Exotic Produce Glossary: Horn Plantains, Carolina Reapers & More Explained
New to exotic and tropical produce? This glossary explains what these ingredients actually are, how hot or how starchy they are, and what to cook with them - with links to shop the ones we have in stock now.
Horn Plantain
A large, starchy cooking banana variety popular in West African, Caribbean and Latin American kitchens. Unlike a regular banana, a plantain is never eaten raw - it's fried, boiled, roasted or mashed. Green plantains are firm and savoury; ripe (yellow/black-spotted) plantains turn sweet. Shop our Horn Plantains, Favu's flagship product, in sizes from 1kg to 13kg.
Pairs well with: Carolina Reaper or Habanero chilli for a West African-style spicy fried plantain (dodo).
Carolina Reaper
The current Guinness World Record holder for hottest chilli, at around 1.6-2.2 million Scoville Heat Units - roughly 200-800 times hotter than a jalapeño. Used sparingly in hot sauces, curries and chilli oils. Read our full Carolina Reaper Guide for safe handling tips, or shop Carolina Reapers in sizes from 100gm to a 4kg frozen box.
Habanero
A fruity, floral chilli with real heat (100,000-350,000 SHU) - hot, but far milder than a Carolina Reaper. A good next step once you've tried milder chillies. Shop our Habanero chillies.
Okra (Lady Fingers)
A green pod vegetable essential to West African, Indian and Southern US cooking - the classic thickener in gumbo, and a staple in okra soup and curries. Shop fresh Okra.
Pairs well with: Curry Leaf and Habanero for a South Indian-style okra curry.
Snake Beans
Long, thin green beans (up to 40-50cm) common in Asian and African cooking, with a firmer bite than regular green beans. Great stir-fried, in curries, or chopped into stews. Shop Snake Beans.
Bitter Melon (Karela)
A distinctively bitter gourd used across Indian, Chinese and Southeast Asian cooking - popular stir-fried, stuffed, or in curries. Shop Bitter Melon.
Curry Leaf
An aromatic herb (not related to curry powder) essential for tempering South Indian and Sri Lankan dals, curries and chutneys - fried briefly in hot oil at the start or end of cooking to release its fragrance. Shop fresh Curry Leaf.
Pairs well with: Okra and Bitter Melon in South Indian-style curries.
Breadfruit
A large starchy fruit, used as a vegetable when green (potato-like, for boiling, roasting or chips) and as a sweet fruit when ripe. A Pacific Island and Caribbean staple. Breadfruit is a seasonal specialty for Favu - see our breadfruit recipes and contact us to check current availability.
Taro
A starchy root vegetable (also called cocoyam, dalo or kalo) central to Pacific Islander, African and Asian cooking - must always be cooked before eating. Taro is a seasonal specialty for Favu - read our taro guide and contact us to check current availability.
Rambutan
A hairy-skinned Southeast Asian fruit closely related to lychee, with sweet, juicy translucent flesh underneath. A seasonal specialty - contact us to check when it's back in stock.
Shop What's In Season Now
Browse our full range currently available, or get in touch if you're after something seasonal that isn't listed - we're always happy to let you know what's coming up.