robguz24
04-09-2014, 08:19 PM
Well I had recently learned that someone was selling Fe'i bananas at the Hilo Farmers Market but I hadn't seen them myself until today. I was thrilled! One vendor had part of a bunch. They were sold by Samoan guys, but they didn't know the specific name of it, and just called it a Samoan cooking banana. I think Fe'i Aiuri is one of the more common Fe'i types in Hawaii, so perhaps it is that. The ones available were ripe to overripe, with no hint of green.
The excitement king of faded, however, once I tasted them. Maybe I'd like other Fe'i types more than these, or would like them better cooked by someone who has experience cooking with them. Anyway, here's my report.
UPDATE: Well I tried them again, less ripe, and boiled in the skin. Much better! I've tried to revise this report incorporating impressions eating very ripe raw, very ripe steamed, and firm ripe boiled.
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/robguz24/Robs%20bananas/IMG_3942_zps626d7d1d.jpg (http://s1289.photobucket.com/user/robguz24/media/Robs%20bananas/IMG_3942_zps626d7d1d.jpg.html)
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/robguz24/Robs%20bananas/IMG_3943_zps399c5a47.jpg (http://s1289.photobucket.com/user/robguz24/media/Robs%20bananas/IMG_3943_zps399c5a47.jpg.html)
TEXTURE-The super ripe ones were gooey, creamy, and gummy. Somewhat like a ripe rollinia. The ripe ones cooked were soft and pasty, but starchy too. I preferred the texture of the more firm ones cooked.
FIRMNESS-The less ripe was somewhat firm. The super ripe was so soft it was hard to peel. I didn’t bite into the less ripe one raw. On my 2nd try they were soft on the outside and nicely firm on the inside of the cooked fruit.
SWEETNESS-Sweet, more so on the more ripe one. Like a good sweet potato when cooked.
TARTNESS-None.
RIPENESS-Skin was a reddish orange, with no black spots. One banana was very ripe, but still held up well to being steamed. That one cooked down to almost a mush, like a mashed sweet potato. Tried again less ripe and boiled them in the skins.
FLAVOR-This is the strangest banana I’ve ever tasted. Really not much like a banana. It has a sweetness but also a strong vegetal taste. It reminds me of a specific vegetable, but I’m not sure exactly what. Cooked green bell pepper comes to mind, and maybe parsnip (which I dislike). The taste also lingers. I have read they must be cooked, but the ripe one was edible raw, but not an appealing taste, and also had some astringency.
On my 2nd try, after boiling them in their skins, the strong flavors were tempered, and overall it was much better. The astringency was gone, and the taste I couldn't identify as keikikid describes in terms of smell is artichoke, which I love. In this case, the taste doesn't linger in a bad way.
OTHER: Well, I can’t remember when I’ve been this excited to try a new banana. While kind of fascinating, and having an incredible bright yellow flesh, the vegetal taste in raw ones is overwhelming, and the texture would definitely take getting used to. I wanted to love these. My partner found them even less appealing than I did. On my 2nd try properly boiled, they were much better and I actually really like them. They also didn’t have a strong smell, but what smell they did have didn’t seem like a banana. Given that they are a different species than any banana I’ve tried before, that makes sense.
OVERALL RATING: 4 or less eaten raw, 7 when boiled in skins firm ripe. I had to revise my rating after learning how to properly cook them using less ripe fruit.
SUGGESTED USE: I can’t see ever eating one of these raw again. Cooked they are far more palatable, especially if boiled in their skins. I can see using them in something like a Thai coconut curry, where the other strong flavors will make them not so strong tasting. After eating 1 very ripe one steamed with some salt, I had to force myself to finish the last few bites. On the 2nd try, boiled in the skin, I easily finished one and was ready for more. If used in something else, I think I would still boil them separately first, then adding them to the dish. I have had the same issue with Iholenas, where too ripe, they aren't good cooked, but just very slightly yellow they hold up better to cooking.
The excitement king of faded, however, once I tasted them. Maybe I'd like other Fe'i types more than these, or would like them better cooked by someone who has experience cooking with them. Anyway, here's my report.
UPDATE: Well I tried them again, less ripe, and boiled in the skin. Much better! I've tried to revise this report incorporating impressions eating very ripe raw, very ripe steamed, and firm ripe boiled.
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/robguz24/Robs%20bananas/IMG_3942_zps626d7d1d.jpg (http://s1289.photobucket.com/user/robguz24/media/Robs%20bananas/IMG_3942_zps626d7d1d.jpg.html)
http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/robguz24/Robs%20bananas/IMG_3943_zps399c5a47.jpg (http://s1289.photobucket.com/user/robguz24/media/Robs%20bananas/IMG_3943_zps399c5a47.jpg.html)
TEXTURE-The super ripe ones were gooey, creamy, and gummy. Somewhat like a ripe rollinia. The ripe ones cooked were soft and pasty, but starchy too. I preferred the texture of the more firm ones cooked.
FIRMNESS-The less ripe was somewhat firm. The super ripe was so soft it was hard to peel. I didn’t bite into the less ripe one raw. On my 2nd try they were soft on the outside and nicely firm on the inside of the cooked fruit.
SWEETNESS-Sweet, more so on the more ripe one. Like a good sweet potato when cooked.
TARTNESS-None.
RIPENESS-Skin was a reddish orange, with no black spots. One banana was very ripe, but still held up well to being steamed. That one cooked down to almost a mush, like a mashed sweet potato. Tried again less ripe and boiled them in the skins.
FLAVOR-This is the strangest banana I’ve ever tasted. Really not much like a banana. It has a sweetness but also a strong vegetal taste. It reminds me of a specific vegetable, but I’m not sure exactly what. Cooked green bell pepper comes to mind, and maybe parsnip (which I dislike). The taste also lingers. I have read they must be cooked, but the ripe one was edible raw, but not an appealing taste, and also had some astringency.
On my 2nd try, after boiling them in their skins, the strong flavors were tempered, and overall it was much better. The astringency was gone, and the taste I couldn't identify as keikikid describes in terms of smell is artichoke, which I love. In this case, the taste doesn't linger in a bad way.
OTHER: Well, I can’t remember when I’ve been this excited to try a new banana. While kind of fascinating, and having an incredible bright yellow flesh, the vegetal taste in raw ones is overwhelming, and the texture would definitely take getting used to. I wanted to love these. My partner found them even less appealing than I did. On my 2nd try properly boiled, they were much better and I actually really like them. They also didn’t have a strong smell, but what smell they did have didn’t seem like a banana. Given that they are a different species than any banana I’ve tried before, that makes sense.
OVERALL RATING: 4 or less eaten raw, 7 when boiled in skins firm ripe. I had to revise my rating after learning how to properly cook them using less ripe fruit.
SUGGESTED USE: I can’t see ever eating one of these raw again. Cooked they are far more palatable, especially if boiled in their skins. I can see using them in something like a Thai coconut curry, where the other strong flavors will make them not so strong tasting. After eating 1 very ripe one steamed with some salt, I had to force myself to finish the last few bites. On the 2nd try, boiled in the skin, I easily finished one and was ready for more. If used in something else, I think I would still boil them separately first, then adding them to the dish. I have had the same issue with Iholenas, where too ripe, they aren't good cooked, but just very slightly yellow they hold up better to cooking.