Plantains are believed to have originated in Southeast Asia. Two groups of plantains are thought to have a common origin: the horn plantain and the French plantain. Both types grow in India, Africa, Egypt, and tropical America. The French plantains also occur in Indonesia and the islands of the Pacific.
Is plantain Jamaican or African?
Fried plantain is a dish cooked wherever plantains grow, from West Africa to East Africa as well as Central America, the tropical region of northern South America and the Caribbean countries like Haiti to Cuba and in many parts of Southeast Asia, where fried snacks are widely popular.
What country is known for plantains?
It is the work of one’s hands that decides what one eats for dinner – for some it is pounded yam, for others it is pounded plantain or nothing. Cameroon is leading the plantain production with 4.3 million tons, followed by Ghana (just under 4 million tons), Uganda (3.7 mio tons), Colombia (3.5 mio.
Are plantains native to the Caribbean?
Plantains are native to India and the Caribbean where they are treated as more vegetable than fruit. Although there is no formal botanical distinction between bananas and plantains, “dessert” bananas are generally eaten raw, while plantains are cooked because of their high starch/low sugar.
Where does the US get plantains from?
Plantains, like bananas, are available year round. For the North American market, they are imported from Mexico, down through Central America and into South America, especially Ecuador.
Who brought plantain to Jamaica?
The Gros Michel is said to have been introduced to Jamaica by Jean Francois Pouyat, a French botanist and chemist who settled here in 1820. He brought the fruit back from Martinique to his coffee estate in an attempt perhaps to diversify his produce.
Who brought plantains to Africa?
It is said that In the 15th century plantains were found by Portuguese explorers in Western Africa and taken back to there home for planting. Portuguese explorers found bananas in western Africa and planted some back home.
Which country has the most plantain?
The Rank of 10 World’s Biggest Plantain Producers
| Rank | Countries | Production of Plantains in 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| (Tonnes) | ||
| 1 | Uganda | 7,401,579 |
| 2 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 4,891,990 |
| 3 | Ghana | 4,667,999 |
Can you eat plantains raw?
Ripe plantains are sweet like a banana, without the banana flavor. They can be eaten raw but are best when fried. The edges caramelize and become crispy like the edges of pancakes cooked in butter.
How did plantains get to Caribbean?
Spanish and African slave traders brought the fruit with them to the Caribbean on slave ships. Plantains proved to be a cheap and filling provision for enslaved men and women. The abundance of plantains and their versatility made them the staple ingredient that they are today.
Is plantain native to Jamaica?
Jamaican plantains are native to India and are grown extensively in the tropics. They are susceptible to strong winds as they are a plant rather than a tree. Plantain plays an important role in the Jamaican cuisine, it is used as vegetable, source of carbohydrate and deserts.
What came first banana or plantain?
“If the term ‘crop’ signifies a plant that can be grown for subsistence, then the plantain and the edible diploid bananas may indeed have been the first fruit crop.” It might be easiest, then, to begin—but not end—with the banana, whose origins are generally considered to be in Southeast Asia between 8000-5000 BCE.
Which country has the best bananas?
Rank Table of 10 World’s Biggest Banana-Producing Countries
| Rank | Countries | Production of Banana |
|---|---|---|
| (in Tons) | ||
| 1 | India | 30,460,000 |
| 2 | China, mainland | 11,655,700 |
| 3 | Indonesia | 7,280,659 |
Where do most of US bananas come from?
Main Suppliers of Fresh Bananas. The main suppliers of bananas to the US market are Guatemala, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Honduras.
Where do Chiquita bananas come from?
In Latin America, Chiquita operates banana plantations or buys year-round in Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Ecuador, Colombia, Nicaragua, Mexico and Peru.
What fruit is Jamaica known for?
Jamaica’s national fruit, the ackee is commonly used as the main ingredient in the island’s traditional food dish, ackee and saltfish.
What did the Africans bring to Jamaica?
African. British Colonization brought the trans-Atlantic slave trade, and with it came West African cuisine. This includes classics like jerk sauce, which traces its roots to West African jerk pork. It’s also the source of the famous ackee fruit, which is a part of Jamaica’s national dish, Ackee and Saltfish.
What did the Chinese bring to Jamaica?
Games of Chance – The Chinese brought their tradition of gambling with them and introduced games like “Whe Whe” and “Rakka Piu”, also known as “Chinapoo” to the island. The game of chance tradition was assimilated by Jamaicans who play modern games like “Cash Pot” and “Lucky Five.” 4.
Are bananas native to Africa?
Indeed, banana cultivation was the economic backbone of some African kingdoms that thrived before European colonization. Until recently, most African scholars assumed that the banana, which is native to New Guinea, was not introduced into Africa earlier than about 2000 years ago.
What culture eats plantains?
CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
In countries in Central America and the Caribbean, such as Cuba, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama, Puerto Rico, Haiti and Jamaica, the plantain is either simply fried, boiled or made into plantain soup.
What were bananas originally called?
Spaniards, who saw a similarity to their native plane tree, gave the fruit the name platano. This led to the name plantain – a word used to describe the banana genus as well as the banana variety, Plantain, which is typically used for cooking.