The banana is a long, usually creamy yellow fruit of a tropical tree, sometimes red or green, which grows in bunches. It has sweet dense flesh which discolours quickly when peeled. This versatile fruit may be eaten as fruit, boiled, puréed, fried or served in coconut milk or custards. They are available all year round. They may also be dried and eaten as a sortof chip, or ground into banana flour. They are a valuable source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, and potassium.
(p>Bananas are grown in at least 107 countries. In popular culture and commerce, "banana" usually refers to soft, sweet "dessert" bananas. The bananas from a group of cultivars with firmer, starchier fruit are called plantains.In Thailand you may find up to twenty different types of banana, each with a different name and, frequently, use.
