Green is the word Ecuadorians use to refer interchangeably to plantains, the tropical fruits that lead agricultural exports and have transformed Ecuador into the world's largest exporter. Therefore, besides being a crucial food in daily diets, it is also an important driver of the Ecuadorian economy.
What is the origin of the green?
The green is a tropical plant from the Musaceae family, one of the ancestors of the banana. It is originally from Australasia but is cultivated in more than 130 countries, from its native Southeast Asia to Oceania and South America. The main global producer of green is India, where nearly a quarter of the fruits sold worldwide are grown, although many are for domestic consumption. The primary exporter is Ecuador: according to the Export Promotion and Investment Institute ProEcuador, 30% of all plantains sold worldwide come from Ecuador, especially from the coastal region of Manabí. The volume of plantain production is surpassed only by wheat, rice, and maize. The continuous production of fruit throughout the year makes it especially valuable as food during the harvest seasons in tropical countries, mainly the male plantains.
Its cultivation requires fertile soils that are slightly acidic or neutral, preferably denser and less sandy, and it tolerates drought much better. It does not tolerate salt. It prefers full sun but can withstand partial shade. Depending on climatic conditions, it can grow up to 2,000 meters above sea level. Today, the vast majority of plants cultivated for this fruit come from the variety obtained by crossing Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana, although the latter is still cultivated in the Japanese Ryukyu Islands, brought from China or the Philippines, for the textile fiber obtained from its leaves, called ito-basho.
The most immature of all plantains
Green or brown in color, the male plantain is the second most exported Ecuadorian variety. Its pulp contains less water (making it firmer) and is less sweet, thus often used as an accompaniment (often replacing potatoes). The green is a fruit with a linear shape ranging from 7 to 15 cm long and up to 4 cm in diameter, forming a compact bunch. It is covered by a green peel when immature (turning intense yellow when ripe). The end narrows sharply to a thin stalk measuring 1 to 2 cm. The pulp is white, rich in starch, and sweet. The black spots that dot the pulp are remnants of undeveloped ovules. The seeds are black, globular or irregular, with a rough surface, measuring up to 6x5 mm, embedded in the pulp. The more seeds present, the larger the green becomes.
The infinite versatility of green
The male plantain must be cooked before eating because its primary contribution is starch, making green indigestible when raw; however, there are many ways to cook green: grilling, boiling, baking, frying, steaming, with or without skin... it can be served as a snack or a side dish. The leaves of the male plantain are used to wrap various meats, seafood, or chicken, imparting a delicate citrus flavor and forming a gelatinous, viscous layer around the food. This practice has been used since ancient times to protect foods from direct fire. The plantain leaves are left to wilt over a barbecue or griddle until they turn dark green, then cut along the central vein, and are ready to wrap different foods. Many typical Ecuadorian recipes use green, such as chifles, tostones, bolón, empanadas, tortillas, mashed, repe lojano, among others.
In Ecuador, the green is always present on the table!
