blossom edible?”. First of all, banana blossom is an edible flower of the banana tree. The “flower” grows at the tip of any banana clusters.
How to cook banana blossom?
Before we jump into the question of “how to cook a banana blossom”, we need to first identify the edible part of a banana blossom. Thais can make full use of a Thai banana blossom as every part is edible! However, people usually use the young part which is white in color and it is hidden away under those red/purple-ish skin.
Banana blossoms menu
As we have mentioned previously, Thais often use raw banana blossoms as a side to accompany Pad Thai. However, Thais also make their spicy salads with raw banana blossoms as well (video with English subtitle here).
Should you try banana blossoms?
At first glance, banana blossoms may look strange or not edible. However, the whole banana blossoms are actually edible and they are full of fiber and nutrition.
What are Burro bananas?
Burro bananas, also known as Saba, Bluggoe, Orinoco, Horse, Largo and Hog bananas are shorter, sturdier and more block-like or square in shape. They are seeded and have distinct edges. They are green when young and gradually turn deep yellow with dark spots as they ripen.
Are burro bananas healthy?
Burros are perhaps one of the healthiest bananas there is. They are naturally alkaline in nature, contain tiny seeds and have so many health benefits. Burro bananas are very healthy with comparatively low fat, low carb and calorie count than their regular counterparts. They also are high in key minerals such as potassium and magnesium.
What does a Burro Banana look like?
Burro Bananas look like the Cavendish variety in appearance except that they are shorter, have a more square shape and have distinct, protruding edges.
What is the difference between burro bananas and regular bananas?
There are quite some key distinctions between Burros and Regular bananas. Although, most of the distinctions come from appearance, however, there are quite notable differences with taste, flavor and even to its nutritional composition.
Burro Banana Vs Regular Bananas
Below is a table of notable differences between a burro banana and a regular or cavendish variety of banana.
Nutritional value of Burro Bananas vs Regular Bananas
So, what makes burros special? Do they offer special nutritional benefits over regular cavendish bananas?
Burro Bananas vs Apple vs Thai Bananas
Burro bananas should not be confused with mini, Thai or baby bananas and they look very similar to these. You can check out our post on how to differentiate Burro banana from these other types.
