Plantain, “potatoes of the air” or “cooking bananas,” is a type of banana plant family. The plantain is a tall plant, not a tree, (3–10 metres) with a conical false “trunk” formed by the leaf sheaths of its spirally arranged leaves, which are 1.5 to 3 m long and about 0.5 m wide. The fruit, which is green, is typically larger than the common banana. It is of South East Asian origin. They are a staple crop in much of Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia and are served boiled, steamed, baked, or fried. In these countries plantains are consumed as a vegetable. They can be prepared in all stages of ripeness, with nearly no waste and have excellent taste.