René Redzepi, one of the world's most famous chefs, who recently opened a Noma restaurant in Mexico, published a photo of the platano manzano in his official Facebook account, dazzled by this baby banana. It was accompanied by this text: "This tiny banana is called platano mansano - it has the acidity of a green apple. So good!"
What the Danish cook does not say is that this exotic fruit is on the brink of extinction. The most popular and abundant banana in tropical countries like Cuba has almost disappeared due to the impact of the Panama disease, which has hit this banana variety more than any other.
It is said that its flavour is very similar to that of an apple, hence its name. At Ecured they assure that "their flavours are so similar that if you combine apples with this banana in the same dish, it would be almost impossible to distinguish one from the other."
It is so tiny that it fits in the palm of your hand. Its taste is extremely sweet, with hints of strawberry and sour apple. Although at first glance it looks like a fruit harvested ahead of time, it keeps all its properties intact.
The platano manzano belongs to the Latundan species, which is especially common in the Philippines, Mexico, Cuba and South East Asia, where it is one of the 57 types of banana that exist. It has a very thin skin, it is very white inside and is usually at its best when eaten fresh, being considered one of healthiest and easiest of desserts: peel and enjoy. It can also be used for any sweet preparations: smoothies, cakes, fruit salads, etc.