Bananas

Areca bananas are called so because this variety of bananas has small, round, fat-like fruits. A banana tree is capable of producing a lot of fruit and has a high yield, so farmers in the Central and Southern regions or in mountainous areas prefer it. Unripe areca bananas look a lot like bananas, many inexperienced people often mistakenly think this is a banana. The way to distinguish these two types of bananas is quite simple, the areca bananas have a closer fruit density, the skin is smoother, the fruit is rounder and there is usually no beard at the top of the fruit. When eaten, areca bananas have a sweet and fragrant taste, not too harsh like bananas, in addition, areca bananas are also small, so eating areca bananas is not as boring as other types of bananas.

In general, bananas have a very similar shape to areca bananas, but the characteristic to identify is that when ripe bananas are still bearded, the density of the fruit is less than that of areca bananas. When enjoying, bananas have a very fragrant, sweet and extremely delicious smell, so this type of banana was also used to give to the king to enjoy, so it was called a king banana.

Porcelain banana has 2 types of white porcelain banana and green porcelain banana. Large, not long porcelain bananas are often eaten ripe and eaten raw while the fruit is still green. When eating porcelain bananas, it has a slight aroma and sweetness, just right, a bit acrid taste.

The old banana is rich in nutrients, its characteristic is long and curved. When ripe green, old bananas are also one of the famous fruits being exported by Vietnam.

Bananas offer various mineral substances and energy. Bananas are not only a delicious fruit when ripe, but green bananas are also part of some dishes.

Banana flower is mixed in delicious salads. Banana tree trunks, when young, can be eaten as a vegetable, and banana tree roots can be cooked with fish, or mixed in salads.

Several banana varieties grow all over the country. Tieu bananas are the most popular kind; they are small and smell sweet when ripe. Ngu and Cau bananas are small with a thin peel. Tay bananas are short, big, and straight, and can be fried or cooked in meals. Tra Bot bananas are widely planted in the south; their peel is yellow or brown when ripe with a white pulp. When Tra Bot bananas are not ripe, they taste sour. In the Southeast, there are a lot of Bom bananas. They look like Cau bananas, but their peel is thicker and their pulp is not as sweet.

Vietnam homeland has many kinds of sweet and aromatic fruits, one of which is banana, a familiar specialty of the countryside. Speaking of bananas, no one can forget its distinctive shape, color and taste. This fruit is a domesticated fruit for a long time with a variety of types and names.

Bananas are a staple starch for many tropical populations. Depending upon cultivar and ripeness, the flesh can vary in taste from starchy to sweet, and texture from firm to mushy. Both the skin and inner part can be eaten raw or cooked.

The primary component of the aroma of fresh bananas is isoamyl acetate (also known as banana oil), which, along with several other compounds such as butyl acetate and isobutyl acetate, is a significant contributor to banana flavor.

During the ripening process, bananas produce the gas ethylene, which acts as a plant hormone and indirectly affects the flavor. Among other things, ethylene stimulates the formation of amylase, an enzyme that breaks down starch into sugar, influencing the taste of bananas. The greener, less ripe bananas contain higher levels of starch and, consequently, have a “starchier” taste. On the other hand, yellow bananas taste sweeter due to higher sugar concentrations. Furthermore, ethylene signals the production of pectinase, an enzyme which breaks down the pectin between the cells of the banana, causing the banana to soften as it ripens.

In addition to being eaten raw, bananas are eaten deep fried, baked in their skin in a split bamboo, or steamed in glutinous rice wrapped in a banana leaf. Bananas can be made into fruit preserves. Banana chips are a snack produced from sliced dehydrated or fried banana or plantain, which have a dark brown color and an intense banana taste. Dried bananas are also ground to make banana flour. Extracting juice is difficult, because when a banana is compressed, it simply turns to pulp.