Bananas.org - taste report: Chundillakannan and Njalipoovan

Bananas.org vbseo_replace_urls("(", "https://www.bananas.org/index.php"))

- Main Banana Discussion vbseo_replace_urls("(", "https://www.bananas.org/forumdisplay.php?f=2"))

- - taste report: Chundillakannan and Njalipoovan vbseo_replace_urls("(", "https://www.bananas.org/showthread.php?t=16936"))

taste report: Chundillakannan and Njalipoovan

I was fortunate enough to try two bananas new to me, thanks to the generosity of Rainforezt. Chundillakannan and Njalipoovan are Indian cultivars. Apparently (based on the MGIS database), they are both in the AB groups, which is a relatively uncommon group, especially outside of India. Chundillakannan also goes by the name Kodappanillakunnan, and from what I can tell, Njalipoovan also goes by the name Rasakadali, and is the Ney Poovan subgroup.

If you don't want to read further, the brief summary is that both varieties are nice bananas with good flavor. My wife and I enjoyed Chundillakannan the most. Here are the details:

Cavendish on top for reference, below left to right: Njalipoovan, Chundillakannan, and Orinoco.
[IMG]

[/IMG]

Both bananas have very thin peels. L to R: Njalipoovan, Cavendish, and Chundillakannan:
[IMG]

[/IMG]

Chundillakannan:
• Firm texture but soft and smooth when chewed, custard-like and smoother than Cavendish, Manzano, etc.
• Very slight acidity and apple overtones (similar acidity to Manzano, but less apple flavor)
• Not dramatically different from Cavendish in flavor, but subtly better by having more complex flavor
• Very attractive light cream color
• Similar in size to Manzano

Njalipoovan:
• Very firm with some pulp (harder parts) unless very ripe; slippery almost slimy texture when chewed
• No acidity
• Simple, nice banana flavor; similar flavor to Cavendish but better than Cavendish when allowed to get very ripe
• No unusual taste components, just good, very sweet banana flavor
• Very white flesh
• Very small fruit

Both were best eaten when very ripe. No green on the peel and some to a lot of brown/black.

I also compared them to some other varieties I was able to get my hands on, Manzano and Reds.
L to R: Chundillakannan, Red, Manzano:
[IMG]

[/IMG]

Of the ones I tried side by side, Chundillakannan was my favorite -- better than Manzano, Red, Cavendish, and Njalipoovan.

There are others varieties that I would choose over Chundillakannan if I had the choice, notably Mysore subgroup and Pome subgroup (e.g., Brazilian). But Chundillakannan is a really nice banana that I would like to grow in my yard. Njalipoovan was a very nice, sweet banana, with good shelf life, but it didn't blow me away. A quality banana that I wouldn't throw out of the fruit bowl, but not one to write home about from my perspective.

Thanks again to Rainforezt.