Where do

bananas grow?

Photo courtesy of:

http://flannelrabbit.com/blog/category/artwork/cartoons/page/2/

Bananas grow in tropical areas of

the world where the weather is sunny and

hot. There are bananas coming from South-

east Asia, particularly the Philippines and

Malaysia. Also from Colombia, Costa Rica,

Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama,

Mexico and Nicaragua, where most bananas

sold in the US comes from.

What are the different

types of bananas?

Here are some types of bananas which you

can actually find in your local grocery

stores:

Cavendish Bananas: It is the commercial

variety that is always available in your local

supermarket.

Baby Bananas (also known as Dwarf or

Finger Bananas): As the name suggests,

baby bananas are smaller versions of the

Cavendish with a thinner peel and a

sweeter taste.

Apple Bananas (also known as Manzano

Bananas): Apple bananas are short plump

bananas with an apple after-taste, which

many people love.

Red Bananas: These short, chunky

bananas have red skin that starts to turn

dark purple when they are ripe. Red

bananas are very sweet and creamy and

sometimes have a mild strawberry flavour.

Plantains: Many people think plantains

look like large green bananas. While they

look similar, they are quite different.

Plantains are starchy like a potato, not

sweet like a regular banana. Plantains are

usually cooked and served as a starchy side

dish, like corn or potatoes.

Nutritional

benefits of bananas

Bananas are a good source of

fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and

potassium.

One medium banana contains 110 calories,

and like most other fruits and vegetables,

bananas contain very little fat and sodium

and no cholesterol.

One medium banana counts as one serving

of fruit.

“Banana Wrap” (Turon)

Recipe

Turon or “Banana Wrap” is one of the most

popular desserts in the Philippines. Due to

its popularity, it can be easily bought from

street vendors. Turon is made out of saba

or plantain bananas wrapped in a spring

roll wrapper and is typically covered with

sugar (optional). If you are using plantain,

you can add strips of jack fruit to add

sweetness or flavour.

Ingredients:

- Plantain bananas cut lengthwise - Brown Sugar & syrup (optional)

- Spring roll wrappers

- Vegetable oil

- Yogurt

Procedures:

Cut bananas lengthwise

(Optional) Dip in brown sugar. Make sure bananas are fully covered with

sugar.

Place bananas in the center of wrapper, fold edges, and then roll.

Repeat this procedure for the rest of

the bananas.

Heat vegetable oil in the frying pan. Deep fry all banana rolls until golden brown.

(Optional) sprinkle some brown

sugar on top.

Drain excess oil and place on a plate. (Optional) pour syrup on top.

Serving suggestions:

Cut into small pieces and serve with yogurt on the side.

When serving to young children in the daycare, don’t cover the wrap

with brown sugar.

Source for the recipe (excerpts):

http://www.filipinocooking.net/dessert-recipes/filipino-turon-recipe