Ca Mau is inherently adaptable to grow a variety of banana trees. In the main season, many bananas are ripe, Ca Mau people can’t eat all, ripe bananas are rarely bought by many people so farmers in Ca Mau think of laminating bananas to dry for eating later. Gradually, dried bananas became a specialty of Ca Mau.
 

Drying bananas after laminating. Photo: Huynh Lam.

Since the 1960s, many households in rural areas of Ca Mau have become proficient in making dried bananas.

To produce dried bananas, people often choose bunches of old bananas that have beem harvested. Bananas are put into a jar, keep the jar tightly closed. When ripening, the bananas are peeled off, then dry whole banana to wither so that  after laminating, the dried bananas are chewy, glutinous and sweet. The dried bananas are then put into molds to laminate  and then put on a blister to dry. The mold is designed in a circular shape, with a diameter of 20 to 30 cm, each time laminating from 3 to 5 bananas, depending on the big or small mold. Laminated bananas are dried about 2-3 days of bright sunshine, they turn into dark yellow, sweet and elastic, then they put into plastic bags for preservation.
 

Chuối sau khi phơi khô. Ảnh: Ngọc Hân.

Ca Mau dried bananas are produced from bananas grown in each farmer's household, without using fertilizers and pesticides. In the production process without additives and preservatives, it is very safe for consumers' health.
 

Specialty of dried bananas. Photo: Ngoc Han.

Ca Mau dried bananas, at first, Ca Mau people only made it for the family to eat for a long time, as gifts for relatives. Many families use dried bananas to invite guests on holidays, New Year, and parties. Especially, on the occasion of the traditional Tet holiday every year, many families in the countryside, in addition to common jam cakes such as coconut jam, ginger jam, cakes, sandwiches, etc. also make some dried bananas for children and guests.

Ca Mau dried bananas can be processed into other delicious dishes such as banana candy, ginger banana, canned banana, banana juice, banana wine, etc.

Dried bananas are made into any dishes, they are still fragrant, chewy, glutinous, sweet and full flavor of the countryside.