Green Bananas, A Favorite Caribbean Staple

Bananas have the distinction of being both a fruit and a vegetable. Green bananas are considered a vegetable. They are a staple ingredient in African, Polynesian, Asian, Spanish, and Caribbean cuisine.  Ripe bananas are a fruit that’s familiar to just about everyone on planet earth. In Caribbean cuisine green bananas are used to make a variety of dishes including salads, pies, porridge, and dumpling. They are also know by other names Figs in Trinidad and guineos in Spanish culture.  They can also be ground into flour. Or you can simply boil and eat them as is. In the Caribbean, boiled green bananas are commonly served with fish and meat dishes.

Green bananas are a Caribbean staple that is used to create a wide variety of dishes including dumplings, porridge, and desserts.
For a quick video guide on how to peel and prepare green banana click here

Ripe bananas are considered a fruit. They are eaten as is, used to make puddings, pies, and one of the world’s most popular breads for  just to name a few. Both green and ripe bananas are low in calories and fat and are a great source of potassium, fiber and vitamin C and B. Banana export is a large part of the Caribbean economy, accounting for more than half billion dollars in annual trade across several Caribbean nations.  In Dominica the banana industry, with some 7,000 banana farmers, is the second largest employer, behind the government.

Bananas or figs, as Trinidadians call it, are a great source of potassium, fiber, and other nutrients. Shown here, a vegetarian meal of steamed vegetables with boiled green bananas and pumpkin.

banana dumplings are just one of the many creative ways that Caribbean islanders incorporate green bananas into their cuisine. shown here boiled banana dumplings and potato with greens and mackerel.

Green banana can be cut into chunks and fried or sliced into thin slices and made into chips. Banana chips are a favorite snacks throughout the Caribbean. They can be purchased at stores where Hispanic and Caribbean foods are sold.

1 thought on “Green Bananas, A Favorite Caribbean Staple”

  1. Hi! I love how informative and great your articles are. Can you recommend a list of citrus fruits and vegetables that can be used to make healthy snacks or treats? Thanks a lot!

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