Banana Plant - Stem, Leaf, flower, fruit

We recently harvested a head of banana with 7-8 hands of bananas along with the flower.

Did you know that at one time in Indian homes, 90% of the banana plant is consumed by the family/community growing it? A banana plant yields just one head and a stem and no more. Hence once it is harvested, the main plant is removed leaving one of its daughters to become the main plant and the cycle repeats. The stem and the head are consumed by the family and the leaves are often used as plates to serve meals on. The used leaves are a real feast for the grazing cows or goats in the home or the neighborhood. They also consume the outer sheath when the main plant comes down following its yield.

Also the dried sheaths yield long and strong fibrous strands which are used to pleat flowers into garlands in India and are also spun into strong ropes. Its quite amazing how much just this one plant enables Indian villages in terms of eco-friendly living.

The other great aspect of the banana plants are that they are highly disease resistant and are absolutely zero maintenance. All they need is water - and its mainly recycled water which is virtually all the water utilized by the family that is diverted to a backyard banana grove.

The edible part of the plant is highly nutritious. The flower and stem have high medicinal value - curing indigestion and stomach bugs/ailments. The fruit is the most effective when it comes to clearing any plumbing problems in you. It is an excellent laxative. If you don't believe it, read this.

Here are some of the dishes you can make from the highly nutritious flower fingers and the stem.

Vazhai Thandu Juice
Vazhai Thandu Koottu
Vazhai Poo Kari
Banana Muffins

Translations of Tamil Words

Vazhai - Banana
Poo - flower
Thandu - juicy stem