Guineo facts for kids
Guineos (say "gee-NAY-ohs") are usually unripe, green bananas. Sometimes, people also call ripe, yellow bananas "guineos." The word "guineo" comes from Guinea, a country in West Africa. This is one of the places where bananas first grew. Some people like to be clear: they call green bananas guineos verdes (green guineos) and yellow bananas just guineos.
It's important not to mix up guineos with plantains! Plantains are much starchier and are used differently in cooking. Guineos are popular in Latin American cooking because they are easy to find, not expensive, and can be used in many tasty ways.
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Guineos in the Dominican Republic
In the Dominican Republic, green bananas are often used in hearty soups like sancocho and mondongo.
Guineítos is a special dish. Green bananas are boiled, then cooked with peppers and onions. It's a simple but delicious meal.
You can also make Mangú with green bananas, but this is less common. Mangú is usually made from plantains.
Guineos in El Salvador
In El Salvador, both green and ripe bananas are called Guineos. They are a very popular fruit there. A favorite dessert is Chocobanano. This is a frozen guineo covered in chocolate, often with sprinkles or other fun toppings.
Guineos in Puerto Rico
In Puerto Rico, green bananas are used in many dishes. Some popular ones include viandas con ajilimójili, pasteles, sopa de mondongo, and sancocho. There are many other dishes on the island that use green bananas.
Green banana flour is also very common in Puerto Rico. People use it to make pancakes, crêpes, waffles, cookies, cakes, tortillas, bread, and other baked goods.
Popular Puerto Rican Dishes with Guineos
- Asopao de Gandules is a pigeon pea soup. It often has dumplings made from green banana, squash, and other root vegetables.
- Alcapurrias are fried fritters filled with meat. They are made from a mix of grated yautía (a root vegetable) and green bananas.
- Arañitas (meaning "little spiders") are shredded plantains, cassava, or green bananas. They are seasoned with garlic, cilantro, and salt. These are made into small patties and fried until they are crispy. People usually eat them with mojo (a type of sauce), with meals, or as a street food snack.
- Escabeche is a dish where green bananas and chicken gizzards are pickled. They are cooked in a garlicky sauce with bay leaves, garlic, olive oil, onions, and olives.
- Guineos verdes en fricasé (green banana fricassee) are green bananas cooked in a spicy tomato sauce. This sauce includes recaíto (a mix of herbs), capers, chilies, and olives.
- Macabeos are green banana fritters. The bananas are boiled and mashed with annatto oil and a small amount of uncooked green banana. They are then filled with meat, shaped into small balls, and deep-fried. These crescent-shaped fritters are mostly found in the town of Trujillo Alto. This town even has a Macabeo festival every year!
- Serenata de Bacalao (salted cod with root vegetables) is a salad. It mixes salted cod fish with tropical root vegetables, green bananas, cabbage, chayote, hard-boiled eggs, and avocado. The boiled vegetables, green bananas, and chayote are then cooked with peppers, lots of olive oil, and vinegar. The shredded cod is mixed in. The salad is then topped with cilantro, eggs, avocado, and onions.
See also
In Spanish: Guineo (banana inmadura) para niños
