Banana ( chuối)
Banana is planted everywhere in Vietnam and has many kinds. Banana is used diversely in making Vietnamese dishes. There are many dishes made from banana because it is planted very much, cheap, easy to make and delicious. The names of kind of banana are also different. The banana which is small, very sweet, often eaten fresh or dried is the baby bananna (or lady finger – chuoi cau). The dwarf banana (chuoi nau, chuoi su) is often used to make sweet dishes such as sweet banana soup, banana stir – fried with coconut milk. Cavendish banana (chuoi gia) is often eaten fresh. Banana with seeds (chuoi hot, chuoi chat) is not only a vegetable but also used to make medicine. Banana blossoms are used to make mixed salad. Banana leaves are used to pack many kinds of cakes (e.g. square glutinous rice cakes, glutinous rice cakes) or grill fish.