Sounds weird, right? More than anything because the feature The main part of the banana - the one we all know - is its intense green-yellow rind. That is why, at the very least, the existence of this different colored product that we present to you is surprising. In fact, it is considered a exotic fruit. And, best of all, is that it does not come to Spain from the other side of the world - as it usually happens with this type of food; is that it is a local crop. The Canarian red bananaAlthough it sounds new, it has been part of Canarian production for several decades.
What is special about the red banana?
The truth is that this variety of banana is more popular in America than in Europe -in fact, it is originally from Ecuador- but, as we have already mentioned, the Canary Islands have been cultivating it for a long time -since the 80s. At first glance, of course, its purple-red color stands out. Compared to the banana we all know, this red is smaller and has tougher skin. Also in its cultivation it differs from the rest of varieties, since its maturation process is longer.
But, what really stands out about this product, in addition to the red color of its shell -because, in reality, the fruit itself has a color very similar to the rest of bananas-, already surprising, is its flavor. Beyond the characteristic of the banana, you can notice touches that recall the fruits of the forest, more specifically raspberry -Yes, nothing too intense-.
Properties and benefits
The nutritional value of this fruit is high: very nutritious and rich in, for example, potassium. In addition, it is very good for digestion, for our heart and, the fact of having a high sugar content, also provides us with a lot of Energy. In this sense, the Canary Islands red banana is very similar to the common one.
More areas of its cultivation in Spain
It is true that the most popular location that grows this red banana is the Canary Islands. In fact, Diego Perez Hernandez, the company's agricultural engineer Tenerife Sat Fast, explained for Cadena Ser that, currently, there are some 1.300 plants producing bananas spread across the island and that soon this figure will rise to 3.000. Nevertheless, there are other points of the Spanish geography where we can also find it.
Almunecar (Granada) is one of those places. Manuel Mateos -specialized in exotic fruits-, from shopdefruta.com, explained to La Vanguardia that “the plant has adapted extraordinarily”To the Granada climate. Furthermore, “it is much more robust than other types of bananas and bananas that we grow ”.
The blue banana: another exotic fruit
What else could you expect after red banana? Well, he azul. Surprisingly, this variety also exists and is very popular in Hawaii, the Philippines or the Fiji Islands, among other destinations. What is really interesting, even beyond its colorful skin, is its flavor, since it has been compare with him vanilla ice cream.
The red banana from the Canary Islands arrives at the supermarket
The real novelty about this fruit is that, temporarily, it is launched in supermarkets To field -in collaboration with the company Eurobaban- in the peninsula. And we say temporarily because, as has been announced, it is a batch of about 1.100 kilos that will be marketed on the chain. Under the title of "Controlled Production", Alcampo is committed to offering a quality product, respectful with the environment and closeness. It can be purchased in trays of approximately 700 grams, approximately, and costs $3,29 - more expensive than the Canarian banana (with PGI) also from Controlled Production, which costs 2 euros-.
The exoticism of this fruit has led to restaurants such as The Sargo Carbón (Santa Cruz de Tenerife) a include it sporadically in their elaborations; for example, the finger of manilla red banana pickled in vinegar and flowers, wrapped in homemade salted anchovy. But you don't need such combinations good gourmet food to enjoy this rich fruit. Like the common, the Canarian red banana can be consumed raw, cooked, in savory dishes or in sweets. At the moment it will not be in the peninsula for long so, what are you waiting to try it?
