Season of transition from banana drying tray

Every early December, my mother would go out to the garden to look at the banana bunches, skillfully cutting them into bunches to place on the altar. The incense smoke swirled around the bananas, making them ripen quickly, and after just a few days they were golden yellow. Eating them for too long would get boring, and if left for too long they would spoil, so my mother would cut the bananas into two or three slices lengthwise and put them on a tray to dry.

Unlike many places, my mother simply sun-dried the bananas, without adding any spices or sugar. My mother's dried bananas were simple and pure, just like her.

Bananas for drying are usually moldy bananas. Dried bananas are not picky about the type, but the sweetness when the sun dries the water in moldy bananas is pleasing to children.

Mom wanted to train us to be meticulous and patient, so she often assigned the children the task of peeling bananas and putting them in a basin. This task seemed simple, but it required carefulness. Ripe bananas were quite soft, so when peeling, we had to be gentle so as not to bruise them, but skillful so as not to break the fruit in half. At first, the children were eager to try, but after sitting for a while, they started fidgeting.

After peeling the bananas, my mother cut them into moderate slices, lengthwise, and arranged them evenly on a round tin tray. If any slices were too thick, my mother would flatten them to help them dry faster, but the two ends of the banana slices should not be too thin to avoid sticking to the tray.

Mom put the tray of bananas on a high wooden chair and put them out to dry in the sun. After every day of sun exposure, Mom would turn the bananas over so that both sides would dry evenly.

Back then, we often ran out to look at the banana tray, and when we saw a piece that was a little dry, we would secretly eat a few slices. I don’t know why, but eating it right there was more appealing than eating it after it had been dried. Maybe it was true as some people joked, eating it “free” in the kitchen was more delicious than eating it on the table. Every time my mother came out and turned around, seeing the banana tray empty in some places, she knew right away that there were a few “little cats” sneaking a bite.

Drying for about 4-5 days in the strong sunlight, the dried banana dish is completed. Mom puts it in a sealed glass jar, then puts it in a cool place to save for later use. When Tet comes, Mom arranges the dried bananas in boxes of cakes and candies, then puts them on the table first to serve guests who come to wish them a happy new year. Make a cup of hot Moc Cau tea, sip on a piece of sweet and chewy dried banana, tell each other stories from the beginning of the year, and Tet is complete.

Last year was difficult, Tet was near but I was still running around to make a living in the city. My mother stayed home to dry bananas, pack them into boxes and send them to the city by car. When I opened the styrofoam box I received from the bus station, besides a bunch of vegetables, a chili, or a dozen eggs, the box of dried bananas was what made me almost cry. Eating a piece of dried banana, I choked up with homesickness!

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/mua-chuyen-tu-mam-chuoi-phoi-3145942.html