322 The Gardens of the Sim. [ch. xw 



flavour. One of the most esteemed of all is " pisang 

 rajah," or king of bananas, a larger fruit, also of a deep 

 golden colour, the flavour being very luscious. " Pisang 

 hijau," tlie green banana, is slender and angular, but the 

 straw-coloured pulp is of a most exquisite flavour, and it 

 is quite a favourite in Singapore, where the " rajah '* 

 variety is comparatively scarce. " Pisang kling " is a 

 pale yellow kind, bearing large smooth fruits, and for 

 eating with cheese this is one of the best, being less sweet 

 than those just named. A large horned variety of banana 

 is common in Borneo, called of the natives "pisang tan- 

 dock," the individual fruits being a foot long and two 

 inches in diameter. The outer skin is green, changing 

 to yellow when fully ripe, and this fruit is liked by those 

 who do not relish the sweeter kinds. 



These fruits are largely eaten by natives, and they may 

 be cooked in a variety of ways. Banana fritters is a 

 common Eastern dish, and stewed bananas in syrup are 

 accounted delicious by lovers of sweet things, and pisang 

 kling is really a nice substitute for bread when eaten 

 with cheese. 



