{"id":1044,"date":"2014-03-15T17:40:34","date_gmt":"2014-03-15T09:40:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/iraia.net\/blog\/?p=1044"},"modified":"2014-04-18T16:17:30","modified_gmt":"2014-04-18T08:17:30","slug":"banana-heart-for-good-luck","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iraia.net\/blog\/2014\/03\/15\/banana-heart-for-good-luck\/","title":{"rendered":"Banana heart for good luck"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Asian fire monkey no believe in superstition about Friday 13th bad luck.
\nBut me believe in power of banana. Me blog about this before.
\n<\/a>Now me see two banana flower cluster on tip of banana bunch.
\nWe call this banana heart.
\nPuso ng saging<\/em> in Tagalog.<\/p>\n

\"banana<\/a>
Figure 1. We call this banana heart, or puso ng saging.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Banana heart give double power to person who like to eat banana.
\nSo if you worried about Friday 13th bad luck, worry no more.
\nThis Asian fire monkey prepare banana heart dish for you.<\/p>\n

Me get heart from tree, chop, cook, serve on nice china for you, free of charge.
\nSince me civilized monkey, me no more climb banana tree.
\nMe use peasant scythe like in earlier blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"banana<\/a>
Figure 2. Peasant scythe threatens smug and complacent banana king.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Me first prepare basket to catch falling banana heart.
\nLine basket with dry banana leaves to soften fall.
\nBanana heart like that. Easily bruise when they fall.
\nWe no like banana heart to suffer ugly bruise.
\nWe like to chop banana heart to nice clean pieces.
\nSo me put “chopped-head” basket in position.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"banana<\/a>
Figure 3. Prepare basket to catch falling banana heart<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Now me pick nice and full banana heart.
\nThen me raise sharp steel blade of scythe.
\nNo worry.\u00a0All painless, single strike, clean cut.
\nClear sap drip like blood, quick dry, become sticky black goo.<\/p>\n

But no fear, it only one silly banana heart.
\nNo undermine world peace.<\/p>\n

\"banana<\/a>
Figure 4. Only one silly banana heart. Chopping it off won't undermine world peace.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Me strike. Sure blow. Clean cut.
\nSlash! Chop!
\nBanana heart fall to basket.
\nNo whimper.
\nOne down, one more to go.<\/p>\n

\"banana<\/a>
Figure 5. Banana heart falls to basket. No whimper.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Me bring you take closer look.
\nPeel off banana heart, show bunch of many immature banana blossom inside.
\nGet that? Immature banana blossom. Haha.
\nIll-fated blossom, no more become mature fruit.
\nThat reason why we chop banana heart.
\nNo place for immature blossom in global banana trade.
\nGood only for to bring culinary luck to hungry peasant.<\/p>\n

\"banana<\/a>
Figure 6. See the many immature banana blossoms inside.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Me choose another banana tree, another banana heart.
\nThis one more miserable.
\nHad absolutely no chance at fruitful love.
\nServes him right. Lol.
\nSlash! Chop!
\nTwo down. Enough for dish.<\/p>\n

\"banana<\/a>
Figure 7. Miserable banana heart had no chance at fruitful love.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Now me boil some chunks beef to tender texture, in salted water.
\nFive cup, seven cup, is all up to you.
\nYou eat dish anyway, not me, haha.
\nBlack pepper optional.<\/p>\n

Then slice two big piece onion, two big piece tomato.
\nThen pull out banana blossoms if still easy to peel off.
\nIf no more easy peel off, that means you reach core of banana heart.
\nChop heart core into pieces.
\nChop-chop heartlessly. 2-inch or 3-inch rough cube, is up to you.
\nWe cook evenly, you eat good anyway.<\/p>\n

\"banana<\/a>
Figure 8. Chop core of banana heart, heartlessly.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Put everything in pot of beef broth where we earlier boil meat.
\nPut everything in, except knife, fork, bowl and chopping board.
\nKnife and fork not easy to cook, not very edible.
\nBring to boil. Simmer 15 minutes.
\nOr 30 minutes if banana heart still tough.
\nSome hearts like that, very tough.
\nMaybe they undergo harsh life in banana grove.<\/p>\n

\"banana<\/a>
Figure 9. Some banana hearts are very tough, must have undergone harsh life in banana grove.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

One sign banana heart dish is cooked, when broth turn milky white and emit nutty flavor, somewhat like peanut.
\nServe as is, in steaming pot.
\nGood with fried rice, or boiled sweet potato, or boiled cassava.<\/p>\n

Now you know recipe.
\nThis Asian fire monkey know by heart how to cook banana heart dish.
\nMe teach you basic steps.
\nRest of it, learn on your own.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
\"banana<\/a>
Figure 10. You can learn how to cook banana heart dish.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

There you go.
\nEat my banana heart.
\nGood for fending off bad luck on unlucky day.
\nAlso good for lucky date, of course.<\/p>\n

Yum yum.<\/p>\n

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\nFollow @junverzola<\/a>
\n