Guineos (pronounced ) usually refers to an unripe

banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguis ...

. The term guineo is sometimes used in reference to its ripened counterpart: the yellow (ripened)

. The word ''Guineo'' comes from Guinea, a country in West Africa, as it is one of the places from which bananas originate. Some make a distinction between the two and refer to green bananas as ''guineos verdes'' (green bananas) and yellow bananas as ''guineos'' (ripe bananas). Guineos are ''not'' to be confused with

plantain Plantain may refer to: Plants and fruits * Cooking banana, banana cultivars in the genus ''Musa'' whose fruits are generally used in cooking ** True plantains, a group of cultivars of the genus ''Musa'' * ''Plantaginaceae'', a family of floweri ...

s, which are far starchier than the guineo and cannot be used in the same ways. Guineos are used widely in Latin American cooking as they are versatile, inexpensive, and filling.

El Salvador

Bananas, whether green or ripe, are called guineos in El Salvador. Guineos are a popular fruit in the country and are used for the popular dessert 'chocobanano', which is a frozen guineo covered in chocolate, sprinkles, or other toppings.

Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico, green bananas are used in dishes such as ''viandas'' con '' ajilimójili'', '' pasteles'', ''

sopa de mondongo ''Sopa de mondongo'' is a soup made from diced tripe (the stomach of a cow or pig) slow-cooked with vegetables such as bell peppers, onions, carrots, cabbage, celery, tomatoes, cilantro, garlic or root vegetables. The dish is generally prepar ...

'' and '' sancocho''. There are also many other dishes on the island which use green bananas. Green banana flour is widely available throughout Puerto Rico and used for making pancakes,

crêpe A crêpe or crepe ( or , , Quebec French: ) is a very thin type of pancake. Crêpes are usually one of two varieties: ''sweet crêpes'' () or ''savoury galettes'' (). They are often served with a wide variety of fillings such as cheese, f ...

waffle A waffle is a dish made from leavened batter or dough that is cooked between two plates that are patterned to give a characteristic size, shape, and surface impression. There are many variations based on the type of waffle iron and recipe use ...

s, cookies, cakes,

tortillas A tortilla (, ) is a thin, circular unleavened flatbread originally made from maize hominy meal, and now also from wheat flour. The Aztecs and other Nahuatl speakers called tortillas ''tlaxcalli'' (). First made by the indigenous peoples of Me ...

, bread, and other pastries. *

Alcapurria ''Alcapurria'' is a popular fritter dish from Puerto Rico. Origin It may have influence from Middle Eastern ''kibbeh'' as there is a significant amount of Lebanese and Armenian in San Juan. Preparation The dough surrounding the filling, the ...

s – Classic fitters from Puerto Rico that have gained popularity through parts of Latin America, the Caribbean, and the United States. Green banana and yautía is considered the original ''alcapurria''. The dough can also contain a small amount of squash and potato seasoned with lard, annatto, salt, and garlic. They are filled with the meat of choice and fried. Most traditionally they are filled with ''

picadillo Picadillo (, "mince") is a traditional dish in many Latin American countries and the Philippines. It is made with ground meat (most commonly beef), tomatoes (tomato sauce may be used as a substitute), and also raisins, olives, and other ingredien ...

'' or seasoned corned beef. * Escabeche – Green banana and chicken gizzard pickled in a garlicky

brine Brine is a high-concentration solution of salt (NaCl) in water (H2O). In diverse contexts, ''brine'' may refer to the salt solutions ranging from about 3.5% (a typical concentration of seawater, on the lower end of that of solutions used for b ...

with bay leaves, garlic, olive oil, onions, olives, and other ingredients. *Dumpling de Guineo – These dumplings are made from grated green banana, green plantain, celery, potato, yautía, mixed with flour or tapioca, milk, eggs, garlic, coriander, and parsley. They are rolled into small balls and deep-fried. They can be prepared a day in advance. The dumplings are made for soups such as '' asopao de gandules'' (pigeon peas and dumpling soup), ''ajo de pollo y huevo'' (garlic chicken and egg soup), and ''sopa de guineos'' (green banana soup). * Gandinga – A thick stew made with pig organs as the main ingredient. Besides pig's heart, kidneys, and liver, this dish is prepared with ingredients such as manzanilla olives, sofrito, and capers. It is recommended to serve ''gandinga'' with avocado and boiled green bananas on the side. The dish is important gastronomically in Afro-Puerto Rican culture as slaves were given limited food sources of animal organs and bananas. *Guineo Niño – Also called ''jibarito envueltos,'' this dish consists of yellow finger bananas mixed in a batter of flour, baking soda, sugar, vanilla, baking powder, and milk. They are then deep-fried and eaten as

banana split A banana split is an American ice cream-based dessert consisting of a peeled banana cut in half lengthwise, and served with ice-cream and sauce between the two pieces. There are many variations, but the classic banana split is made with three sc ...

or alone. They can also have coconut flakes and spices in the batter added. *Guineos Verdes en Fricasé – Green bananas cooked in a spicy tomato-based

fricassee Fricassee or fricassée is a stew made with pieces of meat that have been browned in butter then served in a sauce flavored with the cooking stock. Fricassee is usually made with chicken, veal or rabbit, with variations limited only by what in ...

sauce with

recaíto Recaíto (also sometimes called sofrito) is a cooking base made of pureed aromatics. Its distinctive green color comes from the inclusion of green peppers and herbs. Recaíto does not usually include tomatoes, although they may be added for extra f ...

, capers, chilies, and olives. *Macabeos – Green bananas boiled and mashed with annatto oil and a small amount of uncooked green banana. They are then filled with the meat of choice, made into small balls, and deep-fried. This crescent-shaped banana fritter is found mainly in the town of ''

Trujillo Alto Trujillo Alto (, ) is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Northern Coastal Plain, on the boundary between the karst zone and Sierra de Luquillo, north of Caguas, and Gurabo; southeast of San Juan, and west of Carolina. Trujil ...

'', which celebrates a m''acabeo'' festival each year. *Serenata de Bacalao – Salted cod fish mixed with tropical root vegetables, green bananas, cabbage,

chayote Chayote (''Sechium edule''), also known as mirliton and choko, is an edible plant belonging to the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. This fruit was first cultivated in Mesoamerica between southern Mexico and Honduras, with the most genetic diversity ...

, hard boiled eggs, and avocado. The boiled vegetables, green bananas, and chayote are then sauteéd with peppers, plenty of olive oil and vinegar. The cod is shredded and mixed in. The salad is then garnished with coriander, eggs, avocado, and onions.

References

{{Banana Puerto Rican cuisine Bananas Spanish words and phrases