Bananas - Pisang Lemak Manis

This is one of the more popular bananas eaten raw.  This banana is similar to pisang emas with the main difference being the size and color of the outer skin and the inner flesh of the banana itself.  At the farm, the plant grows to about 5-6m and each tandan can produce 8-10 sikat when cared for properly, especially in the early stages, prior to the production of the inflorescence.  Each plant produces several "baby" plants and selective removal of these baby plants contributes to the health and well-being of the remaining plants.

I like to harvest this banana when is it mature and just before the skin starts turning yellow as opposed to letting it ripen on the plant.  At this stage, the banana skin is a yellowish-green.  Often when it is left to ripen on the plant, it can "overgrow" causing the it to "burst" out of its skin.  Additionally, I can avoid my war with the birds.  The whole tandan can be hung in the house and watch the skin turn yellow.  I find it amazing to watch this transformation.

The taste is sweet and creamy with a relatively firm and smooth texture.  The inner part of the banana is a nice almost golden yellow.  It has a relatively thin skin and falls off the stem easily when ripe so handle carefully.  Conversely, the inflorescence is bitter.  This banana is also a good choice to be mashed and turned into baby food.

When this banana is over-ripe, it can be used to make delicious cucur kodok.  It also makes a delicious banana muffin or cake.

This banana is a good way to end a meal as it is purported to help with digestion.  With its smaller size, it takes only 3-4 bites to eat a banana so next time you want a healthy, tasty dessert, try a pisang emas.