JoeReal

A semi-ripe saba fruit (green with about 15%-25% yellow color) are the most versatile to use. It is firm and yet sweet, in the proper mix. My late grandparents have endless variations of how they are cooked. But when saba is ripe or green, they have very limited cooking choices.

Whatever type of plantain I could get my hands on, as long as they are semi-ripe, I just place a slit-cut through the length of the skin, then pop them in the microwave for 3-4 minutes, then enjoy plainly. I can live with this kind of meal for a year three times a day by just accompanying it with wine or milk, a small salad, and or small portions of cooked meat or fish. The semi-ripe saba bananas are very hard to come by. They are always ripe when they hit the grocery stores. The regular plantain are usually sold as semi-ripe but these are more expensive.