Going Bananas

Last week the doctor said I should have the corn on my little finger removed in case it is a wart. They gave me a nitrogen freeze and it later came off somewhat. Then, I read that a teen in the UK went for drinks with friends at a pub that serves cocktail that has nitrogen in it for the fun. She nearly died as she consumed the nitrogen which became gas in her tummy and surgeons rushed to remove her stomach. Stick to your vodka, gin, whisky and beer.

In my second review, the doctor wanted to do another nitro-freeze and I said I wanted something effective so she used laser. She asked if I needed an injection to numb the pain and I said no. I have never done this so I won't know. After three shots there was nothing and soon enough the pain came but it was bearable throughout. What I do not like was the smell of my skin burning. Like burning and rotting in hell. Hell no. I am a free man now, there was not wart after all. I'm a clean man.

Then I read about the furore over one Amy Cheong who posted some expletives along racial lines and got walloped good such that she lost her job. Well, she paid a Fairprice. I was thinking that the internet has netizens of her own race flaming her which sort of rightfully show that there are fair-minded persons around to check these things out but a police report? Was that necessary? An over-reaction? Actually some funerals are nosier and over longer hours ain't it? So I can't fathom her unhappiness. This also gives me an idea to discuss about weddings and funerals at a blog article near you soon. Meantime, let talk about something that transcends all people. Let's go bananas!

The Banana Plant

The banana plant, one of the worlds' oldest cultivated plant and is native to South and South East Asia is today cultivated throughout the tropics, grown in more than a hundred countries for the fruits which can be purple, red or yellow when ripe.

The banana is a tall plant not a tree and is the largest flowering plant. It has an upright stem that can produce a bunch of bananas and dies but has leaves that spiral up to more than 2m but often torn by strong wind. Each stem contains a banana heart that has petals between rows of flowers. The banana fruits develop from the banana heart. We humans must learn from bananas to "develop fruits from the heart" too.

The banana plant is normally allowed to produce two or more shoots at a time where the larger one is targeted for immediate fruiting and the smaller one also know as the "follower" or "sucker" is expected to produce fruits in six months or more. Some farmers may at times even sacrifice the sucker plant so that the other stronger plant will take more nutrients from the parent plant and from the soil.

In the old days where we have large families with many children, some of us ended up like the banana plant. Unlike banana, Banana Republic are a different kettle of fish. Some of the older siblings in large a family has to make big sacrifice as they have to stop schooling to go to work when very young as the family needs the money. If anyone of you have such a brother or sister, please love them even more and unconditionally. Their life was a sacrifice of love and commitment!

This is how a typical banana tree with its fruits look like.

The humble banana feeds millions of people around the world and the world's biggest suppliers are India, China, the Philippines, Ecuador, Brazil, Indonesia, Tanzania, Guatemala, Mexico and Colombia. Other Asian countries with lots of bananas are Thailand and Vietnam.

Banana leaves are water-proof, large and flexible which made it most suitable for use as a disposable food container or serve as a plate and also extensive used as a wrap when grilling food. Banana leaves protect food from being directly burned, contains the juices from the foods wrapped in and usually produced an added subtle flavour. I love the old day nasi lemak and mee goreng wrapped in banana leaves.

You will see bananas sold at halfway house in golf courses because they are a great source of energy and are also an excellent source for vitamins. Large does of vitamins like magnesium  potassium, vitamin C and B6, it is often claimed that it helps in reducing risks or colorectal cancer in humans.

In other quarters  bananas are offered during religious ceremony. The Thais believe a spirit lives in a banana tree. It is also safe to presume that there are many Pontianaks in India, China, the Philippines, Ecuador, Brazil, Indonesia, etc. since they must have the most banana plants in the world. Pity the guys there.

In many South East Asian countries, they love fried bananas. Here, we call it goreng (fried) pisang (banana) in Malay. Once it is fried, the price goes up tremendously, at some places it costs more than a dollar each. It is also known as banana fritters.

There are many types of bananas here. I believe our most common types come from the Philippines and Malaysia. Those from Malaysia are called Pisang mas, Pisang, Kelat Keling, Pisang Merah, Pisang Raja, etc. The small bananas imported from Malaysia and Thailand are the Pisang Mas which are also called "Lady Finger" baby banana and the other being Manzana. These are very fragrant, tasty and sweet. Another popular one from the market is the Pisang Merah.

Those others you will always find are the large ones sold at markets and supermarkets and the Del Monte or Dole brands from the Philippines are popular. 

The most popular banana in the world is the Cavendish. While most bananas can be picked green, the Cavendish is the most economically viable due in nature to its thicker and tougher skin and is very good for shipping and storage as a result of the way it ripens.

Bananas are exported green to destination countries and allowed to ripen in special air-tight rooms filled with ethylene gas to induce artificial ripening on arrival. 

Some reports found on the Internet mentioned that bananas are best eaten for its properties and nutrients when dark spots are found on the banana skin. All I know is that the skin darkens when they are at lower temperature environment. Brazil besides being a big exporter and eater of bananas have also perfected the banana kick in soccer. 

So how do you like your bananas? Split with ice cream, fresh as it is, goreng as fritters, baked as cakes? The moral of the story is that the banana has done so much and yet remain so humble. Can we? Anyway, no EPL this weekend so, let's go bananas!

Tra-la-la, la-la-la-la, Tra-la-la, la-la-la-la. One banana, two banana, three banana, four...do you remember the Banana Splits Show?

Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JvB5AL59fM

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/The-Tra-La-La-Song-One-Banana-Two-Banana-lyrics-Liz-Phair/2B8A98E3A2513CF448256EA7002AABF7