Making One of My Childhood's Favorite Snacks: Mashed Banana

Happy Saturday Hivers!

Looking back on the days when every simple thing already brought joy to one's heart can be nostalgic. A simple toy, a simple game, even a simple food.

I come from a big family. Although my parents run a small business, it's not enough to sustain our daily family needs. This means we weren't accustomed to eating lavish meals or snacks; instead, we were used to eating simple foods like 'kakanin.

Why kakanin? One of the businesses my mother had before was making 'kakanin' and other local delicacies. Since my siblings and I were just kids, we were already exposed to the process of making 'kakanin' as we assisted our mom in the kitchen, especially when there were bulk orders. It was amusing because when our mother cooked our regular meals, she didn't let us help her. However, when she made 'kakanin,' she would really call us to assist her. The reason why we also know how to cook 'kakanin' and why we love eating 'kakanin' and other local delicacies.

Last week, I craved mashed banana, or in our mother tongue, we call it 'saging nilusak.' This is one of my favorite snacks when I was a kid. Since I rarely find this food in the market, I had no choice but to make it myself. I went to the market and purchased the needed ingredients. When I got home, I immediately made it.

While boiling bananas, I prepared the other ingredients and materials for making 'saging nilusak. We don't have a wooden lusong, so I just used the mortar and pestle since I only made 1 kilo.

When the bananas were fully cooked, I took them out of the cauldron and let them cool before peeling them.

The ingredients needed for 'saging nilusak' are very simple: brown sugar, grated coconut, and margarine. It doesn't require exact measurements; you can adjust the taste based on your preference. Since we are not fond of too much sweetness, I adjusted the amount of sugar.

Since my mortar and pestle are too small, I only put 2 bananas per batch. I bought 1 kilo, and there are 10 pieces, so I made 5 batches.

When the bananas were not fully mashed yet, I added brown sugar, margarine, and grated coconut, and mashed again until they were fully mashed.

When I was already satisfied with its taste, I took them out from the mortar and transferred it to the plate.

When we make 'saging nilusak,' we also put it on the banana leaf. But first, we wash it, wipe it, and heat it on low fire so it doesn't easily tear. I used the cover of a small container to shape it into a circular form like this. And once it's done, you can serve it to anyone.

I was able to make 17 pieces of 'saging nilusak' from one kilo of bananas. This snack is not pricey, but it requires patience. It is truly delicious. It served as my snack and my father's snack for two days. We just put it in the fridge so it doesn't easily spoil. I was truly satisfied with my cravings.

If you're not a Filipino, have you tried this food?

Thank you for reading and see you on my next blog. Cheers!

---

Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.

---