Rabu, 09 Juni 2010

Plantain other uses than the fruit

Plantain flowers
Each pseudostem of a plantain plant will flower only once, and all the flowers grow at the end of its shoot in a large bunch consisting of multiple hands with individual fingers (the fruits). Only the first few hands will become fruits. In Vietnam the young male flower, at the end of the bunch, is used in salad. In the cuisine of Laos, the plantain flower is typically eaten raw in vermicelli soups. Thoran is made in Kerala with the end of the bunch (called "Koompu" in Malayalam) and is considered to be highly nutritious. A type of Poriyal (Curry) is made from plantain flowers in Tamil Nadu.

Plantain leaves
Plantain leaves can exceed two meters in length. They are similar to banana leaves but are larger and stronger, thus reducing waste in cooking. In Latin America, plantain leaves are lightly smoked over an open fire which improves storage properties, flavor and aroma. In Venezuela, they are fairly widely available in grocery stores or open air markets and are used as wrappers in Hallacas. In Nicaragua they wrap Nacatamales, as well as Vigoron, Vaho and other dishes. In Peru, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia, plantain leaves are usually used to wrap tamales before and while cooking, and they can be used to wrap any kind of seasoned meat while cooking to keep the flavor in. The plantain is the main food source of the Dominican Republic, and is used just as much as, if not more than, rice. Mangu and Sancocho are two signature dishes that revolve around the plantain. Puerto Rican pasteles are made primarily with fresh green banana dough stuffed with pork and then wrapped in plantain leaves which have been softened at the fire. Similarly, in Africa, the plantain leaves are dried and used to wrap corn dough before it is boiled to make Fanti Kenkey, a Ghanaian dish eaten with ground pepper, onions, tomatoes and fish.

Traditionally plantain leaves are used like plates while serving South Indian thali or during Sadya. A traditional southern Indian meal is served on a plantain leaf with the position of the different food items on the leaf having an importance. They also have a religious significance in many Hindu rituals. They add a subtle but essential aroma to the dish. In the Indian state of Kerala, a food preparation called Ada is made in plantain leaves. Plantain leaves are also used in making Karimeen Pollichathu in Kerala. In Tamizh Nadu, the plantain leaf is used to serve food in most of the house during festivals or special occasions.

Plantain shoot
After harvesting the fruit, the plantain plant can be cut and the layers peeled (like an onion) to get a cylinder shaped soft shoot. This can be chopped and first steamed, then fried with masala powder, to make an excellent dish. This dish is called Posola in Assamese and a distinct part of Assamese cuisine. In Kerala a thoran is made out of the shoot.


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantain
See Also: florist Paris, Vietnam flower, India flower

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