Thai Banana

On a recent trip to Bowling Green, KY I waaaay over estimated how long it would take to get to our destination... like about an hour and a half.  Oops!   So we had some time to waste.  

And we happened upon an area with THREE international markets!  One of the three was was Thai and east Asia.  We picked up a few things I needed for some recipes and as I was checking out I noticed some LITTLE bananas... definitely not the Cavendish bananas seen everywhere.  I grabbed a bunch and added to my order.

The grandmother who was checking out my order immediately told me "Thai banana...not plantain!"  (yes, they were pretty green).  Then she said "Yellow!!!" while miming eating.    She was quite serious that I knew not to eat them green.  Told me several times.  As I picked up my bags, one more time she warned me with "NO green" and a very scrunched up face.

Once home we let them sit.  They went to yellow, then dark yellow, then they started getting a red tone, and finally turned pretty dark (we were sampling thru all the stages).

These are the last two... look rough, don't they?

At all stages the skin had to be cut through.  It is very fiberous.

Even tho the skin looks pretty gnarly the fruit is perfect.  Firm and blemish free.

The flavor is gently sweet and kind of "apple" but not.  It's really hard to describe.  But it is NOT like a Cavendish banana.

I'll be looking for them at the various international stores I shop at!