# What to do with a bunch of boiled green bananas? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 14, 2012, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bunch-of-boiled-green-bananas/634678 "2012-09-14T10:55:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bunch-of-boiled-green-bananas/634678/1 "2012-09-14T10:55:44Z")
They taste just like a starchy root vegetable with their own flavor of course, what goes good with them. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bunch-of-boiled-green-bananas/634678/2 "2012-09-14T11:10:44Z")
Feed them to the pigs! Gah! I _hated_ guenios when I was young and my 'uela made me eat them. O.K., with that said, here is one way she forced me to eat them: [Ensalada Bacalao](http://www.elboricua.com/viandas_con_bacalao.html). That salad has green bananas AND yucca! There’s a reason there’s a ‘yuck’ in ‘yucca’. One way she didn’t have to force me to eat them was in [pasteles](http://www.puertoricanpasteles.com/) Mmmmm, pasteles. We only get them on holidays because they are a major pain in the ass to make. But man, oh, man that’s some good eatin’! ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bunch-of-boiled-green-bananas/634678/3 "2012-09-14T11:37:13Z")
Are you talking about the bananas people usually eat raw, as in peel it and eat it, and it tastes sweet? Or are you talking about boiled plantains, the much starchier cousin that is hard to eat without cooking first and use it in various recipes? If it is the first one, and has already been boiled, then chop it up and add some garlic or onion or both and drizzle with olive oil. Ensaladas de bacalao is delicious, yo! 😉 If it is the former, smash them, mix with garlic and olive oil, and you have the basis of mofongo, basically mashed plantains (instead of mashed potatoes). Good side dish, delicious. You can even add bacon to the mash plantains and mix! ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bunch-of-boiled-green-bananas/634678/4 "2012-09-14T11:44:01Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > Are you talking about the bananas people usually eat raw, as in peel it and eat it, and it tastes sweet? Or are you talking about boiled plantains, the much starchier cousin that is hard to eat without cooking first and use it in various recipes? Sweet bananas picked while still green before turning yellow and boiled. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bunch-of-boiled-green-bananas/634678/5 "2012-09-14T12:42:28Z")
The ensalada de bacalao (cod salad) can be used with them, then. Or drizzle with olive oil and sauteed onions and garlic… Simple, but good. Mmmm… [Guineos verdes en escabeche](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLX6at4iO4A) here is another recipe… Too many things for my taste, but you may want to try. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bunch-of-boiled-green-bananas/634678/6 "2012-09-14T13:01:30Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > The ensalada de bacalao (cod salad) can be used with them, then. Or drizzle with olive oil and sauteed onions and garlic… Simple, but good. > > Mmmm… [Guineos verdes en escabeche](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLX6at4iO4A) here is another recipe… Too many things for my taste, but you may want to try. Seconded. The version drizzled in olive oil with garlic as well as the _escabeche_ are good as a side to slow-roast pig with pepper/garlic rub. Damn you, people, I’m trying to stick to the diet until the holidays roll around! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bunch-of-boiled-green-bananas/634678/7 "2012-09-14T14:07:30Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Sweet bananas picked while still green before turning yellow and boiled. Ew, WHY would you boil them. That sounds bland to the nth degree. Is it too late to squash them and make some form of _tostones_? ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bunch-of-boiled-green-bananas/634678/8 "2012-09-14T16:09:38Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Damn you, people, I’m trying to stick to the diet until the holidays roll around! 😃 I just got a veggie shredder… You just gave me the idea for the next project… _arañitas_! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bunch-of-boiled-green-bananas/634678/9 "2012-09-14T16:10:50Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Ew, WHY would you boil them. That sounds bland to the nth degree. Is it too late to squash them and make some form of _tostones_? Boiling, smashing, and adding oil, garlic, and bacon are the basis for _mofongos_ (mentioned above). ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bunch-of-boiled-green-bananas/634678/10 "2012-09-14T16:41:48Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > Boiling, smashing, and adding oil, garlic, and bacon are the basis for _mofongos_ (mentioned above). Tostones are smashed individually, then fried as little patties. It’s just that usually they are twice fried, not boiled and fried. I wonder if it would work… ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bunch-of-boiled-green-bananas/634678/11 "2012-09-14T17:59:33Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Tostones are smashed individually, then fried as little patties. It’s just that usually they are twice fried, not boiled and fried. I wonder if it would work… I know, which is why I suggested _mofongos_ instead of _tostones._ I was told by a dietician, though, that if I wanted less fried tostones I could microwave the tostones first and then fried them… I have not tried that, nor the boiling and frying way. Double fry is easier. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bunch-of-boiled-green-bananas/634678/12 "2012-09-14T22:46:07Z")
Correct me if I’m wrong but aren’t tostones made from something different than guineo? Plantains are delicious, green bananas-- not so much. Also tostones are fine, fine things but I loves me some fried amarillos. Or maduros. Or whatever you call sweet plantains. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2012, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-bunch-of-boiled-green-bananas/634678/13 "2012-09-14T23:33:05Z")
Yep, tostones are traditionally made with plantains, not bananas. That said, I’ve tried \* tostones de pana\* (breadfruit), so perhaps the starchy green bananas could be used fried… It’d be a good experiment, at least.