BANANA VARIETY IN MALAYSIA

BANANA (Musa acuminata) are tropical fruit that grown in Malaysia wiith ana area of 35,200 hectare with annual production 376,800 metric tan (Source: Food Crop Statistic, Dept of Agriculture Malaysia 2018).  For me if you’re bananas about bananas, then being in Malaysia will definitely feed your addiction. There are so many varieties here that even locals have a hard time naming them all. From tiny dwarf-like ones to giants as big as your arm, bananas should come with a manual. Here’s Butter kicap’s list of popular Malaysian bananas. Some are good eaten when ripe, most are fantastic deep-fried and all make delicious fried mashed banana balls (Cekodok) when over-ripe.

Pisang Raja

With a bright yellow skin, sweet flavour and smooth texture, Pisang Raja can be eaten fresh or fried. Pisang Raja or King Banana are yellowish in skin colour upon ripe. Pisang AwakSweet and fleshy, it’s best as fried bananas or pisang goreng or made into Lepat Pisang and Pengat. Pisang Raja UdangCan be eaten ripe or made into other typical Malaysian desserts such as Pengat Pisang, Lempeng or Cekodok when over-riped. This variety of banana is difficult to find and looks particularly unique due to its purple to rusty orange skin. The flesh itself is similar in colour to other varieties of banana with a sweet and slightly sour flavour.

Pisang Lemak Manis

This variety of banana is petite, bright yellow, sweet and fleshy. It is good eaten ripe. This variety can be planted and will be fully grown within four months. I Love to eat fresh piang lemak manis after meal. Rather than that tere are Pisang Tanduk (Horn Banana) and this giant of a banana is fantastic to make as Pengat Pisang. With a slightly sour flavour, it balances perfectly with the sweetness of dark brown sugar and the saltiness in coconut. Similar ti Pisang Tanduk are Pisang Helang in which this banana is also rather huge. The difference is in its flavour and colour it is not sour and the flesh is pale compared to the darker yellow of the Pisang Tanduk. This banana is also good to make Pengat especially for those who do not like the hint of the sourness of Pisang Tanduk.

Pisang Nangka 

Unlike other bananas, this variety remains green in colour even when ripe. Once it turns yellow, the banana is considered over-ripe and the flesh too soft to be eaten. At this point you can mash it up to make Cekodok. This variety is good when battered and deep-fried. Similar to Pisang Tanduk, the flavour is sweet and slightly sour. Other things you can make with Pisang Nangka include Pengat Pisang, Lepat Pisang and Pisang Rebus. Next popular banana for fresh consumption are Pisang Rastali. This banana is small in size thus making it perfect to enjoy after a meal. Delicious when ripe, Pisang Rastali is commonly enjoyed after a meal as dessert. While the skin is not as pretty, often peppered with dark spots, it is thin, with a wonderful aroma and sweet flesh inside.

Pisang Emas are a type of banana petite in size, Pisang Emas is also commonly eaten after a meal once ripe. When over-ripe, you will find that thew32 skin sticks to the flesh inside. At this point, it is best made into Cekodok. Next is Pisang Abu where many love making a curry with the green variety. If the banana is over-ripe, it can be fried. This variety of banana is not usually eaten ripe due to its mild flavour and often rubbery texture. Pisang Berangan are also a variety is delicious as Goreng Pisang. It was sweet, with a lovely aroma, this banana is great enjoyed as a dessert when ripe. Its firm flesh makes it perfect for deep-frying. Some banana recipes you’ll love. Here are some banana treats and the best bananas to use for it. You can probably use different varieties of bananas but these are Butterkicap’s favourites. Type of banana used for food in Malaysia are as follows. Curry Cooking prefered Pisang Abu, and PIsang Lemak Manis, For Pengat prefered Pisang Tanduk and Pisang Helang, for Lepat Pisang preferred Pisang Awak and at last for Goreng Pisang preferred Pisang Awak, Pisang Berangan or Pisang Raja. Thatl all folk!!..

By,

M Anem,

Senior Agronomist,

Precint 11, Putrajaya,

Federal Teritory,

Malaysia.

(9 December 2019).

Cekodok
Rebus – Pisang Awak