[ERT: 10 min.] - Simple, Localized Approaches to Food Systems Resilience and Food Security in Southeast Asia --- Part Four: Staple food diversification – Bananas and Plantains
Once more jealous of the incredible diversity on hand in Thailand. Australia is a wasteland by comparison. Here is a good video showing the process for preparing kocho bread from Ensete in Ethiopia. https://youtu.be/nimclwdlkck
Oh, yeah, a friend told me that they make "bread" from banana trunks in parts of Africa, but he said it doesn't taste that good so we haven't tried yet. We also only have a single species of Ensete here (E. glaucum) - but we will have to try once we have more plants!
Interesting! I read about the other SE Asian Ensete species (skinny trunks, so probably famine food at best in their current form). Ensete and Canna have the same chromosome number, so I suspect it is worthwhile to try hybridising them and see what comes of it. Happy to send you seed of diverse Canna with large tubers someday if you want to give this a go.
Once more jealous of the incredible diversity on hand in Thailand. Australia is a wasteland by comparison. Here is a good video showing the process for preparing kocho bread from Ensete in Ethiopia. https://youtu.be/nimclwdlkck
Oh, yeah, a friend told me that they make "bread" from banana trunks in parts of Africa, but he said it doesn't taste that good so we haven't tried yet. We also only have a single species of Ensete here (E. glaucum) - but we will have to try once we have more plants!
Interesting! I read about the other SE Asian Ensete species (skinny trunks, so probably famine food at best in their current form). Ensete and Canna have the same chromosome number, so I suspect it is worthwhile to try hybridising them and see what comes of it. Happy to send you seed of diverse Canna with large tubers someday if you want to give this a go.
Love our bananas but I wish we had as many varieties as you guys!