The season of changing from the 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 in 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 dried the bananas in the sun, without adding any spices or sugar. My mother's dried bananas were simple and pure, just like her.

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

Mother 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 job seemed simple, but it required carefulness. The 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 them in half. At first, the children were eager to try, but after sitting for a while, they started fidgeting.

After peeling the bananas, Mom cut them into medium-sized slices, lengthwise, and arranged them evenly on a round tin tray. If any slices were too thick, Mom 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 left it 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 on the spot was more appealing than when it was finished drying. Perhaps it was true as some people joked, eating it “freely” in the kitchen was more delicious than when it was brought to 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.

After 4-5 days of strong sunlight, the dried bananas are done. Mom puts them in a sealed glass jar, then places them in a cool place to eat gradually. When Tet comes, Mom arranges the dried bananas in boxes of sweets and cakes, then sets 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 dried banana, tell each other stories of 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