Effective Use Of Bananas

(Extracts from talk broadcast from

ZJV by the Nutrition Section of the

South Pacific Health Service on

April 2.)

BANANAS may be divided into two classes: the cooking banana, which is palatable after cooking; and the eating banana, which is usually used raw, but may be served as a vegetable.

If the skin is green, the fruit is partially ripe. The pulp will be firm, starchy and slightly raw—in fact, just right for baking or frying. The flavour of cooked bananas is different, but delicious.

When the banana skin is all yellow, it is ready to eat or cook, and can be used for baking.

The fully ripe fruit has a yellow skin flecked with brown, and at this stage it is better for eating, infant feeding and as an ingredient for cakes. You will find that it is sweet and mellow.

Many people have a mistaken im pression that the banana is difficult to digest. This is probably due to eating it before it is ripe. Like other fruits, if it is eaten in the unripe stages it may cause digestive disturbances; but, when fully ripe, or if cooked when partially ripe, the banana is one of the most easily digested foods, and is of great diet value to both young and old. Mashed ripe banana can be given to children at a very early age.

Growing Bananas Banana cultivation is simple. A well drained, deep soil is the best.

Dig a hole about 18 inches deep by 18 inches wide, work the soil well and dig In some well rotted manure or com post. This will help to keep the soil moist and cool.

Take a good strong sucker, which should measure about 12 inches in diameter. Plant firmly in the prepared hole—October to January are the best months for this—and cut it back to about two feet off the ground.

As the sucker gets well established, young shoots will appear round its base.

These should be removed by pruning, which is easily done by inserting a sharp spade between the young sucker and the parent plant.

About six months after planting, allow two young suckers to grow on, as these will replace the parent after the old plant has borne fruit. The plants usually bear fruit nine to 18 months after planting, depending on the maturity of the original plant.

Using Bananas To keep bananas from turning dark once they have been skinned, prepare as near serving time as possible, with a sharp stainless steel or silver knife. If they have to be prepared 1-2 hours beforehand, it is a good idea to dip the slices into or cover them with juice from lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit or pine apple.

To make a cold banana dessert more interesting, run the prongs of a fork lengthwise down the peeled fruit and then slice the banana crosswise. You will find by doing this that you will get dainty crinkly-edged rounds.

Bananas should always be stored at room temperature, and never in a re frigerator—although they are delicious when chilled quickly in desserts and ice creams.

Bananas make ideal sandwich fillings

and spreads. Some of the best combina tions are:— Banana, peanut butter and lemon juice; Banana, raisins and mayonnaise; Cooked banana and chopped ham.

Here Are Some Recipes

Baked Bananas in the Skins You will require six large ripe bananas.

Leave the bananas in their skins, wash and place in a baking tin with just enough water to cover the bottom of the tin. Bake in a moderate oven 350 deg.

Fahr. for about 30 minutes, or until soft and the skins brust. Serve in the skins, seasoned with butter, salt and pepper.

A variation on this recipe is to skin the bananas, put a small cup of cold water, the juice of one lemon and (fc-cup sugar in the pie dish. Bake until the bananas are soft. Serve cold with cream or hot raisin sauce. This makes a very nice sweet.

Banana Biscuits Ingredients.— 2(4 cups sifted flour. 2 teaspoons baking powder.

Pinch salt. 2 eggs. 1 teaspoon vanilla essence. 1 tablespoon sugar. 1 cup sugar. (4 teaspoon baking soda. 2/3 cup butter or margarine. 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (usually 2 to 3 bananas). (4 teaspoon cinnamon.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking

powder, soda and salt. Rub in batter or margarine. Add eggs, bananas and vanilla and beat thoroughly. Place tea spoons of the mixture on a greased baking tin leaving about IVt inches between each. Sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake in a fairly hot oven about 400 deg. Fahr. for 12 minutes. Cool on a cooling tray This will make about 3 dozen biscuits| which, if stored in a screw top jar, will keep for some time.

About 6 oz of chocolate pieces or 4 o* cocoa added to this simple mixture will make a pleasant change.

Banana Jam Ingredients.—24 bananas and 18 lemons^ Skin the bananas and cut into rounds, mix with the lemon juice. Measure into a pan by cupfuls. Bring to the boil. Tie the lemon pips in a muslin bag and boil with the fruit. To each cup of fruit add 1 cup of sugar. Boil quickly for one hour.

Test and pour into hot sterile jars. This jam is an attractive red colour when made.

For Macquarie Island

Mr. Raymond Deland, who left Mel bourne at the beginning of April for Macquarie Is. where he will be in charge of the meteorological section of the expedition. Eldest son of Dr. and Mrs.

C. M. Deland, he was born in Vila, New Hebrides, in 1927, and as a youngster lived in the Hebrides, and in Kieta and Wewak, TNG. He graduated BSc from Adelaide University about three years ago.