Banana

the two types of banana together because of their
many similarities.
Bananas are probably one of the oldest cultivated and amongst the first
food plants of man. In the Pacific, with the exception of some atolls, they
are the most widely grown fruit .
The true indigenous bananas were found mostly in the Western Pacific.
Bananas belong to the genus Musa. The plantain is Musa paradisiaca and
the sweet banana eaten raw is Musa acuminata.
The species probably originated from Indonesia and Malaysia 
. The two general types of bananas grown and used in the Pacific are
the cooking banana (plantain) and the common eating bananas, which are
best eaten raw when ripe. The common eating bananas are the Cavendish,

Bananas grow in different types of soil, but the most suitable are loose and
well drained. About one year after planting, banana plants bear fruit. Each
plant flowers and fruits only once. However, new suckers continue the life
of the corm .
New plants are normally produced by planting the suckers 
. A sucker unrolls a fixed number of leaves before fruiting occurs
. Bananas may fruit at any time during the year, but most
commonly in the warm months. The size of the bunch (number and size
of the hands, size of the bananas) largely reflects the health and conditions
of the sucker . Banana was one of the major cash crops
exported to New Zealand in the early 1970s and 1980s by some Pacific
Island countries.
Selection
Bananas that are fully mature and/or beginning to ripen on the plant have
the best flavour. However, fruit left to ripen on the plant attract birds. In
addition, if we live in urban areas and have to depend on the market for our
supply, most of the ripe bananas we buy are harvested green, and may not
be fully mature before harvest. As bananas ripen, starch is converted to
sugar, the fruit softens and the colour changes from yellow-green to yellow,
then to gold, eventually becoming mottled with dark spots .
When selecting bananas, choose those that have a more rounded appearance,
with few or no ridges, because they will be fuller. Fruits must be free
from bruising and sap stains. It is best to select those that are just beginning
to turn yellow, because they will ripen in the
next few days. Bananas ripen very quickly in our
climate, so ripe bananas will not last. The best
temperature for the ripening process is
18–22°C. Fully ripe bananas with dark
spots are the best for young children
because all the starch in

which has larger fruits, and the small, sweet type called lady’s fingersStorage
Whole bunches may be obtained and are best hung in a cool store-house
or cool part of the kitchen. However, bananas are more commonly sold in
hands. Ripe bananas bruise easily, so care must be taken when transporting
them. The mature bunch can be left on the plant and only the most developed
hands (beginning to turn yellow) harvested as necessary. But this is
advisable only if the plant is close to home.
Mature or half-ripe bananas, in either bunches or hands, can be ripened
under controlled conditions. Ripening can be accelerated by placing the
fruits in a warm place or in a plastic bag. They deteriorate when stored
below 12°C. Fruits are best stored at a cooler temperature of 13–16°C
. Ripe bananas may be refrigerated, but the
cold temperature turns the skin an unattractive, dark-brown colour. The
fruit eventually gets bruised and soft.
For international trade, bananas are stored at 14°C to stop ripening and to
allow long-distance shipping. To ripen them, the temperature is increased
and fruit is exposed to ethylene gas which allows the fruit to be stored for
a month at 30°C .
Preparation
All three types (plantain, Cavendish, lady’s fingers) have similar characteristics.
Recipes for one can be used for the others.
Ripe fruit should be washed well before use. Peel and trim off ends before
eating. It is best to prepare bananas just before serving, to prevent them
from being exposed to air and becoming oxidised. To mash bananas, use a
fork and mash on a flat plate. For use in recipes, sliced or mashed bananas
should be dipped in lemon juice to prevent browning. For some plantain
recipes, it may be necessary to cut the fruit in half lengthwise and remove
the dark middle vein.
Green bananas can be cooked in their skin as well as peeled. When cooking
in the skin, wash and trim the ends before boiling or baking. When cooked,
peel off the skin — it should come off easily. Bananas that are just beginning
to turn yellow have a sweet tangy taste when cooked. Some recipes
may require peeled green banana. In this instance, peel with a knife or asharp shell and place the peeled banana in water immediately to prevent
browning before use. Green bananas stain badly and the stains are almost
impossible to remove, so care must be taken not to get banana sap on
clothes.
Food value
Ripe bananas are easily digested. They are a good source of energy — an
average-sized banana contains about 377 kJ or 90 kcal .
They are high in potassium (approximately 400 mg/100 g), and also contain
some fibre and Vitamin C . Plantain can be a
good source of carotene in the atolls.
Use
Bananas are eaten fresh as a fruit or used as an ingredient when ripe and as
a starchy staple when green.
As a fruit, all three types are best eaten raw. Ripe bananas provide an excellent
snack, fresh or dried. Sliced bananas can be added to fruit salads.
Pureed banana can be used to make ice-cream, cake, loaf, scone, pancake,
muffin, soufflé and mousse. Ripe bananas can also form the base for side
dishes to serve with curry when mixed with grated fresh coconut, sultanas
and lemon juice.
Although ripe plantain is also eaten raw as fruit, it is more commonly used
cooked.
All three types are made into delicious traditional puddings by mixing with
cassava flour and coconut cream (e.g. poke, a Cook Island dish; lote, a Fijian
dessert). In parts of Fiji Islands, ripe plantain is used in place of green leafy
vegetables to cook with fish in coconut cream.
Fresh ripe bananas make an excellent weaning food for young children.
Mashed with some breast milk, or mashed and cooked in thin coconut
milk, bananas provide a valuable supplement to the infant’s diet.
Half-ripe banana makes a very tasty snack when boiled or fried as chips.

Semolina Orange Syrup Cake

You will need



• 150 g butter/margarine
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs slightly beaten
• 11/2 cups semolina
• 1 cup ground nuts (any available)
• 11/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons grated orange rind



Orange Syrup
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• Rind of 1 orange
• 1/2 cup sugar



To make syrup
1. Combine juice, rind and sugar
in a small pan.
2. Stir over a medium heat without boiling
until sugar dissolves.
3. Bring to the boil, reduce heat,
simmer 5 minutes


Method



1. Prepare cake tin and pre-heat oven to
moderate (180°C).
2. Beat butter and sugar in a small bowl
until light and creamy.
3. Add eggs gradually, beating after each
addition. Add rind, beat well until combined.
4. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Using a
metal spoon, fold in combined semolina,
nuts and baking powder alternately with
milk. Stir lightly until smooth.
5. Spoon into prepared tin, smooth surface,
and bake for about 45 minutes or until a
skewer comes out clean when inserted into
centre.
6. Leave cake in tin 5 minutes, then turnonto a serving plate.
7. Pour warm syrup over top of cake. Serve
when cool

Orange:

The sweet orange variety is the most common. There are numerous cultivars.
Probably the two most common ones in the Pacific are the navel and
Valencia. Navel oranges are easily identified by their protruding navels and
are seedless. The Valencia orange is a round,
medium-sized fruit, usually with a dark orange
rind and relatively high juice content 
. It matures at about seven to nine
months, has seeds, and has a good but slightly
acid flavour. Because of our tropical climate, the
colour of the skin of the orange remains green.
It can change from green to yellow. The orange
colour does not develop at all.
The flesh of the Pacific orange is usually a pale yellow to light orange.
In atolls, such as Nukuoro Atoll in the Federated States of Micronesia,
sweet oranges have been reported to be growing well. They have pink or
red flesh.
Selection
Oranges vary in size. Ripe fruits are best because their sweetness has developed.
The sweetness of the local oranges can vary considerably, so trial and
error may be the only way. In some Pacific Islands, sweet oranges are
known to come from or grow in specific parts of the country. Ripe local
oranges have a pale green to yellow-green or completely yellow colour. The
imported oranges are easier to identify because of their bright orange
colour and are generally sweeter, but they are more expensive.
Freshly picked fruits are the best. The skin should be free from marks, and
the fruit should be firm with relatively thin skin.
Storage
Wipe clean before storage. Fruits will last longer, up to two weeks, if stored
in racks in a cool place. For longer storage, frozen juice is best. If fruit is
stored at room temperature, use as soon as possible.
Preparation

Peel off skin and pith and separate the segments to eat fresh. For fruit salad,
remove the membranes from each segment before adding to salad. To prepare
juice, cut fruit in half and extract juice with a squeezer or a fork and
use as desired. Orange rind is prepared by grating the outer skin.
Food value
Oranges are good sources of Vitamin C, carotene, dietary fibre, some minerals
and small amounts of other vitamins. One local orange provides 234
kJ or 58 kcal.
Use
Oranges are normally eaten fresh. They make good snacks. Oranges can
also be used to make fresh juice. Freshly squeezed, undiluted juice may
develop bitterness upon standing, so it should be used immediately.
Commercially the bitter flavour can now be changed into a non-bitter
substance by means of a bacterial enzyme. Orange can
be used to flavour drinks, and in salads, desserts, cakes and main dishes.

Chicken with Oranges

You will need



• 1.5 kg chicken
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed (optional)
• 1 cup orange juice
• Salt to taste
• 3 oranges, peeled and sliced


Method



1. Heat oil in a frying pan. Add chicken and
cook until well browned on all sides.
2. Remove chicken. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons
fat.
3. Add onion and garlic to oil, fry until
onion is tender.
4. Add browned chicken, orange juice and
salt to taste. Cook covered for about 45
minutes or until tender.
5. Serve with orange slices.

Baked Avocado and Fish

You will need



• 2 large avocados
• Lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3/4 cup milk or thin coconut cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• Pepper
• 3/4 cup fish – canned or leftover
• 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped (optional)
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise


Method



1. Cut avocados in half lengthwise,
remove pits, rub inside with lemon
juice and set aside.
2. Melt butter, blend in flour and
gradually add milk (or substitute),
stirring continually over low heat
until sauce is smooth.
3. Add seasonings, fish, eggs and
onion and stir until well blended.
4. Heap mixture into centre of avocado
halves and bake in 180°C
oven for 15 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and top each
with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise.
6. Return to oven and bake 15
minutes longer.
7. Serve hot.

Tropical Fruit Salad

You will need



• 1 ripe mandarin
• 2 ripe bananas
• 2 ripe mangoes
• 1 small pineapple
• 1 medium ripe pawpaw
• Other available fruits
• 1/3 cup mandarin juice


Method



1. Wash, peel, remove seeds of mangoes and
pawpaw. Peel mandarin and remove seeds
and membrane separating the sections.
2. Peel pineapple, chop and place at the
bottom of a bowl. Arrange the layer of
sliced banana next and add mandarin juice.
This will help slow discoloration of
bananas. Some sugar may need to be
added to the juice to sweeten it.
3. Chop all other fruit into small pieces
and add to the bowl.
4. Serve with freshly made thick coconut
cream, or ice cream, or by itself.

Pomelo Marmalade

You will need



• 2 pomelos
• 1 lemon
• 1.5 litres water
• 6 cups sugar


Method



1. Wash, dry and slice pomelo and lemon
finely and place in a large pan.
2. Cover with water and leave overnight.
3. Next day, boil briskly until fruit is soft
and pulpy — about 40 minutes.
4. Add sugar, bring quickly to the boil and
boil fast until setting point is reached. Test.