Thursday, April 15, 2010

BANANAS "THE FRUIT OF THE GODS " (I THINK)

If you look close you can see Ciejay about to cut the banana stalk (she's the expert)
Our very own stalk of bananas -enough for us and the neighbors


Another view (I'm really proud ) ha ha .We made red curry out of the flower on the end , "it was delicious.


The banana flower opening up and exposing the many hands of bananas to be matured on the stalk


A full stalk waiting for them to ripen a little before cutting

A banana flower just starting to open.Thai's cut these banana flowers if they have lots,or after the bananas have formed, and will cook then in soups and stir fry and also make a curry with them , they are delicious, and very few folks know that they are eatable.
Banana flower curry

1-Boil the banana flower pieces for 7 mins.
2-Strain the water.
3-Heat 2 tsp coconut oil in a frying pan or skillet, add mustard seeds, red chillies and curry leaves
4-Add boiled banana flower, reduce flame and cook covered for 5 mins
5-Add salt and grated coconut.
6-Mix well and serve.
7-This dish is really good served over rice
Banana flower is good for the uterus and kidney

This is another of our banana trees just putting on the flower . We'll be able to cut this stalk in about three months .

With the rainy season coming soon this one should do very well and be big and fat bananas.

Today was a special day for Ciejay and Me , (really all of them in the LOS are special) this one was extra special , because we had the excitement and pleasure of cutting our very own bananas off of one of our banana trees. After the flower, and the process of the flower turning to hands of bananas, it take a very long time for the stalk of small ,at first bananas ,to grow and mature and start to turn that wonderful yellow color right before you pick them, they will ripen after you pick them green on the counter in the kitchen or in a brown paper bag if you are in a hurry . The reason we have to pick green or just as they start to ripen ,is the same with all the fruit in our yard, if we don't get to them first the birds and squirrels wiil get to them real fast. They watch them every day to see if they are ripe , so they can steal them away from us , they beat me to the sugar apples every time.
As difficult as it might be to realize that not everyone has eaten a banana, there are people who haven't. Bananas are full of potassium and are extremely healthy. Perhaps after reading this article, everyone will at least try a banana, and enjoy .



1-Look for a banana that is yellow in color and lightly speckled with small brown or black specklesne

2-Peel the banana. Some people prefer to peel the entire thing and then eat it, while other peel as they go.
You can peel from the stalk, as you have something to hold on to.
You can also peel from the non-stalky end in the same way that monkeys peel them - this usually leads to less "banana strings" and you can use the stalk as a handle. It is easiest to just pinch this end instead of trying to pull firs

3-Throw the skin away.
If you are in a closed environment (such as in a car on a trip, or in a hotel room) either seal the peel in a closed bag or find another garbage can away from your area. Banana peels can fill a room with their scent in no time.

Banana peels make very good compost. You may want to save your leftover banana peels if you collect compost for your garden.
Alternatively, banana peels can be used in many recipes. Banana peels are a main ingredient in many east-Indian desserts and main couses.

Try any of these ways to eat a banana:

Make recipes like banana cake, banana milkshake, banana pudding, a banana split, banana bread, or chocolate banana bread!

Fry sliced bananas in butter, splash on some rum, and when the rum is hot, set fire to the fumes to impress your guests. Add a little orange juice and cook till hot again, sprinkle with dark brown sugar and serve with cream or ice cream. This dessert is so nice it is illegal in some countries.
Mash a ripe banana and mix it with natural yogurt to make a delicious breakfast or dessert.
Freeze a banana to eat as a nutritious Popsicle-like frozen treat. You can also coat in melted chocolate or insert a stick before freezing to make it easier to hold. (info from wikiHow.com)

Ciejay and Me, love bananas and we eat them just about every day some way or another , not only are they good to eat but, they are really good for your health, my Mother always told me if I had a headache to eat a banana and it would go away, and you know what " It Worked."
Growing our own bananas is just one of the many benefits that I have found ,living here in the LOS ,and thats why, "I'm Retired In Thailand and Loving It." Malcolm

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

i go bananas for bananas too M !

Haha; it is the best selling fruit everyday in all supermarkets in the USA I am told.

enjoy the fruits of your labor and patience.

Martyn said...

Malcolm once again you've produced some fine photos and a well written post but bananas...yuk...they make me sick.

I don't know why but bananas give me real bad acid (indigestion) and I mean real bad. Foolishly I ate one once a few hours before a flight to Thailand. I'd just finished a night shift and hadn't slept, my flight was hours away and so I thought I'd try a banana to boost my energy. I was sick at least 5 times in the aeroplane toilet. Like I said, good post but bananas, yuk.

Mike said...

I love them and so many different types here in LOS.

Unknown said...

Malcolm, another fine blog. I saw a show on TV where the grower and chef/cook cut the flower off the stalk, said "you can't eat this, it's so sour" and threw it away. I know bananas, so once the fingers on one of our plants had finished I cut the flower off and threw it into the vege patch. My wife asked "you do what with flower?" "No probs, chucked it out" says I. The usual non expressional Thai face and the unseeing eyes resulted. "We can eat" No prob's I'll just go and get it then!!! Harmony restored and I am still learning about bananas!!!!!

richard said...

hi; bananas are selling for 69 cents here in Toronto

Talen said...

Beautiful pictures Malcolm. I have never seen the actual banana flower before and it's quite beautiful in it's own right and of course what it produces is very tasty.

Malcolm and Ciejay Burgess said...

Hello folks, thanks for the read and glad everyone (almost ) loves bananas as much as I do , just today Ciejay stir-fried a banana flower with bacon bits and grease and a little garlic and salt and pepper and served it over Thai's famous Jasmine Rice and it was to kill for . Malcolm

Anonymous said...

btw Malcolm, I use this product to prolong the freshness of my bananas by 2 weeks !

http://heftybrands.pactiv.com/products/food-storage-bags/hefty-fresh-extend-bags.aspx

Maybe LOS may sell this, or something similar.

MJ Klein said...

fresh bananas are one of the things i look forward to when staying in a Thai village. i didn't know that about the flower though. good information Malcolm, thanks!