Going Bananas in Bangkok

You can find bananas growing everywhere in Thailand.  You can see them in household gardens, temple gardens or out growing wild in fields.  There are around 28 different kinds of bananas that grow in Thailand.  Some of them are sweet and can be enjoyed raw, others are not as sweet and usually used only in cooking.



Bunches of bananas for sale in Bangkok.                                  Photo: Laura Muir



All around Bangkok you can find stalls selling fresh fruit shakes, and the banana shake is definitely my favourite.  They take a ripe banana, crush it up with some ice, mix in some sweet milk or yogurt, and there you have it, a fresh banana shake.  I have also enjoyed pancakes with banana and chocolate sauce, a great way to make eating bananas extra sweet and special.

Digging in.  I am enjoying my banana and chocolate pancake
with my banana shake.  Delicious.        Photo: Laura Muir

The people of Thailand are very good recyclers and re-users and they don’t only use the fruit from a banana plant, they also use the leaves, the stems and even the roots for different recipes and as cooking tools.  Banana leaves are used as cooking containers.  The water stored in the leaf comes out as you cook it and makes sure the food you wrap in it stays nice and moist.  A favourite of mine is sticky rice wrapped in a banana leaf.  The stems from the plant are used as big mixing spoons, and the roots can be cooked and eaten too.  It is amazing how no part is wasted!

Bananas growing wild in the jungle.

Do you like bananas?  If you could, would you have a banana shake every day, or would you rather enjoy a banana and chocolate pancake?