Green “Saba” Banana

Green  Saba Banana

Green “saba” banana or commonly called plantain is very common in the Philippines as a snack food. I grew up practically eating this type of banana. It has more starch than sugar compared to other bananas like apple bananas for example. That’s why when you eat this raw, even if its ripe, it’s not as sweet as the other bananas. That’s why we cook this type of banana. During my elementary school years, I always eat this “saba” banana during recess. It is boiled in water and brown sugar and when they serve it, they put shaved ice and cream on top. I tell you, it’s really, really good.

“Saba” bananas also is made into what we call banana cue which means bananas in skewer. The ripe bananas are fried in oil then brown sugar is added until it caramelized and coats the bananas. Then they are sold in bamboo sticks and so they are called banana cue like barbecue in sticks. It is also an ingredient in making halo-halo, bilo-bilo and other delightful desserts. But sometimes they are used in savory cooking like beef nilaga and estofado. Other places in the Philippines like in Iloilo or Kalibo in the Visayas, the green saba banana is boiled and eaten just like a regular potato. They also make banana chips that are coated with caramel and sold as snacks too. I understand that other cultures use plantain as staple foods especially in Africa. In Central America and the Caribbean, it is used in practically every dish.

Just like the common banana, saba or cooking banana is also rich in potassium and low in calorie. The tree of the saba banana (Cardaba banana) is easy to grow and propagate by itself. When the fruits are ready to pick, you have to chop the whole tree because it will die anyway eventually since it has done its job which is to bear fruit.

Similar Posts

  • Tamarind (Sampalok)

    Tamarind or sampalok as we call it in the Philippines is a versatile fruit. We can make it into candy or jam, we can use it in cooking as a souring agent for the ever popular “sinigang” or you can eat it as it is ripe or raw. Also the leaves were used too in…

  • Soursop/Guyabano

    Soursop or guyabano as we call it in the Philippines is gaining popularity as a health fruit and a natural medicine against cancer.  Whether it is true or not, soursop or guyabano is an interesting fruit to eat.  The skin looks like it would hurt you when you touch it but the spikes you see…

  • Guava

    Guava (Psidium Guajava) is a tropical fruit native to Mexico, Central America and the northern part of South America and is called guayaba, a Spanish word which the Filipinos used and became “bayabas” in the native dialect. The tree can be grown from seeds, and will start fruiting within 2-4 years. It will produce fruits…

  • Guava

    Guava is a popular fruit in the Philippines but it is seasonal. During rainy season that’s when it is most abundant. There are several varieties of guava that is native to the Philippines that I know of but the guava java which is an import variety from Indonesia hence the name, became the most popular….

  • Cashew Fruits

    Cashew nuts are my favorite snack food. I always wish I could eat the fresh roasted nuts from my hometown that I was accustomed to. Eating the fresh roasted cashew nuts is really a treat. It always remind me when I was a young kid, playing with the raw nuts as jackstones and then roasting…