Namwa bananas (kluai namwa).

Kluai namwa is the everyday banana of Thai kitchens. The fruit is short and chunky, a little square at the edges, with a thicker skin than kluai hom. The flesh is firm and sweet with a light tang, and you'll sometimes see a few tiny dark specks in the middle where the seeds would be. Because it stays firm when it's heated, this is the banana most Thai desserts are made with.

Ways to use it

• Simmer slices in sweetened coconut milk with a pinch of salt for kluai buat chi.
• Grill whole bananas over charcoal until the skin chars, then flatten them for kluai ping.
• Dip pieces in a thin rice flour and coconut batter and deep fry for kluai tod.
• Mash very ripe ones into a steamed banana cake or a quick bread.
• Peel and eat once the skin turns yellow with a few brown spots.

Storing it

Bananas go on ripening after harvest, so firm, greenish ones can sit on the counter until they're ready. Keep them out of the fridge while they ripen, since tropical fruit can be damaged by cold below about 12 to 13 degrees Celsius. A paper bag with the top loosely folded speeds things up. Rinse the skin under running water before peeling.

Where it comes from

Grown to certified organic standards. The certificate for each lot is shown when you trace your pack.

Every pack will carry a lot code. Enter it on the Trace your pack page and you will see the farms in that lot, the harvest date and the certificate.