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Transcript of Memories of Philippine Kitchens_Stories and Recipes From Far and Near
8/17/2019 Memories of Philippine Kitchens_Stories and Recipes From Far and Near
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Bicol (left), sago (right).
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Sorsogon, Bicol (above left), making
piaya in Silay.
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Bitter melon.
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CONTENTS
Foreword by Peter Kaminsky
You Can Go Home Again by Amy Besa
ntroduction by Raymond Sokolov
A Living History
What Is Filipino Food?
CHAPTER 1 Memories of Nanay and Iba
Summer Vacations in IbaThe Mangoes of ZambalesThe Wedding of the Century
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CHAPTER 2 Food That Was Always Our
AdoboVinegar
SinigangKinilawKare Kare
RiceKakanin
CHAPTER 3 Food That Was Borrowed
and Made Our Own
The Chinese-Spanish ConnectionThe Spanish-Mexican Connection
The American Influence
CHAPTER 4 Treasured Family Recipes
Ilocos
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PampangaLagunaBicol
Visayas
CHAPTER 5 Christmas: A Merging of
Traditions
CHAPTER 6 Changing Landscapes:
Discovering the Filipino
Palate
Where Do We Go from Here?
Glossary
Filipino Food Sources
Further Reading
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Conversion Chart
ndex of Searchable Terms
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ForewordPETER KAMINSKY
Some people feel at home in the cornerbar where, just as soon as they walk in,
he bartender knows to pour “the usual.”Others have a local breakfast jointwhere the comforting clatter of coffeecups and the smell of sizzling bacon areas familiar as their favorite easy chair.
I have had the restaurants of RomyDorotan and Amy Besa—first
Cendrillon, in trendy SoHo, and nowPurple Yam, situated at the epicenter of he Brooklyn dining explosion that has
redefined the New York restaurant
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scene.I discovered Amy, Romy, and their
ake on the complex and delightful food
of the Philippines shortly after New Yorkmagazine made me their UndergroundGourmet, which meant I sought outethnic food and entry-level fine dining. Imuch preferred the ethnic stuff. InCendrillon, I found both. I remember crisp soft-shell crab perched atop a
salad of bean thread noodles. It wasclean tasting, the mark of a chef whocould assemble a panoply of tasteswithout confusing them in a saucy
umble. And a red snapper in a slightlysweet, slightly sour broth, with greenshat were unfamiliar but struck just the
right balance with the delicate white-
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fleshed fish. Barbecued pork chops withplum glaze (I am a porkophile, andCendrillon never disappointed) were
served alongside suman, rice cakessteamed in banana leaves topped with apat of butter and sugar.
And then, the ultimate test—my kids.We went for Sunday brunch and filled upon bibingka—a puddingish cake of eggswith coconut milk, sugar, and feta
cheese. If no one had used the phrase“comfort food” before, it would surelyhave been invented right then.
I was sold. But I was new on the job
so I called for a second opinion from myfriend Bryan Miller, who had been therestaurant critic at the New York Times.
Miller gave Cendrillon an enthusiastic
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humbs-up. I think his exact words were“This is the real deal.
Equally pleasing to both of us—here
was a chef making Asian food andactually pairing it with wine! Whoknew? Prior to that I had been of theopinion that in matters Asian, beer washe only way to go, but if you reallynsisted and just had to drink wine, wellhen it had to be a Rhône or a Riesling.
But the chef, Romy Dorotan, waspouring light Burgundies and grassyBasque whites, sharp-edged Syrahs, andvelvety tempranillos, and they all
worked.Romy was one half of the reason that
Cendrillon became my go-to restaurant
whenever I wanted something unusual
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and guaranteed delicious. The other halfwas his wife and partner, Amy Besa.She filled the front of the house with the
bonhomie of a great restaurateur. Likeher husband, she’s an intellectual whowent from Manila to Manhattan whenhings got a little hot for thinking people
with political opinions. New York’sSoHo—hip, downtown, everyonedressed in black—was a perfect fit.
When asked to describe Romy’scooking, I often say, “It’s fusion butcoming from the other direction.” By tha
mean he’s not a Western chef who wen
o Thailand on a cruise and discoveredemongrass. For starters, Filipino foods, by its very nature, fusion—a mix of a
number of Asian cuisines and, reflecting
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ts colonial past, Spanish with someMexican thrown in (for nearly threehundred years, the Spaniards ran their
colony through the viceroyalty of Acapulco). Add to that Romy’sexperience at one of Manhattan’s firstmodern fine-dining restaurants—thepioneering Hubert’s. There, he pickedup precise French-inspired techniqueand a willingness to experiment that has
kept him in the vanguard of Manhattan—make that American—dining everysince.
Then there’s Amy’s unflagging and
nfectious good cheer, which keeps yousmiling through dinner. She is also theself-appointed, and universally
acknowledged, den mother of Asian
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chefs in America. Thai, Cambodian,Filipino, Vietnamese, Indonesian,Keralan, Malaysian—whenever there is
an Asian chef doing something new andnteresting, Amy is sure to invite him or
her to prepare a meal for adventurousdiners.
Perhaps the best recommendation Ican share with you—least clouded bymy obvious love for these unique,
accomplished, and lovable restaurateurs—is the fact that all the food journalistscookbook writers, chefs, and gourmets Ihave sent to their restaurants over the
ears have reported that they had a greatmeal . . . and, most convincingly, they alwent back.
First it was Cendrillon; now in
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Ditmas Park, the even more vibrant andnnovative Purple Yam. I guess it wasnevitable that Romy and Amy would
move to Brooklyn. I did, for the peaceand quiet and to raise my children. Wehad plenty of great ethnic food to choosefrom, but modern, interesting restaurantfood? Not so much. But then the crash of2008 and disenchantment with fussy finedining sent legions of veterans of the
high-priced joints out to Brooklyn to tryheir luck with its lower rents and hungrfoodies. Brooklyn has become the “It”borough, the place where food energy
reaches critical mass. Amy and Romyare right on the crest of the wave. It’sgood to have them. More bibingka,anyone?
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eter Kaminsky is the author o
numerous books on cooking, including
Pig Perfect: Encounters wit
Remarkable Swine and Some GreaWays to Cook Them (2005) an
coauthor of Seven Fires: Grilling thArgentine Way (2009). Formerly NewY o r k magazine’s Underground
Gourmet, his writing on the subjects o
ood and angling has also appeared in
numerous magazines.
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You Can Go Home
AgainAMY BESA
In September 2003, I finally found myway home again. I had left Manila thirtyears before, a few weeks before
marital law was declared on September
21, 1972. Shortly before my departure afire destroyed the Manila InternationalAirport, and I had to ride a bus to amakeshift terminal to catch my flight. Myparents could not ride with me, so Iwaved at them from the back of the bus,heir heads finally disappearing from
view as the bus navigated the potholes
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of Manila’s streets. I looked hard at thepalm trees, shacks, and people, and saidmy farewell to a country that had shaped
my soul and to a people that hadwounded my heart. I was twenty-oneears old and felt that my life was ahead
of me, but I knew, too, that a part of myife was ending.
I spent a year in Germany as anexchange student, then several years in
Philadelphia completing a master’sdegree in mass communication atTemple University. There I met myfuture husband, Romy Dorotan, another
unsettled student, who was working onhis PhD in economics while navigating anever-ending love affair with cooking. I
started at the Frog Restaurant, where
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Romy had been promoted from washingdishes to cooking staff meals.
In 1979 we moved to New York City
and food became more central in our ives. Romy became a lunch chef at theegendary Hubert’s on Park Avenue
South. It was a heady time in the foodworld. Alice Waters, in Berkeley,California, was changing the rules, andHubert’s was heeding her call for
cooking honest food based on organicproduce and fresh ingredients withoutaking shortcuts. Hubert’s was all
passion, all philosophy and commitment
Uncompromised Food was the muse, anmany movers and shakers in the NewYork food world emerged from its fold.
Romy defined his palate and chef’s
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ouch in that environment. Free to gowherever his imagination led him, hestarted steaming fish with gingko nuts
wrapped in banana leaves. For brunch,he made his own bacon, curing pork belly in his specially made brine. At onepoint he told me the restaurant owner had yelled at him for using a $100 bottleof cognac for an ice cream Romy hadcreated. “The ice cream tasted good,
hough,” he said, his satisfactionundiminished by the reprimand.The 1990s were a time of change, an
Romy and I decided it was time to open
our own restaurant. We wanted the foodof our youth and our culture to be thefoundation for our restaurant’s concept,
but also wanted it to embrace the other
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cuisines of Southeast Asia.Cendrillon opened its doors on
August 8, 1995, in Manhattan’s SoHo,
and for thirteen years, it was a placewhere we learned a great deal about ourculture and its food—and about humannature. We closed Cendrillon on March1, 2009. At the time, I felt nothing butrelief that we were getting away fromhe high cost of rent and overhead in one
of the most expensive sections of Manhattan and “going home” toBrooklyn. We were thrilled to open anew restaurant in Ditmas Park, a short
drive from our house.This time we called our restaurant
Purple Yam, after the much beloved roo
hat Filipinos eat as haleya [jam] or ice
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cream. The purple yam has capturedRomy’s imagination as a chef. He hasused it in his fresh lumpia crepes, pan d
sal, and pizza dough, and, at one point,even made delicate lavender noodleswith it.
In spite of this name change andmajor shift in location, we brought withus wonderful memories of Cendrillon:weddings, birthdays, baptisms, art
exhibits, and book launches. Naturally,we were proud of the restaurant’s 2005wo-star review by New York Times
food critic Frank Bruni, which
strengthened our resolve in preservinghe integrity of each dish we created. Hiitle for the review was “Cooking
Without Concessions.”
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Best of all, the years at Cendrillongave us the opportunity to publish thefirst edition of this cookbook. It was the
culmination of four years of research anwriting on Philippine food in itshistorical and cultural context.
We anchored our research on thefood of our generation—those born inhe late 1940s and the early 1950s. We
began this project by asking questions o
our friends, customers, andacquaintances: What are your earlychildhood food memories? What wereour comfort foods? Are those foods
still being made? Do you have recipes?Do you know anyone who could show uhow to make them so that we can
preserve them? The response was
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remendous. People would talk for hourabout their food memories—and thenrefer us to other friends and relatives,
both in the States and in the Philippines.And as these friends led us on a personaourney searching for the foods of our outh, we began to ask more questions.
Why did we eat these foods? Where didwe get these ingredients and cookingmethods? What is authentic and what is
borrowed?We tried to find those answers notonly in Philippine history and foodbooks, but in the local histories of the
owns, provinces, and regions wherehese families are rooted. And althoughhese families represent several regions
of the Philippines, this is by no means a
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regional cookbook of the Philippines. Tdo justice to all the regions would meanmore years of research and many more
books on the subject.Romy and I also share our personal
recipes, which took us years to developand refine. Each and every one was hardfought, sometimes bitterly dividing us,simply because our memories of howsome food tasted and what its texture
should be were starkly different. I leanmore toward what I remember; Romy isusually guided by what he thinks is theright texture and balance of flavors. It is
n the nuance of compromises andelaborations that the future of Philippinefood should be brought forth.
My desire to document traditions, to
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bring Philippine food into the twenty-first century while preserving the strongfoundation of our past, led me back
home in 2003. It was only my fourth tripback since I had broken my self-imposedexile in 1991. I went with open eyes andan open heart—and was generouslyrewarded with the most sincerehospitality and generosity. I had foundmy balm. I had come home.
Philippine food can never be fullyappreciated without understanding theFilipino first. Since the first publicationof this book, I have received numerous
e-mails, postings, and personalmessages from people on how this bookhas affected their lives. One in
particular, from a Filipino-American
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chef, was unforgettable. She had gone toa bookstore determined to buy the latestbook from a renowned four-star French
chef and picked up a copy of our book nstead. Seeing the images of home, she
began crying unabashedly in the store.She wrote me her life story, saying thatat some point in her career she had losther way, but upon reading our book, sherealized that her love for food lay in
embracing her Philippine heritage androots. The book had renewed her loveand passion for food and she could nowreturn to her profession with renewed
vigor and energy.The power of the book came not only
from the stories and recipes from home,
but also from the images that captured
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he colors, rhythms, and vibrancy of Philippine life. There is a deep hunger among Filipinos to articulate that
unrequited love and passion for food thawas always ours, ang sariling atin.
After thirteen years of Cendrillon, thequestion we are often asked is why thename change? How would Purple Yambe different from Cendrillon? Wedecided to name the new restaurant
Purple Yam because it spoke more abouwhere we came from. CendrillonFrench for Cinderella) was a very
personal choice because it was about a
ballet that Romy and I had fallen in lovewith. Cinderella was a great metaphor for the Philippines because she
eventually goes to the ball and is the
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most beautiful star of the evening. But itwas time to move on. After the ball,what next? It was time for growth and a
renewed excitement for what we eat.And this would mean turning our eyesoward the home country, immersing our
palates in those tropical shores andbringing that knowledge back again withus to Purple Yam.
Every dish has its own integrity. Tha
s what we seek whenever we cook andserve anything at the restaurant. It is aprofound articulation of context. Contexalways makes a dish more savory and
delightful because you ingest a meaningand a sharing of a memory. And food canever be fully enjoyed until it is shared
within a community. For this we are
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grateful to have a restaurant, because thespace created by Cendrillon in the pastdecade and now Purple Yam gave us
back that community we left behind inhe Philippines. Filipinos are my people
but so are all the non-Filipinos whocome to us and share our love for thekind of food we serve. Through food, ware all Filipinos—or I might say, we areall Asians.
And yet, upon further contemplation,we are all Americans.
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Introduction
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RAYMOND SOKOLOV
The other day, I was prowling theaisles of a fancy market near my home inGreenwich Village when a man came upand thrust his hand at me. “I’m Ilocano,
oo,” he said warmly. I had forgotten Iwas wearing a souvenir T-shirt from thePhilippine province of Ilocos Norte. Mynewly found countryman looked a littledisappointed when I explained I’d justbeen a tourist on his native turf.
Still, we had a bond stretching
housands of miles to a tropical placewith its own Wild-West past (FerdinandMarcos started out in Ilocos Norte andhis son Bong Bong is the current
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governor), colonial mansions andchurches, and its own cuisine.
I’m not here to give you a rundown o
pinakbet and all the other Ilocanospecialties. That’s what Amy and Romydo in this encyclopedic but also intimatecollection of recipes and anecdotesabout visits they made to see cooks allover the Philippines. These were reallyvoyages of exploration, forays into a
nation so diverse it can seem exotic eveo a native.Start with several major indigenous
anguages, two lingua francas—Tagalog
and English—and the ghostlyomnipresence of Spanish. Add some7,000 islands, with the only Roman
Catholic majority in Asia and a restless
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Muslim minority that dominates theSouth. And then try to imagine how thisranslates into a multiplicity of food
cultures. Did I mention the pre-Hispanicand continuing influence of Chinese“settlers” who began arriving in whatwe know as the Middle Ages?
From them came the noodle dishesand egg rolls that now bear both Tagalonames and other traces of the
fundamentally Malay population thatruns the place. Spanish invaders broughfoods from home and Mexico. Americanatecomers in the colonial game
ntroduced the concept of pie, whichwas quickly assimilated as a new way oexploiting the coconut.
The late Doreen Fernandez, an
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nspiration to Amy, Romy, and me,among legions of other gastronomes andstudents of food history (not to mention
her official students in the EnglishDepartment of the Ateneo de Manila),plunged into this chaos of dishes that hademerged from 400 years of colonizationand the even more denaturing decades omodernization, and made giant strides inrecording the whole delicious mess. I
read her seminal book Sarap (deliciousn preparation for my first trip to thePhilippines in 1991. Thus oriented, Icould immerse myself with some
confidence in a world dominated by souastes and the heritage of cooks
operating in the socially intense andcreatively isolated ecologies of Filipino
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village life. Doreen prepared me for thaand for the vivid, ironic world of Manilstreet food, the duck eggs with embryos
n them, the chicken feet sold as“Adidas,” green mango with a salty,sour sauce.
Amy and Romy brought their owndeas to this huge repertoire of dishes at
Cendrillon and Purple Yam. Now theyhave brought us (not to mention millions
of cooks in the Philippines) this dazzlingcompendium of traditional food and fooknowledge.
There is a Tagalog word for gifts
carried from a distant place— pasalubong . It’s something preciousou bring back to friends from a trip
abroad. Thank you, Amy and Romy, for
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his pasalubong. Masarap!
aymond Sokolov is the author of many
books about food (The Cook’s CanonWhy We Eat What We Eat), as well as
novel (Native Intelligence) and
biography (Wayward Reporter, the Life
of A.J. Liebling). He recently completehis PhD in classical philology a
arvard after an interruption of thirty
ive years. At various points, he workeor Newsweek, the New York TimesTime, Natural History, and the WalStreet Journal, in various capacities. H
has a wife, two sons, threranddaughters, and three moto
vehicles, whose mileage totals 300,000
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A Living History
ater was a determining theme in theearly life of the Philippine islands.Surrounded by oceans and lined withrivers and streams inland, its wateryanes defined the character of the lives
of people who settled on its coasts.
Water yielded the pristine fruits of thesea that formed the basis for much of theearly Philippine diet. Water brought theboats of Arab traders from the Middle
East, opened the gates to Chineseraders, and finally brought in two
colonial powers, Spain and the UnitedStates, which would throw the
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Philippines into the vortex of Europeanntra-colonial fighting and introduce the
concepts of nationhood and democracy.
As we researched Filipino food,cooking methods, ingredients, and their origins to discover why and how wecame to eat the things we do, we becamencreasingly interested in Filipino
history. But the historical events tellonly part of the story of the influences
hat shape Filipino culture. The familystories and personal memories we heardas we traveled and interviewed for thiscookbook proved even more rich and
nteresting. We set out to record theseiving histories through the recipes and
memories in this book.
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Puto, kakanin, baby swordfish on the
line, Romy’s rabbit morcon.
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What Is Filipino
Food?
Filipinos often describe the food of the
Philippines in terms of its most popular dishes: adobo [a vinegar-tart stew],umpia [a fresh pancake wrapped around
vegetables and/or meat], and pancit [anoodle dish]. These reliable favoritesrepresent the cuisine at its mostaccessible to the non-Filipino palate,
and are among the easiest recipes for Filipino ex-pats to re-create on foreignsoil. They’re a simple and deliciousntroduction to a rich, nuanced cuisine.
In his book Why We Eat What We
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at , Raymond Sokolov writes that thePhilippines, in contrast to other cultureswhose foodways were profoundly
altered by Spanish colonial rule, wasable to maintain its indigenous foods.These foods today exist alongside thefoods that we borrowed from the West.Local fermented brews such as the tubacoconut toddy] and native rice cakes
such as the suman [steamed cakes] date
back to pre-Hispanic times, and their methods of preparation have remainedvirtually unchanged.
So which are the foods that we can
ruly call our own, and which ones wereborrowed before we made them our own?
We found that adobo, sinigang,
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kinilaw, kare kare, and kakanin (nativedesserts, the majority of which are baseon rice) are universal to all the regions
of the Philippines. They are eaten on adaily basis by all classes of society andmade with ingredients that occur naturally in our environment. Adobo,sinigang, and kinilaw, which use nativesour fruits and vinegars as a mainngredient, signify more than a particula
dish—they also describe methods of preparing all manner of seafood, poultrymeat, and vegetables. We also embracedhe foods, cooking methods, and
condiments of other cultures in SoutheasAsia as our own, as early inhabitants of he Philippines came from islands that
are now called Indonesia and Malaysia.
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The kare kare is a distinctly Malay dishwhose name is derived from the Tamilword kari, meaning a sauce for a stew.
The kare kare is cooked without any salor spices and is eaten with the saltybagoong [fermented shrimp paste], acondiment that we share with our Southeast Asian neighbors. The art of making kakanin is alive and well in thePhilippines. It is impossible to documen
and list all these local delicaciesbecause they vary greatly among theregions, localities, and even householdsn Barrio Maronquillo, Bulacan (north o
Manila) alone, we could have spent awhole week just sampling the differentkakanin that this tiny communityproduces and sells in the local markets.
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The kalamansi lime is indigenous tohe Philippines and plays a large role inPhilippine cuisine. This little deep
green–colored lime provides a tinyamount of juice, but it goes a long way.The juice is so flavorful that Filipinosuse it for everything from lemonade tomarinades and dips. It is squeezed over pancit, kinilaw, and grilled fish. Thekalamansi should not be confused with
another Philippine lime called dayap,which is similar to the limes availablehere in the United States.
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Kalamansi limes.
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Outside culinary influences primarilycame from China, Spain, Mexico, andhe United States through trade and
conquests. From China came the pancitand lumpia. Early Chinese tradersbrought cooking implements (woks),condiments (soy sauce, fermentedbeans), spices (Szechuan peppercorns),and livestock such as ducks and pigs.They married Filipino women and
settled in communities all over thePhilippines. The Chinese became theocal bakers, storekeepers, and
restaurant owners, popularizing Chinese
food and ingredients.The Spanish came in 1521 as
colonizers, bringing in Spanish food
products such as ham and chorizo, while
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he galleon trade brought in fruits,vegetables, and rootcrops from Mexico.Today most Spanish dishes served on
Philippine tables, such as morconsfilled rolled meats], rellenos [stuffed
dishes], and afritada [dishes fried andsimmered in tomato sauce] exist as fiestfare served during special occasions, ashese dishes are made with expensivengredients that the majority of the native
populace could not afford.The major culinary influences of China, Spain, and Mexico are so fusedn the culture that sometimes it is
mpossible to tell whether a dish isChinese or Spanish. The best example ishe fish escabeche [fish in sweet and
sour sauce]. Historical Filipino
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cookbooks show escabeche preparedike a ceviche, steeping the fish in hot oi
and then later flavoring it in vinegar and
spices. Now it is essentially the Chinesedeep-fried fish with sweet and sour sauce.
During the first half of the twentiethcentury, the Philippines became a colonof the United States. Filipinos (alongwith the rest of the world) began to
ncorporate American food into their diet. Hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, soda,and fries gained popularity among thepost-war generation, and the U.S.
nfluence continues to spread today.Canned goods such as Spam, Viennasausage, fruit cocktail, and evaporated
milk were in most family cupboards by
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he 1950s. Today chiffon cake is themost popular cake in the Philippines.
The Philippines celebrates Christmas
by bringing out all these foods andputting them on the Noche Buena
Christmas Eve meal] table and givinghem out as Christmas gifts. A traditiona
Christmas meal includes ham, stuffedpoultry (chicken or turkey), fresh lumpiaand noodles, ensaimadas [coiled
brioches], and hot chocolate, along withnative kakanin such the puto, suman, andbibingka.
What does Filipino food look like
oday? What are families eating? Arehey preserving traditional dishes that
were eaten a previous generation ago?
Does regional cooking still exist amid
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he malls and fast food courts that havespread throughout the major cities of thecountry?
The good news is that we find thatFilipino food is alive and well. Therecipes we’ve collected and share withou in this book provide a glimpse into
how families have been savoring their food for generations and providing somegood examples of what may still be
regional.For Filipinos who now live outside
he Philippines, the desire to eat Filipinofood becomes greater. These are the
Filipinos who are the most nostalgic forhe foods of home. However, wherever hey are they have new foods to savor
and new ingredients to experiment with,
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which they will add to their Philippinerepertoire. It will be exciting to see howhe adobo, sinigang, and kinilaw can be
ransformed in the United States, whereall types of cuisines are flourishing andnew fusions of ideas and flavors arehappening every day.
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Making puto in Laguna.
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The Cultural Roots of
Filipino Food Run Deep
t takes more than a superficial exposureo Filipino cooking to get an overall
sense of the cuisine. This may explain
why, as Filipinos observe to each other whenever the subject of Filipino foodcomes up (which it does constantlyamong people from such a food-loving
culture), the cuisine isn’t as well-recognized in the West as that of neighboring countries.
To fully understand and appreciateFilipino food in context, one mustconsider the importance of hospitalityand generosity—two of the most
universal aspects of Filipino culture.
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Filipinos are truly the most giving, openembracing, sentimental, andmaddeningly hospitable people I’ve eve
known. Never make the mistake of goingo the Philippines without first shedding
a few pounds in preparation. Once thereou’ll be fed as many as six or sevenimes a day.
I’m still not sure how I survived thevisit to my cousin Lyn Besa-Gamboa, in
Silay near Bacolod, Negros Occidental,during my first trip home as an adult. I’lnever forget the bright twinkle in mycousin’s eye as, within minutes of a huge
unch (which had followed a heavybreakfast), she said, “And now, wouldou like to try the Bacolod version of
batchoy [pork and noodle soup]?”
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Filipino food is also an expression ocultural passion and pride. During myresearch for this book, I became used to
he sumptuous spreads of festive foodserved in grand, opulent homes in theVisayas and Luzon. But nothing preparedme for the deep love for our culture that
found in the most humble barrios of theprovinces. We trudged through muddyanes too narrow for cars and knocked
on the doors of strangers famous for aparticular delicacy sold in the market orn roadside carinderias [restaurants
selling prepared food]. We were
nterrupting their work, yet theynvariably seemed more delighted thannconvenienced by our desire to know
about their cooking.
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In Candon, Ilocos Sur, we wereshown, with great pleasure, to the back of a house where caramel bubbled in
huge vats, to be turned into kalamaysticky rice treats]. In Sorsogon, Bicol,
we were taken to see the covered shedwhere pots of taro leaves were braisingn coconut milk. At the table in one tiny
Sorsogon home, we were educated abouhe various dried fish that are good to
cook with taro leaves. There was an in-depth discussion of how to avoid taroeaves that would cause unwantedtchiness in the mouth and throat.
Everywhere I went, I got caught up inhe refinements of bananas, which
species to use for which dish, and what
o do with them when they’re ripe,
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unripe, or overripe. In rural areas, Iearned the terms for every stage of
coconut maturity (see this page) and its
corresponding uses. To write this book, set out to investigate the endless
nuances of the Filipino kitchen. After ears of traveling, cooking, tasting, andnterviewing, I have much to tell, and
more to find out.
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Alamang [shrimp fry].
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Filipino Food as Part of
Southeast Asian Cuisine
From fish sauce to shrimp paste, noodleo rice, Filipino food shares flavors,ngredients, and techniques with its
Southeast Asian neighbors. Yet throughhe course of its unique history, thePhilippines has developed distinctculinary preferences of its own.
Southeast Asian cooking isprofoundly influenced by the two anciencultures of India and China. Thesecuisines (Thai, Laotian, Burmese,Cambodian, and Vietnamese) weredeveloped and preserved in lavishmperial courts, and their complexity
and extravagance were used to set the
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royals apart from their subjects.In the Philippines, by contrast, where
here were no royal households, many
culinary traditions originated in thehomes of elite, landed families. Eachhousehold developed its own specialtieand passed them down to the nextgeneration. This is why, to this day, thebest Filipino food is usually found inhomes with a tradition of excellent home
cooking, rather than in restaurants.The water that surrounds the
Philippine archipelago yields itshistorically most important food source:
fresh seafood. Combined with freshvegetation and coconuts, thesengredients form the heart of the cuisine.
While much of the cooking of the
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Southeast Asian mainland demonstrateshe Indian influence in bright, aromatic
curries, chiles, and herbs, these are far
ess important in Philippine cooking, inwhich heavy spicing seems almostextraneous to the wealth of pristineseafood, vegetables, and fruits.
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Clockwise from top left: Achara, green
mango and tomato salsa, shredded
cucumber and jicama, bagoong na
alamang, bagoong na padas.
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ACHARA
This pickled condiment, made of
shredded green papaya, is usually quitesweet as well as tart. We tone down thesweetness, and we like to add green or
red chiles (siling haba, which are not tohot). Note that the pickling solution and th
salted papaya and vegetable mixture
must rest (separately) overnight in therefrigerator before they are combined.Once the pickle is made, refrigerate ateast 1 day before serving.
MAKES ABOUT 2 QUARTS
4 cups rice vinegar
1½ cups sugar
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3 tablespoons salt
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeledand cut into matchsticks
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper,or to taste
1 green papaya, about 2 pounds, peeled,seeded, and grated (see Note)
3 large carrots, grated
3 red or green long chile peppers, coredseeded and thinly sliced
2 large onions, cut in half and thinlysliced
1. In a large nonreactive saucepan over high heat, combine the vinegar, sugar, 1
tablespoon of the salt, the garlic, and
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ginger. Bring to a boil, stirring todissolve the sugar and salt. Reduce theheat to medium-low and simmer until th
flavors are well combined, 15 to 20minutes. Add the ground black pepper.Cool to room temperature, cover, andrefrigerate overnight.
2. In a large nonreactive bowl, tosstogether the papaya, carrots, peppers,
and onion with the remaining 2tablespoons salt. Cover and refrigerateovernight.
3. Line a colander with a double layer of rinsed cheesecloth. Place the papayamixture in the colander and rinse wellunder running water. Pull up the ends of
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the cloth and squeeze to remove excessmoisture (you may need to do this in twobatches).
4. Transfer the papaya mixture to a bowand pour enough of the pickling solutionover to cover it. (Reserve any excesssolution for marinades, dipping sauces,or similar uses.) Achara keeps for up to6 months stored in an airtight container
in the refrigerator.Note: Look for green (completely fir and unripe) papaya in Southeast Asia
markets.
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ACHUETE OIL
Mild, with a hint of heat from the chiles,his bright red oil is used for bastingChicken Inasal (this page), sautéingoxtail for Kare Kare (this page), or any
dish that needs that trademark reddish
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hue from the achuete (or annatto) seeds.You can use the oil as you would anyother oil, so cook with it in any of your
favorite dishes.Achuete seeds are sold in packages i
Asian and Latin groceries. This recipeields 2 cups—enough to tide you over
several meals. Keep the remaining oil inan airtight jar and refrigerate for up to 2weeks.
MAKES 2 CUPS
2 cups vegetable oil
½ cup achuete (annatto) seeds6 whole garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
2 ancho chiles, crushed, stemmed, and
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seeded
n a medium saucepan over medium heat
warm the oil with the remaininngredients. When it begins to bubbleurn off the heat and allow the mixture t
steep for at least 1 hour or up to 2 hours
Strain the oil through a fine-messtrainer and let cool. Store in an airtighcontainer and refrigerate.
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Clockwise from top left: Durian, chiles
saba, bangus [milkfish], coconut bud,
garlic, saba, sugar palm seeds.
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Heritage homes, Luzon.
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chapter 1
Memories of
Nanay & Iba
I was eight or nine years old. We weren Nanay’s kitchen in Iba, Zambales. It
was the summer I told my parents not to
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come fetch me yet—I’d decided Iwanted to spend the entire two months osummer vacation with Nanay, savoring
he life of a grandchild. That particular morning, I was up as the gray heavenswere being roused by the crowing of theroosters. One of the kitchen help broughn the first rolls of pan de sal [traditiona
Filipino breakfast rolls] from the localbakery, neatly packaged in the crisp
brown envelopes that the Chinese usefor newly baked bread. The localbaker’s old ovens produced a pan de sahat is elusive today. Within the crunchy
crust was a moist chewy bread, besteaten hot with melting fresh butter. Thatwas my first inkling of the power of food, and that particular pan de sal is my
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Holy Grail. I constantly search for theperfect pan de sal. Never finding it, Idiscover other good things along the
way.
Carmen Oliva Camara, my maternal
grandmother, was called Nanay by her children, grandchildren, and people whowere not related to her. Nanay meansmother in Tagalog. Nanay was the
earthly soul of the kitchen, hearth, home
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and the heart, and for a woman born inher time she was quite modern. Beyondfilling up the larder with sweets and
ocal delicacies, she saw to it that mybrothers could catch the American B-movies when they came to the localmakeshift theater. My older brother,Tristan, said he must have seen everyRonald Reagan movie ever made. Nanaymade sure that our time was filled with
books, adventures, and little luxuries.o one ever got bored if she could helpt.
Thanks to her sharp eye and
magination, Nanay’s food was simplyunforgettable.
In her memoir, Up Close with Me, m
mother, Dr. Solita Camara-Besa,
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remembered that Nanay “was never idleAt home, we used only homemadebagoong, patis, beef tapa, venison tapa,
and longaniza. She would make bagoongfrom tamban [local fish]. She cleanedhem well, layered them in earthenapayans [jars] alternately with salt, and
aged them in a concrete-walled roombeneath our batalan [open veranda].”
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MEMORIES
My grandparents stayed with us in
Manila for extended periods of timewhen they were not in Iba. Nanay wouldalways bring goodies from Iba: suman sbus, tapa, bagoong, Zambales mangoes,
emas [egg yolk–based candies], andhomemade mango jam. When Nanay wahere, I looked forward to getting sick
because she would make me meringue aa special treat. The soft, foamy, delicatereat was baked in a loaf pan and
flavored with kalamansi lime. It was
brown and a bit chewy on top, and sosoft at the bottom that after a few days itwould start to melt into a lemony curd,which I loved to scoop up.
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In 1991, when I returned home for thefirst time in almost nineteen years, Iwent back to Iba. A sense of scale
distortion immediately hit me. Decadesearlier, the Manila house would feel somuch smaller after a whole summer inba. Returning this time to Iba, in place
of the huge spaces of my imagination, Iwas surprised to find a house of normalproportions.
Looking toward the back of thekitchen where I would sit on a swing anplay, I thought of that wonderful morningfilled with the aroma of freshly baked
pan de sal. I remembered a time whenanay brought me underneath the house
with all its chickens clucking about and
handed me a soft egg without a shell. I
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held on and played with that little ovalpillow until it finally burst. The summer
spent with Nanay was my summer of
ndependence, without any siblings,cousins, or parents around. It turned outo be the last summer I would spend inba. The next year, Nanay suffered a
stroke. She died when I was ten, leavingan empty space in our lives.
UBE PAN DE SALFor an early meeting with our book editor, Marisa Bulzone, Romy came upwith a whimsical version of the adobosandwich by layering crispy adoboflakes (this page), homemade
mayonnaise, and sliced tomatoes on his
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ube pan de sal. It immediately becameMarisa’s favorite recipe in the book.
Romy’s creation is a riff on a classic
sandwich that was popular back in our college days at the University of thePhilippines. Down in one small,claustrophobic eatery called theBasement, the specialty was the pork adobo in pan de sal, which made for ahip merienda.
Romy can’t resist using purple yamflour in all baked things, such as ubecrostini and pizza crust with ube, for theunusual color and nice texture it imparts
MAKES ABOUT 18 ROLLS
3 cups bread flour, plus additional as
needed
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½ cup ube (purple yam) flour
2 envelopes active dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
¼ cup sugar
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter,at room temperature, plus
additional for the bowl½ cup fine dry bread crumbs
1. In the bowl of a standing electricmixer fitted with the paddle attachment,combine half of the bread flour and allof the ube flour. Add the yeast, salt, and
sugar. Pour in 1½ cups warm water (itshould be between 90° F and 100° F)and mix to form a smooth batter. Blendin the butter.
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2. Change the mixer attachment to thedough hook. With the hook in motion,add the remaining bread flour, ½ cup at
a time, until the dough has worked into arough mass that easily pulls away fromthe sides of the bowl.
3. Transfer the dough to a large butteredbowl and cover with plastic wrap.Place in a warm, draft-free spot and let
rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
4. Punch down to deflate, cover withplastic wrap, and let rise a second time
until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.
5. Punch down once more and cut thedough in half. Working with one half at
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time, form about 18 equal rolls (theyshould weigh 2 ounces each). Roll theballs in bread crumbs to coat and place
on a baking sheet. Cover loosely with adamp kitchen towel and let rise for 30minutes.
6. During the final rise, preheat the ovento 400° F. Sprinkle the rolls with morebread crumbs and transfer to the oven.
Bake until lightly browned and hard onthe bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool onwire racks.
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LONGANIZA
This is Romy’s recipe, and it astonishes
me how closely it approximates the tasteof my grandmother’s longaniza. Sincegrinders weren’t available in my
grandmother’s time, she had to cut themeat and the fatback by hand, and thisexture is what gives it its authenticity.
You can serve this sausage either in
he casing or loose, which we call hubadwhich literally means naked). My
grandmother served her longaniza hubadwhen I was growing up as part of theclassic Filipino breakfast, eaten withscrambled eggs, fried rice, tomatoes,and vinegar.
MAKES ABOUT TWENTY 3-INCH LINKS
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2 pounds finely chopped wild boar
½ pound finely chopped pork fatback
2 tablespoons achuete oil (see this page
2 tablespoons rice wine
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pork casing (optional)Canola oil, for pan-frying
1. Combine all the ingredients except thpork casing and canola oil in a largebowl. Mix very well, using your cleanhands to incorporate all the ingredients.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2
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hours, or overnight.
2. If stuffing the sausages, soak the
sausage casing in a bowl filled withwarm water for 30 minutes, then put oneend of the casing over the end of your kitchen faucet and wash the inside withwarm water. Change the water in thebowl and soak for another 30 minutes.
3. To stuff the sausage, fit the sausagehorn over a sausage grinder. Pull theentire length of casing over the tip of thehorn and tie a knot at the end. Fill the
feed tube with the meat mixture andcrank the meat through the grinder to fillthe casing until you have used all themeat. Remove the casing from the horn
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and tie the sausage twice every 3 incheswith kitchen twine. Prick with a pin toremove any air bubbles and cut into
individual links.
4. Place half the sausage links in a largeskillet and add water to come halfwayup the sides of the links. Place over medium-high heat and cook, turning thesausages, until the water is evaporated,
about 5 minutes. Add about 2tablespoons oil and continue frying untilnicely browned, about 3 minutes on eacside. Repeat with the remaining links.
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POCHERO
Pochero was the classic Sunday lunch o
dinner for many Filipino families of mygeneration. It is a simple one-pot mealwith boiled meats (either beef, chicken,
and/or pork), flavored with chorizo deBilbao (sausages packed in lard in tincans, which do not come from Bilbao).Potatoes, plantains, cabbage, carrots,
and string beans are cooked separatelyn the broth and served on a platter. Theclassic condiments (shown opposite) archopped tomatoes and eggplant caviar.
SERVES 10 TO 12
Eggplant Caviar:
6 medium Chinese eggplants
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1 garlic clove, finely chopped
3 tablespoons rice vinegar or paombong[palm vinegar], or to taste
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
or to taste
Pochero:
5 pounds beef shanks, cut into 3-inch-thick pieces
4 large onions, peeled and halvedthrough the root end
4 pieces Spanish chorizo (about 1
pound)Salt, if necessary
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
½ pound string beans, trimmed
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3 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed,halved lengthwise, and quarteredcrosswise
1 small green cabbage, trimmed, outer layers removed, and cut lengthwiseinto 6 wedges
3 whole, ripe saba or plantains, peeled4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and
quartered
Dipping Sauce:½ cup fish sauce
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
5 firm, ripe tomatoes, chopped for serving
1. For the eggplant caviar, preheat the
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broiler. Place the eggplants on a broilerpan and broil 6 inches from the heatsource, turning once with tongs, until
blackened on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes,depending on the size of the eggplants.Remove the eggplants from the broiler and cool until just cool enough to handle(it’s easier to remove the skins when theeggplants are still steamy). Peel the skinfrom the eggplants using your hands.
Transfer the eggplants to a medium bowand mash with the garlic. Add thevinegar, salt, and pepper. Taste andadjust the seasoning if needed.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. For the pochero, place the beef in alarge pot and add water to cover the
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beef by 3 to 4 inches. Add 2 of theonions. Place the pot over high heat andbring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover,
and simmer for 1 hour, skimming off anyfoam or fat that rises to the top. Add thechorizo and continue cooking until thebeef is tender and falling off the bone,about 30 minutes more. Using a slottedspoon, transfer the beef and chorizo to abowl and tent with foil to keep warm.
Taste the broth and add water if it’s toostrong and salt, if necessary. Strain thebroth through a fine-mesh strainer andkeep warm.
3. While the beef is cooking, blanch thevegetables: Fill a large pot with water and add the remaining 2 onions and the
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black peppercorns. Bring to a boil overhigh heat.
4. Add the string beans to the broth andcook until tender but al dente, 3 to 5minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to a serving platter. Repeatwith the remaining vegetables, blanchineach type of vegetable separately, andallowing the water to return to a boil
each time: Cook the carrots until tender3 to 5 minutes; cook the cabbage untilsoftened, about 5 minutes; cook theplantains until softened, about 10
minutes; lastly, blanch the potatoes untilsoftened, about 15 minutes.
5. To make the dipping sauce, combine
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the fish sauce and lime juice in a smallserving bowl.
6. Place the eggplant caviar andchopped tomatoes in separate servingbowls. Arrange the beef, chorizo, stringbeans, carrots, cabbage, plantains, andpotatoes on a serving platter, and serve.
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Family Rituals and Traditions
n our home in Manila, my grandmother,anay, introduced us to the Sunday rituaof pochero. One culinary quirk that mygrandmother added to this experience
was dislodging the bone marrow fromhe beef shank onto a plate of hot,
steaming rice and mixing it with mashedbananas (latundan) and rock salt. This
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had to be consumed quickly before themarrow grew cold and congealed. It wahe best part of the meal.
Reggie Aguinaldo, a dear friend andwonderful cook, tells me that her familyradition was to use whatever freshngredients were available in the
markets. “The broth would incorporateall the flavors and nutrition of thengredients, which would be boiled
separately with fideos [thin egg noodlesand served before the main dish. Tomatosofrito and eggplant-garlic sauce wereserved with the dish. As we gathered
around the dining table, each of us wasassigned to cut up the meats andvegetables into bite-size pieces on our
plates. We would then transfer these to a
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arge serving bowl wherein my father would add measured amounts of theomato sofrito and the eggplant-garlic
sauces along with olive oil and balsamivinegar. He would mix everythingogether and spoon portions into bowls
for each of us.”Some versions of pochero
ncorporate the tomato sauce into the powhile boiling the meats. I prefer a
“white pochero” with a simple plainbroth from the meat and the vegetables tstart the meal. And I am not fond of recipes that include ham or bacon
because I prefer to keep the flavor of thebeef unadulterated. In fact, in my re-creation of Nanay’s recipe, I prefer a
milder authentic Spanish chorizo to the
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classic chorizo de Bilbao, which tendso overpower the wonderful delicateflavors of the dish.
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MEMORIES
Summer
Vacations in Iba
This is what my brother, Dr. Emmanue
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esa, who is now a hematologist-
oncologist in Philadelphia, recalls of
he vacations he and my other brothers
Tristan and Vicente, spent with Nanayn Iba.
Summer vacations in Iba wer
unforgettable. Nanay didn’t want any ous to get bored, so she planned activitieand prepared special foods. Mos
mornings were spent at the libraryThere was a makeshift movie theateunder a house along the town squarewith canvas walls and folding chairs. I
here was a nice movie, she would maksure that we would go see it. In thmiddle of the show, Nanay would sendus a snack through the maid, who woul
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sneak in and find us.Then there were picnics. We floated
on the Bangkal River in Botolan on rafts
with a roof made of coconut leaves.Two rafts were tied together withbamboo poles, which allowed us toump into the water and swim safely.
During the mango harvest, we wouldride a carabao-drawn cart to the mangogrove. While the workers went to work
o harvest fruits for us, we ate our picnic. After the meal, people napped ina small nipa hut while we boys wentexploring and hiking. I remember comin
back with a dead owl I found on therail.
The foods I associate with Nanay
were her lumpia with shrimp juice, her
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bagoong, known all over for its quality,he nata de coco and pina, which she
grew in jars, her yemas during
Christmas, her fried frogs (which lookedo me like small humans), and the wild
boar or deer she dried in the sun for apa. The tapa was fried and crushed sohat the crispy fibers separated, and we
ate it with tomatoes, onions, vinegar or suka, and patis manteca sauce.
One day we woke up to find smallurtle eggs with soft shells for breakfast.anay showed us how to tear a portion
of the soft skin and suck the inside of the
eggs. We would also have halabos— steamed fresh shrimp—still jumpingbefore they hit the hot water. One of the
boys would climb a coconut tree in the
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backyard for buko [young coconut] andchop a hole in the husk for the freshuice.
In the backyard, jackfruit, kamias,star apple, coconut, guava, santol,macopa, aratiles, and cashews grew.The cashew has a bright yellow cuplikefruit with a nut sitting on top likened byocal legends to a princess sitting on aellow cushion. The fruit pulp has an
acrid aftertaste, so Nanay would cut itup and cook it in a lot of syrup for dessert. The accumulated nuts were thencooked by burning off their tough shells
directly in a bonfire. We salvaged themfrom the ashes when the fire died downand cleaned them. Duhat [Java plum]
was a berry with one big seed and
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purple flesh, which stained our tongues,eeth, lips, and shirts.
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BEEF (OR VENISON) TAPA
Traditionally raw, marinated strips of
beef or venison are allowed to air-dry inhe sun until they are tough and resemble
beef jerky. Then they are fried and
served with garlic–fried rice and eggs.At the restaurant, we use an electric fano speed up the time needed to dry the
meat—just enough to give it a chewy
exture.Eating venison tapa was one of the
fondest memories my brothers and I havof Nanay’s cooking in Iba. The venisonmeat was marinated with kalamansi limeuice, salt, and a little bit of sugar andhen hung to dry in the kitchen. Once dry
t was pounded with a mallet until thin,
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hen grilled and fried until crisp. Thesecrisp venison flakes were crumbled onfreshly steamed rice and eaten with
scrambled eggs and tomatoes with avinegar dip.
SERVES 4 TO 6
2 pounds flank steak (or venison)
Marinade:
½ cup soy sauce1½ cups Shaoxing [Chinese rice wine]
⅓ cup kalamansi or regular lime juice
1 cup rice vinegar 2 tablespoons minced garlic
¼ cup sugar
Canola oil, for pan-frying
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1. Place the steak in the freezer for abouan hour to firm it up and make slicingeasier. Slice with a sharp knife ¼-inch
thick along the grain.
2. In a large nonreactive bowl, combineall the marinade ingredients. Add themeat and marinate in the refrigerator forat least 1 hour or overnight, turning themeat occasionally.
3. Remove the beef from the marinadeand lay the slices across a wire rack placed over a rimmed baking sheet to
catch the drips. Place under an electricfan for 1 hour to air dry.
4. In a large skillet over medium-high
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heat, warm 2 tablespoons canola oil.Add some of the steak strips and panfryuntil nicely browned, about 3 minutes on
each side. Add more oil to the pan asneeded to fry the remaining steak.
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MEMORIES
The Mangoes of
Zambales
as recounted by Solita Camara-Besa
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The best mangoes came from Candelariand Santa Cruz, the north of Zambalesnear the Pangasinan border. The variet
s called kalabaw, which is not fibrousThe people transporting the mangoedown to Manila would put them on thpontins—sailboats—and when the winwasn’t favorable the mangoes woulalready be ripened by the time they hareached Iba. At the beach they would
announce that there were mangoes osale, and we kids would go there in kalesa [a horse-drawn carriage fopassengers] and a karitela [a carriag
for hauling passengers and freight]. Thnice mangoes would be sold for 2centavos a hundred; the ripe ones—witblack spots—would go for 10 centavo
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a hundred. We would fill up the karitelawith these mangoes, going back and forto get more.
In our house in Iba, Zambales, themangoes that weren’t ripe would go onhe ledge around the house. The mangoe
would be placed with the stems of thefruit facing out. When the mango starts toripen, you see it in that spot, and that’show we chose which ones to eat.
Nanay made the ripe or overripemangoes into a jam. We would start wita whole tacho [copper pot] of sweetpulp and cook it over several hours,
ending up with just a small amount of mango jam so sweet that we didn’t needo add any sugar.
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MANGO TART WITHQUICK PUFF PASTRY
The mango tart was one of the mostpopular desserts we served atCendrillon. It was even featured on the
artha Stewart Living show in 1997.Filipinos love it because it reminds themhat the best mangoes in the world come
from the Philippines. Naturally, the
Visayans will claim that the Guimarasmangoes are the best, but in Luzon,Zambales mangoes, especially the
variety called kalabaw (translated aswater buffalo) are the best because theyare full of sweet, juicy pulp.
SERVES 6
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Quick Puff Pastry:
1½ cups all-purpose flour, plusadditional for rolling
½ teaspoon salt
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter,chilled and cut into pieces
Up to ½ cup ice water
Mangoes:
6 firm but ripe mangoes
Melted unsalted butter, for brushing thetarts
Sugar, sprinkled on the mangoes before
baking and for caramelizing the pastry
Mango Ice Cream (this page), for
serving
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Mango Caramel Sauce (this page), for serving
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fittedwith the paddle attachment, sift togetherthe flour and salt. Add the butter andbeat until very coarse crumbs form(coarser than a typical pie pastry).
2. Drizzle 4 tablespoons of the ice wate
over the mixture and beat until themixture comes together loosely. Squeeza small handful of dough, and if itdoesn’t hold together add more ice
water ½ tablespoon at a time, beatinguntil just incorporated. Don’t overworkthe dough or the pastry will be tough.Gather the dough into a ball, then flatten
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it into a disk. Wrap in plastic andrefrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightlyfloured work surface and, using a lightlyfloured rolling pin, roll out into a ½-inch-thick rectangle that measures about12 by 6 inches. The dough will be fairlycrumbly. Position the dough with theshorter side nearest you. Fold the top
and bottom thirds in toward the center,then fold the dough in half. Turn thedough a quarter turn so the longer end isfacing you. Roll out the dough again to
about the same size you began with.Brush off the excess flour. Repeat thefolding process twice more for a total othree times, then cover with plastic and
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refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
4. On a lightly floured work surface, rol
out the dough ¼-inch thick. Using a plator bowl as a guide, cut out six 5-inchcircles. Using a large spatula, transfer the rounds to one or two parchment-lined baking sheets, and cover withplastic wrap. Chill until firm, at least 30minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 450° F. Peel themangoes and position them flat sidedown. Thinly slice the fruit away from
the pit on the diagonal. Remove the puffpastry rounds from the refrigerator.Working quickly, arrange the mangoslices, starting with the larger slices and
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adding increasingly smaller slices, overthe pastry rounds, fanning the slices inan overlapping circular fashion almost
to the edges.
6. Brush the tarts with melted butter andsprinkle each tart evenly with about ½teaspoon sugar. Bake for 8 to 10minutes, until the pastry is lightlybrowned and firm enough to flip.
Remove from the oven and carefully flipthe tarts with a spatula. Return to theoven and bake for another 8 to 10minutes, until lightly browned and
slightly puffed. Let cool a little, thenprepare to caramelize the tops.
7. Cut the parchment out around each tar
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and slowly pull the surroundingparchment away from the tarts, then pullthe rounds of parchment gently out from
under each tart without lifting the tarts.Sprinkle each tart (keeping them pastry-side up) with about 1 teaspoon sugar.Using a handheld kitchen torch,caramelize the sugar on the top of eachtart (alternately, broil about 6 inchesfrom the heat source, watching carefully
until the sugar is caramelized, 1 to 2minutes). Serve each tart, still mango-side down, topped with mango icecream and Mango Caramel Sauce.
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MANGO CARAMEL SAUCE
This sauce is also delicious on ice
cream, pancakes, or waffles.
MAKES ABOUT 1¼ CUPS
¾ cup sugar ½ cup mango juice
½ vanilla bean, split length-wise, pulpscraped
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
n a small saucepan over medium heatcombine the sugar with ¾ cup waterBring to a simmer and cook until thsugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add
he mango juice and stir unti
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ncorporated. Add the vanilla bean andpulp and simmer for 2 minutes to brinout the flavor. Add the lemon juice
aste, and add more lemon juice ineeded. The sauce should be a pourablconsistency; if it’s too thick, add a littlwater. Remove the vanilla bean beforusing.
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The Wedding of
the CenturyThis is the story of my grandparents’
courtship and their memorable
wedding on November 11, 1911
(11/11/11). The number 11 has always
been considered a number with an
ominous shadow on it, as someunfortunate incidents in my mother’s
amily life happened involving the
number 11. My mother’s brother Dody
died at the age of eleven from aootball accident, and her brother Toto
developed a serious illness, also at the
age of eleven, which luckily he
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survived.
This account is based on an
nterview with my mother, Dr. Solita
Camara-Besa, in late 2003 from her own recollections and stories from her
brother, Dr. Augusto Camara. Uncle
Toto, a renowned cardiologist in the
hilippines, amazingly has compiled
ittle bits and pieces of history from his
atients, some of whom attended the
wedding in Nasugbu, Batangas, as littlchildren.
My grandfather, Lolo Vicente Camara
father of Alejandro, went to a party iManila and met a girl who came fro
asugbu, Batangas. He was impresseby her and he thought that she woul
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make a good wife for his son, Alejandromy father). So when he went home tba, Zambales, he told his son, “I hav
met the girl that you should marry. So wwill go to Nasugbu, Batangas.” Durinhat time, it took two weeks to trave
from Iba to Nasugbu by horseback ankaritela.
When they reached Nasugbu, theywent to a relative of my father,
Gaudencio Medina, known as ManongUding, and explained why they’d come.Manong Uding knew the family and saidhe knew of a more appropriate lady for
him. So Manong Uding took the two of hem to the home of the Olivas to meet
Carmen.
So Tatay met Nanay. I think they
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really clicked. It was not just anarranged marriage. When my father wenback home to Iba, he started a
correspondence with her, which beganhe relationship. Once he had settled for
himself that he wanted to marry Nanay,Tatay went back by himself to Nasugbuo set the date and make the
arrangements for the wedding.For the wedding, Tatay was offered
he use of the Coast Guard cutter to ferryhe guests and food from Zambales andManila to Batangas. It was called theWedding of the Century in Nasugbu.
anay walked with her father from her house to the church on a white cloth thated to the altar. She was not allowed to
step on the ground.
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The ceremony was followed by aweek-long celebration. New guestscame every day. Ramon Mitra, Sr. (a
patient of Toto’s) was a nine-year-oldboy at the time, taken to the festivities byhis father. During the week, heremembers that Lola Enchang, Nanay’smother, complained that the plates werenot being properly washed. So LoloVicente ordered that the plates be used
only once, then thrown away and newsets brought in.The food was prepared by a catering
company in Manila. Gifts for the guests
were ivory-rimmed fans for the ladiesand silver-backed hairbrushes for thegentlemen.
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Clockwise from top left: l Sol Bakery,
rambutan, cooked rice wrapped in
nahaw [palm] leaf, rice being washed
lima beans in two colors and sitao[longbeans].
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Clockwise from left: San Nicolas
cookie mold, tapayan [clay urns for
storing water], suha [pomelo],
cookstove.
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From left: Coconuts, alamang,
winnowing rice, squeezing green
papaya.
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chapter 2
Food That Was
Always OursAdobo, lumpia, and pancit are the
dishes Filipino cooks present to non-Filipinos, but adobo, sinigang, andkinilaw are the three most commondishes I saw prepared in homes
hroughout the Philippines. Adobo,essentially a vinegar-laced stew, isalways ripe for comparison: at therestaurant, Filipinos often ask, “Is your
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adobo better than my mother’s?” And wnever take the bait. Of course, your mother’s adobo is infinitely better—
everyone’s is! Sinigang, a soupy mix of seafood or meat and vegetables souredwith tropical fruits, is humble Filipinocomfort food, considered too plebeian toserve special guests, and, in my opinionoo reliant upon fresh, carefully
balanced ingredients to order in most
restaurants. Kinilaw, an age-old Filipinouse of seafood similar to ceviche,preserves memories of the days whensweet, utterly fresh fruits of the sea were
he most basic, readily available of foods.
These native dishes share a strong
acid component, derived from either
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vinegar or sour fruits, a basic element oFilipino taste. All three recipes areeasily prepared and are eaten at home o
a daily basis, and their accessibility hasgiven rise to countless personalvariations. The more versions of adobo,sinigang, and kinilaw you try, the moreou’ll understand the flavors andechniques of the Philippine kitchen.
Kare kare is another dish that
Filipinos will call their own. Its name isderived from kari, a Tamil wordmeaning sauce. It is a stew made withoxtail or calf’s feet with a sauce
hickened with ground rice or peanuts. Its always eaten with bagoong na
alamang [fermented shrimp paste], a
condiment that we share with other
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Southeast Asian cultures.If these dishes are found in most
kitchens throughout the country, one
staple is found in every kitchen. Rice.Philippine food scholar DoreenFernandez notes in her book Palayok
hat a seventeenth-century Tagalog-Spanish dictionary lists more than 200words related to rice, which indicateshe significant role this grain played in
people’s lives even during pre-Hispanicimes. Just as today, different ricevarieties were grown for differentpurposes: regular white for daily meals,
glutinous and violet rice for kakaninnative desserts], red for making tapuyrice wine], and fancy grains for feasts
and celebrations.
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Making sukang Iloko [sugarcane
vinegar]; burnay [clay urns] for
fermentation.
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Adobo
f you only master one Filipino recipe,make it adobo. Filipinos are as likely toagree that adobo should be consideredhe national dish of the Philippines as
hey’re liable to disagree on every otherpoint about its preparation andenjoyment. The recipe has endlessvariations, each accompanied by a
different set of pamahiin [superstitions].When I would prepare my evening mealafter long workdays, adobo was my bes
friend. A braise flavored with vinegar,salt, and garlic, it’s easy to make andgets better the longer you keep it. Thesepiquant seasonings, which preserved the
dish prerefrigeration, permeate, lending
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he main ingredients a greater depth of flavor.
Chicken, pork, goat, lamb,
vegetables, or seafood can all be cookedadobo. According to Doreen Fernandez,raditionalists insist that adobo be
seasoned with salt, as soy sauce is aater modification attributed to the
pervasive Chinese influence onPhilippine food (see The Chinese
nfluence, this page).In Spain, the word adobo refers to a
condiment of oil, garlic, and marjoram.n Mexico, specifically in Oaxaca,
adobo is a marinade of guajillo chiles,garlic, cider vinegar, thyme, bay leaves,avocado leaves, oregano, black
peppercorns, and canela [Oaxacan soft
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cinnamon], used for grilled meat.onetheless, Ray Sokolov, in his book
Why We Eat What We Eat, asserts that
adobo is truly our own. When theSpaniards came to the Philippines, hesuggests, they ascribed the Spanish nameo this native dish because of its mild
resemblance to their adobo.
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CHICKEN ADOBO
This is the recipe we use at the
restaurant. The coconut milk helps keephe chicken moist and it makes a rich
sauce.
SERVES 4 TO 6
Marinade:
1½ cups rice vinegar
1 cup coconut milk
¼ cup soy sauce
12 garlic cloves, peeled
3 bay leaves3 whole birdseye chiles
1½ teaspoons freshly ground black
pepper
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One 3½-pound whole chicken, quarteredand cut into pieces
1. In a large nonreactive bowl or heavy-duty, resealable plastic bag, combine alof the marinade ingredients. Add thechicken pieces and turn to coat in themarinade. Refrigerate for at least 2hours or overnight.
2. In a large casserole or Dutch oven,heat the chicken and marinade over highheat. Bring to a boil, then reduce theheat and simmer, stirring occasionally to
make sure the chicken is covered in themarinade, until the chicken is cookedthrough and tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Transfer the chicken pieces to a large
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bowl, raise the heat to medium-high, andreduce the sauce until it is theconsistency of heavy cream, about 5
minutes. Remove the bay leaves andchiles. Return the chicken to the sauceand cook until just warmed through.
4. Place the chicken pieces on a roastingpan and place under the broiler for 5 to7 minutes, until they begin to caramelize
Turn the chicken, baste with sauce, andreturn to the broiler for 3 to 5 minutesmore. Transfer to a platter and drizzleheavily with sauce.
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ADOBO FLAKES
Recently my brother Tris mentioned that
he goes to Glenda Barretto’s restaurant,Via Mare, regularly to order the adoboflakes, because they remind him of
anay’s angel hair, which was made
from leftover boiled chicken, finelyshredded, marinated in vinegar, salt or soy sauce, and garlic and then deep-frieuntil crisp. I use leftover chicken adobo
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for my version.
1. Shred leftover chicken breast from th
adobo and marinate in the adobo saucefor 30 minutes. Then squeeze most of thmarinade from the chicken and pat drywith paper towels.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with canolaoil to come ½-inch up the sides of the
pan. Warm over medium-high heat. Addthe shredded chicken and fry, stirring,until crisp and golden brown, about 5minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer
the chicken to paper towels to drain.Serve hot, on Ube Pan de Sal (thispage), if desired.
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MUSHROOM ANDBAMBOO SHOOT RICE
Other wild mushrooms, alone or incombination, can be used in place of theshiitakes. I serve this with Chicken
Adobo.
SERVES 6
3 cups jasmine rice
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3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed,
cleaned, and thinly sliced½ cup canned bamboo shoots, rinsed an
cut into ½-inch pieces
½ teaspoon ground turmeric4½ cups chicken stock or water
1½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1. Rinse the rice well and drain. Pour the oil into a large saucepan and add the
onion and carrot. Cook over medium-
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high heat, stirring often, until softened, 3to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1minute longer. Stir in the mushrooms,
bamboo shoots, and turmeric. Cook,stirring often, until the mushrooms startto give off liquid, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the rice and chicken stock or water. Add the salt and pepper andbring to a boil over high heat. Reduce
the heat to medium-low, cover, andsimmer until the liquid has beenabsorbed, about 15 minutes.
3. Take the pan off the heat and stir lightly with a fork to fluff. Cover againand let stand for 5 minutes. Taste andadjust the seasoning if needed before
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serving.
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BABY-BACK RIBS ADOBO
This adobo is great served with steamed
ellow wax beans sprinkled lightly withrice vinegar. I like to put steaming,freshly cooked rice right into the pan to
catch the adobo sauce. If you have anabundance of apples, chop some up andadd them to the cooking liquid for awonderful flavor. This is even better the
next day, so you might want to doublehe recipe to have some left over.
SERVES 4
1 cup organic apple cider vinegar (preferably aged in wood)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 small bay leaves
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1–2 large jalapeño chiles, to taste
1 side of baby-back ribs (about 2 pounds), cut up into individual or
2-rib portions2 teaspoons rock salt
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons tellicherry peppercorns
Steamed rice, for serving
1. In a small bowl, combine the vinegarsoy sauce, bay leaves, and jalapeño.
2. Arrange the ribs in a baking pan and
season them with the salt. Using amortar and pestle, gently pound thegarlic cloves and peppercorns until they
are combined and coarsely ground. Rub
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the spices into the pork. Pour the vinegamixture over the ribs, turning the meat tocoat evenly with the liquid. Cover the
pan tightly with plastic wrap andrefrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
3. When you’re ready to cook the ribs,transfer the ribs and marinade to a largeheavy saucepan. Bring the mixture to a
boil, then reduce the heat, cover, andcook until the meat is tender and fallingoff the bone, about 1 hour. Transfer theribs to a plate.
4. Increase the heat to high and cook themarinade, uncovered, until it is reducedto a medium-thick sauce, 5 to 10 minute
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more. If the sauce is still thin, simmer for a few more minutes until thickened.Discard the bay leaves and jalapeño.
5. While you’re reducing the sauce,preheat the broiler. Transfer the ribs to broiler pan lined with foil. Pour thesauce over the ribs.
6. Broil the ribs until nicely browned, 3
to 5 minutes on each side.
My Most Perfect Adobo
While compiling adobo recipes for thisbook, I decided to cook one, to see if Istill had what it took to make a goodadobo. I hadn’t made one at home since
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we opened the restaurant ten years ago.Whenever customers in the restaurantask for our chicken adobo recipe, I
challenge them to make their ownversion without giving specificmeasurements. I give people the basicconcepts, emphasizing the use of the besngredients. My theory is that if you free
people from the tyranny of exactmeasurements, they can create their own
perfect adobo. Achieving the ultimatenuances of flavors in an adobo is a verypersonal and subjective experience. It isa search for the balance of vinegar to
salt that will complement the rest of thedish.
Labor Day 2004, one of our rare day
off, I made baby-back ribs adobo. Romy
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and I shopped for the ribs and natural,organic, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. Born and bred in Manila, a city
filled with supermarkets, I grew upeating adobo cooked with importedHeinz apple cider vinegar and I wascraving that particular apple flavor tocounter the pork. We had also gone toget rock salt from the Bay of Bengal,ellicherry black peppercorns, and bay
eaves. As a child I never liked to eat thblack peppercorn pieces and used tospend a lot of time fishing them out of he sauce. However, ever since I
discovered tellicherry pepper, I love thesensation of biting into these coarselyground pieces. The rest of the adobongredients came from our regular
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Saturday morning forays to the Brooklynfarmers’ market.
The recipe given here is what I came
up with. I did not use precisemeasurements and just poured whateveramount I felt would be good for the pot.But this is a close approximation of wha put in. Feel free to improvise and
experiment with the complexities of adobo.
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BEEF SHORTRIBS ADOBO
This thick, rich, dark brown, almost
chocolaty sauce becomes even richer if ou replace half the stock with coconut
milk.
SERVES 4
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 pounds beef short ribs, cut into 4 equa
pieces½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
1½ teaspoons freshly ground black
pepper 2 cups chicken stock or 1 cup chicken
stock plus 1 cup coconut milk
1 cup sherry vinegar or apple cider
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vinegar
½ cup soy sauce
1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
3 bay leaves
3 whole birdseye chiles (optional)
1. In a large saucepan over medium-highheat, warm the oil until very hot but notsmoking. Season the ribs with the saltand ½ teaspoon pepper. Add the ribs tothe pan, in batches if necessary, andbrown well on all sides, about 3 minute
total.
2. Transfer the ribs to a plate, pour off the oil, and return the ribs to the pan.
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3. Add the chicken stock (and coconutmilk, if using), vinegar, soy sauce,garlic, bay leaves, remaining 1 teaspoon
black pepper, and whole chiles, if using
4. Bring the mixture to a boil, thenreduce the heat and simmer, partiallycovered, until the meat is tender andfalling off the bone, about 1 hour and 20minutes, skimming off excess fat as you
cook.
5. Transfer the ribs to a plate, increasethe heat, and reduce the sauce until
thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Discard thebay leaves and chiles. Return the ribs tothe sauce or arrange the ribs on a platterand pour the sauce on top.
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SQUID ADOBO
We encountered squid adobo in the
kitchen of Mama Auyan in Polangui,Albay. This is a simple, fresh, andflavorful dish that cooks quickly—a
great way to prepare squid.SERVES 4 TO 6
3 tablespoons olive oil
5 garlic cloves, sliced1 medium onion, chopped
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cup red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon squid ink (optional)
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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3 bay leaves
2 jalapeño or green chiles, seeded anddiced
3 pounds whole fresh baby squid,cleaned
1. In a large saucepan over medium heawarm the oil. Add the garlic and onionsand sauté until softened, about 5minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for
1 minute.
2. Add the vinegar, squid ink, if using,salt, pepper, bay leaves, and jalapeños.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat andsimmer for 5 minutes. Add the squid,including the tentacles, and bring back t
a simmer. Cover and simmer until the
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squid is tender, about 5 minutes, takingcare not to overcook the squid. Discardthe bay leaves before serving.
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DINAING NATROUT/BANGUS
This is a flavorful, moist, lightly friedfish dish that is quick and easy enough tomake anytime—just allow an hour for
marinating and 10 minutes for air-dryingWe use fresh trout as a substitute for
he classic Filipino Dinaing Na Bangus,butterflied milkfish. Frozen bangus issold in some Chinatowns, and can besubstituted here if you prefer theauthentic fish.
SERVES 4
Marinade:
1 cup rice vinegar
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½ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Four 8- to 12-ounce whole trout, cleane
and butterflied Canola oil, for frying
1. In a large bowl, combine all themarinade ingredients. Transfer the trout
to a large nonreactive baking dish or other container large enough to fit thetrout lying down. Add the marinade,turning the trout to coat evenly. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigeratfor 1 hour (you can also use a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag).
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2. Remove the trout from the marinadeand place the fish on a wire rack to air dry for 10 minutes. Discard the
marinade.
3. While the trout is air-drying, placetwo large skillets over medium-highheat. Pour in enough oil to come about 1inch up the sides of the pans. When theoil is very hot but not smoking, add the
trout and fry until the skin is crisp andthe flesh is cooked through and tender,about 5 minutes per side.
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Give Us This Day Our Daily Bangus
Bangus is the most popular fish among
Filipinos. While I was growing up, mymother coined the prayer “Give us thisday our daily bangus” because werefused to eat our meals unless we had
our pan-fried milkfish.The term dinaing refers to the way
he fish is cut from the back, keeping thebelly together. In the Philippines, bangu
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s plentiful in areas where there arepalaisdaan, or fish farms. Dagupan inCentral Luzon is famous for its bangus
farms. One can get bangus in differentsizes. I remember that the baby bangushat were too small for making dinaing
were stuffed with diced tomatoes,onions, and sliced ginger, wrapped inbanana leaves, grilled, then eaten withgreen mangoes, fresh tomatoes, and
bagoong, along with a dip of kalamansiime juice and chiles.The marinade and flavors for dinaing
na bangus or trout are equivalent to an
adobo except that the fish is pan-friedrather than braised. For some, the bellys the best part of the bangus and some
restaurants offer bangus belly as a
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specialty. I did not care for the belly,preferring instead the crispy tail andhead, so I was a perfect eating
companion for friends and family.
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Vinegar
Vinegar defines adobo. Traditionally thePhilippines produced a wide variety of fruit vinegars ranging in flavor andacidity, but over time commercial
vinegars, which are primarily aceticacid, sprung up on supermarket shelvesand eclipsed the natural, homespunvarieties.
During my more recent travels,however, I’ve encountered someenterprising conservationists who are
championing the revival of vinegar-making. In Manila, locally producedvinegars made from wild guava, duhatJava plum], coconut, sukang Iloko
sugarcane, see this page], bignay
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Chinese laurel], and cashew were beinsold. Sukang Paombong, a vinegar extracted from nipa [a type of palm], is
still the most commonly used nativevinegar in the Philippines. These fruitvinegars define a truly authentic adobo,but due to their scarcity, goodsubstitutions have been found.
Here in the United States, I knowFilipinos who use balsamic vinegar in
heir adobo for the sweetness itprovides, but this strikes me as a poor use of the subtle flavors of good, costlybalsamic. At the restaurant, we use
Japanese rice vinegar, French sherryvinegar, and, when we see it at naturalfood stores or Asian markets, organic
coconut vinegar. Romy has also begun
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nfusing his own vinegars. At home, Iuse organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar for my adobos. When shopping
for vinegar, avoid any containing malt osalt.
Filipino cooks have shared with mevarious superstitious beliefs regardingcooking with vinegar. The most commonfolk wisdom says that when cookingwith vinegar, one must not stir the
vinegar in the pot, as this will awakents harsh aspects and prevent the dishfrom cooking properly. At first I thoughthis advice rather silly and ignored it,
but after encountering this attituderepeatedly, I find myself taking heed.’ve also noticed that the “un-cooked”
aste of raw vinegar is disdained by
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many Filipinos—I suspect this stemsfrom the need to integrate the flavor of vinegar into adobo. In a well-prepared
adobo, the vinegar will have mellowedand blended with the other ingredients,ielding up its harsh sharpness.
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ROMY’S FRUIT VINEGARS
This formula for lightly sweet, subtly
flavored vinegar can be made with otheracidic fruit purees such as mango,ackfruit, peach, or fresh passion fruit
when available.PINEAPPLE OR YELLOW TOMATO
VINEGAR
MAKES 1 QUART
1 cup pureed fresh pineapple (fromabout 2 cups pineapple chunks)
or pureed yellow tomatoes (fromabout 3 medium chopped tomatoes)
3 cups rice vinegar
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Combine the fruit puree with the vinegan a 1-quart jar. Refrigerate overnight
The next day, pour through a fine-mes
strainer set over a bowl. Transfer thvinegar to a container with a tightlfitting lid, and refrigerate until ready tuse. Let rest overnight before using. Thvinegar will keep, sealed in threfrigerator, for up to 2 months.
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Guavas.
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Sinigang
Sourness is at the heart of sinigang, asoupy concoction of indigenous fruits,seafood, meat, or chicken with taro,radish, leeks, onion, celery, tomatoes,
bok choy, or water spinach [kangkong],and chiles. The simplicity of the recipebelies the nuanced balance of flavors inhe finished dish. I love true sinigang,
and always ask at restaurants in thePhilippines how they prepare it, only tobe proudly told that theirs is soured with
an imported, MSG-laden flavor packet.The poor sinigang! This ubiquitouscomfort food doesn’t get the respect itdeserves.
Classic chicken sinigang,
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sinampalukang manok [tamarind souredchicken] calls for green tamarind withts leaves and flowers, and chicken
blood (common when chickens wereslaughtered in one’s backyard). Seafoodsinigang is a simple broth soured with afruit of choice (kamias and kalamansiime are favored), chopped vegetables
and shrimp, bangus [milkfish], pla-platilapia], or lapu-lapu [grouper]. Meat
sinigang, usually beef shank or pork belly, is boiled a day in advance toenderize it. The next day, vegetables
and roots are added and the meat and
broth are soured. Filipinos generallyseason dishes like sinigang with a lighthand, then offer sawsawan [dips], sodiners can add fish sauce, kalamansi
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ime juice, and chiles according to their aste.
Traditional sinigang fruits are hard to
find outside the Philippines, though thecombination of lemon, lime, andomatoes can do the job, too. I grew up
eating kalamansi lime–soured sinigangn Manila, which, I’ve since learned,
previous generations considered ashortcut, inferior to the more traditional
and complex sourness of tamarind (theunripe pod, young leaves, and flowersare all used), kamias, siniguelasSpanish plum], guava, or batuan [a
small very sour green fruit unique toVisayan sinigang]. I fear that people inhe Philippines take these fruits too muc
for granted. If not used for daily meals,
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hey will lose their commercial valueand become scarce—even in the home osinigang!
Remnants of authentic sinigangculture remain. Claude Tayag, an artist-chef who hosted us in Angeles,Pampanga, told me about orderingcorned beef sinigang in a restaurant.Before serving it the waiter brought outa demitasse of the sinigang broth.
“Tikman ninyo ang asim, kung tama na”“see if the sourness is right for you”),he said, and Claude replied, “kaunti pa”“a little more sourness, please”).
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Tinola [Visayan sinigang].
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FISH SINIGANG
Doreen Fernandez considered sinigang
he quintessential Filipino dish becauset makes good use of the sour fruits that
grow in the Philippines. I grew up eating
pork and beef sinigang and was never oo particular about the fish version untiRomy came up with the idea of making adry crust and pan-frying the fish fillets.
SERVES 4
Two 2-pound red snappers, cleaned andcut into 4 fillets (skin-on), head, tail, andbones reserved
Fish Stock:
Heads, tails, and bones from snapper
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1 large carrot, cut into large pieces
3 leeks, green parts only, cut into large pieces
10 fresh tamarind pods or 2 ounces packaged tamarind pulp (notconcentrate) soaked in 1 cup water
5 medium-ripe tomatoes, chopped4 radishes, quartered
1 leek, white part only, sliced
2 ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped1 fresh green or red chile, sliced
¼ cup fish sauce, or to taste
Kalamansi lime or lemon juice, to taste,if needed
Fish:
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
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3 radishes, finely chopped
2 leeks, white parts only, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fine cornmeal
4 tablespoons canola oil
2 bunches baby bok choy, cut into large pieces
1. For the stock, in a large pot over highheat, combine the fish heads, tails, andbones with the carrot, leek greens,tamarind pods or packaged pulp,medium-ripe tomatoes, and 10 cupswater (9 cups if you’re using the
packaged tamarind pulp). Bring to a boiover high heat, then reduce the heat andsimmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.Skim the foam until the stock becomes
clear. Strain. You can prepare the stock
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a day ahead, refrigerate, and reheatbefore serving.
2. Before serving, add the radishes,leek, seeded ripe tomatoes, and chile tothe stock and simmer for 5 minutes toblend the flavors. Add the fish sauce.Taste and add lime juice and more fishsauce if needed.
3. For the fish, preheat the oven to 400°F. Rub ½ tablespoon mustard over theflesh side of each fillet to evenly coat.Combine the chopped leeks and radishe
and press into the mustard in a thinlayer. Sprinkle about ½ teaspooncornmeal over each fillet. Heat 2tablespoons oil in each of two large
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ovenproof skillets over medium-highheat. Pan-fry the fillets, skin side up, forabout 3 minutes, or until lightly
browned. Flip the fillets and place in thoven for about 5 minutes, or until thefillets are cooked through and the crustis lightly browned and crisp.
4. Divide the bok choy among 4 deep,wide serving bowls. Add about 1½ cup
steaming-hot stock (reserving any extrafor later use), and place a fish fillet ontop. Serve with additional fish sauceand lime juice on the side.
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Tamarind pods.
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FE’S SPECIAL PORK SINIGANG
“May I take your picture?” was how myuncle Dr. Victor Villadolid, anophthalmologist, introduced himself to
Fe Rael, a dietitian, in 1952, when hespotted her on the balcony of thePhilippine General Hospital in Manila.
ow married for fifty-one years, Victor
still treasures this photo (right). Fe gaveme this recipe, which is a winter favorite of the Villadolids that has kept
he family warm and healthy during thosong, cold nights they now encounter inew York. Victor’s contribution to the
dish is his encouragement to “cook with
much love and imagination and your dis
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will always taste heavenly!”
SERVES 6
2 tablespoons canola oil2 pounds boneless, country-style pork
ribs, cut into 2½-by-1½-inch piece
5 medium plum tomatoes, cored anddiced (about 2 cups)
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
1-2 jalapeño chiles, halved lengthwiseand seeded (leave seeds in for aspicier version)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon
juice1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium Chinese eggplant, cut into 1-
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inch pieces
1 cup peeled and sliced daikon radish(about ½ medium daikon)
1 bunch broccoli rabe, stems trimmed,flowers and stems cut into 2-inch pieces
Steamed white rice, for serving1 bunch scallions, trimmed and thinly
sliced, for serving
1. Bring a medium pot of water to aboil, then reduce the heat and keep at asteady simmer.
2. In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add thepork, tomatoes, and onion, and sauté
until the pork turns light brown, 5 to 7
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minutes. Stir in the jalapeños, lemonuice, salt, and pepper.
3. Add enough of the simmering water tothe saucepan to cover the pork mixture.Partially cover and simmer until thepork is tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Tasteand adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
4. Stir in the eggplant and daikon and
simmer for 5 minutes, or until thevegetables are slightly softened. Add thbroccoli rabe, cover, and simmer untilthe broccoli rabe, radish, and eggplant
are tender, about 5 minutes. Serve over steamed rice, with the scallions on top.
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Kamias.
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Kinilaw
Kinilaw is a Filipino tradition of mmediacy and locality, a dish preparedand consumed the moment the productsare harvested from the sea. It’s a
philosophy of matching the delicateexture of a raw, just-caught oyster,
clam, shrimp, crab, or tuna with a tartdressing of vinegar, lime, or citrus juice
aking care not to “overcook” the freshcatch, then seasoning with ginger,onions, chiles, or coconut milk.
Kinilaw is probably the oldest knowcooking method used by the earlynhabitants of the Philippines.
Archaeological digs in Butuan City,
Mindanao, have unearthed “edible
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discards” of fishbones and remains of afruit core called tabon-tabon fromhousands of years ago. Today some
regions in the Visayas and Mindanaostill use prehistoric fruits like the tabon-abon and dungon, grating, squeezing,
and soaking the core of the fruit in waterhen cleansing the fish in this fruit water
before combining it with other ngredients, a process some claim make
kinilaw more digestible.The usual technique is to clean theseafood, then rinse it, preferably in freshsea water, to reawaken its flavors. The
seafood is then bathed in a sour dressinghat begins to firm the flesh, turning it
from translucent to opaque. Then it is
eaten, on the spot—letting it stand would
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destroy the supremely fresh texture andflavor and is unthinkable. The kinilawreatment can extend to meat, usually
beef or water buffalo, though these arenot common. The term also embracesdishes like seared pork or grilled squid,which are cooked or half-cooked, thenmarinated in vinegar or lime.
Halaan [clams].
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TUNA AND OYSTER KINILAW
Marinate the raw fish for only a fewminutes to avoid “cooking” it in itscitrus marinade (this is what
differentiates the kinilaw from aceviche, which is purposely “cooked”).This dish must be assembled quickly,ust before serving, to showcase the
freshness of the kinilaw and its contrastwith the icy granita. It’s a perfectsummer aperitif or intermezzo between
courses.SERVES 8
Citrus Marinade:
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Freshly squeezed juice of 2 lemons
Freshly squeezed juice of 2 kalamansilimes or regular limes
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 orange2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon grated or very thinly sliced
ginger 1 fresh green chile, such as jalapeño,
seeded and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt, or to tasteKinilaw:
1½ pounds sashimi-grade tuna, sliced
against the grain ⅛-inch thick 24 Kumamoto, Olympia, or Fisher Islan
oysters
1 recipe Tomato Granita (recipe
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follows), for serving
Garnish:
16 cherry tomatoes, halved4 red radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 oranges, sectioned
2 grapefruits, sectioned32 leaves fresh lemon basil or regular
basil
8 sprigs fresh thyme
4 fresh red chiles, halved lengthwise(optional)
1. Place 8 soup plates or bowls in therefrigerator to chill.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the
marinade ingredients. Place the tuna
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slices in the marinade, toss to coat, andlet sit for 5 minutes.
3. Rinse the oysters in cold water andshuck them: Grip an oyster in a kitchentowel with one hand, and insert the tipof a strong, thin (preferably blunt-tipped) blade slightly into the shell nearthe hinge. Gripping the oyster withouttipping it (you don’t want to spill the
liquid inside), twist the blade to popopen the shell. Slide the blade aroundthe top half of the shell to detach it fromthe oyster (avoid inserting it deeply
enough to cut the oyster). Pull off the topshell, and use a towel to dab away anygrit on the oyster. Cut the adductor muscle, to detach the oyster from the
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shell, and lay it flat to hold as muchliquor as possible.
4. To serve, spread about 2 tablespoonsof the tomato granita in the center of each of the chilled soup plates. Use aslotted spoon to divide the tuna amongthe plates, laying it over the granita. Adthe oysters in their shells to the plates.Divide the tomatoes, radishes, orange
slices, and grapefruit slices evenlyamong the plates (see photo, this page).Scoop about 3 more tablespoons of thetomato granita onto each plate. Garnish
each plate with the basil leaves, thymesprigs, and chile halves, if using. Serveimmediately.
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Oysters.
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TOMATO GRANITA
This is a perfect base for ceviches or
kinilaw during the late summer. Usefreshly harvested, ripe local tomatoes,seeking out various shapes, sizes, and
colors ranging from blood red, paleorange, and yellow to give the granitanteresting colors.
MAKES ABOUT 2 PINTS
3 pounds (about 8 medium) ripetomatoes
1 tablespoon grated fresh horseradish1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
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Sugar, if necessary
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil
over high heat and fill a bowl withwater and ice. Using a paring knife,make a small “X” in the bottom of eachtomatoes. Lower the tomatoes into thewater, two at a time, and blanch until thskin at the bottom of the tomatoes beginto curl, about 30 seconds. Using a
slotted spoon, immediately transfer thetomatoes to the ice water to cool.Repeat until all of the tomatoes havebeen blanched.
2. When cool enough to handle, removethe tomato skins with your hands or aparing knife. Slice the tomatoes in half,
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remove and discard the seeds, and chopthe flesh into chunks. Place the tomatoesin a blender and puree until smooth, then
strain through a medium-mesh strainer set over a bowl.
3. Add the horseradish, lemon juice, andsalt. Taste the tomatoes, and add a littlesugar if necessary. Taste again and addmore salt and lemon juice, if needed.
4. Pour the tomato mixture into ashallow glass or ceramic dish andfreeze for about 3 hours, stirring every
30 minutes to break up the crystals, untislushy but not too icy. If the granitabecomes too solid, you can pulse it in afood processor before serving.
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CHILLED LOBSTER KINILAW
This dish actually uses cooked lobster,so it will appeal to those who don’t likehe typical raw treatment of kinilaw.
SERVES 4
Two 1¼-pound lobsters, steamed, fleshcut into bite-size pieces
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, anddiced
1 cup diced honeydew melon
1 cup diced jicama2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or
basil
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Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons kalamansi lime or regularlime juice
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1 recipe Tomato Granita (at left), for serving
1. In a large serving bowl, combine thelobster meat, cucumber, melon, jicama,
and cilantro.2. To make the vinaigrette, place the oilin a medium bowl. Whisk in the
kalamansi juice, vinegar, and salt and
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pepper.
3. Lightly dress the lobster mixture with
the vinaigrette. Spoon about ½ cup of the tomato granita in each of 4 smalldessert bowls or martini glasses. Topwith the lobster mixture, and garnishwith the remaining granita. Serveimmediately.
Kinilaw Ingredients
Kinilaw is a selection of fresh productssoured and combined in the moment,
specific to the exact moment and place.These vary with the season and region,and the dressing is unique to the person
creating it. Still, the basic “pantry” of
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seafood, souring agents, fruits, andvegetables in the different regions of thePhilippines can be condensed to the
following:
Seafood: oysters, clams, crabs, smalshrimps [suaje], abalone, sea cucumbersquid, and sea urchin
Fish: grouper, milkfish, tanigue
swordfish, pompano, tuna, kingfish, andorade
Vinegars: coconut [tuba] and pal
paombong]
Other souring agents: kalamansi andayap [different species of lime] an
kamias
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Basic ingredients: salt, ginger, chilesonions, shallots, and coconut milk
Fruits: green mango, green papayacucumbers, banana blossoms, greesiniguelas, and starfruit
Vegetables and roots: seaweedswild ferns, jicama, and radish
Other additions: salted duck eggsomatoes, tausi [salted black beans], angarlic
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Heirloom tomatoes, lasona [small
purple onions], scallops.
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Banana hearts.
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MEMORIES
The Kinilaw
Master grew up thinking all raw foods were
dangerous. As a child, I watched myfather down raw oysters doused with howater in great fear that he would comedown with cholera. So the discovery of
his ancient tradition of eating pure andfresh raw seafood was an epiphany for me. I owe gratitude to the wonderfulbook on the topic by food writer Doreen
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Fernandez and Edilberto Alegre. Doreenorganized a food tour of the Philippinesfor Romy and me, culminating in a visit
o the second generation kinilaw master Enting Lobaton.
In 1999, I traveled to Sagay, a townon the northernmost tip of NegrosOccidental. Sagay is a rarity, aminuscule piece of ocean and land freeof commercial trawlers from nearby
owns, which makes it possible to stillsavor a wide variety of kinilaw.Early on that perfect September day
we set out from Old Sagay on a partially
covered pumpboat, heading toward asandbar in Kabingabingahan, the marinereserve of Sagay. Enting Lobaton, a
second-generation kinilaw master, set
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out rows of his red and blue plasticbasins filled with strips of fish. Heprepared the kinilaw, which we ate righ
on the boat.Our first course was taclobo, giant
clam. Lifting its fist-sized meat from thefoot-long, beautifully sculpted shell,Enting split it down the middle, carefullremoving and puncturing its bile sac. Heflavored half of the clam meat with its
own bile, a bitter taste that manyFilipinos savor and yearn for. Our enjoyment of this sensual feast wasdampened when he announced that the
aclobo was near extinction! Next came a profligate amount of
seafood: parrotfish, squid, crab, and
easily a dozen local fish of different
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sizes. Enting reached for vinegarsvariously flavored with lemongrass,garlic, ginger, and chiles, and, the one h
favored most, coconut. Choosing theright dressing for each seafood, heshared some basic rules: for scallops,use kalamansi lime juice, not vinegar,which will make it tough; parrotfish,with its soft, white meat can withstand avinegar marinade; some vinegar
marinades are softened with lime andsugar; and depending on the type of seafood, flavors such as salted black beans, grated green mangoes, and
coconut milk can be used.Every now and then he would dip a
small blue plastic basin over the side of
he boat and scoop up fresh seawater to
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wash the fish in. We moved from oneexture to another, his seasonings and
vinegar preparations deepening with the
flavors of the fish. At the end we werechallenged by a daunting shipworm, amollusk that bores into the side of wooden boats, which was quite crunchyand chewy. Miniature pineapplesbursting with sweetness were a perfectclose to the meal.
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BANANA HEART KINILAW
Fernando “Fern” Aracama is a well-
known chef in Manila (this page). Thiss one of his favorite side dishes at
home. He explains how the banana heart
s treated in his house:The pakla (astringent or bitter)aftertaste of the banana heart is a
fickle issue. Some people find itoverbearing, but most don’t. Our family cook doesn’t thread thehearts (a process that makes the
heart easier to cook and eat).Threading is usually done if theheart is shredded for guinataan[coconut milk–based stews] or
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guinisa dishes [dishes sauteedwith garlic, onions, and tomato].For sinigang or kare kare, it is
usually just cut into eight sections,then soaked in water until it isadded to the pot. Use a stainlesssteel knife, as carbon steel knivesimmediately stain the bananaheart.
You may, indeed, find the bananaheart quite bitter, so we suggestfollowing the method described belowfor removing the bitterness.
SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH
Salt
4 fresh banana hearts (do not use
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canned)
4 shallots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons coconut milk
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime, or totaste
½ hot red chile, thinly sliced
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced, for garnish
1. Fill a bowl with about 6 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt. Swirl todissolve the salt. Peel the outer layers othe banana hearts until you reach the
pale-colored heart. Finely chop thebanana hearts and immediately place inthe water. Massage the pieces with yourhands for about 3 minutes to remove the
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bitter sap. Discard the soapy-lookingliquid that emerges. Drain in a fine-messtrainer, rinse, and repeat the whole
process. Taste a small piece and if thereis any bitterness remaining, wash thebanana hearts again.
2. Fill a large bowl with water and ice.Bring a medium pot of water to a boilover high heat. Add the banana hearts
and blanch very briefly, about 10seconds. Strain through a fine-meshstrainer and place in the ice water for about 1 minute to cool. Drain thoroughly
and pat dry with paper towels, thenplace in a serving bowl. Add theshallots, coconut milk, lime juice, chileand ¼ teaspoon salt, and stir to
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combine. Taste and add more salt or lime juice if needed. If the mixture lookdry, add more coconut milk. Garnish
with the tomato slices and serve.
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Kare Kare
Kare kare is one of those dishes thatFilipinos will claim ownership to.According to Alan Davidson in The
Oxford Companion to Food , the word
kari is a Tamil word meaning spicedsauce. These sauces were stewlikedressings with small quantities of poultry or meat to put on rice. Through
he centuries, the word and dish traveledo Europe, and the Portuguese, Dutch,
and English helped it evolve into the
present term, curry. The original kariwas a soupy dressing flavored with asimple spice such as black pepper. Itwas only later that chiles and other
spices such as cumin, coriander, and
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mustard seeds were added.The Filipino kare kare (the Malay
ove to repeat words) is closer to the
original Malay soupy stew. The sauce isdevoid of seasonings, spices, or chiles,and is thickened with pounded toastedrice and peanuts (though peanut butter isa fine substitute). The kare kare of anolder generation was usually cookedwith pata [calf’s foot], which produced
a gelatinous sauce.The classic condiment that is paired
with kare kare is the bagoong naalamang, fermented shrimp paste, a
condiment we also share with our Southeast Asian neighbors.
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OXTAIL KARE KARE
got this recipe from a good friend, Mil
Manalac, while I was a student stayingwith her in Philadelphia. Mila wasobsessed with cooking, and to this day,
food is still her passion.This version is made with oxtailalong with longbeans, banana heart, andeggplant. Be sure to serve this with
sautéed bagoong na alamang [fermentedshrimp paste]. I like to mix my bagoongwith kalamansi lime juice and a little biof vinegar to soften the salt level.
Note that it is necessary to refrigeratehe oxtail overnight to separate out the
fat (which will be used for cooking).
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SERVES 6
2 pounds oxtail, cut into 2-inch pieces
5 tablespoons oxtail fat or canola oil1 small head garlic, cloves peeled andmashed
2 medium onions, chopped
6 plum tomatoes, quartered
¾ cup peanut butter (or ⅓ cup groundtoasted rice [see Note] and ½ cup
ground dry-roasted unsalted peanuts)
2 teaspoons salt, plus additional if using
banana heart1 small banana heart (optional)
20 longbeans, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 Chinese eggplants, quartered
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lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons achuete seeds, soaked in
¼ cup hot water for 20 minutes andstrained (optional)
Steamed white rice, for serving
Bagoong na alamang [fermented shrimp paste], for serving
1. Wash the oxtails thoroughly and place
them in a large saucepan with water tocover. Place over high heat and bring toa boil, then reduce the heat and simmer
until the oxtails are fork-tender andfalling off the bone, about 90 minutes.Let cool in the cooking liquid, cover thepot, and refrigerate overnight to separat
the fat.
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2. Skim and reserve the fat. Take theoxtails from the broth and reserve thebroth.
3. In a large saucepan over medium heawarm 5 tablespoons of the oxtail fat(make up the quantity with canola oil, ifneeded). Add the garlic and onions andsauté until softened, about 5 minutes.Add the tomatoes and peanut butter, if
using, and cook for 2 minutes, or untilthe tomatoes have softened. Add thereserved broth and cook for 15 minutesto blend the flavors. Add the oxtail and
cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, untilthe broth has reduced partially (do notsimmer off all the liquid).
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4. If using the banana heart, fill a bowlwith about 3 cups water and 1tablespoon salt. Swirl to dissolve the
salt. Peel the outer layers of the bananaheart until you reach the pale-coloredheart. Cut the banana heart into eightsections and immediately place in thewater. Massage the pieces with your hands for about 3 minutes to remove thebitter sap. Discard the soapy-looking
liquid that emerges. Drain in a fine-messtrainer, rinse, and repeat the wholeprocess. Taste a small piece and if thereis any bitterness remaining, wash the
banana heart again.
5. Add the banana heart to the pan andcook for 3 minutes, or until softened.
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Add the longbeans and eggplants, coverand cook until tender, about 10 minutes.Add the ground rice, peanuts, and
achuete water, if using, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the stew is theright consistency—not too thick but nottoo soupy. Serve over rice with thebagoong.
Note: To toast rice, place the rice in
skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirrinconstantly, until lightly browned andaromatic, about 5 minutes. Cool, thefinely grind in a spice mill or foo
processor.
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Grinding rice and peanuts.
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Rice terraces.
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Rice
Rice defines and localizes me. Growingup in Manila and living for severaldecades in New York City, there areimes when I need to figure out who I
am. Every time I reach out for rice, itells me that I am Asian—specifically, I
am Filipino. The reflexive gesturenforms me that the proper seasoning and
flavors of the accompanying dishes canonly be negotiated when eaten with rice
No Filipino can survive without rice
t is the center point of the meal, defininhe final taste of everything consumedwith it. It is not a side dish. We do notike it parboiled, nor do we like it
dressed like a potato with butter or salt.
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We like it properly steamed, not dry, nomushy. And we eat rice at breakfast,unch, merienda, and dinner. Leftover
cooked rice is fried with garlic in themorning, and freshly simmered andsteamed rice accompanies other meals.Filipino cooks turn to rice whenadapting borrowed recipes, as in theground rice that replaces corn inFilipino tamales (this page) and
empanadas (this page).Rice exists in a variety of grain sizesand can range from red and purple tobrown. Rice in the Philippines is
generally classified as regular [bigas] oglutinous [malagkit in Tagalog, pilit inVisayan]. The highest quality rice is
milagrosa, its tiny, moist, delicate grains
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offering a nuanced fragrance and theflavor of fresh grass. Violet-coloredpirurutong (referred to as black rice in
he United States) is ground and steamedn bamboo cylinders for puto bumbong,raditionally a Christmas treat, now
offered year-round by many outlets inManila.
Filipino noodles, or bihon, are madeby extruding a wet rice dough through a
plate with round holes in it, letting thenoodles fall directly into boiling water.The noodles are par-cooked, drained,hen used fresh or dried. Rice is the
basis of native kakanin, the treats servedfor breakfast or merienda (this page). Its ground dry for rice flour, or soaked
and ground with water to make a batter
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called galapong, the basis for puto (thispage) and bibingka (this page). Sincerice flour is gluten free, it gives baked
goods a tender texture.Rice has medicinal uses as well.
Lugao [rice porridge], made with riceboiled with a quantity of lightly saltedwater, is usually given to sick people.Am, the liquid by-product that settles onop when cooking rice, is collected and
given to children, supposedly for its hignutritional value. Rice tea, made bysteeping burnt rice grains, is used toreat upset stomach. I grew up eating and
consuming all of these to facilitate areturn to good health.
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Varieties of rice at market.
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Tutong
Traditionally rice was washed, then
placed in a banana leaf–lined clay potwith water to the depth of the secondine of the middle finger touching the
rice. The covered pot would besimmered over a wood fire until thewater was almost gone, then taken off he heat to let the rice settle at the final,
critical stage, called in-in. This methodwas retained as stainless steel and gasor electric heat were adopted, but manypeople will tell you that even in this
ransition, much of the flavor andromance of rice disappeared.
Now that the rice cooker, with itseven heat, has taken over, another major
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element of rice cookery has been lost:he tutong, the beloved crust that forms ahe bottom of the pan (see Bringhe
recipe, this page). Uro del Rosario, acultural observer from Lucban, Quezon,remembers how his grandfather kept thegrandchildren from fighting over thisreat at the base of the rice pot:
“He would get cold rice and mix itwith a little bit of water, then he would
ake out the big kawali [clay wok] andspread that rice so that you would have whole kawali of tutong. Then thechildren were satisfied.”
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Rice cookers.
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Winnowing rice.
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PINIPIG COOKIES
Pinipig are Philippine rice crispies.
They are immature glutinous rice grainshat are roasted and then pounded. Heren the United States, they can be found
frozen in Asian markets. Pinipig can bedry-toasted in a wok or nonstick saucepan. Sprinkled with sugar, they canbe eaten with milk as breakfast cereal.
Pinipig is a favorite topping for the iceddessert Halo-halo (this page). I put it onmango or purple yam ice cream for asimple dessert. It is also wonderful with
hot chocolate for merienda, a treat that ipopular during Christmas. In thePhilippines, commercial ice cream-
makers sell Pinipig Crunch, the pinipig
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mixed into the chocolate coating for icecream on a stick.
These crisp, buttery cookies were the
first cookies that I baked in thePhilippines as a teenager. It’s a veryeasy recipe to make, and the cookiesmost likely will be eaten as fast as youcan bake them.
MAKES ABOUT 4 DOZEN COOKIES
1½ cups pinipig½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
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¼ teaspoon salt
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F and set
racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Grease 2 baking sheets.
2. Warm a medium skillet over medium
heat. Add the pinipig and toast, stirring,until lightly browned and aromatic,about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to
cool.3. Cream the butter with the sugar untillight and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a
time, and beat until incorporated. Beatin the lemon zest.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the
flour, baking powder, and salt.
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Gradually add the dry ingredients to thewet and stir to combine. Stir in thepinipig.
5. Drop the dough by heaping teaspoonsonto the baking sheets 2 inches apart andpress down with the tines of a fork.Bake the cookies in the upper and lowerthirds of the oven, rotating the pans andswitching the position of the baking
sheets halfway through baking, untillightly browned around the edges, about12 minutes. Let cool on the sheets for acouple of minutes, then transfer to wire
racks to cool completely and bake thesecond batch on the cooled sheets.
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Kutsinta [rice cake]. Old stone rice
grinder.
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Kakanin
Kakanin is a generic term for all nativedesserts, including puto, bibingka, andsuman. The word is derived from theword kanin, which means cooked rice.
Kanin is also related to the term kain,which means to eat. The majority of native desserts are made with rice, butcassava, saba [a cooking banana similar
o the plantain], taro, and sweet potatoare also used in certain regions.Filipinos generally eat kakanin for
merienda, an in-between meal snack,and seldom for dessert after meals. Theyare usually steamed, boiled, or baked inmakeshift ovens with heat on top. The
best way to serve them is with
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muscovado sugar and freshly gratedcoconut. The best time to experience awide selection of kakanin in the
Philippines is during the Christmasseason.
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Suman, cassava bibingka, bibingka.
Far right: Steaming tupig.
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ESPASOL
You can flavor this sticky rice dough
with vanilla or lime (the lime or dayapflavor is the trademark of Bulacan,which is quite famous for espasol). They
are soft, squishy confections formed intoshort logs or triangles. I first tastedespasol in my high school cafeteria inMaryknoll College in Quezon City. I
remember that it only appeared a fewimes and then disappeared. That waswhy I searched for this recipe and madesure I watched the women of Barrio
Maronquillo as they stirred the stickydough in their huge vats to make their espasol.
SERVES 12
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3 cups mochiko (sweet rice flour)
1 cup pinipig
Two 14-ounce cans coconut milk
1¼ cups sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or 1
tablespoon lime juice plus 1teaspoon grated lime zest
½ package (1 cup) unsweetened grated
buko with juice
1. Warm a large skillet over mediumheat. Add the mochiko and toast,
stirring, until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate to cool. Place the pinipig inthe same skillet and toast, stirring, untillightly browned and aromatic. Transfer
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to a separate plate to cool, then grind ina food processor until fine.
2. Sift the mochiko into a large bowl anwhisk in the pinipig. Dust a large bakingsheet with ½ cup of this mixture andreserve another ½ cup for rolling out theespasol.
3. In a large saucepan over medium-high
heat, combine the coconut milk, sugar,and salt and bring to a boil. Lower theheat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirringto dissolve the sugar. Add the vanilla, if
using.
4. Add the mochiko mixture and bukoand cook, stirring continuously, until
very thick and fairly dry, about 5
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minutes. Add the lime juice and zest, if using.
5. Evenly spread the mixture over theprepared baking sheet and flatten andsmooth with a rubber spatula. Let cool,then dust your hands with the remainingflour mixture (the batter is quite sticky)and work the espasol into shapes of youchoice, such as logs, balls, and
triangles. Dust the espasol with theremaining flour mixture to keep themfrom sticking to anything. Serveimmediately or refrigerate for up to 3
days.
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Making espasol in Bulacan.
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Bibingka with salted duck egg.
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Bibingka
We have always translated bibingka asrice cake. While that is how mostFilipinos will use it, it is not quiteaccurate. The majority of bibingkas arendeed made of ground rice and water,
white sugar, baking powder, or yeastand often coconut milk for added luxury
But cassava bibingka, made with grateducca, is another classic, well-loveddessert. The word refers not to rice buto a type of baking that requires very
high heat at the top with low heat at thebottom, which gives bibingkas their characteristic caramelized tops. Sincemost people in the rural areas in the
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Philippines do not have ovens, manyocal bibingka makers form a makeshift
oven. The bibingka is baked in a pan
ined with banana leaf over a low fire,covered with a metal sheet with burningbunot [coconut husk], wood, pili shells,or hot coals heaped on top. This methoddefines the concept of bibingka.
In the restaurant, we use the top rack of a convection oven to bake our
bibingka. The most efficient method I’veseen is that of Glenda Rosales-Barretto.Outside her Oyster Bar restaurant in theGreenbelt section of Makati, Manila, sh
has an oven with several individualdrawers that can bake one bibingka toorder without heating the others. Served
straight from the oven with a square of
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melting butter in the middle and toppedwith grated coconut, nothing cancompare to Glenda’s bibingka and puto
bumbong (this page).Probably the most traditional
bibingka that I have known is the biko,whole grain sweet rice cooked withcoconut milk and anise-flavored sugar,hen topped with a brown sugar and
coconut milk mixture and finished by
baking at high heat to caramelize theopping. It is conjectured that the mostpopular form of bibingka in the Manilaarea, bibingka sa galapong, which is
based on a soaked, ground rice batter,was invented by an enterprising womann Pampanga in the 1940s or 50s.
In the past, markets in the Philippines
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had stone grinders that producedgalapong for bibingka and puto.Unfortunately, these days stone grinders
have been replaced by motorizedgrinders fitted with plastic basins tocatch the galapong.
The galapong is key. Different grindsand different textures with varyingamounts of water determine how thecake will be cooked and how it will
come out. However, the integrity of yourngredients is what really definesbibingka. When I was developing thebibingka for the restaurant, I realized
hat a good bibingka galapong has toaste of delicious rice. After goinghrough batches of different rice, I
settled on Japanese Nishiki short-grain
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rice because its flavor was delicate andts texture bridged that of sticky and
regular rice.
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BIBINGKA
This is the recipe that many of our
customers have been waiting for. Thebibingka’s biggest following is,surprisingly, our Ukrainian and Russian
customers who come regularly on theweekends and order them as appetizers.I experimented with this recipe until
found the rice that suited my taste. I love
ishiki (short-grain rice) for this recipebut other types such as jasmine rice willwork as well. The bibingka shouldamplify the nuanced flavors of rice.Experiment by mixing black rice withhe white rice or changing the flavorings
from sweet to savory. Instead of cheese
and sugar, Romy sometimes makes
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variations using leeks, mushrooms, andbits of pork tocino.
If you don’t have the specified pan
size, line giant or regular muffin tinswith banana leaves and use those,reducing the baking time slightly. Theyare great served this way at cocktailparties.
MAKES FOUR 6-INCH CAKES TO SERVE 4
Galapong (rice batter):1¾ cups short-grain rice
Bibingka:
Softened unsalted butter for the pieshells
Four 6-inch banana leaf rounds to line
the pans
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1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup plus 4 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups galapong
4 eggs, separated
¾ cup coconut milk
¼ cup whole milk
1 salted duck egg, quartered (optional)
½ cup grated Gouda cheese½ cup crumbled feta cheese
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted,
for brushing½ cup freshly grated coconut
1. For the galapong, rinse the rice under
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cold running water, drain, and place in amedium bowl with cold water to cover.Refrigerate overnight. Drain and rinse
again, then drain in a colander for 30minutes. Transfer to a food processor and process until the mixture is finelyground, about 1 minute, scraping thesides of the processor as needed. Workthrough a coarse sieve. Return the solidthat did not go through the sieve to the
food processor and process again, thenwork again through the sieve. Youshould have about 1½ cups galapong.
2. For the bibingka, preheat the oven to450° F. Brush four 6-inch pie or tartshells with softened butter and line withbanana leaf rounds.
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3. Sift together the flour, ¼ cup sugar,baking powder, and salt into a largebowl. Whisk in the galapong and make a
well in the center. With a whisk, beatthe egg yolks, coconut milk, and milk ina separate bowl. Pour into the well andwith a rubber spatula mix slowly untilsmooth.
4. In the clean bowl of an electric mixer
fitted with the whisk attachment, beat thegg whites until stiff but not dry. Foldthe whites into the galapong mixture.
5. Divide the mixture among the linedpans. If you’re using the duck eggs,nestle a quarter into the middle of eachcake. Sprinkle each cake with 2
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tablespoons of the Gouda, followed by tablespoons of the feta, and finally 1teaspoon of the sugar.
6. Set the cakes on the top rack of theoven and bake until firm and set andlightly browned on top, about 20minutes. If the bibingka are set but notbrowned, preheat the broiler and broilthem about 6 inches from the heat
source, watching carefully, until bubblyand lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
7. Brush the bibingka with the melted
butter while still warm. Unmold eachbibingka onto a serving plate. Servewith the grated coconut.
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CASSAVA BIBINGKA
This is the easiest bibingka recipe to
make, and it is simply delicious. Itshould have the consistency of a firmcustard. One variation is to add sliced
ackfruit and a little bit of jackfruit syrupnto the batter. Some people actuallystuff the batter with chunks of cheddar cheese. The best cassava bibingka I hav
ever tasted in the Philippines was theone that Teresing Mendesona’s cook inCebu prepared for us, which usedellow cassava instead of white.
SERVES 10 TO 12
Bibingka:
2 large sections of banana leaf, for the
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pan
3 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
1½ cups sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup grated young coconut
4 cups grated frozen cassava, rinsed andsqueezed dry
2 cups coconut milk
½ cup grated Gouda cheese
Topping:
1 cup dark brown sugar
¼ cup coconut milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, pulpscraped
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1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with a doublelayer of banana leaves.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs andyolks with the sugar until light andlemon-colored. Stir in the butter,coconut, cassava, and coconut milk. Mixwell and pour into the prepared bakingdish. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake
until firm, about 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, for the topping, in a smalsaucepan over medium-low heat,
combine the brown sugar, coconut milk,and vanilla bean pod and pulp. Cook,stirring often, until the sugar hasdissolved, 5 to 7 minutes. Take the pan
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from the heat, cover, and set aside untilready to use. Remove the vanilla podbefore using.
4. Preheat the broiler. Reheat the brownsugar topping briefly if it has hardened,and pour it over the finished bibingka,spreading it evenly with a rubber spatula. Watching carefully, broil 6inches from the heat element, turning the
pan halfway through, until bubbly andcrisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve warm or cold.
The Origin of Bibingka
o one really knows where the bibingka
came from. We do know that there are
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sweet cakes in Goa called bibinca (or bebinca), and the term was also used forsimilar variations of the dessert in other
Portuguese colonies such as Timor andMacau. The Goan dessert is describedas a cake made by baking a batter of rice, sugar, and coconut milk, layer byayer, between spoonfuls of ghee. There
are similarities to the Filipino bibingkan that the heat that cooks it comes from
he top, not the bottom.The Goan layered rice cakeresembles the Indonesian and Malaysiandessert lapis legit or spekkoek, a Dutch
erm which, oddly, means “bacon cake.”The Spanish, Portuguese, and Dutchcolonizers of Southeast Asia were
constantly sending ships back and forth,
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and Manila was a major port for tradeand a melting pot of cultures, goods, andpeople.
My personal theory is that bibingka ihe Philippines is a homegrown product
as rice and coconuts traditionally havebeen the main source of food andivelihood there. Bibingkas and
countless variations of rice cakes arefound everywhere in the Philippines.
The term might have been applied tohese Filipino cakes by Portugueseraders, who noted similarities to the
bibinca of their colonies.
No matter where the term bibingkacomes from, these native cakes are anntegral part of our heritage and one
cannot think of Philippine foodways
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without the bibingka.
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Puto.
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Puto
uto is the term for a class of rice cakesand their cooking method, steaming. Putoare usually round, but can vary greatly insize. Puto is one of the most challengingnative dishes to make—I cringe if weare asked to do it at the restaurant. Thebig round puto (three to four feet in
diameter or bigger), which we found inPila, Laguna, was made with galapongsoaked ground rice], allowed to
naturally ferment overnight and then
mixed with ligia [lye water], wrapped icheesecloth, and steamed. A few minutebefore the cake was fully cooked, gratedcheddar cheese was sprinkled on top.
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Many Filipinos have resorted tomaking puto from a box, but those don’tcompare to the real thing. Even in the
Philippines, good puto is hard to find.First of all, the type of rice used iscritical. But what matters the most inmaking puto is the nuanced proportion orice to water and the precise degree of fineness required for each galapong. Onwoman in Bulakan would look at a
steady mass of galapong coming out of her grinder and sprinkle in a few dropsof water now and then depending on theconsistency she was getting. I had never
seen puto galapong before and noticedhow different it was from the bibingkagalapong, which has more water in it.The puto galapong was finer, like thick
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whipped sour cream. Just looking at theexture told me exactly how that puto
would taste and feel in my mouth.
Good puto must rise and becomefluffy while maintaining its solid riceexture. Leavening methods vary from
natural fermentation to using tubanaturally fermented coconut sap], yeast
or baking powder. I have read accountsof people touting their secret family
“lavadura,” a sourdough starter-likemixture using ground rice (and probablyflour), which is kept alive for years.
The most interesting method I saw
was in Barrio Maronquillo, Bulakan,where Fely de Leon, a relative of our friend Hector Fernandez, would add fiv
or six coconut husks to her galapong.
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She used equal weights of rice andsugar, let the galapong sit overnight, thenadded the cleaned coconut husks and let
t rise again. As soon as it had risen, sheremoved the husks, added bakingpowder, and steamed the puto in four-nch rings lined with stretch cotton
fabric. She sells the slim round cakes sin a batch, beautifully wrapped in veryoung banana leaves.
A major aspect of successful puto-making is the art of steaming. One needso know the batter so well that you can
accurately gauge how long it will take to
steam. Lift the cover prematurely and alhe heat escapes—you may as well start
over. On the other hand, condensation
accumulating under the cover can make
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he puto watery. Some experts prescribesealing the steamer with towels andcheesecloth to maximize the steam and
hen, when the puto is nearly done,ifting the cover to drain the
condensation and covering it again for he finishing touch.
Puto is so difficult to make that evenfamous puto makers almost invariablyshare their recipes, knowing that only
hose who live with their batter andsteamer can do what they do so easily.Most great puto recipes are, indeed,passed from one generation to another.
n Digos, a town outside Davao City inMindanao, Mer’s Food and Delicaciescarries, in my opinion, the most
delicious and authentic white puto one
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can hope to find. The late Mer,Gumercinda Sagolili-Cago, inherited theputo recipe from her mother, Antonina-
Gaviola Sagolili, and her children nowrun the successful company.
Puto varies regionally. The mostfamous Visayan puto is from Manapla,north of Bacolod. Steamed in bananaeaves, it is white, fluffy, soft, and moistn Ilocos Sur, the putong Vigan are
delicate little rice and coconut milk balls that melt in your mouth. In andaround Manila, one can find ube [purpleam] and pandan [screwpine leaf] puto,
compact, buttery muffins of rice heaven.Putong Pulo from Valenzuela, Bulakan,and Puto Binan from Binan, Laguna, are
also famous and craved for by Filipinos
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abroad. Even the Chinese have a versionof puto: lanson, which are white andsweet with an interesting texture, about
an inch and a half high, steamed in bigslabs and brushed with oil to preventhem from sticking. In New York’s
Chinatown, this puto is sold to Filipinosn huge quantities.
During a trip to the Philippines in2005, the main revelations were the puto
bumbong steamed in a bamboo tube andhe cassava puto steamed in a funnelthis page). Puto bumbong is made from
malagkit and a small amount of
pirurutong [black rice]. After soaking,he dough is wrapped in cheesecloth and
put under weights. Then a few
ablespoons are packed into a bamboo
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ube greased with coconut oil, andsteamed. Puto bumbong must be eaten assoon as it is steamed. In Manila, on the
patio outside her Makati Oyster Bar,Glenda Barretto serves the best putobumbong. The hot steaming violet rollsare served with a chunk of soft butter and grated panocha [solid muscovadosugar]. Unfortunately, mostcommercially sold puto bumbong are no
onger authentic, as many have replacedhe pirurutong, an endangered species ofrice, with purple yam flour.
In my readings of K. T. Achaya,
author of Indian Food: A Historical Companion, I discovered the possibilityhat puto may have actually come from
Kerala, India. Even the term is, for all
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purposes, the same— puttu —and hisdescription of a Keralite breakfast of “rice grits and coconut shreds” layered
n a bamboo tube and steamed recallshe puto bumbong method.
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Making puto in Pila, Laguna.
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Pandan [screw pine] puto.
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Suman sa Ibos, wrapped in coconut
leaves.
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Suman
Among the kakanin of the Philippines,he suman most probably predates all
other rice cakes. It is the most primitiveand is prepared the most simply, withouhe soaking, grinding, and leavening use
for bibingka and puto. Suman refers toany cake—of rice, grain, and/or roots—
wrapped in banana or coconut leavesand boiled. Suman are boiled becausehe grains are, for the most part, used
whole rather than ground. The most
popular suman in the Philippines are thesuman sa ibus (ibus means coconuteaves, and these are formed into a tubehat contains the suman) and suman sa
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igia [suman cooked with lye water].It is possible that the suman
originated from the concept of the puso
heart], a triangular weave of leavesused to hold and cook rice so that it waseasily transportable. I was told thatfarmers would tie the puso around their waists to keep the meal convenient ashey worked. Antonio Pigafetta, who
was with Ferdinand Magellan when he
discovered the Philippines in 1521,wrote of their first encounter with foodoffered to them by the natives, whichmost likely included the suman.
Most suman variations contain stickyrice, with the second largest contingentbased on cassava. In Cebu and
Dumaguete, millet is used for the suman
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called budbud kabog. In Irosin,Sorsogon, I learned of a recipe for suman sa kalabasa—squash mixed with
sticky rice.Suman come in countless shapes and
sizes. The most common is the slim,rectangular shape of the suman sa ibus.Forming the coconut leaf into a sumancontainer is a skilled art that only comeswith practice. One deftly separates a
part of the leaf from the midrib. The leafs then wrapped around the rib to form aube, into which the mixture of rice,
coconut milk, salt, and sometimes anise
s poured. The tube is sealed, its endsied to those of other suman in a bunch,
and the packages boiled for at least an
hour and a half.
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I have always associated the sumansa ibus with Iba, because mygrandparents brought us neatly tied
bunches of them as pasalubong [travelgifts] whenever they visited in Manila.At first we ate the suman for breakfastwith mangoes, but if they lingered for afew days, then they would be fried inbutter until they developed a crunchycrust and we would eat them dipped in
ots of sugar.
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Suman sa ligia, wrapped in banana
leaves.
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SUMAN SA LIGIA
love this recipe because I associate it
with my father, Dr. Augusto Besa, anorthopedic surgeon and one of thekindest and most generous doctors in the
Philippines. He set up a clinic in the firsfloor of our home in the Malate districtof Manila, where he saw dozens of patients who regularly implored him to
accept payment in kind. In exchange for fixing broken bones, we constantlyreceived live chickens and all manner onative delicacies. My favorite patient
was Mrs. Bourbon—I would alwaysawait her visit and the delectable sumansa ligia, which she brought without fail.
When we opened Cendrillon, this
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suman was immediately put on our brunch menu. It is a very simple recipe—all it requires is soaking sticky or
glutinous rice, then draining it andmixing it with lye water. The use of lyewater was always something of acuriosity for me. It is available inChinatown stores in bottles, and safetyprecautions should be taken whenhandling it. The rural folk in the
Philippines make lye water by soakingcoal embers and straining the water.Gilda Cordero-Fernando, in her book
hilippine Food and Life, says that one
method was to put the water in a crackedearthen jar, letting it drip through thecrack and catching the lye water underneath the jar.
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MAKES ABOUT 16 SUMAN
2 cups short-grain sticky or glutinous
riceOne 1-pound package banana leaves
2 tablespoons lye water (potassiumcarbonate and sodium bicarbonate
solution)Butter, for serving
Brown sugar, preferably muscovado, fo
servingRipe mangoes, for serving
1. Rinse the rice well, then place in abowl and cover with water. Cover withplastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.The next day, drain the rice.
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2. Mix the rice with the lye thoroughlyand soak for 15 minutes—the rice willturn light yellow. Rinse, drain, and soak
again in fresh water.
3. Clean the banana leaf sections bywiping them on both sides with a damppaper towel. Pass them over a mediumflame on both sides to make them morepliable. Take the banana leaves and cut
out sixteen 10-by-12-inch sections andsixteen 4-by-5-inch sections, removingthe tough rib at the top of each bananaleaf. You may want to cut out a couple
extra in case of breakage. Cut another leaf crosswise into ¼-inch strips to usefor tying the suman—you’ll need to tietwo or three of them together to make
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them long enough to fit around the sumanbundles, so make about 25 strips.(Alternatively you can use kitchen
twine.)
4. Place a large banana leaf sectionhorizontally on your work surface. Placa smaller leaf section centeredhorizontally over the bottom of thelarger leaf. Place 4 tablespoons of rice
in the middle of the smaller leaf, flattenand wrap by folding the leaf away fromyou and rolling, making sure that the ricis snug. Fold the two long ends over and
set down, seam side down. Repeat untilall the rice is used up. Using the bananaleaf strips (or kitchen twine), stack thesuman in pairs, with the folded ends
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facing in toward each other, and tie thesuman together.
5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.Add the suman, cover, reduce the heat,and cook until the rice is so sticky that iholds together, about 90 minutes.
6. The suman can be stored in therefrigerator for up to a week. Steam to
reheat.
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Clockwise from top left: Siniguelas
[Spanish plum], fish at market,marang, kamias, chicharron, sugpo
[prawns], suman, lasonata, talangka
crabs, banana heart, tomatoes,
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balimbing [star fruit].
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Making pancit in Malabon.
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chapter 3
Food That Was
Borrowed andMade Our OwnWhile Filipinos worked and tilled thesoil, the main plot of the colonialpolitical drama was propelled by the
ove-hate relationship between theSpanish and the Chinese. Eventually theFilipinos rebelled and cast off theoppressive yoke of the Spanish masters.
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The processes by which China andSpain flavored Filipino cooking werevastly different. The Chinese came to th
Philippines as traders, looking for wealth and new opportunities, settling amerchants in every town and village,starting from the bottom of the socialadder and working their way up. They
had access to goods from China, andwhen they accumulated enough capital
hey were able to assimilate into everysocial stratum and economic class of thePhilippines. There was no class statusattached to the Chinese food available a
he restaurants, called panciterias, of Chinatown. Everyone, including theSpanish elite who were the targetedclientele of the panciterias, ate Chinese
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food.The term panciteria is a Hispanized
version of the Filipino word pancit
noodle]. In fact, this process of givingessentially Chinese foods Spanish nameo appeal to the Spanish is the genesis o
comidas China—Chinese foodreimagined as Spanish food. Escabechethis page), agri e dulce [sweet and sour
fish], almondigas [pork balls in broth
with soft noodles], camaron rebosadobattered deep-fried shrimp], andmorisqueta tostada [fried rice] are allChinese dishes, most likely renamed by
savvy restaurateurs.The Spanish came to the Philippines
as colonizers. Spanish dishes became
he food of the elite, fiesta food, rich
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with expensive ingredients like oliveoil, chorizo, and ham. Whereas Chinesefood became a part of the Filipino way
of eating, as Ray Sokolov, in his book Why We Eat What We Eat explains,much of the food in the Philippines thatnow carries a Spanish name is simplynative cuisine that the Spanish renamed,while other dishes are Filipinopreparations of ingredients brought by
he galleons from Mexico.In the mid-twentieth century,American influence entered the scene inhe form of a questionable devotion to
convenience foods, a vague mission toncrease the healthfulness of Filipino
food, and a passion for 1950s-era Betty
Crocker–style desserts. At the culinary
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crossroads of Chinese, Spanish, andAmerican foods, the Filipinos took whahey liked and made it their own.
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From top to bottom: Achuete,empanada, tamales, chiffon [angel
food] cake.
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The Chinese-Spanish
ConnectionEarly historical documents show that the
Chinese started coming to thePhilippines around the tenth century,primarily to trade. However, it was notuntil the Spaniards arrived that the
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Chinese came and settled in increasingnumbers. The galleon trade and the lureof Mexican silver brought Chinese junks
o Manila harbor carrying silks, ivorycombs, gold, and jade, which werehighly valued in Europe.
A love-hate relationship between theSpaniards and the Chinese developedhrough the years. With the nativeslanders relegated to farming, the
Chinese became the merchant class,providing goods to the colony. They alsopossessed the craftsmanship skillsneeded to build and fortify Intramuros,
he walled city of Manila. As theChinese community in Manila grew insize and wealth during the sixteenth
century, the Spaniards became
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suspicious of the Chinese and feltvulnerable to rebellion. To maintainheir control, the Spanish authorities
created the Parian (from the Chineseword palien, meaning organization), anarea outside the walls of the Intramuros,and forced the Chinese to live and doheir business there. But the Spanish
were so dependent on Chinese goodsand services that they assigned one gate
n the wall as the Parian gate, throughwhich Chinese merchants could passonce a week to do business with the city
As more Chinese arrived in Manila,
he Parian became overcrowded. Toresolve this problem, the Spanishestablished another community outside
ntramuros called Binondo, where the
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Chinese could resettle. Only thosewilling to convert to Christianity andmarry local Filipino women were
allowed to live in Binondo. Thus a newclass of Chinese-Filipino mestizos grewout of these intermarriages, eventuallypaving the way for Chinese assimilationnto Filipino society.
These attempts at assimilation did noprevent a series of violent conflicts with
he Spanish authorities. With the help ofhe native population, the Spanishmassacred 30,000 Chinese in 1603 and20,000 in 1639. Many Chinese attempte
o shield themselves from further oppression by converting to ChristianityAt baptism, many Chinese assumed the
Spanish or Filipino name of their ninong
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baptismal sponsor or godfather].
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The Chinese Influence
Ask a Filipino to name typical Filipino
dishes and he or she will invariably list
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pancit and lumpia. I encounter dumbfounded looks when I mention thathese are Chinese in origin. Much of
Filipino home cooking traces its roots toChinese ingredients, cooking methods,and seasoning. The influence of theChinese came with the traders whobrought noodles, ducks, duck eggs, soysauce, soybeans, sausages, and other affordable, accessible foods that could
be eaten on a daily basis.Since the sixteenth century, povertyand social upheaval in mainland Chinahave caused a massive influx of
Fujianese and Cantonese into thePhilippines. As Chinese merchants andraders settled throughout the country
establishing small businesses, they
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ntermarried with Filipino women. Itwas a common practice among theChinese who came to the Philippines to
ake a Filipino wife to gain acceptancewithin the community while maintaininga family in China. Today most Filipinoshave Chinese blood in their veins andmost Filipino cooking bears the traces ohis legacy.
Whenever I enter a room where
cigarette smoke and the smell of fryingoil hangs heavy in the air, it brings meback to the panciterias of downtownManila. During the 1950s and 60s,
Ambrose Chiu, my uncle GaudencioBesa’s best friend, was a stockholder and corporate officer of Panciteria
Moderna, which provided my earliest
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exposure to Chinese food and culture.My mother recalls the dishes there,among them nido [bird’s nest] soup,
sweet and sour pork, prawn and hamcoated in batter and fried, steamedapahap [sea bass] fish in white sauce orfried with sweet and sour sauce (similaro escabeche), fried young pigeonsserved with crunchy kropec [shrimp-flavored crackers], fried rice, and
different varieties of Chinese pancit.The influence of Chinese cooking inhe Philippines is primarily Fujianese-
Cantonese. While the stir-fried, noodle-
based Cantonese cuisine is easier torace to its Chinese origins, Fujianesenfluences are more subtle. Fujianese
cuisine is reliant on pork (and pork
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ard), as the area was very poor andmountainous and did not have enoughand to produce vegetable oil.
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Garlic chives.
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Pancit
The word pancit (or pansit ) comes fromhe Hokkien words pian-e-sit , meaningsomething that is conveniently cooked.How this food of convenience came to
mean only noodles is lost in the mix of history. What is more salient is thatFilipinos saw the potential of thenoodle, turning it into dishes made with
ngredients readily available to them.The pancit Malabon, named after afishing port north of Manila, is made
with rice noodles topped with oysters,squid, and mussels. Inland towns tend tofavor pancit luglug, which are ricenoodles with a shrimp juice and ground
pork sauce, garnished with fried garlic,
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fried tofu, hard-boiled egg, crushedchicharron, smoked fish, choppedscallions, and boiled shrimp.
Filipinos use a variety of noodlesmade from egg [Canton], rice [bihon],mung bean [sotanghon], wheat [misua],and whole wheat [miki]. They areusually sautéed with vegetables, as inpancit guisado and pancit bihon.
Panciteria in Manila (left), yellow
noodles (right).
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Pancit luglug.
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Tinapa [smoked, dried fish].
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PANCIT LUGLUG
This is the most universally loved
merienda item for Filipinos wherever hey may be. The term luglug is Tagalog
for immersing anything in water. It
describes the process of cooking the ricnoodles in boiling water in a sieve or strainer, allowing the cook to accuratelygauge whether the noodles are done.
This dish is oftentimes called pancitpalabok, which refers to the shrimpuice–achuete sauce that is spread on top
of the steaming hot noodles before it is
garnished.
SERVES 4 TO 6
Sauce:
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½ pound large shrimp with heads andshells
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, diced4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon achuete seeds soaked in ½cup hot water for 20 minutes anddrained
2 tablespoons sweet potato starch or cornstarch mixed with ¼ cup coldwater
1½ tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepperor to taste
1 pound dry thick tubular rice noodles,
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soaked in warm water for 15 minutes
Garnishes:
½ cup canola oil6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
¾ cup ½-inch pieces firm tofu (about 6
ounces), patted dry12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and cut intowedges
½ cup flaked smoked trout
4 scallions, chopped
Lime or lemon wedges, for serving
Fish sauce, for serving
1. For the shrimp juice, cut the heads of
the shrimp and peel off the shells. Place
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the heads and shells in a food processorwith 1 cup water. Process until theheads and shells have broken down.
Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic,and refrigerate for 1 hour. Strain througha fine-mesh strainer, pressing down onthe solids to remove all the juice. Coverand refrigerate until ready to use.Coarsely chop the shrimp bodies and seaside.
2. To prepare the sauce, warm the oil ina large skillet or wok over medium heatAdd the onions and garlic and sauté for
about 3 minutes, until softened. Add thepork and cook until it turns white, about5 minutes. Add the shrimp juice, achuetwater, and sweet potato starch mixture.
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Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 3minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for 3minutes, or until they turn pink. Add the
fish sauce and black pepper. Taste andadd additional fish sauce and black pepper if needed. Set the sauce asidewhile you prepare the garnishes.
3. To prepare the garnishes, in a smallnonstick skillet over low heat, warm the
oil. Add the garlic slices and cook overlow heat until lightly browned, about 5minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the garlic to a paper towel–lined plate.
Raise the heat to medium-high and addthe tofu squares. Fry for about 5 minutesor until lightly browned and crisp on allsides. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the
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tofu to a paper towel–lined plate. Bringa large saucepan of water to a boil, addthe shrimp, and cook until they turn pink
and are cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of wateto a boil, add the rice noodles, and cookuntil softened, about 5 minutes,depending on the size of the noodles.Drain.
5. To serve, place the noodles in aserving bowl. Briefly reheat the sauceand pour it over the noodles. Arrange
the garnishes on top and serve with thelime wedges and fish sauce on the side.
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Achuete seeds.
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Making sauce for pancit Malabon.
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FRIED GARLIC
This is one of our favorite garnishes, an
we also like to use it as a garnish for oufresh lumpia dishes.
½ cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Heat the oil in a small skillet over lowheat. Add the garlic and fry until nicel
browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slottespoon to transfer the garlic to a papeowel–lined plate. Reserve the oil an
use it in place of your usual oil to adflavor to sautéed dishes and the likeRomy likes to use the oil to baste roassuckling pig.
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PANCIT MALABON
This recipe was given to us by our dear
friend and accomplished cook ReggieAguinaldo.
SERVES 4 TO 6
Sauce:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 small garlic clove, peeled and minced
1½ cups shrimp juice (this page)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon achuete seeds, soaked in ½cup water for 20 minutes
¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
or to taste
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1 tablespoon fish sauce, or to taste
Pancit:
1 pound dry thick tubular rice noodles,soaked in warm water for 15minutes
1 cup chopped fresh pechay or bok choy boiled for 30 seconds and drained
1 cup small shrimp, peeled anddeveined, boiled until light pink
(about 3 minutes)1 cup shucked oysters, gently simmered
with their liquor until their edgescurl, about 3 minutes
1 cup squid, cut into 1-inch pieces andsautéed in 1 tablespoon canola oiluntil firm, 3 to 5 minutes
½ cup flaked smoked tinapa, trout, or
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mackerel
½ cup crushed fried pork rind(chicharron)
3 cloves fried garlic (recipe at left)2 scallions, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped wansoy or cilantro
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced6 kalamansi or other limes, halved and
seeded
¼ cup fish sauce2 tablespoons kalamansi or regular lime
juice
1. For the sauce, in a medium saucepanover medium-high heat, warm the oil.Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until
fragrant, about 1 minute.
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2. In a small bowl, whisk together theshrimp juice and flour until mostlysmooth. Add this mixture to the
saucepan with the garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking, untilslightly thickened and smooth, 3 to 5minutes.
3. Press the achuete seeds in the water until the water turns deep red. Discard
the seeds and add the water to thesaucepan. Cook, stirring, until the sauceis thick enough to coat the back of aspoon, about 5 minutes. Add the salt,
pepper, and fish sauce. Taste and addmore salt, pepper, or fish sauce if needed. The sauce can be made a day inadvance. Store in a tightly sealed
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container and refrigerate until ready touse. Reheat over low heat to serve.
4. For the pancit, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodlesand cook until softened, about 5 minutesdepending on the thickness of thenoodles. Drain and transfer to a largebowl. Pour about a third of the sauceover the noodles. Add about ⅔ cup of
the blanched penchay to the noodles.Reserve a few of the cooked shrimp,oysters, squid, tinapa, and chicharronfor garnish. Add the rest to the noodles
and gently stir. Transfer to a servingplatter and pour the remaining sauceover all. Garnish with the remainingpenchay and the reserved seafood.
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Sprinkle the fried garlic, scallions, andwonsoy on top. Arrange the sliced eggsover the top and place kalamansi halves
around the sides of the platter. Servewith the fish sauce, mixed withkalamansi juice, on the side.
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Making Pancit Malabon.
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MEMORIES
Pancit Memories
asked our friend Danny Maclan to
ive us his memories on his
hometown’s most famous dish:
remember my mom preparing the pancusing a buslo [sieve] with a long handleShe would soak the noodles in col
water, then when visitors arrived, shwould dip the noodles in boiling waterThe boiling time was critical—too lonand the pancit were “malabsa
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overcooked], too short, and “matigaang loob ng pancit” [too hard]. Thwarm pancit noodles were made tast
with chicharron, tinapa [smokemilkfish], squid, sugpo [prawns], boileegg, and talaba [oyster].
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TATA SING’S BAM-I
Mona and Carlos Lu stress that you seek
out the specified brands of noodles if atall possible. Other pancit Cantonnoodles, they say, taste medicinal, and
other mung bean vermicelli tend todisintegrate when stir-fried.
SERVES 8
Noodles:
1 package (250 grams) Longkou brandvermicelli mung bean noodles,
halved lengthwise1 package (8 ounces) Excellent brandPancit Canton noodles
Broth:
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2 whole, bone-in chicken breasts, (abou2 pounds)
2 teaspoons salt
Sahog:
⅓ cup canola oil
4 Chinese sausages, thinly sliceddiagonally
1 large onion, diced
8 garlic cloves, peeled and finely
chopped6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in
warm water for 1 hour, drained,
and thinly sliced3 large carrots, thinly sliced diagonally
1 medium head green cabbage, halved,cored, and sliced crosswise ½-inch
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thick
1 tablespoon salt
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus additionalto taste
1 bunch scallions, sliced
Lemon wedges, for serving
1. Place the vermicelli noodles in a
large bowl and cover with hot water.Let soak for 30 minutes, then drain.
2. Meanwhile, to make the chicken
stock, place the chicken breast in a largepot and add 8 to 10 cups water (justenough to cover the chicken) and 2
teaspoons salt. Bring the liquid to a boil
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over high heat, then reduce the heat andsimmer until the chicken is cookedthrough, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the
chicken to a plate to cool. When thechicken is cool enough to handle, shredinto bite-size pieces and set aside.
3. Strain the broth through a fine-meshstrainer, and return to the pot over lowheat. Continue to keep at a steady
simmer while you cook the sahong.4. Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook,
stirring, for 3 minutes, or until lightlybrowned. Add the onion and garlic andsauté for 2 minutes, until softened.
5. Add the mushrooms, carrots, and ½
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cup chicken broth and cook until thecarrots are softened but still crisp, abou2 minutes.
6. Add the cabbage and cook for 2minutes, until the cabbage has softenedslightly. Add the shredded chicken, saltand ground pepper and cook just towarm through, 3 to 5 minutes. Set thesahog aside. Cover and keep warm.
7. Increase the heat under the broth andbring it to a boil. Add the Pancit Cantonnoodles and cook until tender but al
dente, about 2 minutes. Add the sahogand mix with the noodles. Continuecooking on medium-high until the brothis absorbed by the noodles. Season with
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soy sauce. Gently toss in half of thechopped scallions. Taste and adjust theseasoning, if necessary. Garnish with th
remaining scallions, and serve withlemon wedges.
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Hibe [dried shrimp].
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A Classic Noodle Dish from Cebu
Mona and Carlos Lu, along with their
children, were longtime Cendrillonregulars since we opened in 1995. WhenMona Lu came to the United States fromManila in 1989, her mother, Tata SingResing Luyao Corcuera), followed, as
Mona was expecting her second child athe time. Between Tata Sing and Yaya
Lourdes Ebon), Mona’s trusted nannyand cook, a great collaboration of mindsand cooking talent ensued. Tata Singaught this classic Cebuano noodle dish
o Yaya.Yaya helped raised Mona’s three
children in Connecticut, and has proveno be a wonderful cook. Mona
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discovered that Yaya’s father, MangDemit (short for Demetrio), was afamous cook who was hired from town
o town when fiestas were celebrated inAntique, Panay. These days, Yaya isconstantly requested by Mona’s friendso cook their favorite Filipino dishes,
but Tata Sing’s Bam-i is the dish that hamade her famous. Bam-i is a Visayanderivation of the Hokkien words ba,
which means meat, and mee, noodles.According to Mona, when the children’sfriends visit their home in Greenwich,hey refuse to go home without a baon,
or doggy bag, of leftover Bam-i.
Pancit Bihon
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The recipe for this favorite meriendatem is exactly the same as that for bam-, except that instead of using pancit
Canton noodles and mung beanvermicelli, equal weights of ricenoodles or rice vermicelli [bihon] areused. One of our regular customers,Rose Megur, a Cebuana, says she loveso add hibe or dried shrimp to her bam-iand pancit bihon. Soak the dried shrimp
n water for several hours and sautéhem with garlic, onion, and Chinesesausage.
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Fresh lumpia (recipe, this page ); far
right: Making lumpia wrappers in
Silay.
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Lumpia
Lumpia are spring rolls, either deep-fried or fresh. Deep-fried lumpia filledwith ground pork are called lumpiaShanghai (the pork filling in all
probability generated its Chinesenomenclature). Other versions filledwith a combination of vegetablesusually cabbage, carrots, green beans,
and sometimes bean sprouts) andflavored with pork and shrimp aregenerically called lumpia. Lumpia
Shanghai are served with a sweet andsour dipping sauce, while other lumpiaare dipped in vinegar and minced garlicsometimes spiked with ground black
pepper or chopped chiles.
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Fresh lumpia, or lumpia sariwa, areusually served during fiestas or specialoccasions, as they are more labor-
ntensive to prepare. A good lumpiasariwa must be wrapped with a freshlymade, delicate crêpe made with flour (ocornstarch), water, and eggs (somerecipes call for duck eggs, which makehe wrapper more resilient). The fillings a combination of sautéed vegetables
such as cabbage, carrots, snow peas, or green beans flavored with shrimp, pork pieces, shrimp juice, and fish sauce. Inhe Visayas, fresh lumpia is a luxury
tem filled with ubod, fresh hearts of coconut—an expensive delicacy (seeLumpia Ubod, this page). The traditionasauce for lumpia sariwa is a sweet and
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salty sauce topped with minced freshgarlic and ground peanuts.
Creative cooks have always gone
beyond the traditional fillings andsauces. I have tasted spring rolls filledwith bangus [milkfish], mushrooms, andcrabmeat in Manila cafés and bistros. Aour restaurant, we have served freshumpia filled with lobster, fresh bamboo
shoots, seasonal vegetables from the
green market such as ramps [wild leeks]and fresh mushrooms such as shiitakes,chanterelles, and morels. In place of theraditional soy, vinegar, sugar, and
cornstarch sauce for fresh lumpia, wemake a peanut-lemongrass-garlic sauce.When we serve a seafood lumpia (filled
with shrimp, scallops, crab, or lobster),
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we use a talangka sauce made from thefat of tiny crabs. These miniature crabsare washed, brined, and squeezed for
heir fat.
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Rolling lumpia in Pampanga.
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LUMPIA SHANGHAI
o one can do these as well as Romy’s
brother, Danny Dorotan, who comes tohe restaurant two or three times a weeko help us. Our friend Marc
Rakotomalala was so impressed withhese spring rolls that he came in at 8A.M. one morning to videotape Danny’sechnique. One secret is to remove as
much moisture from the vegetables aspossible by squeezing them with paper owels. The hardest part is rolling themnto perfectly shaped rolls that will not
break open when fried.Just like many of the foreign-inspired
dishes that are a part of the Filipino
repertoire, this spring roll has nothing to
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do with Shanghai. The addition of icama, mushrooms, and bean thread
noodles to the ground pork makes it a
more flavorful and lighter filling.MAKES ABOUT 50 LUMPIA
Filling:4 cups coarsely grated jicama (about 2
small jicama)
1 cup coarsely grated onion (about 2medium onions)
2 medium carrots, coarsely grated
2 pounds ground pork
2 egg yolksHalf of a 250-gram package sotanghon
(bean thread noodles), soaked in
hot water for 30 minutes
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¾ cup tree ear mushrooms, soaked in howater for 1 hour, drained, andfinely sliced
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
About sixty-five 8-inch egg rollwrappers (you’ll need a few extrain case of breakage)
Water or egg whites, to seal thewrappers
Canola oil, for frying
Pineapple Sweet and Sour Sauce (recipfollows)
1. For the filling, squeeze the jicama,
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onions, and carrots with your hands toremove excess water, then pat dry withpaper towels to remove as much
moisture as possible. Combine all thefilling ingredients in a large bowl andtoss well.
2. Cut 14 of the spring roll wrappers inquarters so they form 4 equal rectanglesWrap them in a damp kitchen towel so
they don’t dry out. Place the wholewrappers in a separate damp kitchentowel.
3. Place one whole wrapper in front of you with a corner pointed toward you,like a diamond. Place one of the smallersquares in the middle of the wrapper
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and spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of filling onto the center of the smallsquare. Lifting the corner pointing
toward you, fold the wrapper over thefilling, tucking the end underneath theedge of the smaller square. Fold theright and left sides over the filling. Usea pastry brush to dab the edges of therolls with beaten egg white to seal, thenfinish rolling. Transfer the completed
rolls to the baking sheet and keepcovered with a damp kitchen towel toprevent them from drying out. If you’renot frying the lumpia right away, freeze
them and fry them straight from thefreezer.
4. Fill a wide, heavy saucepan with 4
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inches of oil. Place over medium-highheat and heat until the oil registers 350°F on a cooking thermometer, then fry
about 4 lumpia at a time (don’t crowdthe pan), turning with a slotted spoon,until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.Transfer to a strainer to drain. Serve howith the Pineapple Sweet and Sour Sauce.
Rolling Lumpia
Rolling lumpia is a perfect groupactivity. Whenever our friends ReggieAguinaldo and Stephen Young returnhome to the Philippines, they alwaysook forward to the Chinese-style fresh
umpia that Stephen’s mother, Mercedes
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Dee Young, prepares for the family. Shearranges the fresh lumpia wrappers,sautéed filling, sauce, and garnishes on
he table and lets everyone roll andseason his or her own fresh lumpia roll.
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PINEAPPLE SWEET AND
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SOUR SAUCE
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS
½ medium pineapple, peeled, cored, andminced
½ medium onion, minced (about ⅓ cup)
1 medium carrot, grated (about ½ cup)1 tablespoon minced ginger
½ cup rice vinegar
½ cup pineapple juice1 red birdseye chile, minced
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 4
tablespoons water
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Combine all the ingredients except thcornstarch mixture in a mediusaucepan. Bring to a simmer ove
medium heat and simmer until thpineapple has softened, about 5 minutesSlowly stir in the cornstarch mixtureSimmer, stirring, until the sauce coathe back of a metal spoon, about
minutes. Cool to room temperaturbefore serving. The sauce can be made
day ahead, refrigerated, and brought troom temperature before serving.
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AMY’S SPRING ROLLS
This is one of the most enduring recipes
hat my grandmother Nanay left us. Ioved these spring rolls so much that
when I was in grade school I used to
pack them for lunch. When I came to theUnited States, I reconstructed the recipefrom memory, and it has been on themenus of both our restaurants from the
day they opened.MAKES ABOUT 24 SPRING ROLLS
Filling:
½ pound pork loin, with a little fat
½ small onion
1 celery stalk, cut into 3-inch pieces
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¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ pound large, whole shrimp, unshelled
6 tablespoons canola oil
One 8-ounce package firm tofu, pressed(see Note)
½ cup finely chopped onion4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ cup shredded green cabbage
½ cup julienned carrot½ cup trimmed and julienned string
beans
1 teaspoon fish sauce½ cup julienned jicama
Assembly:
About thirty (8-inch) square spring roll
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wrappers
2 large egg yolks, beaten
Canola oil, for frying
Dipping Sauce:
1 cup rice vinegar
2–3 minced garlic cloves1–2 thinly sliced fresh chiles, to taste
1. The day before you want to assemble
the spring rolls, make the filling: In amedium saucepan over high heat, bring cups of water to a boil. Add the pork,
onion half, celery, ½ teaspoon salt, and½ teaspoon black pepper. Simmer untilthe pork is just cooked through, about 20minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate and
let cool. Pour the broth through a
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strainer set over a bowl and reserve theliquid. When the pork has cooledcompletely, slice it into cubes.
2. Cut the heads off the shrimp and peeloff the shells. Place the heads and shellsin a food processor with ½ cup water.Process until the heads and shells havebroken down. Transfer to a bowl andcover with plastic. Refrigerate for 1
hour. Strain through a fine-mesh strainerpressing down on the solids to removeall the juice. Cover and refrigerate untilready to use. Devein and julienne the
shrimp bodies and set aside.
3. Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in adeep skillet or wok over medium-high
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heat. Add the pork and cook, stirringoften, until browned and crisp, about 5minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer
the pork to a paper towel–lined plate todrain.
4. Heat the oil in which you cooked thepork over medium-high heat, add theblock of tofu, and sear until all sides arelightly browned and crisp, 2 to 3
minutes per side. Drain the tofu and patdry with paper towels. Let cool, thenslice the tofu into small cubes. Wipe theskillet with paper towels.
5. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oilin the skillet or wok over medium-highheat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté
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until slightly softened, about 2 minutes.Add the cabbage, carrot, and stringbeans, and sauté until slightly softened,
about 2 minutes. Season with theremaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼teaspoon pepper.
6. Pour in the reserved shrimp juice andpork broth and bring to a simmer. Addthe fish sauce, pork, shrimp, tofu, and
icama. Cook about 3 more minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked through.Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary, and transfer to a bowl to
cool. The filling will be very moist.
7. Once the filling has cooled, transfer ito a container and refrigerate for at leas
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1 hour or overnight.
8. The next day, to assemble the spring
rolls, remove the filling from therefrigerator and drain the mixturethrough a fine-mesh strainer, pressing onthe solids to remove as much moistureas possible.
9. Place all of the spring roll wrappers
on a baking sheet and cover with a dampdish towel to prevent drying as youwork. Transfer a stack of 6 wrappers toa clean work surface, and cut into equal
quarters, making 24 squares. Return thesquares to the baking sheet and cover with the towel.
10. Place one whole wrapper in front of
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you with a corner pointed toward you,like a diamond. Place one of the smallersquares in the middle of the wrapper
and put 3 tablespoons of filling onto thecenter of the small square. Lifting thecorner pointing toward you, fold thewrapper over the filling, tucking the endunderneath the edge of the smaller square. Fold the right and left sides ovethe filling. Use a pastry brush to dab the
edges of the rolls with beaten egg yolk to seal, then finish rolling. Transfer thecompleted spring rolls to the bakingsheet and keep covered.
11. Fill a wide sauté pan over medium-high heat with at least 1 inch of oil andheat until hot but not smoking. The oil
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should register 365° F on a cookingthermometer. (If you don’t have a fryingor candy thermometer, sprinkle a few
drops of water into the oil. When thewater has sizzled away, the oil isready.)
12. Fry the rolls in batches, to avoidovercrowding the pan. Cook, turningonce, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes
per side. Transfer the rolls to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Fry all thebatches, letting the oil come back up totemperature between batches.
13. In a bowl, combine the vinegar,garlic, and chiles and serve this dippingsauce with the hot rolls.
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Note: To press the excess moisture fromhe tofu, place it between two inverte
plates, put a heavy can on top, and le
drain for 15 to 20 minutes, then pat dry.
Tofu.
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Amy’s spring rolls.
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Shredded vegetables for lumpia filling
Fresh Shrimp Juice
Shrimp juice and diced shrimp were in
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almost every vegetable dish I ate as achild in Manila. Fresh shrimp are easiero get on the islands than here in the
United States. I remember the shock of once again tasting freshly caught suahesmall shrimp] in Iba, Zambales, that
were stir-fried alive and jumping in thecarajay. They were so sweet—the trueflavor of shrimp, so unlike the taste of chlorine that is used to preserve frozen
shrimp in the United States. Shrimp juics the most delicious flavoring agent for Philippine-style sautéed vegetables.Even the most bland squashes like patol
or bottleneck gourds become delicious ishrimp juice is added to them whilecooking.
There are several ways of extracting
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shrimp juice. The traditional way is tomash the shrimp heads and tails in a bigmortar and pestle and then soak them
briefly in lukewarm water beforestraining and extracting the liquid.Others mash them and then boil theshells and heads very briefly in a smallamount of water and strain the liquid. Ocourse, you could extract the juice in afood processor, as we describe in
Amy’s Spring Rolls recipe.If you have access to very freshshrimps with heads on, I wouldrecommend that you make a big batch of
shrimp juice and freeze it in smallportions for future use.
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Crispy pata [pork knuckle] and lechon
kawali [pork belly].
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The Pig
ext to fish, the pig is the most importanand accessible source of food for Filipinos. It is not unusual in cities andowns outside Manila to find beef in the
markets only once a week, but pork isalways available as fresh meat or aspork preparations such as longanizasausages], tocino [cured pork], lechon
roast pork], and chicharroncracklings]. Culinary influences from
Spain and China (both prodigious pork
eaters) and the absence of any religiousaboos on food (the Filipinos arepredominantly Christian) have madepork an indispensable ingredient in the
Filipino diet.
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As children, my brothers and I lovedall the extremities of the pig. Whenever echon is served, I look for the crunchy,
oasted parts, usually the skin, ears, andails. Brandishing a tail and chewing onhe skin is my trophy after an exciting
afternoon of watching a pig turn on thespit.
The lechon is the inspiration for manypork dishes. When roasting a whole pig
what does one do with all the parts thatno one eats during the feast? Sisig is adish of the pork cheeks, snout, and ears.They are chopped up using two cleavers
chopping with both hands in a rhythmicfashion, then deep fried and sprinkledwith lemon juice, vinegar, and chopped
chiles. Tokwa’t baboy [bean curd and
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pork] is made with cut-up pieces of boiled pork ears and fried tofumarinated in vinegar, soy sauce, rice
wine, chopped red onions, and chiles.My favorite pork dish is crispy pata.
Deep-fried pig trotters became the ragen the 1960s in the Philippines. Therotters are first boiled in salted water,hen air-dried for several hours (or
days), before being deep-fried to
perfection. The joy of eating this isbreaking all the knuckles apart to savor every bit of skin and cartilage dipped ina vinegar and soy sauce dip. Lechon
Kawali (this page), deep-fried pork belly, is made similarly and is equallypopular among Filipinos.
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Drying chicharron [pork rinds].
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MEMORIES
Lechon.
Lechon Stories
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t was in Sagay, a small coastal town onhe northern tip of the island of Negros
Occidental in the Visayas, in 1999,
where I would say without anyqualification that I had the best lechon Ihad ever tasted. Hosted by the Maranonfamily (the mayor of Sagay and theGovernor of Negros were bothMaranons then) and my cousin LynBesa-Gamboa, we boarded a pumpboat
o taste a lechon by “Enting Lobaton,”he Master Lechonero of Bacolod andSilay.
We broke out with wild cheers as we
approached the waving advance teamsent by Enting to transform an emptysandbar into a full-blown picnic area.
When we arrived, people crowded
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around the lechon scene—a steel drumcut lengthwise packed with carefullyplaced coal embers and a five-month-
old native pig about forty pounds on aong, slender bamboo spit rotating on
metal stands.A master lechonero! At first the
concept seemed ludicrous to me. But thestories that came to me convinced mehat people with such skills and
knowledge are few and quite revered byheir followers.On my last trip back home, I went to
Cebu for its lechon. There I would meet
a private master lechonero who cookshis lechon only for his family andfriends. My hosts, the Escaño and
Unchuan families, arranged for me to
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aste Richie Unchuan’s special lechon.Richie, who learned much from hispaternal grandmother’s lechonero in
Camiguin Island off northern Mindanao,old me that the secret to a good lechons the wood fire and the management of he heat. Coal is integrated with the
wood and the pig is never put on top of he fire.
The techniques of lechon are often
contradictory and differ greatly amongts practitioners—from seasoning,prepping the pig, and the stuffing, towhere the fire should be placed and how
he heat is managed. While Richie’s fires built to surround the pig, Enting likeso use hot coals directly under the pig.
Richie bathes the pig with anisado
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anise-flavored gin], while Entingeaves the skin alone.
Exactly four years after the Sagay
echon, we asked Enting to re-create thaechon in my cousin Lyn’s garden in
Silay. Enting worked fast, rotating thepig over the hot coals in the drum. Entinikes to use local native pigs. The
mystique of the native pig led myphotographer, Neal Oshima, to do some
of his own research on pig sourcing oncwe returned to Manila. It seems that awife of a very famous Philippinearchitect is a master lechonera herself
and researches the pedigree of thepiglets that she buys from specific pigfarms in Marinduque, an island province
west of Luzon. Once she hits pay dirt,
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she makes sure that she corners all of hat sow’s progeny.
What I learned was that everyone’s
methods work. Every lechon we tastedwas outstanding and finely nuanced in itbasting flavors and stuffing. Even theroast suckling pig that Rosebud Salabought for us from a company that shipsroast pigs all over the country was crispnicely salted, and moist.
On that extraordinary day on thesandbar off Sagay many years ago, Iremember that I was a laggard in thecrush to grab the first spoils of the
echon. I inched my way inside thecrowd, more out of curiosity to see whahe stuffing looked like than to get a bite
nside the pig were dozens of neatly
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bundled lemongrass stalks, the famousrademark of the Visayan lechon.
I broke off a piece of the skin and
meat near the leg. I took my bite. Therewas none of that off-putting distinct tasteof pork, but instead a sweet, moist meatwith a hint of lemon oil that was quitenew to me. The skin was crisp andsalted enough to taste of salt, but not toomuch. There was hardly any fat on the
skin or meat, and yet it was utterlyflavorful and tender. The piece was soogone, and so was most of the pig.
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LECHON KAWALI
This is one dish that most Filipinos
cannot resist and is often the subject of Filipino food cravings. It requiresboiling, air-drying, and proper frying if
ou want the skin to be crisp. Thelocano version of lechon kawali isbagnet, which looks like a giantchicharron. The skin of the pork belly is
not only crisp, but is fried to puff up likechicharron.The steps of this recipe need to be
spread out over three days, so planaccordingly.
SERVES 4
4 pieces bone-in pork belly with skin,
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about 1 pound each
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons salt
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 head garlic, cloves separated, peeled,and halved crosswise
1 large onion, quartered½ cup rice vinegar, or as needed to coat
the pork belly Canola oil, for frying
1. Rub the pork with 2 tablespoons of the salt, wrap tightly in plastic wrap,and refrigerate overnight.
2. The next day, rinse the pork, andplace it in a large covered pot or Dutchoven with cold water to cover by 2
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inches. Bring to a boil over high heat,skimming off any foam that rises to thetop. Add the remaining salt, bay leaves,
peppercorns, garlic, and onion. Reducethe heat to medium and simmer,covered, until the meat is tender andalmost falling off the bone, 45 minutes t1 hour, adding additional boiling water to keep the meat covered if necessary.
3. While simmering the pork, preheat thoven to 400° F. Using tongs, transfer thepork to a roasting pan fitted with a wirerack, pat the pork dry with paper towels
and brush on both sides with thevinegar. Transfer to the oven and roastfor 20 to 30 minutes to dry, turning oncewith tongs. Remove from oven and keep
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in a cool place to dry for another 4hours.
4. Wipe the pork dry with paper towelsFill a large pot or wok with about 4inches of oil, enough to submerge thepork belly pieces. Using a fryingthermometer, bring the oil to 360° Fover medium-high heat. Add the pork and fry until the skin is blistered and
crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using tongs,transfer the pork belly to paper towelsto drain. Pull the meat from the bone andcut into 2-inch slices. Serve warm.
Variation
For Crispy Pata (Deep-Fried Pigs’
Trotters), the process is the same:
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Use four 6-inch trotters. The trottersneed to be boiled a bit longer on thestovetop—1½ to 2 hours, depending on
he size. The roasting and frying are thesame.
Tanglad [lemongrass].
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Chicharron.
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A variety of beans.
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MONGO GUISADO
The traditional way of cooking mongo
guisado is to flavor it with pork piecesor dried fish. There is also a Visayanvariation called tinonoang mongo [mung
beans cooked with coconut milk]. For me, this is the perfect way to use upeftover lechon kawali. Vegetarians can
skip the pork, replacing the fat with
canola oil, and still come up with awonderful comfort food to pair withheir other main courses.
SERVES 4 TO 6
1 cup dried mung beans
1½ cups water
1 teaspoon salt
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¼ pound pork belly, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, peeled and mashed
1 medium onion, diced2 medium plum tomatoes, chopped
(optional)
1 tablespoon bagoong or fish sauce, or to taste
2 cups spinach or chile leaves
(available frozen in Asian markets)1. Place the mung beans, 1½ cups waterand salt in a medium saucepan over
medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, thenreduce the heat and simmer for 30 to 40minutes, or until the mung beans split. Athis point you can mash the mung beans
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if desired.
2. Place the pork belly pieces in a large
skillet and add ½ cup water. Place overmedium-high heat and cook until thewater evaporates and the fat is rendered7 to 10 minutes.
3. Fry the pork pieces in the fat untilbrowned on all sides, about 5 minutes.
Remove the pork with a slotted spoonand drain on paper towels.
4. Reduce the heat to medium, add the
garlic and onion to the remaining fat inthe skillet and sauté until softened, abou5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 1 minute, until softened. Add the
mung beans and cook for another 10
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minutes, or until the mung beans begin tobreak down.
5. Return the pork pieces to the mixture,add the bagoong, and cook for 5 minutesto blend the flavors. Add the spinach orchile leaves, cover, and cook untilwilted, about 2 minutes. Taste and addmore salt or bagoong, if needed.
Food Pairing
The Chinese brought mung beans to thePhilippines and primarily use it as a
sweet filling for the Chinese round cakeenclosed in flaky dough called hopia.The Filipinos eat it as an iced dessert
called mongo con hielo [mung beans
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with shaved ice, milk, and sugar], avariation of Halo-halo (this page).Although technically mung beans are a
egume rather than a vegetable, this dishwas served at home as a vegetable disho complement meat and fish dishes.
I encountered mongo guisado in manynterviews with Filipinos, who talked
about the concept of food pairing whenhey put a meal together. In the Tagalog
region, including Manila and provincessurrounding it, the term was terno-terno
match-match] and in the Visayas, thelonggo term for it is sampat na
agkaon [complementariness in eating].Among the dishes mentioned as a perfecfood pair for the mongo dish were
adobo, paksiw na isda [fish poached in
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vinegar], and grilled or fried pork chop.
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PORK TOCINO
We use a combination of salt, sugar, and
powdered achuete to cure our tocino.This is a big brunch favorite—we servet with garlic-fried rice, eggs, and
grilled plantains.SERVES 6
3 pounds pork butt, frozen for 1 hour to
firm up and sliced ¼-inch thick
Spice Rub
½ cup salt
¼ cup sugar 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
One ⅓-ounce bag (4 teaspoons) annatto
powder
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12 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more asneeded
1. To make the spice rub, combine thesalt, sugar, pepper, and annatto powder in a medium bowl. Sprinkle about 1teaspoon of the spice rub over bothsides of each pork slice. Press 2 or 3garlic cloves into the top of each slice.
2. Stack the slices in a large storagecontainer, cover, and refrigerateovernight.
3. Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add some of the porkslices and pan-fry for 2 to 3 minutes on
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each side, until nicely browned andcrisp; remove to a serving platter.Continue to fry the remaining pork
slices, adding more oil to the skillet asneeded. Alternatively you can grill thepork slices for 2 to 3 minutes on eachside.
The Burong Baboy of Tarlac
went home to my father’s hometown,Tarlac, Tarlac, in Central Luzon, to huntfor the burong baboy of my youth. Theburong baboy is the Kapangpanganversion of the tocino—cured andfermented pork slices that are eaten for breakfast with fried rice and eggs
tosilog, short for tocino, sinangag at
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tlog]. Burong baboy differs from tocinon that in place of thin pork slices, it is
made with huge slabs of butterflied
pieces of pork belly with a cross sectionof skin, fat, meat, and bone. The pork isayered with a cooked rice and salt
mixture in a nonreactive container andallowed to ferment for several days to aweek depending upon people’spreferences. To cook, the burong baboy
s first simmered in water to render itsfat and then sugar is added to producecaramelized pork with hints of sourness
However, I discovered that the
burong baboy was not made in TarlacCity, but in Concepcion, another town inTarlac. What was locally made in
Tarlac was the tocino.
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My cousin Isabel Besa-Moralesbrought me to the public market to visitBeth Buan, who has been making tocino
for twenty years now. She told me thatalthough a lot of people buy the pork freshly marinated, true Kapampangansike to age it for three days. She uses
pork butt and chops because she sayspork belly is hardly available anymore—the lechon kawali and chicharron
business most likely has cornered themarket in pork belly.
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Making tocino in Tarlac.
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Burong isda [rice-fermented fish] (left)
and burong baboy [rice-fermented
pork].
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The Spanish-
MexicanConnection
The Spanish food that was brought to thePhilippines beginning in the late 1500swas a Mediterranean melting pot, a
fusion of indigenous European food andsubstantial culinary influences from theArabs and Sephardic Jews. The Arabswere responsible for bringing important
crops to Europe and cultivating them.Many of these still carry their Arabicnames: sugar [azucar/al-sukkar], saffron
zafaran/al-zafran], rice [arroz/al-ruzz],
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and many citrus fruits and vegetables,ncluding lemon [limon/laymun], orangenaranja/naranj], and spinach [espinaca
sbanikh]. Spain brought its passion for pork (chorizo and ham) to Manila via thgalleon trade (in order to ferret out Jewsduring the Spanish Inquisition, theCatholic Church mandated the use andconsumption of pork and pork products)
Filipinos acquired a taste for olive
oil, tomatoes, eggplant, garbanzos, hardboiled eggs, sweet red peppers, paprikaand saffron—all evidence of Spanishnfluences. These dishes and ingredients
were transplanted into Philippinesociety without much of the subtext of heir origins. Initially these foods were
brought in to satisfy the culinary
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demands of expatriate Spaniardsgovernment officials, soldiers, and
priests). As these ingredients were
assimilated by a growing class of mestizos, they became an emblem of colonial power, signaling Eurocentricsuperiority. Filipinos adapted them to acuisine that stood for elite, fiesta farebased on expensive ingredients beyondhe reach of others.
Spanish dishes are recognizable throughheir names and method of preparation.Rellenos are anything that canconceivably be stuffed: poultry (chicken
urkey, quail), seafood (fish, squid), andvegetables (eggplant, bell peppers).Tomato-based dishes that are fried firstand simmered in tomato sauce are called
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afritada ( frito means to fry). Morconbeef flank] and embutido [ground pork]
are stuffed rolled meat simmered in
omato sauce. Chorizos and hams areused to add robust flavor to soups andstews and as stuffing for chickens andurkeys.
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Left: Making tamales, Angeles,
Pampanga. Right: Tocino del cielo,
Arayat, Pampanga.
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Tamales, San Fernando, Pampanga.
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Chiles, potatoes.
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The Galleon Trade
Looking beyond the festive Spanishdishes on the Philippine table, theculinary experience of the Philippinesbears a more significant impact from the
flavors of Mexico. The Philippines wasa distant colony and Spain relied on itsgovernment bureaucracy in Mexico torule the islands (it is often claimed that
“the Philippines was a colony of acolony”).
The galleon trade from 1565 to 1815
between Manila and Acapulco broughtabout an exchange between people,goods, and food. Pilipino, the nationalanguage of the Philippines, is primarily
based on Tagalog. Tagalog words that
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are traced back to Nahuatl (Aztec)origins include nanay [mother], tatay
father], tamales, calabaza, camote
sweet potato], sili [chile], chocolate,singkamas [jicama], tiangui or tiyangg
market], and tocayo [namesake].Among the many fruits, vegetables, androot crops that came to the Philippinesfrom Mexico are tomatoes, potatoes,cassava, corn, peanuts, bell peppers,
chiles, pineapple, papaya, guava,kaimito, avocados, jicama, chayote,cacao, guyabano, chico, and achuete. Inreturn, the Philippines sent mangoes,
amarind, rice, and tuba [coconut toddyor wine] to Mexico. One finds tuba anduba vinegar [coconut vinegar]
mentioned in Mexican cookbooks today
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Many common Filipino dishes, suchas the adobado [marinated in vinegar and spices], asado [vinegar and
omatoes], and estofado [sugar andvinegar stews] arrived via Mexico.While the Mexican terms refer to genericooking methods— adobado refers tomeats marinated in spices, asado meansgrilled, and estofado includes allmanner of stews—the words have been
applied to specific Filipino dishes baseon these methods.
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Guyabano [soursop], turrones decasuy.
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APRITADA
The root word of apritada (or afritada
n Spanish) is fritada, which meansfried. This dish, redolent with the flavorof tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil, can be
made with pork, beef, or chicken. Theessence of the dish is browned meat or poultry simmered in tomatoes, finishedwith fried or oven-roasted potatoes and
onions. You can use pork belly, spareribs, or pork chops here, or for a beef version, short ribs, but I find pork neck bones impart the best flavor to the dish
and are the most fun to eat. Guajillochiles, sold in stores with a Mexicanclientele, give the sauce a mild smoky
flavor. Like most Filipino stew dishes,
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his is excellent eaten the next day.
SERVES 4 TO 6
4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut intoeighths
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt3 large white onions, peeled and cut into
eighths
3 pounds pork neck bones or spare ribs2 heads of garlic, cloves peeled andlightly smashed
15 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded andquartered
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fish sauce, or to taste
1 whole fresh chile, such as jalapeño
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2 whole dried guajillo chiles (optional)
2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut intolarge rectangular pieces
½ cup pitted Spanish olives (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. In a bowl
toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt.Spread in a single layer on a rimmedbaking sheet and roast in the lower third
of the oven, tossing occasionally, untilwell browned all over, about 45minutes.
2. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the remaining cup of oil. Brown the onions in the oil, stirring
occasionally so that the onion layers
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separate and evenly brown (adjust theheat as necessary to avoid over-darkening), 10 to 12 minutes. Use a
slotted spoon to transfer the onions to astrainer set over a bowl and ilet drain.
3. Clean and pat dry the pork neck boneor ribs. Pour any accumulated oil fromthe onions back into the pan and warmover medium-high heat. Working in
batches, and adding a little more oil tothe pan if necessary, brown the pork bones on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the browned pork to a
plate.
4. Reduce the heat to medium, add thegarlic, and sauté until lightly colored,
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about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes andsimmer for about 5 minutes to break them down. Season with salt and peppe
to taste.
5. Add the browned pork, fish sauce,fresh chiles, and dried chiles, if using,and bring to a boil. Lower the heat andsimmer, covered, basting the pork regularly with the tomato sauce until it i
cooked, about 45 minutes.7. Once the meat is tender, add the bellpeppers and cook until the peppers have
begun to soften but retain some crunch,about 10 minutes. Taste the tomato saucand season with additional fish sauceand ground black pepper if necessary.
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8. Just before serving, stir in the onionspotatoes, and olives, if using, and heatuntil warmed through. Remove the
chiles before serving.
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Plum tomatoes.
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MENUDO
had always thought the term menudo to
mean small diced things because themenudo I grew up with was a dish withpork, liver, and potatoes all uniformly
diced. The name actually comes from aMexican stew that uses tripe and whitehominy. Romy reconstructed this dishfrom memory several years ago and he
served it as a sauce to go with longanizapork sausage) on one of our Mother’sDay menus. It is meant to be a maincourse, but, as we discovered, it can
serve as a side dish or a food pairingwith other dishes. This recipe useschicken stock with tomatoes as a base
for the sauce, which we prefer to the
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standard tomato puree.
SERVES 4
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil½ large onion, finely chopped (about 1
cup)
3 garlic cloves, chopped2 large tomatoes, seeded and cut into ¼-
inch cubes
½ pound pork loin, cut into ¼-inch cube1½ cups chicken stock
1 large potato, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into ¼-inchcubes
½ pound calf’s liver, cut into ¼-inch
cubes
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1½ teaspoons salt or 1 tablespoon fishsauce, or more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
or more to taste
1. In a large saucepan over medium heawarm the oil. Add the onion and garlicand sauté for about 5 minutes, until theonion is translucent. Add the tomatoesand cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the
cubed pork and cook until it turns whiteabout 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock,increase the heat to high, and bring to aboil.
2. Add the potato and red bell pepper.Bring the mixture back to a boil, thenreduce the heat and simmer, uncovered,
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until the potatoes have softened, 6 to 8minutes.
3. Add the liver and cook until itdarkens in color and is cooked through,about 2 minutes. Season with the salt orfish sauce and pepper to taste.
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Menudo.
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Empanadas from Silay.
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Empanadas of the
PhilippinesEmpanadas are delicate turnovers thatare a great favorite among Filipinos for
merienda. The most common filling isground beef sautéed with onions, peas,raisins, and potatoes. The filling isencased in crust and deep-fried or baked. Fillings vary: My cousin BettyAnn Besa-Quirino remembers fondly heAuntie Tacing’s chicken empanada mad
of diced chicken, potatoes, and cream omushroom soup filling and a flaky crust.There are quite a few very interesting
regional variations of the empanada. In
Silay, Negros Occidental, I found the
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panara, a vegetarian-inspired version ofhe empanada filled with sautéed green
papaya, squash, or newly sprouted mung
beans. The authentic panara crust ismade with corn flour [masa harina] andhas a grittier texture. It is mixed withachuete water, which gives it an orangehue. But the more popular empanada inSilay is the empanada developed byEmma Lacson and now sold by her
daughter, Nora “Baby” Lacson. Thisempanada has trademark ridges on theouter crust called hojaldre. The filling imade with ground pork, potatoes,
onions, garbanzos, and raisins; the crusts brushed with beaten egg to give it
some color before deep-frying.
Vigan, Ilocos Sur, is famous for
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empanadas that are quite different frommost I had previously tasted. The doughs made with ground rice flour and
cooked on the stove. The result issimilar to a crunchy taco shell, whicheads me to believe that this was a direcnfluence of Mexico. The Plaza in the
center of Vigan is filled with empanadavendors and lines of hungry peoplewaiting their turn. The special Vigan
empanada filling is made with sautéedgreen papaya and Vigan sausage. Beforehe dough is sealed and deep-fried, the
vendor drops a raw egg onto the filling.
The hot, steaming packet is handed toou straight from the huge wok of boilin
oil. This is dipped in sukang IlokoIlocano native sugarcane vinegar] to
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cool it down. It is worth the long drivefrom Manila.
Bonito Singson, who also hosted us
n Vigan, told me he was drawn into thentricacies of empanada-making at ageen. He would always see Nana Sayong,
an old, stooped woman, pass by their house carrying her big pestle, withwhich the ground rice for the crust had tbe pounded in a huge mortar. This
produced gritty rice flour, which wouldbe mixed with boiling water to make astiff dough for the crust. It was toughwork for an old woman, so Bonito
would help pound the rice.
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Vigan empanadas.
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BEEF AND CHORIZOEMPANADITAS
These miniature empanadas makeperfect appetizers or hors d’oeuvres forcocktail parties. Using this basic recipe
ou can, in place of ground beef, usediced chicken, duck, goose, shrimp,crab, or lobster. For vegetarians,combine the sautéed potatoes with slice
green papaya, bean sprouts, andmushrooms. Make sure that the filling isproperly drained before wrapping it in
he dough.Most empanadas found in thePhilippines are deep-fried. These arebaked, using a rich pastry that provides
ender, flaky crust. You can freeze some
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or all of the unbaked empanaditas beforebrushing with the egg wash. Brush withegg wash just before baking and add
about 10 minutes to the baking time if using frozen empanaditas.
MAKES ABOUT 40 EMPANADITAS
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
⅓ pound black trumpet or shiitakemushrooms, diced small
1 small onion, diced small1 medium carrot, diced small
1 pound ground beef
1 cup peeled and diced sweet potato(about ½ small)
¾ cup peeled and diced russet potato
(about 1 small)
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3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine
1 tablespoon rice vinegar, or to taste
1 large Spanish chorizo, diced small
3 tablespoons raisins
⅓ cup fresh or frozen green peas
Salt, to taste (optional)
All-purpose flour, for rolling
3 recipes Rich Pie Pastry, divided into 4
equal pieces, each flattened into adisc and wrapped in plastic wrap(see opposite)
40 fresh basil leaves (optional)4 egg whites, whisked, for sealing
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten, for brushing
¼ cup whole milk, for brushing
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1. Preheat the oven to 375° F and set 2racks on the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
2. To make the filling, in a large sautépan over medium heat, warm the oil.Add the mushrooms, onion, and carrot,and sauté until the vegetables havesoftened, about 5 minutes.
3. Raise the heat to medium-high, addthe ground beef, and cook, breaking upwith a fork, until the meat starts tobrown, about 5 minutes. Add the sweet
potato, russet potato, soy sauce, ricewine, and rice vinegar. Reduce the heatto medium, cover, and cook until thepotatoes have softened, about 15
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minutes. Add the chorizo and raisins andsimmer until most of the liquid hasevaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in the
green peas and heat just to cook throughabout 3 minutes. Taste and add morevinegar and salt if necessary.
4. To assemble the empanaditas, remov1 disc of the Rich Pie Pastry from therefrigerator. On a lightly floured surface
with a lightly floured rolling pin, rollout the dough to about ⅛-inch thick.Using a 4-inch round cookie cutter, cutthe dough into circles, saving the scraps
to reroll at the end.
5. Using a spatula or your fingers,transfer the dough rounds to an
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ungreased baking sheet, setting therounds 1 inch apart. (Alternatively, thedough can be rolled out and cut into
rounds, then wrapped tightly in plasticwrap and refrigerated up to 1 dayahead.)
6. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of thefilling into the center of each doughround and top with a basil leaf, if using.
With a pastry brush, lightly dab theedges of the circle with the egg white.Fold the dough in half into a half moon,enclosing the filling. Crimp the folded
edges decoratively with the tines of afork, if desired, or gently press theedges together with your fingers to seal.Repeat this process, taking one disk of
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dough from the refrigerator at a time,and arranging the filled empanadas on 2baking sheets, until all of the dough has
been used, and the scraps have beenrerolled.
7. In a small bowl, whisk together theegg yolks and milk. Brush the tops of each empanadita with the egg wash.Bake the empanaditas on the upper and
lower thirds of the oven, switching theposition of the sheets from top to bottomand back to front halfway throughbaking, until they are golden brown,
about 25 minutes. Let cool slightlybefore serving warm or at roomtemperature.
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RICH PIE PASTRY
MAKES ENOUGH FOR ONE SINGLE CRUST PI
OR ONE 10-INCH TART MOLD
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cuinto small pieces
1 large egg, beaten Ice water, as needed
1. Sift the flour and salt into a largebowl. Cut the butter into the flour usingyour fingertips or a pastry blender (or
pulse in a food processor) until thetexture resembles coarse meal withvisible bits of butter. Stir the egg intothe flour mixture and stir or pulse until
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incorporated. Pinch off a small handfulof dough; if it doesn’t hold together, addice water ½ tablespoon at a time,
stirring or pulsing after each addition.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightlyfloured work surface and pat into a diskabout ½-inch thick. Wrap the disk inplastic wrap and refrigerate until firm,at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
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QUAIL RELLENO
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n the Philippines, quail is known asugo, which was traditionally cooked a
an adobo. This tiny bird has almost
disappeared from the culinary lexicon oFilipino cooks. We wanted to revisit theversatility of this bird, and came up withhis recipe. You can also try making this
with snipes, the tiny rice-field birds of Pampanga.
SERVES 6
Filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced1 small carrot, diced
¾ pound ground pork
1 small chorizo, diced
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¼ pound calf’s liver, minced
1 cup diced water chestnuts
1 large egg
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Quail:
12 whole quails, deboned
Salt and freshly ground black pepper 12 quail eggs, boiled for 2 minutes,drained, and peeled
6 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed
1 head garlic cloves, unpeeled
½ cup melted unsalted butter or olive oi
Garlic Sauce (recipe follows, optional)
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1. For the filling, in a large saucepanover medium heat, warm the oil. Addthe onion and carrot and sauté until
softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to alarge bowl and let cool. When themixture has cooled, add the pork,chorizo, liver, water chestnuts, egg,cornstarch, and salt and pepper. Usingclean hands, mix well until thoroughlycombined.
2. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Seasoneach quail with salt and pepper andplace on a work surface breast side up.
Close the neck opening of each quail byinserting a toothpick under the wingsand through the top of the body cavity.Stuff each quail with about ¼ cup of the
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filling, nestling 1 quail egg in the centerTie the legs.
3. In a large saucepan over medium-highheat, warm 2 tablespoons of the oil. Ad4 of the quail and sear until lightlybrowned on all sides, about 5 minutes.Transfer to a large roasting pan. Repeatwith the remaining quail, in two morebatches, adding more oil to the pan as
needed.4. Scatter the garlic cloves around thequail. Brush with the melted butter or
oil. Roast, turning once, until the quailare nicely browned on both sides andthe internal temperature of the fillingreaches 165° F, about 25 minutes. Serve
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garnished with the roasted garlic clovesor use the garlic cloves to make a sauce
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GARLIC SAUCE
2 cups chicken stock
Roasted garlic cloves from the quail1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon lime juice, or to taste
Salt, to tasteFreshly ground black pepper, to taste
While the quail roasting pan is hot, poun the chicken stock and stir and scrapup the browned juices from the panTransfer the liquid to a medium skillet
Squeeze out the roasted garlic and add the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat
stirring to incorporate the garlic, untihe liquid is reduced by a third, about
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minutes. Stir in the butter and lime juicand season with salt and pepper. Servwarm.
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ESCABECHE
Today’s escabeche is a fried fish dish
with a sweet and sour sauce that is moreChinese than Spanish. This recipe for fried mackerel in a sweet and sour sauce
s adapted from Glenda Rosales-Barretto’s book Flavors of the
hilippines, and is called TanguigueEscabeche [Mackerel in Garlic-
Turmeric Sauce]. If whole sea bass or snapper are unavailable, an equal weighof mackerel steaks can be substituted.Score both sides of the whole fish
before dredging in flour and deep frying
SERVES 4
Sauce:
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One 1-inch piece fresh turmeric, peeledand finely chopped (optional)
¼ cup canola oil, plus additional for
frying3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cored and julienned1 green bell pepper, cored and julienned
One 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and
julienned1 cup fish stock or water
¼ cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar Fish:
One 4-pound whole sea bass or snapper
or four ½-pound tanguigue
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[mackerel] steaks
All-purpose flour, for dredging
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons freshly squeezedkalamansi lime juice or lemon juic
1. Using a mortar and pestle, pulverizethe turmeric, then add a few drops of water and press to extract the juice.Pour the juice through cheesecloth or afine-mesh strainer into another bowl.
2. In a large saucepan over medium heawarm the oil. Add the garlic, and cook,stirring, until lightly browned and crispabout 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon,
transfer the garlic to a paper towel–
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lined plate to drain.
3. Add the onion, bell peppers, and
ginger to the pan, and sauté untilsoftened, about 3 minutes. Add the stockor water, turmeric juice, vinegar, andsugar. Increase the heat and bring to aboil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5minutes, then taste and adjust theseasoning if necessary. Return the garlic
to the pan, stir to combine, and keep thesauce warm.
4. While the sauce simmers, prepare the
fish: Mound flour in a large, shallowbowl. Season the fish with salt andpepper, and sprinkle the fish with thekalamansi juice. Dredge the fish in the
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flour, turning to coat evenly, thentransfer the fish to a plate.
5. Fill a large sauté pan with enough oilto come halfway up the sides of the fishPlace the pan over medium-high heat.When the oil is very hot, but notsmoking, add the fish and fry until crispon the outside and cooked through(about 10 minutes per inch of thickness)
6. Transfer the fish to a serving plate,pour the sauce over, and serve.
The Origins of Escabeche
The word escabeche is the Spanishword for ceviche. In the Philippines, it
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originally meant pickled fish. The 1919cookbook Aklat ng Pagluluto (literally“book for cooking”), which documented
preserved, and translated into Tagaloghe European-influenced dishes in the
Philippines, describes the method for preparing escabeche de pescado. Awhole fish is soaked in hot oil, thencooled; it is then topped off withvinegar, bay leaves, oregano, salt, and
water. In 1941, a compilation of recipesfrom Cebu and other parts of the countrycalled Our Favorite Recipes included arecipe for fish that was first fried, then
marinated for several days, and servedcold.
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The American Influence:
Transformationsn the early half of the twentieth century,
nutritionists and dieticians became the
authority on what Americans shouldconsume to be healthy and fit. Themanufacturing of processed food becam
part of this campaign and made thepromotion, exportation, and distributionof American taste and culture throughouhe world much easier. The Philippines
became an American colony in 1901,and for the next forty-five years, theAmericans eagerly remade their onlycolony in their image. When it came to
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he Philippine diet, the Americans hadmuch goodwill to share. They wereworried about the poor nutrition that the
saw in the Filipino meal of rice and fishand sought dietary improvements byntroducing Filipinos to dairy products,
canned meats, vegetables, and fruitsfrom the United States.
The Philippine government took anactive role in changing the diet of the
Filipinos. Cooking classes in the publicschool system taught young girls andwomen how to cook American dishes.The Bureau of Education “Bulletin on
Housekeeping and Household: A Manuafor Girls in the Elementary Grade in thePhilippine Islands” listed recipes
prepared in a 1912 cooking class,
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ncluding biscuits, candies, doughnuts,fried chicken, muffins, ice cream, hotcakes, puddings, and pound cakes.
ronically, most of the recipes taughtwould not qualify as nutritious today.There were a few attempts to integrateocal ingredients in recipes such as
banana fritters, goat stew, guyabanodesserts, rice cakes, and preservedfruits.
The pervasive influence of Americanfood and culture on the Philippinesaffected all classes of Filipinos. TheAmerican canned product is oftentimes
more valued than fresh fruits, fish, andmeats from the local markets. Spam,corned beef, Vienna sausage, canned
peaches, fruit cocktail, and Nestlé’s
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cream appear in many recipes for everyday food, and they hover above oubetter senses as comfort food.
As a teenager, I will never forget thehumbling generosity of a family whooffered us shelter from a storm while wewere vacationing on one of the beachesof northern Luzon. The family was verypoor and lived in a nipa hut. As weclimbed into the small space and sat on
he floor, they put before us onedeliciously steamed pompano. Pompanowas rarely available in Manila marketsat the time and was often expensive. As
ooked with wonder at the miracle mealplaced before us, they profuselyapologized that they had no canned
goods to offer us.
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Cooking Demonstrations
Televised cooking shows in the 1950s
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were a perfect medium for foodmanufacturers to promote their productsCompanies including Nestlé and Knorr
were joined by Manila Gas (which washen owned by Americans) to sponsor hese shows, featuring recognized
personalities. Mrs. Virginia GonzalezMrs. Virginia Perez at the time) was
recruited by Nora Daza (famous cook,author, and restaurateur) to run the show
n the 1960s. She developed hundreds orecipes using products like powdered,evaporated, and condensed milk,bouillon cubes, and powdered coffee. A
generation of Filipinos watched theseshows avidly, learning how to cook froTV personalities in place of thegrandmothers, mothers, and nannies who
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had traditionally handed down familyrecipes.
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ANGKA (JACKFRUIT)DELIGHT CHIFFON CAKE
This cake was adapted from a recipebelonging to a Mrs. Flora C. Moran thatwas one of the finalists in the 1960
anila Chronicle CookingDemonstrations’ White King chiffoncake contest.
MAKES ONE 10-INCH TUBE CAKE
2¼ cups cake flour
1½ cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt
½ cup canola oil
6 large eggs, separated
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½ teaspoon lemon extract
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
angka Frosting (recipe follows)
1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.
2. Sift the flour, 1 cup of the sugar, thebaking powder, and salt into a largebowl.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together theoil, egg yolks, ¾ cup water, lemonextract, and lemon zest. Add the dryingredients and beat until well blended,about 2 minutes.
4. In the clean bowl of an electric mixer
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fitted with the whisk attachment, beat thegg whites with the cream of tartar untilsoft peaks are formed. Gradually add th
remaining ½ cup sugar and continuebeating until stiff peaks are formed.Gently fold the egg whites into the batteand pour the batter into an ungreased 10inch tube pan.
5. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the
top springs back when lightly pressedand a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Invert the pan byinserting a thin-necked bottle through the
hole in the tube. Let cool completely.
6. Run a knife around the outside edgeand around the tube, turn the pan upside
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down, and tap it a few times to releasethe cake onto a plate. Frost the cake witthe Nangka Frosting.
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ANGKA FROSTING
MAKES 1 CUP
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter,softened
6 tablespoons nangka juice (see Note)1 teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch of salt
Place all the frosting ingredients in thbowl of an electric mixer fitted with thwhisk attachment. Beat on medium speeo a smooth, spreadable consistency.
ote: Nangka juice is the liquiextracted from jackfruit pulp. To makour own, puree a can of jackfruit i
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syrup and strain through a fine-messtrainer. Add water to thin out the juice.
The Chiffon: An Imported Classic
Cake
The best-loved desserts in thePhilippines were traditionally derivedfrom Spanish and French classics: flan,brazo, tocino del cielo, yemas, and sans
rival (a local version of the Frenchdacquoise). But with the influx of U.S.products, advertising, and massnformation at the start of the twentieth
century, American cakes—in particular,he chiffon cake—became the dessert
Filipino matrons used to demonstrate
heir baking prowess. In place of the
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dense, rich European cakes, the light,airy American cakes and breads becamehe standard by which baked products
were judged. Today, chiffon cakes arestill baked in Filipino homes and aresold in mass quantities at bakeries allover the country.
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Banana vendor.
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BANANA CREAM PIE
Banana cream pie was my favorite
dessert whenever we would visit CampJohn Hay in Baguio, the summer capitalof the Philippines, about 150 miles north
of Manila. Eating at the main clubroomoverlooking the golf course was one of summer’s promises that I alwaysreasured. The thought of eating
“American” banana cream pie was just dream come true.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
½ recipe Basic Pie Pastry (recipefollows)
8 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
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¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2½ cups whole milk
1¼ cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon vanilla extract2 ripe bananas, sliced
1. For the crust, roll the dough out on alightly floured work surface into a 13-inch circle that measures about ⅛-inchthick. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan,
pressing the pastry into the sides andbottom of the pan and trimming, rollingunder, and fluting the edges. Cover withplastic wrap and refrigerate for at least
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1 hour or overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Using a
kitchen fork, randomly prick the bottomof the pastry. Line the pie shell withenough parchment paper to cover thebottom of the pan and come up the sidesFill the bottom of the pan with pieweights or dried beans to prevent thepastry from puffing during baking.
3. Place the pie shell in the oven andbake until set and lightly brownedaround the edges, about 15 minutes,
removing the parchment paper andweights about 3 minutes before thepastry is baked to ensure that it is evenlybrowned. Let cool completely on a wire
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rack.
4. To make the pastry cream, place the
egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a largeheatproof bowl and whisk until wellblended. Whisk in the cornstarch.
5. In a heavy-bottomed mediumsaucepan over medium-high heat, scaldthe milk, then slowly whisk it into the
egg-yolk mixture until smooth.6. Return the mixture to the pot and cookover medium-low heat, whisking
constantly, until it starts to bubble in thecenter, about 3 minutes. Take the pan ofthe heat and whisk in ¼ cup of the heavycream, the butter, and 2 teaspoons of the
vanilla.
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7. Slice the bananas over the bottom of the pie crust. Pour the pastry cream over
the pie crust, smooth out the surface wita rubber spatula, and cover the surfaceof the pastry cream with plastic wrap.Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled,about 2 hours.
8. For the topping, whip the remaining 1
cup of heavy cream with the remaining teaspoon vanilla until the cream holdsits shape. Spoon the whipped creamover the top of the pie and serve.
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BASIC PIE PASTRY
Makes enough for one 9-inch double pie
crust
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cutinto small pieces and chilled
4 to 6 tablespoons ice water
1. Sift the flour, salt, and baking powde
into a large bowl. Cut the butter into theflour using your fingertips or a pastryblender (or pulse in a food processor)until the texture resembles coarse meal
with visible bits of butter. Drizzle 4
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tablespoons ice water evenly over themixture and gently stir with a fork or pulse until incorporated. Pinch off a
small handful of dough; if it doesn’t holdtogether, add more water, ½ tablespoonat a time, stirring or pulsing after eachaddition.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightlyfloured work surface. Divide the ball of
dough in half, and pat into disks about½-inch thick. Wrap each disk in plasticwrap and refrigerate until firm, at least hour or up to 2 days.
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Fresh noodles.
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Clockwise from top left: Longaniza,
tripe, guyabano [soursop], cucumber,
eggplant, tofu, pineapple.
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chapter 4
Treasured Family
Recipese have always believed that the best
Filipino food is found in the homes of families with a tradition of good cookinand appreciation of fresh ingredientsfound locally. With this in mind, we
decided that the best way to discover what Filipino food is all about would beo talk to as many families as we could
and ask them what they eat and how they
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cook these dishes. Coming from aculture where family recipes are keptclose to the vest, we were surprised at
he general outpouring of support andenthusiasm from the families weapproached. We wanted a sampling of regional variation, so we visitedfamilies from Ilocos, Tarlac, PampangaBulacan, Laguna, Quezon, Bicol, SamarCebu, Iloilo, and Bacolod/Silay, and
hey have contributed recipes to thisbook. Though we’ve compiled a goodnumber of recipes, we feel that this bookdoes not do justice to all the regions of
he Philippines—hopefully there will befuture opportunities to further showcasehe wonderful home cooking of the
Philippines.
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Cooking innards stew in Laoag Market
Ilocos Norte.
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Ilocos
The Wild West of the Philippines
n the 1960s and 70s, Wild West storiesof shootouts between clans made thelocos region seem barren and hostile.
But a few decades later, regional toursof the Philippines became de rigueur,and Vigan, Ilocos Sur, one of the “noblecities,” began to attract local tourists
with its centuries-old bahay na batostone houses], museums, churches, and
food.
Ilocanos will inform you that they
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riumph because of the harshness of thearea, which lacks the lush vegetation of he south or the flat, fertile valleys of
Central Luzon. They are known as tight-fisted and thrifty. (It was in the SyquiaMansion that I tried cow’s womb.Boiled for hours, but still rubbery, itwas interesting, but not too tasty.)
Limited natural resources haven’thindered the development of Vigan and
Laoag as important trade centers. Markedays (usually Sundays) are wild withbright orange squash, shades of greensaluyot [Jew’s mallow], malunggay
leaves of the horseradish tree], katurayor katuday [West Indian pea, a hooklikeflower used in salads], amorgozo [a
bitter melon variety], watermelons,
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bitter melon blossoms, lemongrassbundles, and twitching bunches of frogsied to bamboo. The freshest vegetables
go into the famed Ilocos Pinakbet (thispage). A common salad is made of peeled katuday and kangkong [water spinach], both blanched, mixed withchopped tomatoes and minced ginger,and sprinkled with kalamansi lime juice
At the Laoag market, I saw a
remarkable variety of seaweed gatheredfrom the Ilocos Norte and Cagayan areaof Northeast Luzon, including gammet, ablack seaweed sold in flat round sheets
from Burgos, used in soups such assinigang, and kulot [first-class seaweed]from Bangui (between Burgos and
Pagudpud), washed and served as salad
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with tomatoes and bagoong.The region is also known for
onganiza [sausage] marinated in sukang
loko [sugarcane vinegar] and bagnet, adramatic version of the lechon kawalihuge pork belly pieces with puffed
skin]. Bagoong monamon, a fermentedfish paste, is preferred over salt bylocano cooks. Some dishes call for the
fish sauce that rises to the top of the
bottle. For pinakbet, the monamon isusually strained, and naturally thelocano finds a thrifty recipe for usinghe remaining fish particles.
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Bagnet, Vigan.
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aking kalamay in Candon, Ilocos Sur
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Vigan market.
Families That Hosted
Us
We decided to take the ten-hour drive to
Laoag, Ilocos Norte, from Manila,where Annette Ablan’s cook showed ushow to make the traditional pinakbet anddinuguan. There we met Bonito Singson
a prominent businessman of Vigan,
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locos Sur, who invited us to his home iVigan, which had a huge high-ceilingedkitchen renovated in the style of the old
bahay-nabato home. On our way toVigan, we stopped at Dingras to visit thePuruganan house and watch GlezyValencia make the most delicious putoand tupig [Ilocano sticky rice cakes] Ihad ever eaten. Carla Pacis, adescendant of the Syquia family, hosted
several meals at the Syquia Mansion.Both Bonito and Carla had longtimecooks renowned for their deliciousrendering of traditional Ilocano cooking
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PINAKBET
This recipe was developed at
Cendrillon using vegetables morecommonly available in local markets.The principle is the same. Make sure the
vegetables are not over-cooked.Vegetarians can skip the pork andbagoong and season with sea salt.
SERVES 6 TO 8
¼ cup bagoong monamon [fish sauce] oralamang [small shrimp]
½ medium kabocha squash, peeled,seeds removed, and cut into 2-inchchunks
1 -inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinl
sliced
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2 large tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch slices
1 large red onion, cut into ½-inch slices
2 medium bitter melons, halved, seedsand pulp removed, and cut into 1-inch slices
3 Chinese eggplants, halved lengthwise
and cut into 2-inch pieces10 pieces okra, stems trimmed
15 longbeans, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large yellow summer squash, cut into2-inch slices
1 large zucchini, cut into 2-inch slices
1 section Lechon Kawali (this page), cuinto 2-inch pieces, optional
Combine the bagoong with 1 cup wate
and stir to break up any chunks. Pour th
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mixture into a large saucepan. Add thkabocha squash, spreading it out to maka bottom layer. Add the remaining
ngredients and place the pot ovemedium-high heat. Bring to a boil, thereduce the heat, cover, and simmewithout stirring until the vegetables havsoftened a bit, 10 to 15 minutes. Removhe cover and simmer without stirrin
until the vegetables are cooked throug
but still al dente, about 5 minutes. Tastand add more bagoong if needed.
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The Authentic Ilocano Pinakbet
Pinakbet is the traditional vegetable dish
of the Ilocanos. It has been adapted andreplicated with variations all over thecountry, so no dish could claim to bemore Filipino than this mélange of local
vegetables that comes close to the
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Western ratatouille.We traveled to Laoag, Ilocos Norte,
o taste the Ablan family’s seriously
authentic Ilocano cooking. While inLaoag, we stayed at Palazzo de Laoag,owned by Manuel “Nonong” Ablan, ourhost Annette Ablan’s uncle. On our firstnight at the Palazzo, Nonong Ablanregaled us with stories about the landand its food. He opened a small bottle o
duhat [Java plum] wine during our dinner of insarabasab [grilled pork oin], seaweed salad, and the pinakbet.
The following morning, Annette
Ablan introduced us to their cook, whohas been with her grandmother and her family since 1968. She cooked the
pinakbet for us using baby eggplants,
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baby bitter melon, squash blossoms,katuray, okra, tomatoes, bagnet slices,and bagoong monamon. Using a tall
stockpot, she put a layer of bagnet slicescut-up tomatoes, and ginger at thebottom. Then she put the vegetables inayer by layer. She poured in a half
bottle of strained bagoong monamon.Covering the pot and making sure it wassecurely sealed, she turned the heat on
high and let it steam for about 10minutes.When making pinakbet, one must
remember not to stir the vegetables in
he pot with a spoon. The vegetables aresteamed in their own juices and the pots physically shaken twice to mix the
vegetables and its flavors. The Ilocanos
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ike their pinakbet vegetables intact andal dente.
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Bagnet, the Ilocano version of deep
fried pork belly, is cooked in huge vats
of oil in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur.
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Squash blossoms (left); katuray [West
Indian pea] (right).
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TOMATO AND SALTEDDUCK EGG SALAD
This is the classic Filipino salad—it is
eaten on a daily basis and is also served
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at parties. It is a perfect accompanimento fried fish and pork dishes. The strong
flavor of the salted duck eggs contrasts
with fresh, juicy tomatoes and savoryred onion.
Salted duck eggs are found in manyChinese and Thai stores in Chinatowns.f salted duck eggs are not available,
hard-boiled chicken eggs can be used asa substitute.
SERVES 4
4 large heirloom tomatoes (3 to 4 pounds), cored and chopped
½ teaspoon salt
2 salted duck eggs, peeled and cut intowedges
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½ small red onion or 1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar or sugarcanevinegar
2 tablespoons chopped garlic chives or 1 tablespoon chopped scallions
2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
Place the tomatoes in a large bowl ansprinkle them with the salt. Add the duceggs, red onion, and vinegar, and tos
ogether to combine. Taste and add morsalt and vinegar, if needed. Sprinkle thchopped chives and cilantro over thsalad and serve at room temperature.
Salted Duck Eggs
n the Philippines, salted duck eggs are
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available already cooked (hard-boiled)and they are called itlog na pula [redegg]. Their shells tinted in distinctive
reddish-mauve coloring, they arenstantly recognizable as ready to be
used in salads or as a garnish for bibingkas and other kakanin. Here in theUnited States, they are available inChinatown stores uncooked either inbrine or packed in Styrofoam cartons
with a photo on the label showing across section of the orangered yolk. Touse uncooked salted duck eggs inrecipes, boil the eggs for at least 20
minutes. A duck egg connoisseur oncenformed me that the best salted duck eg
was one that is boiled and thensimmered for at least an hour and a half,
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cooking the egg until the yolk takes on agritty and oily texture. Manyaccomplished chefs in Manila have used
mashed salted duck egg yolks as a secrengredient in their famous vinaigrettes.
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GRILLED EGGPLANTSALAD WITH PAPAYA-MISO SAUCE
n the Philippines, we would grill our small, slender, local eggplants on aparilla [small grill] over a fire on top of
he stove. Here we use an innovative
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sauce—ripe papaya mixed with miso—o serve with the grilled eggplant.
SERVES 6 TO 8
Papaya-Miso Sauce:
One small ripe papaya (1 to 1 ½
pounds), peeled, seeded, and cutinto pieces
½ cup light miso (preferably organic)
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon minced ginger
Eggplant:8 Chinese eggplants
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
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1. For the sauce, place all theingredients in a blender or foodprocessor and blend until smooth. If the
sauce is too thick, add water as needed.
2. For the eggplant, preheat the broiler.Place the eggplants on a broiler pan andbroil 6 inches from the heat source,turning once with tongs, until blackenedon all sides, 6 to 8 minutes, depending
on the size of the eggplants. Let cooluntil just cool enough to handle (it’seasier to remove the skins when theeggplants are still steamy). Remove the
skin from the eggplant using your hands.Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise andflatten each half. Arrange the eggplantson a platter and drizzle with olive oil.
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Scatter the tomatoes over the platter.
3. Serve with the Papaya-Miso Sauce o
the side. You can serve any leftover sauce with grilled vegetables, squid, or shrimp.
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KANGKONG SALAD
Kangkong is a green leafy vegetable
with a hollow stalk. Also known aswater spinach, it is available inChinatowns. Chinese restaurants with
big Filipino followings know thatFilipinos like theirs served withbagoong.
My mother got this recipe from Mrs.
Dela Rosa, the mother of a former faculty member of the biochemistrydepartment at the University of thePhilippines. This is a popular item onmy mother’s table at our home in MalateManila. When guests are over, theynevitably ask her for the recipe before
he end of the evening.
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Depending on your preferences, youmay change the dressing into a typicalvinaigrette by increasing the amount of
olive oil and decreasing the amount of water.
SERVES 4
Dressing:
⅓ cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
4½ teaspoons sugar 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon chili sauce (either Tabasco,
sriracha, or Thai chili sauce)
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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Salad:
1 pound kangkong leaves and stalks,stems trimmed and cut into 2-inch
pieces2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
½ small red onion, diced
2 salted duck eggs, peeled and cut intowedges (opposite), or 2 hard- boiled chicken eggs
1. Combine all the dressing ingredientsin a medium bowl with ¼ cup of water.
2. Bring a large saucepan of saltedwater to a boil over high heat. Add thekangkong and cook until slightly wilted,about 1 minute. Drain and arrange the
blanched kangkong on a platter.
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Decorate with the tomatoes, red onions,and salted duck eggs. Whisk the dressinand dress the salad, reserving any extra
dressing for future use.
Vegetables in the Filipino Diet
During my childhood, my mother avoided serving salads and rawvegetables for fear of contamination, so
we ate a variety of cooked vegetablesusing a method of preparation called theguisado (see Mongo Guisado, this page)which uses a base of fried garlic,onions, and tomatoes, to which shrimp,hen a vegetable, was added. The dish
was seasoned with shrimp juice, fish
sauce, and sometimes with bagoong. We
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ate a lot of chayote, upo [gourd],kalabasa [squash], sigadillas [winged-beans], and sitao [longbeans]. The few
imes we ate a salad, usually made withcucumbers or blanched greens like watespinach, the salad dressing would not beike the traditional oil and vinegar
combination found in the West, butrather a vinegar-water-sugar combination. When I came to the United
States, I had to get used to eating saladscoated in oil.
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Left to Right: Patola [squash],
calabaza and camote [sweet potato]tops, seaweed, sigadillas [winged
beans].
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MEMORIES
Nostalgia for
BagoongCarla Mendoza Pacis is the
randdaughter of Petronila Syquia(Mamang Nila) and Vicente Mendoza.
She is presently one of the trustees
responsible for the preservation and
care of the family ancestral home, theSyquia Mansion, one of the highlights
of any tour of the noble city of Vigan,
locos Sur. This is her account.
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Childhood summers began when mgrandmother, Mamang Nila, planned ouearly trip from Manila to Vigan, he
beloved hometown. Mamang loved travel with most of her large family iow. Departure time, length of stay
number of cars, people in each car (titasitos, siblings, cousins, friends, yayas
and drivers), luggage, food, and whero stop were planned with militar
precision. As soon as school was over, ooked forward to conjuring up thfamily ghosts at the old Syquia Mansionbuilt in 1830 by my great-great-great
grandfather Vicente Angco—and toeating the best Ilocano food anywhere ihe country.
We’d depart at fourA.M.
, younger
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children still asleep in pajamas bundlednto cars. We drove northward single
file, like camels in a caravan, the ten-
hour trip punctuated by stops at eachmajor town market, where mygrandmother haggled like a true Ilocanafor biscocho in Bulacan, tocino inPampanga, and tupig, a sticky roll of coconut and molasses, in Pangasinan. InLa Union, we’d make a detour to
Damortis for fresh capiz [windowpaneoyster] shells, to be added to thedinengdeng immediately when wearrived in Vigan, with perfect timing, fo
a late lunch.Mamang’s arrival was a major event
The windows on the second floor were
opened, the grand staircase and floors
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polished, the yellow damask curtainshung. On a table long enough to seathree generations, we would start our
locano food fest.Sinanglaw, my grandmother’s
favorite, a piping hot stew of bloodcubes, eyes, ears, and snout of a mostunfortunate pig, was a nourishing brewalways served after a long trip or a longnight of revelry. Those of us who could
not quite share in her pleasure wouldhave pinakbet (this page), vegetablesike ampalaya [bitter melon], eggplant,
okra, and patane [lima beans] heaped
nto a bowl with bagnet, large chunks ofpork with thick layers of fried, crispyskin. For the children, there would be
he spicy Vigan longaniza and scrambled
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eggs with tomatoes, a treat we wouldhave again for breakfast.
Evenings the house was at its
prettiest: the heat was replaced with acool breeze, chandeliers glittered likearge diamond earrings, and the blueamp by the chapel glowed like
sapphire. Dinner was more formal—thebest silverware was brought out andmore of the family’s favorite dishes
served. For appetizers, we usually hadcrispy ukoy, a mixture of milled rice,eggs, small purple onions, lagdaw or baby shrimp, tomatoes, lasona, and
kutchay [chives]. Laid out across theable were large bowls of pancit musiko
or dinengdeng. The other Syquia
favorite, chicken pipian (right), was a
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welcome change from all the bagoong-flavored dishes.
Dinner lasted for hours, colored by
ively conversations. Memories of pastVigan sojourns would be relived and thefood relished. A whole year would passbefore these flavors would beencountered again. With full stomachsand contented hearts, we would move tohe antesala to repose and discuss the
next day’s activities and meals.
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The Syquia Family of Vigan, IlocosSur
(as told by Carla M. Pacis)
The nineteenth century was a turbulenime in China, with several waves o
migrations to the developing Asia
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countries. In 1829, Sy Qui Ah, onlwelve years old, left his hometown o
Am Thau in Amoy to live with relative
n the Chinese enclave of BinondoManila, where he lived and worked fomany years as a clerk and salesman. I1848, he found himself in the olSpanish town of Vigan, a province olocos north of Manila and a majorading port. There he fell in love wit
Petronila Singson Encarnacion, member of the Vigan aristocracy. Inorder to marry her, he was asked toembrace Christianity, so he wa
baptized and given the Christian name oVicente Romero Syquia.
Gregorio, the eldest son of Vicente
and Petronila, managed his father’s
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nterests in Vigan. He was a shrewdbusinessman and made the most of whathe had inherited from his father, planting
crops such as tobacco, indigo, cotton,and rice. It is said that during the time oharvest, the crops lined the street outsidhe house and turned the block.
Although of Chinese heritage, theSyquia family did not speak any Chineseand, in fact, spoke Spanish and Ilocano.
Gregorio was such a loyal Spanishsubject that he received the Isabela LaCatolica medal, an honor awarded tosubjects who have contributed greatly to
he honor and grandeur of Spain.
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CHICKEN PIPIAN
The pipian is, in essence, a chicken
version of the Filipino kare kare. InMexico, pipian is a sauce thickened witground toasted pepitas [pumpkin seeds]
n the Philippines, ground toasted rice isused instead. We adapted this dish fromhe pipian cooked by Rusty Ponce, the
resident cook at the Syquia Mansion in
Vigan. The main flavoring agent is theepazote, called pasotes in Ilocos. Thepasotes plant, found only in Ilocos Sur,was probably transported from Mexico
on one of the galleons that regularlysailed to Vigan. Rusty mixes his with asmall amount of pork, but we prefer an
all-chicken dish.
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There is an undertone of tartness tohis dish, which comes from the kamias.f kamias is not available, lime juice is a
good substitute.SERVES 4 TO 6
⅓ cup raw white rice3 tablespoons vegetable oil
One 3¼-pound chicken, cut up
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, mashed
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
Strained pulp from 3 to 4 fresh kamias(see Note), or ¼ cup fresh lime or lemon juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce or 2 teaspoons
rock salt or sea salt
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2 teaspoons achuete (annatto) seedssoaked in ½ cup hot water for 30minutes
1 tablespoon dried crumbled epazoteleaves
1 tablespoon rice wine (optional)
1. In a dry wok over medium heat, toastthe rice, tossing constantly, untilbrowned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a
plate to cool, then grind to a powder in spice grinder (or using a mortar andpestle). Place in a small bowl.
2. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepanover medium-high heat, warm the oil.Add the chicken pieces and brown on
both sides, about 5 minutes per side.
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Transfer the chicken to a plate.
3. Add the onions and garlic to the pan
and sauté for 3 minutes, then add thetomatoes and sauté for 1 more minute.Return the chicken to the pan with 3cups of water, bring to a boil, thenreduce the heat, cover, and simmer, untithe chicken is tender, about 30 minutes.Skim several times while cooking to
remove any scum.4. Add the kamias pulp or 3 tablespoonslime or lemon juice. Season with fish
sauce or rock salt.
5. Strain the achuete seeds and mix thisliquid into the toasted ground rice until
smooth. Add this mixture to the chicken
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and cook until the ground rice tastescooked and the stew is thickened, about5 minutes.
6. Add the epazote and the rice wine, if using. Cook for 3 more minutes to finishthe dish. Add the remaining lime or lemon juice. Taste and add more salt orlime/lemon juice if needed.
Note: Fresh Kamias Pulpf you have access to fresh kamias, cuthe kamias into pieces and boil in about
½ cup of water. When soft, mash thekamias and strain. Add the strainedkamias pulp into the chicken.
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Dinuyduy and pinapaitan, Vigan.
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Memories of Vigan Kitchens
Dishes Carla Pacis describes from he
childhood trips to Vigan, and those wsaw prepared by Bonito Singson’s chefDigna Claudio Mercado, map out thraditional flavors of the Ilocos region.
Dinengdeng: A soupy dish of malunggaysquash blossoms, saluyot, and rosangi
pinhead-sized clams], seasoned witbagoong.
Dinuyduy: A dish made by simmering
pork pieces in water until the lard irendered, sautéing garlic in the lard withe pork pieces, seasoning with bagoon
monamon, then adding thinly slice
calabaza squash and water.
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Lomo-lomo: A soupy version odinuguan (this page) to which sautéechopped pork meat, heart, liver, kidney
and, at the end, coagulated cubed porblood, chives, and fish sauce are added.
Pancit musiko: A soup of miki [whea
flour noodles], pork, and chickesautéed in garlic, achuete, and pamintblack peppercorns].
Pinapaitan: Pait means bitter and thraditional pinapaitan is goat cooked its bile. The Vigan version uses beef tha
s simmered until soft. Onions and gingeare sautéed in suet, to which thsimmered beef, bile, water, vinegar, andchiles are added.
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Poki-poki: Long, narrow nativeggplants are grilled, peeled, anmashed, It is sautéed in garlic, onion
omatoes, and a beaten egg.
Salads: Made of blanched sitalongbeans] and labong [bamboo shoots
dressed in vinegar, sugar, water, andground black pepper.
Tinegteg: Chopped beef sautéd witomatoes, lasona [small purple onions]
and potatoes.
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Tying rice cakes.
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Steaming puto.
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MEMORIES
Dingras: The
Granary of Northern Ilocos
Lestie Fronteras every so often tries tomake the long ten-hour trip back homefrom Manila to Dingras, 20 kilometers
southeast of Laoag, Ilocos Norte.Dingras is a historic town built in 1598by the Spanish in the classic tradition,
with the Catholic Church built on one
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end of the plaza and homes of prominentfamilies around the square. Lestie is aPuruganan, and their ancestral home
stands behind the statue of the martyredJosefa Llanes Escoda, executed by theJapanese during World War II.
I met Lestie through her brother Emilwho came to eat at Cendrillon one day.When I told him I was in search of oldhomes, old kitchens, and traditional
home cooking, he embarked on a tirelesscampaign to get me to Dingras. Knownas the rice granary of northern Ilocos,Dingras is also a big corn producer. The
most famous local product is cornix— dried corn kernels boiled twice with lyedeep-fried, and seasoned with salt and
garlic. The technique was probably
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brought over from Mexico, and the resuls addictive.
The Puruganan ancestral home is a
huge house of wood and white stonebuilt in the Spanish-era bahay-na-batostyle. As you walk through the gate, youare actually entering the ground floor,where one can see the huge trunks of rees that were used as foundation for th
house.
We spent some time next door withGlezy Valencia, who demonstrated her upig, puto, and patupat [Ilocano rice
delicacies] for us. And we met Leonora
Rocimo, who was busy chopping upmeat to prepare the traditional familybreakfast of yusi, a soup made from
pork, liver, heart, garlic, soy sauce, and
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chives. Leonora started learning how tocook from
Lestie’s grandmother, Maria Rivera
Puruganan, when she was seventeen.Lestie remembers the two womenalways in the kitchen, cooking pinakbet,arroz caldo, and chicken soup.
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Kitchen of Puruganan home.
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The Vinegar of Ilocos
Sukang Iloko, the vinegar of the
locanos, is derived from sugarcaneuice and is used for making Ilocano
sausages and as a potent dip for pork dishes. The vinegar is stored andfermented in traditional burnay, locallymade clay jars that artisans learned tomake from Chinese craftsmen hundreds
of years ago. The sugarcane juice isextracted by a traditional carabao-powered crusher, cooked in a huge vato a molasses stage, and poured into the
burnay. The bark of the kariskis tree ishe fermenting agent for the vinegar.
Fermentation can last from two monthso a year, depending on the jar and the
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quality of the molasses.
Burnay for fermenting vinegar.
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Sorting rice, rice-fermented fish and
pork, Talangka crabs.
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Carabao [water buffalo] milk.
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Pampanga
The RiceHeartland of
LuzonPampanga is one of the oldest provinces
of the Philippines with a history that isvery much intertwined with that of Manila. It is known for its food, andKapampangan cooks are highlyrespected by Filipinos. I visited theGuanzon family in Sta. Rita, Pampanga,where we were able to photograph that
day’s batch of turrones de casuy and
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sans rival (this page) by the LansangDelicacies bakery. Then I was off to staa few days with Claude Tayag and his
wife, Mary Ann, in Angeles, Pampanga.Claude built his beautiful home fromwood and other material he rescuedfrom churches and old homes that werebeing demolished.
He introduced Mary Ann’s familycook, Juana Tuazon Miranda, who
showed us how to make tamales. I havencluded a section here on the food andmemories of Marc Medina from Arayat,Pampanga. Marc Medina is a writer wh
decided to follow his passion and hasbeen devoting his time to the promotionand preservation of the foods of
Pampanga.
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Although I was not able to visit Marcmy photographer, Neal Oshima, spent aday with him in his home, feasting on
food made from his family’s treasuredrecipes.
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Deep-fried catfish (hito) served with
fermented rice (buro).
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MEMORIES
The Arayat
KitchenSusan Calo Medina visited Cendrillon
n 1999 while traveling with then-Secretary of the Philippine Departmen
of Tourism, Gemma Cruz-Araneta, who
assisted us in our food tour of the
hilippines that year. Since then, I’veotten to know Susan’s son, Marc, who
recalls the life and food of his
hometown, Arayat:
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The kitchen is the oldest part of mgrandmother’s house: wooden slats afloors, thin rattan walls, a bamboo an
nipa roof held up by hardwood pillarhalf-eaten by termites. At the far endfacing the adobe steps are four clastoves on a long hardwood tableUnderneath are stacks of wood, clapots, and tin pans; onions, garlicomatoes, and oil; bowls of rock salt an
ground pepper; misshapen knives anworn-out cleavers; and a long bamboube. One of my most vivid childhoo
memories is watching my grandmother’
cook (aunt of my father’s present cookpuff through that long piece of bamboo tcontrol the flames. Clay pots black witsoot sat four in a row, filled with boilin
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meats, simmering rice, or fryinvegetables.
The wood-fire stove is still the heart
of the house. For my grandfather Dr.Esteban Medina, it was wood fire or nothing. It was actually my grandfather who had a passionate love affair withfood, and he was first and foremost aculinary purist. His breakfast was afrothy cup of hot chocolate made with
ground peanuts and native cacao, slowlyboiled and whisked with fresh carabao’milk, with the light green grains of premature fragrant rice sprinkled on top
He also relished the exotica of Pampango cuisine: adobong camarumole crickets fried in garlic and chile],
ebun barag [boiled eggs of large swamp
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izards], dumará [wild ducks braised inonions, olives, and white wine], andburong talangka [live small freshwater
crabs doused in boiling water andfermented overnight in salt].
There were as many as four cooks inhe kitchen at one time, with a half-doze
assistants, yet my grandmother’severyday table was straightforward anddecidedly lowbrow. By the time she
married, she had mastered a handful of everyday Pampango dishes, including“pang aldo-aldo,” as they say in theocal vernacular, or tidtad bigac [pork
oin stewed in its own blood], tidtadbaca [a soup of ground beef and pig’sblood], afritada [chicken and pork
braised in vinegar, tomatoes, and red
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peppers], suam mais [a thick soup of native corn and squash blossoms], asadochicken and pork soured with vinegar,
omatoes, and soy sauce], estofadopig’s trotters braised with sugar and
herbs], and burong asan [fermented softrice and fish].
Every dish had a correspondingiltilan [condiment]: atsara [shredded
pickled green papaya], burong asan
fermented rice and fish], bagoong,kalamansi lime juice and patis, kamiasand soy sauce. One of my grandmother’sfavorites was a sauce for grilled fish
made of sour tamarinds boiled andground to a pulp and mixed with grilledgreen chiles, spiked with bagoong. Whe
mangoes were in season, my
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grandmother’s cook would slice theoung, fragrant mango leaves and servehem with thin shavings of green, unripe
mangoes and bagoong to accompanyfish, which, in landlocked Pampanga,was invariably freshwater hito [catfish]or dalag [mudfish].
My mother loves to tell of her firstmeals with her in-laws. Having comefrom Mindanao, where fish was served
with vinegar, patis, or soy sauce, thevariety of sauces for fish was baffling.Shortly after their marriage, mygrandmother sent her chief cook to teach
my mother the rudiments of Pampangocooking. Thirty-nine years later, mymother refuses to cook Pampango food,
simply because it never turns out as
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good as her mother-in-law’s (who hasbeen dead for more than twenty years).
My mother did learn some secrets,
hough. She makes an impeccablebegucan, pork loin boiled in vinegar andbagoong and fried in its own fat withomatoes. It is neither too sour nor too
salty, the richness of the flavorsempered by the ripe bananas with whict is always served. The strips of pork
and innards in her menudo, a fiestafavorite, are boiled in
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Making biscocho for lechon sauce.
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Squeezing coconut milk.
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MEMORIES
vinegar, then removed and refried until
he fat rises to the surface. She alsoearned a few desserts, which no
genuine Pampango would ever do
without. Her silken, lime-scented lecheflan depends on fresh carabao’s milk and the rind of a local lime calleddalayap.
Over the years, I’ve realized that thesecrets to my grandmother’s cooking canbe found in two simple rules. One, cookslowly and patiently. The lowly chicken
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and pork adobo, in our family madewithout soy sauce, with chickengizzards, liver, and generous amounts of
garlic, should be boiled in vinegar thendouble-fried, ever so slowly, untilgolden brown. Both afritada and asadoshould simmer undisturbed over a veryow fire, until the sauce, rich and robust
settles beneath the oil.Two, use only the freshest
ngredients. My grandmother’s cookswent to the market every morning.Tidtad bigac works well only with freshpig’s blood, which forms a thin black
sauce that separates from the oil. Saucefor the spit-roasted lechon can only bemade from fresh pork liver. The tartness
of the vinegar in the sauce is balanced
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by a generous helping of white sugar.My grandmother’s cooking was
disciplined, down to earth, and rarely
high concept. Pork estofado, one of mygrandfather’s favorites, was cooked in aclay pot, the pig’s trotters braisedslowly on a tray of bamboo set an inchor so above the bottom, with the onions,garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, andsangkot-sangkot [oregano and other loca
herbs] slowly flavoring the layers of pork fat and cartilage. “When sour becomes sweet, and sweet becomessour,” one of my grandmother’s cooks
used to say, “stop adding the sugar.”My grandmother did have a few
nnovations. Among my personal
favorites is pancit langlang, a hefty
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noodle soup similar to the Tagalogpancit luglug. The sauce, red-orangefrom achuete seeds, is made from the
uice of raw shrimp heads and pig’scheeks, simmered slowly and mixedconstantly. Pancit langlang is eaten in asoup bowl, the sauce poured over whitevermicelli, garnished at the table withcrushed pork cracklings, toasted garlic,spring onions, and hard-boiled eggs, and
accompanied by sisig babi, a sweet-soudish made with the remaining pig snout,ear, and forehead, and soaked invinegar, soy sauce, garlic, onions, sugar
and black pepper.Today my father has a household staf
of three: one to cook, one to clean, and
another to watch the old house at night.
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We all eat at the kitchen table. Thedishes are still prepared with attentionand care, but my father’s seventy-year-
old cook, born and raised in the oldhouse, often looks back at the gentle,pre-War days of my grandmother withnostalgia.
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BRINGHE
Bringhe is a Filipino version of paella,
made with glutinous rice and steamed inbanana leaves.
SERVES 4 TO 6
One 3½-pound chicken
1 large onion, quartered
Banana leaf sections, for lining the wok
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
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One 1-inch piece fresh turmeric, peeledand grated (or 1 teaspoon groundturmeric)
2 cups glutinous rice, soaked overnightin water to cover, drained well
About 2 cups coconut milk
4 tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste
1. Place the chicken and quartered onionin a large saucepan and add water to
cover. Bring to a boil over high heat,then reduce the heat and simmer,uncovered, until the chicken is tender,
about 40 minutes. Remove the chicken,strain, and reserve the broth. Set thechicken aside to cool, then remove themeat from the bones and shred it. Set
aside.
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2. Wipe the banana leaves with damppaper towels to clean them. Run themthrough a flame on both sides to soften
them a bit. Grease a large wok (or 2small woks) and line it with a doublelayer of banana leaves.
3. In a large sauté pan over mediumheat, warm the oil. Add the garlic, dicedonion, and bell pepper and sauté until
the onion is translucent, about 5 minutesAdd the carrots and potatoes and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add theturmeric and stir for 1 minute, until
aromatic. Add the rice and cook,stirring, until thoroughly coated with theoil, about 5 minutes. Add 1 ½ cups of the coconut milk, 1 ½ cups of the
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reserved chicken stock, and the fishsauce. Bring to a simmer and cook,stirring frequently, until all the liquid is
absorbed. Add another ½ cup coconutmilk and ½ cup stock and continue tostir until the liquid is absorbed. Thisshould take about 20 minutes—the riceshould be tender but al dente. If the riceisn’t cooked through, add more coconutmilk and stock. Continue to cook,
stirring, until the liquid is absorbed andthe rice is cooked through. Add theshredded chicken and cook untilwarmed through, about 3 minutes.
4. Fill the prepared wok (or woks) withthe rice mixture, smooth the top to creatan even layer, cover with the lid or foil
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and place over medium heat. Cook without stirring for 20 minutes, or until golden brown crust that holds the dish
together is formed at the bottom of thedish. If the crust hasn’t formed, raise theheat to medium-high and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes to form the crustInvert onto a large serving plate, removthe banana leaves, and serve.
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Dilaw [tumeric].
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A Family Heirloom Recipe
This is Marc Medina’s family heirloom
recipe, and I asked him to describe it:
Bringhe is an old party favorite amonmany families in Arayat. The procedur
and ingredients are more or less thsame from house to house, witvariations only in the amount of coconu
milk and water used and the cookinime. Some prefer a dry bringhe wherhe rice can easily be broken up with
fork, but our family prefers a bringh
where the rice sticks to both plate anpalate. My grandmother’s version usechorizo as an added ingredient, ansubstitutes chile leaves for loca
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urmeric as food coloring (the chileaves are scraped on a sieve over th
coconut milk). With my grandmothe
gone, local turmeric has become thstandard, without the canned chorizosEither way, the glutinous rice mixturmust be stirred slowly and constantlover medium fire, until the grains arranslucent, before covering it wit
banana leaves for steaming. Thi
guarantees a bolder taste to thotherwise mild flavoring of the bringhe.Bringhe is best cooked over wood
fire, like a paella, and it doesn’t have a
very long shelf life—a day at most in therefrigerator. It makes an excellentpartner for a lechon and the standard
sweet-sour liver sauce.
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TIDTAD BACA
This is another one of Marc Medina’s
family recipes.
SERVES 8
¼ cup canola oil1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 pounds ground beef 3 tablespoons fish sauce
1½ cups thinly sliced fresh or frozenkamias (about ½ pound)
1½ cups pig’s blood, strained
1. In a large saucepan over medium hea
warm the oil. Add the onion and garlic
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and sauté until softened and translucent,about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef,raise the heat to medium-high, and cook
breaking the meat up with a fork, untilthe meat browns, about 5 minutes. Addthe fish sauce.
2. Spread the kamias over the top of themeat, reduce the heat to medium-low,and cook without stirring until the
kamias have softened and are slightlytranslucent, about 10 minutes.
3. Pour in 1 cup of water, raise the heat
and bring the mixture to a boil. Reducethe heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid has beenabsorbed. Add the blood and cook for 5
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minutes, or until the stew has thickened.
4. Taste and add more fish sauce, if
needed, or kamias, if you prefer the disha little more tart.
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Making turrones de casuy at the
Lansang Delicacies in Sta. Rita. These
nougat candies are traditionally madewith almonds, but here cashews are
used. Beloved throughout the Spanish-
speaking world and especially popular
for gift-giving at the holidays, they
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have a wafer coating referred to as
“the host,” because of its similarity to
the communal wafer.
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The Secret to a Good Tidtad Baca
arc Medina recounts:
n Pampanga, the pig’s blood stewdinuguan] is called tidtad bigac
However, our family makes a soup o
ground beef and pork blood, soured witgreen kamias instead of vinegar, calledidtad baca (baca means cow). It i
eaten in a soup bowl with rice anbagoong on the side. The secret to good tidtad baca is using a generouamount of kamias.
No one seems to know the history of his soup, and my father’s sixty-four-yea
old cook, Ate Lucia, says she has never seen it elsewhere in Arayat. Tidtad baca
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s similar to a popular dinuguan soupcalled tinumis in neighboring NuevaEcija, another rice-growing province
separated from Arayat by the PampangaRiver. The “tidtad Medina” as Ate Lucicalls it, may have been inspired by the
ueva Ecija version.
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ARROZ CALDO
Arroz caldo is one of those dishes that i
Spanish in name but really is in essencea Chinese dish—congee with chicken.There are two ways of making arroz
caldo. One way is to sauté the chickenpieces and add the water and rice to thechicken and cook until the rice is done. Iprefer making a chicken broth first, then
shredding the chicken before adding boto the rice soup. Having extra broth onhe side will allow you to decide howhick you want the arroz caldo to be.
You will need to stir the ricecontinuously as it cooks.
SERVES 4 TO 6
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Chicken Broth:
One 3½-pound chicken, skin-on,quartered
2 celery stalks, cut into large pieces
1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
1 medium onion, quartered2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Arroz Caldo:
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 head garlic, cloves peeled and crushed
One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeledand julienned
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
½ cup uncooked short-grain rice
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½ cup glutinous (sweet) rice
Chicken Broth, as needed
2 teaspoons fish sauce, or to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kalamansi lime juice or freshlysqueezed lemon juice, to taste, for
serving½ cup chopped fresh parsley or fresh
cilantro, for garnish (optional)
5 scallions, white and light green parts,thinly sliced for garnish (optional)
1. To make the chicken broth, combine
all of the broth ingredients with 10 cupswater in a large pot and bring to a boilover high heat. Reduce the heat andsimmer until the chicken is tender, abou
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30 minutes. Use tongs to transfer thechicken pieces to a plate to cool. Strainthe broth through a fine-mesh strainer
into a very large, clean saucepan andbring to a gentle simmer over mediumheat. Continue to simmer, adjusting theheat if necessary, while you make thearroz caldo.
2. When the chicken pieces have cooled
remove the skin, then use your fingers toremove the meat from the bones andshred it.
3. To make the arroz caldo, warm the oiin a large saucepan over medium heat.Add the crushed garlic cloves and cookin the oil until browned and crisp, abou
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4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon totransfer the garlic to a paper towel– lined plate to drain. Reserve for garnish
4. Add the ginger and onion to the oilremaining in the pan and cook, stirring,until the onion is translucent, about 3minutes. Add both regular and sweetrice and sauté until the rice is evenlycoated with oil, about 2 minutes. Ladle
in 1 cup of the warm chicken broth andcook, stirring, until most of the broth isabsorbed. Continue adding chickenbroth, 1 cup at a time, stirring
frequently, until you’ve used up all thebroth and the rice begins to break down35 to 40 minutes. If you like your arrozcaldo thick, you can hold back some of
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the broth.
5. Add the shredded chicken, fish sauce
and black pepper. Taste and adjust theseasoning, if necessary. Place the friedgarlic, kalamansi lime or lemon juice,and herbs and scallions, if using, inseparate small bowls. Ladle the arrozcaldo into serving bowls and serve,with the bowls of toppings on the side.
Stay for Some Arroz Caldo!
After spending a day eating under the
shade of towering acacia trees in theelegant garden of Tess Guanzon in Sta.Rita, Pampanga, it was time to say good
bye. As I walked to my waiting car and
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driver, Mamang Guanzon, Tess’smother-in-law and also my host, held myarm to stop me from leaving. “But you
have not had merienda yet. Stay for somarroz caldo!” My driver looked at mewith sheer panic, protesting he could noeat another mouthful of food. But stay wdid and the arroz caldo was sheer heaven. I am used to a thin rice soup, buhis version was thicker than usual
because they added malagkit [glutinousrice] to the rice mixture.
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TAMALES
We learned this technique of making
amales from Mary Ann Tayag’s familycook, Juana Tuazon Miranda, whocooked in Claude Tayag’s beautifully
reconstructed old-fashioned Filipinokitchen in Angeles, Pampanga. The wordamales is derived from the Mexicanamal (in the Philippines, it is never
referred to as tamal, always tamales),but in place of the corn flour, Filipinoamales are made with ground rice.
MAKES 16 TAMALES
Half of a 3½-pound chicken
1 large onion, quartered
4 tablespoons achuete oil (this page)
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1 large onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 small chorizos, finely diced
1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups short-grain rice, soaked overnigh
in water to cover ½ cup coconut milk
One 1-pound package banana leaves
16 quail eggs, boiled for 2 minutes,drained, and peeled
1. In a large saucepan over high heat,cover the chicken and quartered onionwith 10 cups water and bring to a boil.Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered,
until the chicken is tender, about 40
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minutes. Strain, reserving the stock.When the chicken is cool enough tohandle, remove the meat from the bones
and shred it. Set aside.
2. In a medium skillet over medium heatwarm 2 tablespoons of the achuete oil.Add the onion and carrot and sauté untilsoftened, about 3 minutes. Add thechorizos and shredded chicken and cook
to warm through, 3 to 5 minutes. Add ½teaspoon of the salt and the pepper.Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
3. Drain the rice, place it in a foodprocessor, and process until finelyground. Strain through a medium-mesh
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strainer. Take any solids that didn’t gothrough the strainer and process themagain until they are ground fine enough
to fit through the strainer. You will haveabout 5 cups galapong [ground rice].
4. Combine the galapong with 7 cups ofthe chicken stock, the remaining 2tablespoons achuete oil, and theremaining tablespoon salt. Bring to a
boil over high heat. Reduce the heat tomedium and cook, whisking constantly,until thickened (like polenta), 3 to 5minutes. Add the coconut milk and
whisk for another minute, untilincorporated. Transfer to a large bowland cool.
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5. Clean the banana leaf sections bywiping them on both sides with a damppaper towel. Pass the leaves over a
medium flame on both sides to soften.Cut out sixteen 10-by-12-inch sectionsand sixteen 5-by-5-inch sections,removing the tough rib at the top of theleaves. You may want to cut out extra incase of breakage. Cut a leaf crosswiseinto 32 quarter-inch strips to use for
tying the tamales. (You can also usekitchen twine.)
6. Place a large banana leaf section
horizontally on your work surface.Center a smaller leaf section on thelarger leaf. Spread about ½ cup of therice over the middle of the smaller leaf
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in a square formation and top with abou¼ cup of the chicken mixture. Nestle in quail egg. Fold over the sides, first
lengthwise, then widthwise. Place seamside down and tie the packages closedcrosswise and lengthwise (like apresent) with the banana leaf strips.
7. Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in acovered pot fitted with a steamer basket
Stand the tamales upright, cover, andsteam until the banana leaves peel off easily, 10 to 15 minutes.
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TOCINO DEL CIELO
Pampangos are famous for their rich
desserts, and this is one of the richest.
MAKES 6
1 cup sugar ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
10 large egg yolks, beaten
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Haveready six 2-ounce ramekins.
2. To make the caramel base, place ½cup of the sugar in a small, heavysaucepan. Drizzle 2 tablespoons water
over the top. Place the pan over
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medium-high heat and cook, gentlyswirling the pan but not stirring, until thsugar has melted into a deep amber-
colored syrup, 5 to 7 minutes. Quicklypour the mixture into the ramekins,tilting to evenly spread the caramel. Letcool.
3. While the caramel cools, in aseparate saucepan combine the
remaining ½ cup sugar with ¾ cupwater. Cook over medium heat, stirring,until the sugar dissolves and the mixturereaches the soft ball stage, 235° F to
240° F. Whisk in the butter.
4. Whisk the egg yolks in a largeheatproof bowl. Whisking constantly,
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very slowly pour the sugar-butter mixture into the egg yolks. Strain themixture through a fine-mesh strainer into
the ramekins.
5. Place the ramekins in a baking or roasting pan and add enough hot water to come halfway up their sides. Veryloosely cover the baking pan with foil,poking the foil with a knife a few times
to create air vents. Bake until set in thecenter, 50 minutes to an hour. Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack to cool, thencover and refrigerate overnight.
6. The next day, allow the Tocino delCielo to come to room temperature. Runa sharp knife around the edges of the
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ramekins to loosen them. Place a smallplate on top of each ramekin, and flipthe plate over. Carefully lift off the
ramekin.
Pork Fat of the Heavens
arc Medina describes this heavenly
dessert:
For most Pampangos, tocino is curepork (this page), but many old familieall over the province have a recipe for rich flan made with egg yolks, butter
and sugar called tocino del cielprobable translation, “pork fat of th
heavens”]. The flan does not take muc
echnique or skill, but seems to hav
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disappeared from the populacompendium of Pampango recipes. Thprocedure is fairly straightforward an
holds no secrets, yet the few familiehat still make this recipe say theirs ihe original. Perhaps the previou
generation of cooks kept this populadessert such a secret that they have takehe recipe to their graves.
For as long as my cousins and I can
remember, this tocino del cielo, and itscousin the leche flan, were the standardending of any party meal. Unlike theeche flan made with fresh carabao’s
milk and dalyap, tocino del cielo ismade with ingredients easily obtainablen the city. It is sumptuous and rich, with
golden brown syrup dripping over the
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buttery flan.Both my aunt Hidelisa Medina
Caguiat and my mother have, with a
generosity uncommon among Pampangohousewives, shared this recipe withmany friends. Oddly enough, none of hem, myself included, can cook it the
way the women in the Medina familyhave done for more than half a century.
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CHOCOLATEMACADAMIA SANS RIVAL
The sans rival is the royalty of alldesserts in the Philippines, extremelyrich and delicious. It is also a specialty
of the town of Sta. Rita, Pampanga,where, through the intercession of Mamang Guanzon, we were able towatch the bakers of Lansang Delicacies
make that day’s batch of sans rival.The cake is made up of layers of
dacquoise, then iced with a buttercream
frosting. This recipe, which we adaptedfrom the Frog Commissary Cookbook ,uses macadamias instead of cashews forhe dacquoise and a chocolate rather
han the plain buttercream frosting.
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Romy suggests working in a cool spacewhen preparing this cake—if the room ioo hot, the buttercream will melt and
not spread as it should.SERVES 12 TO 16
Meringue:2½ cups (12 ounces) macadamia nuts
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1¼ cups sugar
7 egg whites, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Buttercream:
7 egg yolks
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¾ cup sugar
½ cup heavy cream
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finelychopped
1 pound unsalted butter, at roomtemperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sugar or marzipan flowers, for decorating (optional)
1. To toast the macadamias, preheat theoven to 325° F. Spread the macadamias
in a single layer on a rimmed bakingban. Toast until lightly golden andfragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside tocool. Raise the oven temperature to
400° F.
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2. To prepare the meringues, lightlygrease three 9-inch cake pans. Line withparchment circles, then grease and flour
the parchment circles.
3. Place the macadamia nuts, cornstarchand 1 cup of the sugar in a foodprocessor and process until the nuts arefinely ground into a paste.
4. In a clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat thegg whites and salt until frothy. Add thecream of tartar. Continue beating,
slowly adding the remaining ¼ cupsugar, until the whites are stiff but notdry.
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5. Working in 3 additions, gently foldthe beaten whites into the nut mixture.Spread the meringue evenly over the
bottoms of the prepared cake pans.Transfer to the oven and immediatelyreduce the temperature to 275° F. Bakeuntil dry on the sides and slightly soft inthe center, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Coolfor 15 minutes, then carefully removethe circles of meringue and completely
cool on wire racks.
6. To prepare the buttercream, beat theegg yolks with the sugar in the bowl of
an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until light and lemon-colored. Place the heavy cream in alarge saucepan and warm carefully over
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low heat until tiny bubbles appear around the sides. Whisk the heavy creaminto the egg yolks and return to the
saucepan. Stir over low heat until verythick, about 12 minutes. Do not boil or the custard will curdle. Take the pan offthe heat, and let cool, strain into thesame electric mixer bowl (that has beencleaned and wiped dry) through a fine-mesh strainer.
7. Melt the chocolate in a double boileror small bowl set over simmering waterLet cool slightly.
8. With a paddle attachment, start addinthe butter into the slightly cooledcustard, bit by bit, beating each bit in
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until completely absorbed before addingthe next. Beat in the vanilla extract.Place two-thirds of the mixture in a
separate bowl and stir in the meltedchocolate.
9. Place one of the meringues on aserving plate. Spread with a little lessthan half of the plain buttercream andtop with a second layer of meringue.
Spread with the remaining plainbuttercream and top with the thirdmeringue. Use the chocolate buttercreamto cover the top and sides of the cake.
(Reserve some of the buttercream for decoration, if desired, using a pastry bafitted with a star tip.) Decorate withsugar or marzipan flowers if you like.
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Kalamansi limes and singkamas
[jicama].
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Bukayo.
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Laguna
Buko Pie CountryLaguna is part of a group of provincessouth of Manila called CalabarzonCavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and
Quezon). These provinces all share thesame topography, culture, and history,
and the entire region is very scenic andfertile because of several activevolcanoes, including Taal Volcano, Mt.Makiling, and Mt. Banahaw. This is the
start of coconut country, which continuedown south to the Bicol region. Quezonand Batangas are known for lambanog, aspirit distilled from tuba [coconut
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oddy], while Laguna is famous for bukoyoung coconut] pie. Archaeological
digs have unearthed old settlements in
several areas, including those of Pila,Laguna. When the Spanish arrived inPila, they found the people so highlycivilized and cultured that they called itLa Noble Villa de Pila—The NobleTown of Pila.
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Buko pie.
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Coconut buds.
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MEMORIES
Loreto Del
Mundo-Relova of Pila, Laguna
oreto Del Mundo-Relova is descended
rom the Del Mundos of Marinduqu
and the Rivera clan of Pila, onto whos
and the present town was relocatedafter floods obliterated the old site
Though frail and in her eighties now
she is still beautiful and regal. He
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cooking has sustained the family
hrough the decades. What her children
consider a family tradition comes from
her hands, and what family warmthey look back on comes from he
resence. She told a compelling story
of how she learned to cook durin
World War II.
When I was a dalaga [a young,unmarried woman], I did not know how
o cook. So I decided to study Frenchcooking. But when the war broke out, Istopped cooking and my recipes got lostDuring the war, my aunt and her son
from Marinduque evacuated here and hin the attic because her son was being
sought by the Japanese. She was a good
cook and I learned from her.
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The guerrillas started coming into theown and the Japanese rounded up all th
men and put them in the church for nine
days. On the third day, the Japanesecaptain who was searching for guerrillacame and asked if he and his men coulduse our bathroom. He happened to beeducated in England and he was nice,very handsome, and tall. It turned out heoved to sing Tagalog songs, and when
he learned that I played the piano hestopped investigating and just sangsongs.
The guards at the church knew my
husband, so they let him out to go homeand take a bath. When it was time toeave, the Japanese cried. They loved it
here because the people did not try to
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kill them. San Antonio is our patron sain—that’s why they call this town BayangPinagpala, the Promised Town. All the
other towns around us were burned andeveryone from these areas had toevacuate. We fed everyone, using up ourentire rice harvest.
Cora Relova
Cora Relova, Loreto Del Mundo-Relova’s daughter, has but one memoryhat she would always keep with her— he memory of the dining table in their
family home in Pila, Laguna, one hotafternoon around May in 1957. She saysshe was about ten years old then, and
Frank Sinatra was singing “All the Way
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on the radio. The view from the table— when the eight-foot-high slidingwindows are pulled to the side—now
reveals a profusion of pink bougainvilleas. But she distinctlyremembers a makopa [Curacao apple]ree then.
Cora was profoundly moved by theJapanese movie After Life. “The movies all about what happens when you die
and you go to this temporary place likepurgatory. You have to choose onememory of your life, which will be yourforever memory. If I had to choose one
memory, it would be here at this table,eating fried chicken. But what is moremportant is that my family was
complete. No matter what problems in
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he world we were facing, the oneconstant was the table and Mama’scooking. You could always count on tha
no matter what.”
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PATA ESTOFADO
Pork estofado is a classic Tagalog dish
popular in the provinces south of Manila. The traditional way of cookinghis is in a clay pot in which the pig’s
rotters or knuckles in their marinade arecovered with saba [plantain] and slicesof bread, and the pot opening is sealedwith a banana leaf and tied around the
rim. The pot is left on a slow fire and thpork knuckles are simmered for severalhours. The pot is usually opened thefollowing day to let the flavors of the
pork, vinegar, and caramel fullydevelop.
This recipe was shared with us by
Loreto Del Mundo-Relova.
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SERVES 4
1½ cups soy sauce
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 5½ pounds pig’s trotters, cut into 4-inch pieces
1 cup sugar
2 cups sugarcane vinegar or rice vinega
6 tablespoons canola oil
1 head garlic, cloves peeled
4 shallots, quartered
2 ripe plantains, sliced lengthwise to ge4 pieces
1. Pour ½ cup of the soy sauce into alarge nonreactive bowl and add thepepper. Add the trotters and turn to coat
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them in the soy sauce. Cover,refrigerate, and let marinate for at least1 hour, or preferably overnight.
2. Place the sugar in a deep, large pot.Drizzle 2 tablespoons water over thetop. Place the pan over medium-highheat and cook, gently swirling the panbut not stirring, until the sugar hasmelted into a deep amber-colored syrup
(watch carefully, as this speeds uptoward the end and you don’t want tooverdarken it—if you do, simply startagain).
3. While the sugar is caramelizing, pourthe vinegar into a separate pot. Placeover medium-high heat and bring to a
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boil. Slowly add the boiling vinegar tothe caramelized sugar—the mixture willspit, so take care and stand away from
the pot as you pour. Swirl, then stir, tocombine. Set aside.
4. Remove the trotters from themarinade, reserving the marinade. In alarge sauté pan over medium-high heat,warm ¼ cup oil. Add the trotters to the
pan, in batches, and sear until brownedon all sides, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the trotters to the sugar-vinegar
mixture. Add the reserved marinade, theremaining 1 cup soy sauce, the garlic,and shallots. Add water to cover. Bringto a boil, then reduce the heat, cover,
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and simmer for about 2 hours, or untilthe meat is tender and falling off thebone. Remove the trotters from the pot,
raise the heat, and cook the sauce untilreduced by half, about 20 minutes.
6. While the sauce is reducing, fry theplantains: Warm 2 tablespoons oil in amedium skillet over medium-high heat.Add the plantains and cook until
softened and lightly browned on bothsides, about 5 minutes.
7. When the sauce has thickened, return
the trotters to the pot, add the plantains,and heat to warm through, about 5minutes.
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Guinataang hipon Relova.
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Kamias.
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GUINATAANG HIPONRELOVA
When Cora Relova promised that her mother, Loreto Del Mundo-Relova,would make guinataang hipon for me, m
friend Becky Villegas, a famous baker and cook in Manila, groaned with envyand pleaded to come with me. In mymind, guinataang hipon was shrimp
cooked in coconut broth—like aMalaysian laksa—but to my surprise, itwas really shrimp fried in latik, coconut
milk cooked until the oil is extracted. Itwas not only delicious, but it came to thable beautifully browned and glazed in
all its coconut goodness.
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SERVES 4
16 large whole shrimp with shells and
heads4 cups coconut milk (preferably fresh orfrozen)
6 frozen kamias, sliced
Salt, to tasteSteamed white rice, for serving
2 limes, cut into wedges
1. Clean the shrimp, leaving the headson and trimming off the eyes, antennas,and sharp points from the tails. Using asharp paring knife, slit open the backs othe shrimp and devein them, keeping theshells on.
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2. Place the coconut milk in a wok or medium saucepan over medium-highheat. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring
occasionally at first, and then constantlywhen the coconut milk starts to separateThe coconut milk will separate into oiland latik, which are solid particles.When the latik turns golden brown, addthe shrimp to the pan. Fry the shrimp inthis oil for 2 minutes, then add the
kamias and continue frying until theshrimp are cooked through and the latik turns a darker, reddish shade (take carenot to burn the latik). Season with salt to
taste. Using a slotted spoon, scoop theshrimp, kamias, and latik onto a servingplate. Serve over rice, along with limewedges.
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ACHARANG UBOD
n the Philippines, ubod refers to the
heart of a coconut tree and is morecommonly used in Visayan dishes, so Iwas quite surprised to get a recipe for
ubod in Laguna. Here in the UnitedStates the closest equivalent to ubod ishe heart of palm (pith of the sabal
Palmetto) and they are available fresh,
canned, or frozen.This recipe was adapted from one by
Mrs. Loreto Del Mundo-Relova.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART
2 cups rice vinegar
¾ cup sugar
1½ teaspoons salt
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2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 shallots, thinly sliced
1–2 birdseye chiles, to taste, thinlysliced
1 pound ubod or 8 pieces heart of palm,cut into thick matchsticks
1. Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt,garlic, shallots, and chiles in a largenonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boilover high heat, then reduce the heat tomedium-low and simmer for 3 minutesto blend the flavors.
2. Transfer to a storage container, coolto room temperature, cover, andrefrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill
completely.
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3. Add the ubod and stir to coat with thepickling solution. Refrigerate overnightbefore serving.
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LECHE FLAN WITHCARAMELIZED
MACAPUNOWe adapted this recipe from the lecheflan that Joe Lat, Mrs. Relova’s cook,
prepared for us. The special surprise ofhe flan was the homemade macapunohat he spread over the bottom of the pan
before the custard was poured in. Whenhe flan was turned over on a platter, thecaramelized macapuno would be on topof the flan. For this recipe, we decided
hat it would be easier to make thecaramelized macapuno separately andserve it on the side.
Macapuno [coconut sport] are mutant
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coconuts that manufacture meat untilheir shells are entirely filled up ( puno
n Tagalog means filled up).
SERVES 6
Flan:
2¼ cups sugar 4 large eggs
8 large egg yolks
1¼ cups heavy cream1¼ cups milk
Caramelized Macapuno:
Leftover caramel from the flan½ cup coconut milk
½ cup heavy cream
One 16-ounce jar shredded macapuno
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1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. To makethe caramel base, have ready six 8-ounce ramekins. Place 1 ½ cups of the
sugar in a small, heavy saucepan.Drizzle ¼ cup water over the top. Placethe pan over medium-high heat andcook, gently swirling the pan but notstirring, until the sugar has melted into adeep amber-colored syrup, 5 to 7minutes. Quickly pour the caramel into
the bottom of the ramekins and let cool.Reserve the remaining caramel to makethe macapuno.
2. To make the caramelized macapuno,add the coconut milk and heavy cream tothe leftover caramel in the pan. Bring toa simmer over medium heat, whisking,
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for 2 minutes, until smooth. Add themacapuno and stir for 3 more minutes.Set aside to cool, then cover and
refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. To make the flan custard, lightly beatthe eggs and egg yolks together in alarge bowl. In a medium saucepan, heatthe heavy cream, milk, and remaining ¾cup sugar, stirring until the sugar
dissolves. Whisking constantly, slowlypour the scalded milk mixture into thebeaten eggs. Strain through a fine-meshstrainer into a clean bowl. Pour the
custard into the caramel-coatedramekins.
4. Place the ramekins in a large baking
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or roasting pan and add enough hotwater to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Very loosely cover the pa
with foil, poking the foil with a knife afew times to create air vents. Bake untilthe flans are just set in the center, about1 hour and 20 minutes. Let cool, cover with plastic, and chill overnight.
5. To serve, run a small knife around the
edges of the flans to loosen. Place asmall serving plate on top of a ramekinand flip over. Carefully remove theramekin. Repeat with the remaining
ramekins and serve, topped with thecaramelized macapuno.
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BUKO PIE
This is the most famous dessert of the
province of Laguna, south of Manila,where coconut country starts. We havemany customers who come to the
restaurant just for this dessert, and it ispure comfort food. We like to serve thispie with vanilla or purple-yam icecream. You can make the filling a day
ahead, refrigerate it, and let it come baco room temperature before proceeding.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
1 recipe Basic Pie Pastry (this page),chilled
Filling:
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1 cup young coconut juice
⅓ cup cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream
1½ cups sugar
Four 1-pound packages frozen gratedunsweetened young coconut,
thawed and drained (juicereserved) or 4 cups shredded youncoconut, juice reserved
Egg wash:
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon milk
1. In a small bowl, whisk together thecoconut juice and cornstarch untilsmooth.
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2. In a large saucepan over medium heacombine the heavy cream and sugar andbring just to a simmer, stirring to
dissolve the sugar, about 3 minutes. Addthe coconut and bring back to a simmer,stirring. Slowly pour in the coconutuice–cornstarch mixture, stirring
constantly. Bring to a simmer and cook,stirring constantly, until thickened, abou2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let
cool completely.
3. Preheat the oven to 425° F. To rollout the pie pastry, divide the dough in
half and roll each piece out on a lightlyfloured work surface with a lightlyfloured rolling pin into two 14-inchcircles (about ⅛-inch thick). Use one of
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the pastry circles to line a 9-inch piepan, pressing the crust into the sides andbottom of the pan. Pour in the cooled
buko filling, spreading the filling outevenly over the pastry. Fit the seconddough circle on top of the pie and rollthe edge of the top crust under the edgeof the bottom crust, fluting the edges.
4. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk
with the milk to make the egg wash.Brush the top of the pie with the eggwash. Using a kitchen fork or a paringknife, prick 6 vent holes in the top of the
pie.
5. Place the pie on a baking sheet andbake for 15 minutes, then lower the ove
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temperature to 350° F and bake until thecrust is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutesCool on a wire rack before serving.
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Buko [young coconut].
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Mature coconuts.
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Lake Bulusan, Sorsogon, Bicol.
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Bicol
The Heart of Coconut Country
always recommend that people visitBicol because its landscapes arebeautiful and its food rich with the
goodness of coconuts. Through the helpof Marichi Francisco, mother of a goodfriend and regular customer, MonicaBenares, we were able to visit Naga in
Camarines Sur, Legazpi (where Mt.Mayon is located), Polangui, Albay, androsin in Sorsogon, Romy’s hometown.
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Buko.
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Mature coconut.
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Pancit buko.
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The Coconut at
Every StageBuko, the young coconut, is best eatenfresh, and young coconut juice is thehealthiest drink nature can offer. The topof the buko is trimmed off in layers,eaving a soft pate of flesh on the top,
which is punctured with a straw. If youare lucky, you will have enough of themeat to scrape inside the buko shell afteou finish your drink. The buko meat is
soft and delicate and is used for manyPhilippine desserts: buko pie, bukosorbets, and buko salads. It is also madento buko pancit and used as a substitute
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for noodles.Lukadon, the in-between stage of the
coconut, was an exciting discovery for
me, as it is often mistaken for the buko.This is the stage when the coconut meats still pliant and soft, but has enough
body to withstand cooking. It is used inmany sweets and desserts and is themain ingredient for bukayo, a coconutand brown sugar jam that is eaten by
tself, put on pan de sal, or used as afilling for puto or suman. It is used in asticky, chewy delicacy of Candon calledcalamay.
The mature coconut is the source of he coconut milk that is widely used in
Southeast Asian cooking. Unlike buko
uice, mature coconut milk is extracted
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from grated mature coconut meat. Thefirst squeezing, without any water addeds called kakang gata, or pure coconut
cream. The once-squeezed gratedcoconut can be mixed with water for asecond and third extraction. The purecoconut cream is used the way heavycream is used in Western desserts, andhe water-added extractions are used
primarily for cooking. Freshly grated
coconut is also used for native dessertssuch as bibingka, puto, and suman.When coconut milk is cooked
continuously, the milk will separate into
a solid called latik and its by-product,coconut oil. Latik is mixed with stickyrice for some suman and is also used as
a topping for certain puddinglike snacks
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Coconut oil is used for frying andcooking and is the basis for mostvegetable cooking oil sold in the
Philippines.
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Tinutungan [chicken in burnt coconut
crème].
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Burnt Coconut
One of my most exciting discoveries of Filipino cooking techniques happenedwhere I least expected it, while in
Tiaong, Quezon (a province south of Manila), visiting the famous potter UguBigyan. I always try to go to Ugu’s everyime I am back in the Philippines
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because his home is a beautiful, self-made oasis that provides a moment of solitude from the tattered fabric of life i
Manila. It feels like Bali in the smallenclave of homemade bricks that line hipathways and form the foundation of hishome. There, in one of his gazeboscaressed by some northerly breeze, heays out a lunch that is simply delicious:
appetizers of clam soup, side dishes of
banana hearts bathed in burnt coconutcream, grilled tilapia wrapped in bananeaves, lechon kawali, and local fruits oanzones and bananas.
Bicol, the coconut capital of thePhilippines, has always been known forts coconut-based dishes. When I started
nterviewing Ugu about the meal that he
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cooked for us, the banana heart dish witts tart, smoke-flavored coconut cream
base stood out for several reasons. It
showed me that provincial boundariesare arbitrary and that Quezon, along witLaguna and Bicol, formed one longunbroken strip of land filled with lushcoconut groves. Quezon, as much asBicol and Laguna, has a sophisticatedsense and tradition of what to do with a
coconut.I had discovered the concept of burntcoconut several years ago through theMuslim cooking found down south in the
Zamboanga area of Mindanao. Chunks ococonut meat were burnt on a grill untilotally black. This charcoal-black
coconut was pounded with spices such
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as cumin and turmeric to form a pastehat would be used like curry in chicken
or meat stews. This is called pinaitum
itum means black).What Ugu taught me was different.
Freshly grated coconut was returned tots husk and a live coal is placed in it to
burn the grated coconut. Once thecoconut is burnt and toasted, it is thensqueezed with a little amount of water to
produce a barbecue-flavored extract thacan totally change the character of manyraditional dishes such as adobo and
kinilaw. To add another layer of flavor
o the burnt coconut cream, Ugu suggestsadding grated green mango or a little bitof vinegar and chopped chiles to the
burnt coconut before extracting the
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cream. The coconut cream will give adelicately tart and smoky flavor and anundertone of heat to your dish.
For home cooks who would like tory using burnt coconut cream in their
dishes, we highly recommend the safer procedure, described on this page aspart of the recipe for Kulawong Talong,which achieves a similar effect.
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Clockwise from top: Mud crabs in
coconut milk, periwinkles in coconut
milk ( this page ), and banana hearts in
coconut milk.
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CRABS IN COCONUT MILK
This recipe was inspired by our trip to
Bohol, Visayas, in 1999. One lateafternoon, we went to the public marketo see what the bagsakan (the term used
when fishermen drop off the day’s catchat the market) would bring. I found ahuge live mangrove crab that must haveweighed five pounds, which I bought
without any hesitation. I asked thekitchen staff at the Bohol Beach Club tocook it in coconut milk, lemongrass, aittle bit of ginger, and some scallions. I
was absolutely delicious!Crabs and coconut milk are a natural
combination. The resulting sauce of
coconut milk, delicate herbs and spices,
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and crab juices is unforgettable.
SERVES 4
2 shallots, peeled and halved8 cloves garlic, peeled
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
and thickly sliced1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed, smashed,
and cut into 2-inch pieces
5 cups coconut milk 2–3 chiles (birdseye, jalapeño, or serrano), slit down one side
One 1-inch piece fresh turmeric, thicklysliced, or 1 teaspoon dried turmeri
3 kaffir lime leaves
One 1-inch piece galangal, thickly sliced
(optional)
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2 live mud crabs, 2 Dungeness crabs, or8 blue crabs, cleaned, gillsremoved, and cut in half
2 teaspoons fish sauce, or to taste1 teaspoon lime or lemon juice, or to
taste
1. In a large pot over medium-high heat,combine the shallots, garlic, ginger,lemongrass, coconut milk, chiles,
turmeric, lime leaves, and galangal andbring to a simmer. Add the crabs, coverthe pot, and quickly bring to a boil.Reduce the heat to medium and cook,covered, until the crabs are cookedthrough and the shells turn red, about 10minutes, depending on the size of the
crabs.
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2. Transfer the crabs to a serving platterand return the pot to the stove. Cook over high heat, stirring often, until the
liquid has reduced to the consistency ofheavy cream, 5 to 10 minutes. Seasonwith the fish sauce and lime juice. Tasteand add more fish sauce or lime juice, ineeded. Return the crabs to the sauceand cook over medium-high heat untilwarmed through, about 5 minutes.
Remove and discard the chiles. Arrangethe crabs on a large serving platter andpour the sauce over them.
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BANANA HEARTS INCOCONUT MILK
Banana heart, a dark purple-leafed six-nch oblong blossom with a pointed ends sold fresh and canned in Asian
markets. Perry Mamaril, our residentartist and banana heart expert, gave ushis recipe. It is cooked in coconut milk,hen drained and served as a salad.
SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH
Salt
2 banana hearts (available inChinatowns, or substitute one 20-ounce can, drained)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
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1 large onion or 4 shallots, minced
1 cup coconut cream or ½ cup regular coconut milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice or kalamansilime juice, or to taste
1 tablespoon chopped scallions, for
serving1 birdseye chile, thinly sliced, for
serving (optional)
1. Fill a bowl with about 6 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt. Swirl todissolve the salt. Peel the outer layers o
the banana hearts until you reach thepale-colored heart. Finely chop thebanana hearts and immediately place inthe water. Massage the pieces with your
hands for about 3 minutes to remove the
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bitter sap. Discard the soapy-lookingliquid that emerges. Drain in a fine-messtrainer, rinse, and repeat the whole
process. Taste a small piece and if thereis any bitterness remaining, wash thebanana hearts again.
2. In a medium saucepan over mediumheat, warm the oil. Add the onion or shallots and sauté until softened, 3 to 5
minutes.3. Add the banana hearts, ¼ teaspoonsalt, and the coconut cream or milk.
Raise the heat, bring to a boil, thenlower the heat and simmer, uncovered,until the hearts are tender, about 5minutes.
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4. Use a spider or slotted spoon toscoop the banana hearts into a servingdish. Season with the lemon or
kalamansi juice and additional salt totaste. Garnish with the scallions andchiles.
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Cleaning mud crabs.
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PERIWINKLES INCOCONUT MILK
Periwinkles are small snails and arecalled cojol in the Philippines. In Bicolall kinds of snails are traditionally
cooked in coconut milk to create a richbut delicate sauce laced with subtle heafrom chiles. It is a culinary experience tsuccessfully suck the snail out of the
shell and retain one’s composure. At therestaurant, Romy tactfully providesoothpicks for people who are seriously
snail-challenged. Be sure to use thefreshest periwinkles—you may need tospecial-order them from a reputableseafood supplier.
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SERVES 6 TO 8
2 pounds periwinkles, tough ends
trimmed1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 small shallot, minced
1–1½ cups coconut milk, as needed
1 fresh red chile, sliced
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepperor to taste
Freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon, or to
taste
1. Place the periwinkles in a large bowlCover with water and swish around to
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clean them. Drain, and repeat twicemore. Place the periwinkles in a bowland add enough water to cover. Set
aside for at least 1 hour or up to 2 hoursDrain and rinse again.
2. Combine the oil, garlic, and shallot ina large skillet or wok. Cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned,2 to 3 minutes. Add the periwinkles and
increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring,for 1 minute. Pour in enough coconutmilk to come halfway up the sides of theperiwinkles. Add the chile. Bring to a
boil and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3minutes, or until you can easily removea periwinkle from its shell with atoothpick. Do not overcook. Add the
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salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Pour intoa bowl and serve.
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Naga market.
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Turo turo [to point] in Naga market.
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MEMORIES
Naga: Heartland
of Bicolt’s easy to fall in love with Naga.
Disembarking from the plane feels likegoing back to a Philippines that can onlybe found in old novels. As I looked athe quaint iron gate that separated the
arrivals from the sparse crowd, I had toremind myself that I was no longer inhat fabled, genteel colonial past of my
grandparents’ time. Despite the modern
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vigor and vitality that met me throughoutmy stay, I could not shake this feeling.
Aling Conching, a Naga restaurant
run by Clara Verdadero, serves therecipes of Clara’s mother, ConsolacionDavid Verdadero, who was aKapampangan from San Fernando,Pampanga. When Consolacion moved to
aga, she adapted the cooking of Pampanga to the ingredients found in
Bicol. This influence is seen in the karekare with freshly roasted and groundnative peanuts and in their balo-balo,fermented rice wrapped in mustard
eaves.When I got to Aling Conching, a
stand-alone stove and gas tank were set
up in the middle of the restaurant to
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demonstrate classic Bicol dishes basedon coconut milk. The next day, another cooking demo was held in the park, with
oung men from the local photographyclub trooping in for our photographer,
eal Oshima’s autograph. As Nealbrandished his light meter and camera,hey followed every movement with
great anticipation.
Bicol Classics
Kinunot is made with either pating
shark] or pagui [stingray] braised invinegar and coconut milk. The verystrong flavors of these fish are temperedby blanching, after which the fish is
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scaled and skinned and its meatshredded. Large strips of ginger arebrowned in oil, to which is added whol
garlic cloves, diced red onions,omatoes, the shredded shark or stingray
a cup of vinegar, coconut milk, choppedred and green chiles, and chile leaves. ISorsogon, malunggay [leaves from thehorseradish tree] are added to thekinunot.
Tabagwang [river snails] have longstraight, tapered, and ribbed blacshells. They are soaked in severa
changes of water for at least one night tget rid of impurities. Before cooking, thail is cut off so that one can suck th
snail from the shell. To cook the snails
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coconut milk is boiled with mashegarlic, slivers of ginger, and smalonions, and is stirred constantly t
prevent curdling. Once the coconut iflavored, the snails are added, the saucreduced, and ferns [pako leaves] ansliced chiles are added.
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Taro leaves on pedicab.
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The Taro Leaves
of BicolTaro leaves [ gabi in Tagalog, natong inBicol] are used for everyday cooking alover the Bicol region. They can either bmade into pinangat [taro purses] or laingtaro leaves cooked in coconut milk—
see this page]. The pinangat, accordingo Honesto General, author of The
Coconut Cookery of Bicol , is thequintessential Bicolano dish. However,
one will notice differences in how it ismade as one drives farther south toAlbay and to Sorsogon.
Naga’s pinangat was the most
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uxurious, perhaps a sign of theabundance of the freshwater shrimpulang in Tagalog, buyud in Bicol) in
Camarines Sur and the people’s generalability to afford them. The Naga versioncontained pork, lukadon, freshwater shrimp meat and juice, and freshly saltedalamang, seasoned with garlic, ginger,and lemongrass that are poundedogether until fine. In Albay, the filling i
a mixture of sliced taro leaves, pork,chicken, or dried fish. Down inSorsogon, the purses are simply filledwith sliced taro leaves with minimal
seasoning. The purses are steamed in awok on a bed of lemongrass. Oncesteamed, coconut sauce seasoned withgarlic, onions, salt, and chiles is poured
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over them.
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Shredded taro leaves.
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LAING
This is a classic Bicolano dish made of
aro leaves cooked in coconut milk. Athe restaurant, we use fresh or dried taroeaves, depending on what is available.
Dried taro leaves are available fromFilipino stores and fresh taro leavesfrom stores that serve West Indiancommunities. Experienced Bicolano
cooks recommend using dry leaves for wo reasons: air-drying destroys thecrystals that coat the leaf that causetchiness to the tongue, and dry leaves d
not disintegrate during cooking the wayfresh leaves do.
SERVES 6 TO 8
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1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed or sliced
1 fresh green or red chile, sliced(optional)
Three 14-ounce cans coconut milk
½ teaspoon salt4 cups dried taro leaves
n a medium saucepan over medium heatwarm the oil. Add the onion, garlic, andchile, if using, and cook, stirrinoccasionally, until the onions ar
ranslucent, about 5 minutes. Add thcoconut milk and salt, raise the heat tmedium-high, and bring to a simmerAdd the taro leaves, bring back to
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simmer, then reduce the heat andsimmer, uncovered, for 20 minutesstirring occasionally, until nicel
hickened. Taste and add more salt ineeded.
Origins of Halo-Halo
According to the Bicolanos, the halo-halo started from the simple mongo con
hielo—boiled mung beans, milk, sugar,and shaved ice—sold by Japanese-owned soda shops in Naga, CamarinesSur. During World War II, thesennocuous soda fountains took on a
sinister role, as Danny Gerona recountsn his book Naga: The Birth and
ebirth of a City:
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Almost five years before theJapanese invasion of the Philippines, theprovince of Camarines Sur registered a
substantial number of Japaneseresidents. There were about eight retailstores owned by Japanese, most if notall of these were in Naga. Among themore prominent Japanese establishmentn Naga were the Filipino Bazar [sic]
and the K Mori refreshment parlor,
which served the most desired colddrink of mongo con hielo. The residentsof Naga and their Bicolano customershad no idea about the mission of these
Japanese merchants until the JapaneseArmy arrived in Naga. To the residents’surprise, most of these Japanesemerchants donned their military uniform
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and turned out to be high-rankingofficers in the Japanese Imperial Army.
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Silag [sugar palm seeds].
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HALO-HALO
Halo-halo, which means “mix-mix,” is
he traditional iced dessert of thePhilippines. It is an Asian parfait madewith layers of sweetened red beans and
native delicacies topped by shaved iceand milk. A more elaborate version (thehalo-halo special) has extra toppings of eche flan, pinipig, and ice cream.
There are many variations of thehalo-halo. At some establishments,bowls of every imaginable ingredientare laid out for people to pick andchoose. Some regions include freshfruits like cantaloupe, watermelon,mango, and papaya. In Pampanga, local
purveyors add saba and pastillas de
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eche. In Bicol, grated cheddar cheese issprinkled on top of all the other toppingsfor extra richness. At the restaurant, we
use fresh milk, although many Filipinosprefer using evaporated or condensedmilk, having grown up with it.
For 1 serving:1 tablespoon sweet red beans (or
sweetened garbanzos or white
beans)1 tablespoon nata de coco (coconut gel,or use nata de piña, pineapple gel)
1 tablespoon kaong [palm seed]
1 tablespoon macapuno [coconut sport]
1 tablespoon jackfruit in syrup, thinlysliced
2 tablespoons gulaman (recipe follows)
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2 cups ice cubes
½ cup whole milk, plus additional for drizzling
1 tablespoon haleyang ube (ube jam,optional)
1 scoop of ice cream (suggested flavors
purple yam, macapuno, or mango)
The first five ingredients listed abovare sold in jars packed in syrup. You ca
vary amounts, omit, substitute, or adngredients according to preference. To
assemble, layer the first six ingredientn a tall parfait glass. In a blender, pulshe ice cubes and milk to the consistenc
of shaved ice. Scoop the ice over thayers of sweet ingredients. Pour o
more fresh milk, top with haleyang ube
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f using, and a scoop of ice cream, anserve.
To make a more decadent halo-halo,
sprinkle some toasted pinipig (this pageover the halo-halo and top with a smallserving of leche flan (custard) alongwith a scoop of ice cream.
Many non-Filipinos have missed outon the pleasures of this treat becausehey do not know how to eat it. Halo-
halo should be mixed so that thesweetness of the ingredients will blendwith the ice and other ingredients. Thepurple-yam jam [haleyang ube] gives the
halo-halo a nice lavender color andflavor.
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GULAMAN (AGAR-AGAR)
Dried gulaman or agar-agar is a gum
extracted from seaweed. More and morechefs are using this as a vegetariansubstitute for gelatin. It is available in
Chinese and Japanese markets and innatural food stores. It is sold in coloredor white bars. Gulaman can be eaten ass for dessert, but is primarily used as an
ngredient in halo-halo, sago [tapiocapearl] drinks, and fruit salads.
MAKES ABOUT 12 SERVINGS
⅔ cup sugar One ¼-ounce bar gulaman [agar-agar],
about 10 inches long, torn into
small pieces
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n a medium saucepan over medium-higheat, combine 2 ⅔ cups water with thsugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar, and
bring to a boil. Add the gulaman, brino a boil, then reduce the heat an
simmer, stirring or whisking constantlyuntil the gulaman is totally dissolved, o 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mes
strainer and pour into an 8-by-8-incbaking pan. Set aside to cool for about
hour to firm up, then refrigerate untiready to use.
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BICOL EXPRESS
Romy adapted this recipe from a dish
Carlos “Itos” Briones, a Manila Citynformation Officer, cooked for us in the
beautiful Isarog Garden in Naga. The
chile-laden Bicol Express was renamedafter the train that started from theTutuban Station in Manila to Legazpi,Albay (probably because of the speed a
which the incendiary chiles sent oneflying for water), and has since gainednationwide recognition, making itBicol’s best-known dish. To make this
spicy condiment, pork is cooked incoconut milk seasoned with choppedginger, garlic, onions, and lemongrass.
Once the pork is soft, freshly salted
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bagoong and a substantial amount of chopped chiles are added. It is deliciouwith steamed rice and seafood and
vegetable dishes.MAKES ABOUT 6 CUPS (SERVES 8 TO 10)
1 ½ pounds pork butt, cut into ¼-inchstrips
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeledand thinly sliced
1 stalk lemongrass, smashed and cut intoquarters
6 garlic cloves, sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced2 cups coconut milk
4 tablespoons shrimp bagoong
3 poblano chiles, seeded and cut into ¼
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inch strips
5 jalapeño chiles, seeded and cut into¼-inch strips
2 habanero or other fresh red chiles,seeded and cut into ¼-inch strips(optional)
3 New Mexico or other fresh greenchiles, seeded and cut into strips
5 hot Thai chiles, thinly sliced (withseeds)
1. In a large saucepan over medium-highheat, stir together the pork, ginger,
lemongrass, garlic, onion, and coconutmilk. Bring to a boil, then lower the heaand simmer, uncovered, stirringoccasionally, until the pork softens, 10
minutes.
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2. Add the bagoong and chiles and cookuntil the chiles are softened but still aldente, 5 to 7 minutes.
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MEMORIES
Polangui: The
Hunt for theKurakding
“Oh good, we’re going to Bicol,” Nealfired back to me via e-mail as I informehim of our travel plans to photograph
and research material for this book. “Iwant to hunt for the kurakding. I hear it’squite difficult to find.” Kurakding is a
wild mushroom that grows on the rotting
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bark of trees found at the foot of volcanoes and mountains. It is onlyavailable in the local markets if the
people who live around mountainousareas forage for it. At that point, we didnot even know that much. We asked our hosts in every part of Bicol that weraveled to, but all we got were shrugs
or non-answers. We knew it existed, butn the world of the Philippines, reality i
defined by different rules. If you areused to the precision of responses for directions and data that one normallyexpects in the West, you need to make
serious adjustments in perspective onceou get to this part of the world. Here,
body language, long memories,mmediacy of recognition, and richness
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of natural resources make the need for precise definitions, names and genusesof flora, fauna, and in this case, wild and
ntermittent fungi, unnecessary.
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Kurakding on taro leaves in Polangui
market.
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We eventually stumbled upon thekurakding in Polangui, a small townoutside Legazpi City, the capital of
Albay in the Bicol region. Bicol is thesouthern tip of Luzon, a narrow alleyeading down to the southern islands of he Visayas. Legazpi is famous for Mt.
Mayon, one of the most perfectly shapedand beautiful volcanoes in the world.Possibly because of its rich
environment, Bicol is also one of theeast economically developed regions ohe Philippines. As we drove through
miles of lush and breathtaking scenes of
coconut trees, pili trees, and thousandsof other botanical delights, I wassecretly glad of its lack of industrialdevelopment. True, the Filipinos in that
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part of the country were some of thepoorest, but were they really that poor when the land is still virgin, the air
unpolluted, and the trees still stand?We drove into the town of Polangui a
night after a traumatic visit to Mt.Mayon, where I slipped, fell, andbloodied my arms and legs trying toclimb up a rock to get a better photographic angle in one of the
abandoned guesthouses halfway towardhe tip of the volcano.On the main street of polangui, which
reminded me of a set in an old american
Western movie—almost two-dimensional, chaotic, and crowded—wefinally found the bakery of Tita Ong
Samson, our hostess for our brief stay
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here. I first heard of Tita Samson andher aunt, Mama Auyan, at Cendrillon,when our good friend Owi Ruivivar
suggested that I may be interested inmeeting her mother’s relatives inPolangui, a small town about 12 milesnortheast of Legazpi.
Mama Auyan arrived in thePhilippines from China in 1937 whenshe was only sixteen years old and was
aught how to cook Fujianese by Tita’smother. Tita and Mama Auyan are theast of their line in this particular branchhat holds so many keys to our
understanding of the Chinese aspect of he Filipino culture. We talked about the
cooking session planned for the next day
which included recipes of old-style
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Chinese-Filipino cooking preserved byMama Auyan.
Tita was born in 1942 of parents who
were dubbed as “agaw buhay”—caughtn a space between life and death. The
Chinese believe that it is unlucky for achild to be born of sick parents and soshe was immediately given to her grandparents for caring. However, her mother eventually claimed her back,
only to be rewarded with early death.Tita was also born with a lameness thatmade it impossible for her to walk straight. She was told that if she were to
get well and walk straight, her father would die in exchange for her goodfortune. In 1980, her physical condition
mproved and she began to walk upright
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and that same year her father died.
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It was our Bicol guide MarichiFrancisco, knowledgeable of Chinesecustoms and religious beliefs, who
explained to me about Tita’s devotion tohe Chinese goddess Kwan Yin, whom
she called Santa Kwanina. Later research taught me that Kwan Yin, or Guanyin, is also called the Goddess of Mercy, a Hindu male divinity that wasreincarnated into a Buddhist goddess.
Tita’s life is ruled by the advice of Santa Kwanina, a Hispanicized andChristianized version of the Buddhistdeity. In fact, she confessed that when
inya, Owi’s mom, first called her toask if we could visit and interview her about their Chinese cooking, she prayed
o the Santa and luckily, the Santa told
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her to go ahead because we were “goodpeople.”
That night was an excruciating one
for me. I was still nursing my woundsfrom my fall and the strangeness of mysurroundings overwhelmed me. Tocomplicate matters, the bathroom was aong trudge from our second-floor
quarters—if one wanted to take ashower in a bathroom where the door
refused to stay shut, one had to walk outof the house onto a wide open verandawhose only protection was from twistedbarbed wire on the far side.
Morning finally came and we set outearly for the market. And our luck finallpanned out. Rows and rows of the tiny
flower-like mushrooms were laid out on
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a side street outside the market, carefullarranged on fresh taro leaves that areused to wrap them when sold. There
were dried ones and fresh ones, and inour excitement we bought a lot of both.
Neal learned about the kurakdingfrom his close friend José Maria “Peng”Olaguera, whose parents come from theneighboring towns of Ligao andGuinobatan. Peng says that the
mushrooms appear only in very specificweather conditions: consistent rainfallhen sunshine—too much rain would rothem and too much sunshine would dry
and disintegrate them. To cook kurakding, Peng soaks them, if dried,stems them, then sautés garlic, onion or
shallot, ginger, and tinapa before adding
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coconut milk, alamang, the kurakding,chiles, and vegetables such asmalunggay leaves or longbeans. Unripe
santol may be added as a souring agent,and pork if it is preferred to the moreraditional tinapa. The kurakding, evenwith all the richness of the coconut milkand the other ingredients, retained itswoody and earthy flavors.
As we packed up for our next trip, to
rosin, Sorsogon, we said our good-byeo Tita and Mama Auyan. I thought of his strong and generous family unithriving in this far-off place of Polangui
went to Polangui because I thought Iwould unearth secrets of Chinesecooking, but the secret I uncovered was
how intact our ties were between
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Chinese and Filipino. It was fitting thathe hunt for the kurakding ended in
Polangui.
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MEMORIES
The Vendor of
Naga was introduced to Mariano “Obi”
Obias, by Marichi Francisco, our tour uide for the Bicol trip. Obi worked for
Caltex and was stationed in Asia,
frica, and the United States and has
written eloquently about the food of hischildhood growing up in Naga just
before, during, and immediately after
he Japanese occupation of the
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hilippines in the 1940s. He gives this
account (with traditional Bicolano
spelling retained):
Like many of his customers, we woulay in wait, hailing the cook/vendor a
he passed by our house on the way t
market. He carried pinangat, choppeucadon, and small shrimp wrapped i
natong [taro] leaves and cooked i
coconut milk in the coron [liddedround-bottomed clay pot]. This wabalanced on top of his head, atop flattened, ring-shaped turban, whic
stabilized the pot and protected his headHe carried a flattened roll of banana leasheets, which he had previously heateover linubluban [fire] to make the
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more flexible, to wrap individuapurchases. He also had a big spoocrafted from coconut shell, bamboo, an
cuhit [rattan], which he used to dispensndividual purchases without directlouching the food. His final destination the marketplace was the carihalocal public eating place]. Since h
could not serve full meals, he alscounted the vendors operating the eatin
stalls as his customers.This same man sometimes madeinumtuman, a soup dish of coconut milk
“guta” with bamboo shoots and “bibi”
not the Tagalog duck but the Bicolano’sriver clams) and proper condiments.Those who wanted them a bit hot would
add sili [hot pepper] to the preparation.
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We bought them by the bowl, usuallystill steaming hot. While he used thesame type of clay pot, he carried the
product to market in a different manner.The pot was hung on one end of a sturdybamboo stick sitting on his shoulder, andcounterbalanced with a galvanized pailof water on the other end. The pot sat ona rounded rattan ring hung on threestrands of GI wire. The pail of water
had soup bowls and spoons immersed int. Sidewalk patrons would sip their imumtuman from these bowls on the
spot. My brothers still ask our old cook
o make homemade timumtuman onspecial occasions.
The vendor also sold pork dinuguan,
which was thicker than his timumtuman,
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but still fluid in consistency. This hemade from fatty pork meat, choppedsmall intestines, pork blood kept liquid
n vinegar, a leaf flavoring called“tanglad,” and appropriate condiments.On other occasions, he would makehinuloghulog, a sweet merienda item of ittle starch balls swimming in a hot
salabat-[sweetened ginger] type brew.Or he would make “guinatan” from
chunks of camote [sweet potato], sabaripe banana], linza [taro roots],camoteng cahoy [cassava], lángca [ripeackfruit] strips, sago pellets, sángcaca
panocha], and coconut milk.
The Pili of Bicol
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t was such a pleasure to read Obi’sfood memories that I could not resistasking him to write about the pili nut of
Bicol. Pili nuts, endemic to Bicol, areconsumed as fruit, nut-in-shell, or shelled, fresh, roasted, or candied. Theripe, deep purple fruits, shaped like azeppelin, are just over an inch long. Thepili meat comes from the edible husk of he fruit. The thin purple skin is peeled
from the blanched husk enclosing thehard nut shell. The cooked meat has avery unique, rich flavor called natoc.The fruit can be eaten as is, right off the
nut shell, or the softened meat can beseparated from the nut and mashed,either in thick coconut milk, to whichpatis and spring onions may be added, o
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with sugar.Pili nuts are often roasted and salted.
Halved roasted nuts may also be
prepared like pralines, blanched, stirredwith sugar, water, and vanilla in a wok until the sugar has crystallized, thenbuttered or oiled to keep the nuts fromsticking together. The Bicolanoscollectively call the candied forms dulcpili. Among these, suspiros resemble nu
brittle, the roasted nuts embedded instretched, hardened sugar. A lot of stirring is involved in its preparation,along with a unique thumping movement
of the whole pan held by the two handlen the settling stage. At the right time,
before the mixture thoroughly hardens, a
skillfully handled knife is used to make
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slices. Suspiros are eaten in their crunchy rectangular form as a dessert ormelted in glasses of water to make a
sweet drink.
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From top to bottom: tilmok, sinanglay
na tilapia, and suman from
Catanduanes.
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MEMORIES
Holy Week in
CatanduanesTeddy Arcilla grew up in Catanduanes,
an island off the eastern coast of Bicol.t is an island of mixed blessings filledwith rivers, streams, and waterfalls. Iflew over the island once to see an
amazing sight of streams within lakeswithin rivers—water and land blendingogether to make a reluctant island. It is
also located in the typhoon corridor,
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making it hostile territory during themonths of June through October. Teddydescribed Holy Week (usually in April
or May) to me as the best time to go toCatanduanes, when the community stagea weeklong celebration of theCrucifixion and Resurrection of Christ.
During this week, meatlessCatanduanes food is prepared and eatent is only on Sunday that meat is eaten:
chicken soup with sotanghon [mung beannoodles]. The high point of the breakfason Easter Sunday is the pinoronan, anoctagon-shaped sweet made of ground
rice flour and mashed sweet potatoeswrapped in coconut leaf.
Nelia Bagadiong and Fe Caspe, both
of Catanduanes, came to the Milky Way
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kitchen in Makati to show me how tomake the pinoronan and other dishesraditionally cooked during Holy Week
n Catanduanes.
Pinoronan: The basis of this nativdessert is the camote [sweet potato] oCatanduanes, which is allowed tmature in the ground for six monthbefore harvesting. There are three type
of camote that can be used fopinoronan: white, yellow, and violetThe camote is boiled and mashed witcoconut milk, sugar, water, fine rice
flour (preferably from a speciamilagrosa rice called sinanduming ), ansalt to form a dry dough. The dough iwrapped in a coconut leaf to form a fla
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octagon. They are stacked in a pot owater and boiled until the rice flour ifully cooked.
Tilmok: Reserved for Good Friday, thiBicol version of tamales uses gratecoconut in place of rice or corn. Thmain flavor is from freshwater shrimcalled ulang [buyod in Bicol], whicare fermented for a day or two befor
he heads and shells are pounded textract the juice. The meat of the shrims chopped and mixed with a distinctivearge-leaf variety of oregano and herb
buena, a local version of mint. Thshrimp and herbs are mixed with gratecoconut, minced garlic, chopped chilesand salt and the mixture is then wrappe
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n calabaza [squash] leaves, tied ipairs, and boiled.
Sinanglay na tilapia: This is a dish oilapia (dalag or mudfish can b
substituted) that is salted, stuffed witchopped tomatoes, onions, and garlichen wrapped in pechay [bok choy]
These packages of fish are layered in pot with vinegar, coconut milk, whol
garlic cloves, whole chiles, anemongrass, and simmered, uncovereduntil the coconut milk thickens. Jusbefore the fish is ready, coconut cream
s added.
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Parallel Memories
of IrosinListening to my husband Romy’s storiesof his childhood in Irosin is never dull.His world was so different from what Iknew as a child in Manila that he mightas well have come from Pluto. Growing
up in an agricultural town, he told mehat classes ended early in the publicschool he attended, so that the kids couldwork in the garden cutting grass with
heir bolos [small machetes]. Childrenwith small machetes? I look back at mygrade school afternoons playing tamepatintero games of tag with schoolmates
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n a huge, fully cemented, enclosedplayground. The story I savor most is ofhe day Romy got so furious with a
schoolmate that he chased the ruffian allover, crashing through the stalls in themarket, bolo in hand, scandalizing thewhole town. That night was the first timhis father lost his temper enough to exaccorporal punishment.
Food is a major part of Romy’s
memories. He remembers their Chinesecook Sinco, the most ill-tempered manhe has ever met, who would allow noone to observe what he did in the
kitchen. Their food at home wasbasically a mixture of Chinese and theraditional Bicolano food cooked with
coconut milk and chiles. After Sinco left
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he food was never as good.I traveled down to the southernmost
ip of Bicol to Irosin, Sorsogon, in
search of Romy’s lost food memories. Itwas Romy’s idea to hold a picnic atMasacrot Springs, to showcase Irosinfood. Masacrot Springs, a local resortbuilt around a cold spring that flowsfrom the foot of Mt. Bulusan, was afavorite picnic spot of the Dorotan
family. What transpired was a miracle.We had asked his brother EddieDorotan, a medical doctor and former mayor of Irosin, to help us with this task
and he in turn called on sixteen barangaycaptains to help produce the event. Theywere asked to seek out classic Irosin
dishes and reproduce them using
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raditional methods. Eddie and his wife,Oyen, assumed that these barangaycaptains would rely on their parents or
grandparents to cook the food. No suchhing. These men cooked the disheshemselves! It was a project that fired up
such unprecedented excitement andenergy among the men and their familieshat they spent many sleepless nights
preparing for the event.
Dressed in T-shirts and rubber flip-flops, these community leaders, old andoung, filled the picnic area at Masacro
Springs with the tangibles of their past.
Some dishes were difficult to makebecause ingredients were disappearingand some dishes could no longer be
made. For a special dish like the
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kinagang, a tamale-type delicacy madeof grated young coconut (this page)flavored with the meat and fat of the
alangka [small crab], the men had to gofarther into the provincial interior tosearch for the elusive crabs.Unfortunately, Romy’s most favoritedessert, kuping—thin, fragile wafersmade of pounded rice or cassava— could no longer be made. The skill and
knowledge needed to make such delicatecrisps have simply passed away with thprevious generation.
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Linusak [mashed boiled bananas].
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Sinapot.
But there were two desserts that I
was eager to see and taste: the linusak and the sinapot. From the day I metRomy, he has always talked about thesewo favorites. The sinapot—layers of
sliced saba [plantains] coated in riceflour batter arranged on a cacao leaf— was his inspiration in creating the
restaurant’s ukoy (this page). Once thesaba slices were arranged on the leaf,hey could be slowly lowered into thehot fat for frying. The leaf is crucial for
keeping the bananas from dispersing inhe oil. The linusak (also called nilupak
was brought out toward the end of thepicnic, a fitting highlight to end the feast
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A boiling cauldron was started on awood fire to cook the unpeeled saba andsweet potato (taro or cassava can also
be used). The saba bananas were peeledwhile steaming hot, then pounded withsweet potatoes, grated buko, sugar, andbutter in a wooden mortar. Once fullyncorporated, the linusak has to be eatenmmediately before it gets cold.
In addition to the local Irosin food,
he Sorsogon City contingent led by PilaYrastorza Leocadio, chief of staff for thegovernor of Sorsogon, Irma Guhit, andJing Hayag, who owns a small diner at
he Sorsogon City market, brought their own homemade kakanin: ibous, suman sigia, cuchinta, sapin-sapin, puto with
cheese, cassava pudding, and bachang, a
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Chinese-style suman filled with adobo,chorizo, and peanuts. If one wants toexperience what a power breakfast is
ike in Sorsogon, visit Jing’s place,where you will run into the governor of Sorsogon and other local personalitiesike Irma Guhit, a local broadcaster.
The food that was served at theMasacrot Springs picnic gave me insighnto the heights that good Filipino food
could reach. The dishes were simple,unadulterated, and unforgettable. Therewas none of the heavy hand or stridentflavors that plague much of what is bad
n Philippine cooking today. One of myfavorites was pinakro, slices of unripesaba slowly cooked in thick coconut
milk and salt. This was served for
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breakfast and I loved it so much that Ishamelessly ate a whole bowlful of it.
As I thanked and said good-bye to the
ownspeople of Irosin, I had to control astrong impulse to bring them with me toManila to share my precious discovery.People who live a few hundred milesaway have no clue such delicacies existThe pride and pleasure that these menshowed was enough to reduce me to
ears at the end of the day as I calledew York to tell Romy about myncredible experience.
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Highlights of the Masacrot Springs
Picnic
Here are some of the dishes the barangacaptains prepared for the picnic. Othersncluded kinunot na pagi [stingray in
coconut milk] and different types of suman: kalabasa [squash], malagkitglutinous rice], and ibous (in coconuteaf wrapping).
Leni Maravilla’s cassava puto
Leni is a local vendor of puto in Irosin.This was the most amazing discovery inrosin. The puto is cooked similarly tohe puto bumbong, steamed in plastic
funnels whose stems are inserted into a
huge cylindrical steamer. These breast-
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shaped spongy and delicious cakes arefilled with bukayo [lukadon cooked inpanocha].
Kapitan Felipo Martinez’s hinagom:
This method of toasting unhusked
glutinous rice [palay], then milling,grinding, and cooking it, is a harvest-ime tradition that corresponds with a
courtship ritual between young men and
women. The men did the bayuhanpounding the unhusked rice in a woode
mortar] and the women boiled thehinagom with coconut cream, brownsugar, ground toasted malagkit, andbuko.
Kapitan Islaw Santos’s kinagang:
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This version of kinagang is made bymashing together grated lukadon, themeat and fat of talangka [small crabs],
chopped scallions, minced garlic, salt,and the native mint, which they callherba buena, to form a uniform mass.The mixture is wrapped in a native leaf called bamban or hagikhik, whichmparts a clean flavor and does not
disintegrate when steamed.
Haile Artile and Galopa’s tinutungan
na manok:
Burnt coconut (this page) gives thischicken dish a wonderful barbecuedflavor. To achieve this, grated coconutmeat is singed and used to make a smoky
asting coconut milk. Chicken is
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marinated in vinegar, ginger, and salt,sautéed with garlic and onion, thenbraised in its marinade until almost dry.
Burnt coconut cream and siling labuyotiny, slim chiles] are added and
simmered to marry the flavors.
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MEMORIES
KINAGANGThis is an easier version of the Irosinkinagang, which we serve as an
appetizer special at the restaurant. Wecombine buko, crabmeat, slicedscallions, and lemongrass, wrap themixture in banana leaf, and steam it. As
a variation, you could add shrimp or scallops to the crabmeat for a more fullseafood flavor.
MAKES 8 KINAGANG
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One 1-pound package banana leaves
½ cup lime juice
1 or 2 chopped red or green chiles
2 cups (1 pound) lump crabmeat
Four 1-pound packages shreddedunsweetened buko, drained and
coarsely chopped2 shallots, thinly sliced
4 scallions, white and green parts, thinly
sliced1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 lemongrass stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces and cut in half lengthwise
1. Cut out eight 10-by-12-inch pieces
from the banana leaves. Cut off the toug
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rib at the top of the banana leaves. Cutout ¼-inch wide strips of banana leavesto use for tying the kinagang—you’ll
need to tie two or three of them togetherto make them long enough to fit aroundthe kinagang. (Alternatively you can usekitchen string.) Clean the banana leaf sections by wiping them on both sideswith a damp paper towel. Pass themover a medium flame on both sides to
soften and make them more pliable.
2. Combine the lime juice and the chilesin a small serving bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine thecrabmeat, buko, shallots, scallions, saltand pepper. Place 1 cup of the crabmea
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mixture in the center of each banana leasection. Flatten to create a square shapeabout 4 inches square. Place two
lemongrass sections over the mixture.
4. Firmly wrap the kinagang in thebanana leaves by folding over the sidesfirst lengthwise, then widthwise. Placeseam side down and tie together oneither side with the banana leaf strips.
5. Place the kinagang in a steamer baskeplaced over simmering water. Cover and steam for about 5 minutes, just to
heat through. Unwrap the kinagang andserve with the lime-chile mixture.
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Malunggay leaves.
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CHICKEN TINOLA
This is one of the easiest and most
delicious chicken soups to make. Justike the mythical chicken soups of other
cultures, this soup is good for restoring
one’s health. By the time we got torosin, our photographer, Neal, was verysick and debilitated. I asked the kitchenstaff to make a chicken tinola with lots
of ginger, green papaya, chile, andmalunggay leaves; within a few hourseal was back on his feet.
SERVES 4 TO 6
2 tablespoons canola oil
⅓ cup chopped onion
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
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and julienned
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 stewing chicken, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more totaste
1 small green papaya, peeled, seeded,
and sliced ½-inch thick 1 cup fresh or frozen sili [chile] leaves
(available in Asian markets), or
substitute watercress or water spinach
½ cup malunggay leaves (optional)
1. In a large saucepan over medium heawarm the oil. Add the onions, ginger,and garlic and sauté until softened, abou5 minutes.
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2. Add the chicken pieces and fish sauceand cook, stirring, until the chicken iswell coated with oil, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add 8 cups of water, raise the heat, andbring to boil. Reduce the heat andsimmer, uncovered, adding the papayawhen the chicken is almost tender, 30 to40 minutes total. Stir in the sili andmalunggay leaves, if using. Cook untilheated through and wilted if fresh.
Season with fish sauce, to taste.
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Binut-ong.
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MEMORIES
The Childhood
Delights of IrosinBicolanos, like most Filipinos, are
prodigious consumers of native dessertsThese snacks are creative variations of basic ingredients: starch (rice, banana,or cassava), sugar (white, brown,
muscovado, or panocha), and coconutbuko meat or milk from mature
coconuts). In my interviews with manyFilipinos, food memories always recall
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desserts. These local sweets and kakaniare not easily replicated and invariablyhave to be enjoyed in their locality.
Furthermore, it is now more difficult tofind people who have the skills to keephese traditions alive. In Romy’s large
family (Romy is the eighth of thirteenchildren), the age gap between the oldergroup of siblings and the younger ones iso wide that they represent different
generations of food memories. By theime the youngest, José (Ping), was bornchildren were eating different treats thanhis older siblings had.
At home in New York, I sat downwith Romy’s sister Adelfa, brother Danny, niece Beya, and several other
homesick Irosinians to reminisce about
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he childhood treats they recall.
Balikucha: A taffy or nougat similar to
he Tagalog tira-tira. Romy calls thi“tooth-decay treat” because the taffy iso tough that it sticks to one’s teeth.
Binut-ong: Sticky rice, coconut creamanise flavoring, and salt that is wrappen several layers of young banan
eaves, gathered like a pouch, thecooked in coconut water or plain watefor about two hours.
Bunguran: Used as an ingredient iguinataan. Grated saba or regular unripbanana is pounded in a mortar, rollednto balls, and cooked in boiling coconu
milk and sugar along with the rest of th
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guinataan. Grated cassava can also bused.
Ginamos: Like the Tagalog maruyaoverripe saba is mashed, mixed witrice flour and sugar, formed into smalpatties, and deep-fried. (Bicolanginamos should not be confused with thCebuano guinamos, which is fermentefish or shrimp paste.)
Guinataan: Traditionally eaten fomerienda, this is made by boilincoconut milk and sugar and the
dropping in pieces of gabi [taro]cassava [yucca], camote [sweet potato]saba [plantain], bunguran, jackfruit, anoung coconut.
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Kinalingking: Sweet potato or camothat are cut like french fries, mixed wit
rice flour, water, and sugar, and fried on
cacao leaves.
Kuping: Finely grated cassava (or ricerolled into very thin sheets, dried undehe sun, then deep fried. This is similao kiping from Lucban, Quezon, whic
are painted in different colors and mad
nto shapes such as leaves.
Pinakrö: Unripe saba sliced intseveral long pieces and cooked i
coconut milk, then seasoned with salt taste. Coconut cream is added jus
before the bananas are done.
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Tabog-tabog: Grated cassava that arrolled into a ball with salt and scallionand deep-fried.
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Kinalingking.
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Guinataan.
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Visayas
The FreshestSeafood in the
Philippines always look forward to a trip to the
Visayas, where the seafood is pristineand the people speak with a sweet lilt toheir Cebuano or Ilonggo. We traveled t
Cebu, to be hosted by the Escaño,Unchuan, and Moraza families. Then itwas off to Iloilo City, Iloilo whereLourdes “Bopeep” Ladrido took us to
places and people that represent Ilonggo
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food. There can never be any Visayanrip for me without visiting my cousin
Lyn Besa-Gamboa, who lives in Silay, a
short drive from Bacolod. In Silay,Maget Gaston Locsin showed us how tomake bunuelos and pancit Molo. Wealso had the good luck to meet up withCharlie Co and his wife, Ann Legazpi,whose aunts make the famous piaya of Silay, and another aunt, Emma Lacson,
who is famous for her empanadas andumpia ubod.There is a row of eateries in Cebu
hat feature the Visayan traditional way
of eating called sutokil . Intentionallymispronounced for “foreigners” like usas “shoot to kill,” sutokil is an acronym
for sugba [grill], tola, towa, or tinola
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boiled] and kilaw or kinilaw [ceviche]this page). These are all very simple
methods of cooking relying on the
freshness of Visayan seafood.Tinola, or tola, is the Visayan versio
of sinigang, lightly soured by tomato or batuan [a small, round green fruit foundn the south]. (Note that Tagalog tinola,his page, is something else entirely.) M
friend Ding Pajaron, who comes from
Davao City in Mindanao, told me thatshe grew up eating tinolang isda [fish].Mindanao was resettled by Visayans, somany of these cooking methods are in
Mindanao, too. Tinola is what anyVisayan craves after eating rich dishes.t cleanses the system, refreshes the
spirit, and rejuvenates the diner. It’s
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made with a broth of water, ginger,onions, scallions, and tomatoes, towhich vegetables such as malunggay or
horseradish leaves are added. Once thebroth and vegetables are ready, fish,preferably swordfish, is gently poachedn it.
Sugba dishes are grilled seafood, andhe best sugba is usually found along the
wharf. Like kinilaw, sugba is about
participating in the catching, cleaning,and preparing of the dish, which is whyhis cooking method is not easilyranslated farther from the source.
Back in New York, we wanted to re-create the experience and taste of asugba. We gathered the freshest seafood
available: snapper, pompano, catfish,
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squid, shrimp, and baby octopus; thenskewered and placed them on the grill,after seasoning with a sprinkling of sea
salt and lightly brushed with oil. Thepompano was wrapped in banana leaf toprotect its delicate skin.
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Octopus and red snapper on the grill.
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A New York sugba: pompano in banana
leaf.
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Barbecued pork skewers.
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BARBECUED CHICKENSKEWERS
Barbecued skewers of chicken areperfect appetizers and always popular acocktail parties. The key is to keep the
meat moist and tender. Do notovermarinate the chicken, as this willdraw a lot of the moisture from the meatBasting the skewers continuously while
hey’re on the grill causes the sugar inhe marinade to caramelize.
SERVES 4
Marinade:
3 garlic cloves, chopped
One ½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
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and chopped
2 sticks lemongrass, trimmed andchopped
1 cup rice wine1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ cup canola oil2 whole boneless skinless chicken
breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
Twelve 8-inch wooden skewers, soakedin water for 1 hour
1. Combine the garlic, ginger, and
lemongrass in a food processor andprocess until a rough paste is formed.Place in a large nonreactive bowl and
stir in the wine, salt, and sugar. Add the
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chicken, toss well, cover with plastic,and marinate for 2 to 3 hours in therefrigerator, turning a couple of times.
2. Preheat the broiler or fire up the grillTake the chicken from the marinade andplace it in a clean bowl. Reserve themarinade for basting. Add the oil to thechicken and stir to coat. Thread about 6pieces of chicken onto each skewer and
place on a foil-lined broiler pan or on alightly oiled grill rack and broil or grillfor 5 to 7 minutes on each side, bastingwith marinade a couple of times, until
the chicken is cooked through and nicelybrowned.
3. Serve with Peanut Sauce (recipe
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follows).
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PEANUT SAUCE
We love the Indonesian peanut sauce for
he satays, and so we developed our own. This can be used for both thechicken and pork skewers.
MAKES ABOUT 1¼ CUPS
1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 shallots, peeled and chopped2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, white part only,
chopped½ fresh red chile, seeded and chopped
1¼ cups coconut milk
1 tablespoon lime juice
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1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1. Combine the peanuts, oil, shallots,garlic, lemongrass, and chile in a foodprocessor and process to a smoothpaste. Transfer to a small saucepan andplace over low heat. Add the coconutmilk, lime juice, soy sauce, and fishsauce and stir until smooth. Cook until
the sauce is warmed through, about 2minutes.
2. Taste and add more soy sauce, fish
sauce, or lime juice if needed. If thesauce is too thick, add coconut milk or water to thin it out.
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BARBECUED PORK SKEWERS
Barbecued pork skewers always bringback memories of New Year’s Evecelebrations with my Besa cousins,
children of Gaudencio (Tatay Ocho) andPacencia (Tita Pat) Besa. No feast wascomplete unless it had Tita Pat’scaramelized pork barbecue and her
chicken macaroni salad to go with it.
SERVES 4 TO 6 (MAKES ABOUT 15 SKEWERS)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped1 shallot, peeled and chopped
⅔ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine
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2 teaspoons sugar
1½ pounds pork butt, cut into ¾-inchcubes
2 tablespoons canola oil
1. Combine the garlic and shallot in a
food processor and process until a pasteforms. Place in a large bowl, add thesoy sauce, rice wine, and sugar and stir to combine. Add the pork, cover, and
marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hoursor overnight.
2. Preheat the broiler or fire up the grill
Take the pork from the marinade andplace it in a clean bowl. Reserve themarinade. Add the oil to the pork, stir,
then thread the pork onto skewers, 5 or
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pieces per skewer. Grill or broil for about 5 minutes on each side, bastingwith the marinade, until the pork pieces
carmelize.
3. Serve with Peanut Sauce (see left).
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Daing, humba, pinaklob.
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MEMORIES
Samar: Glenda’s
SinacuganWhenever the Philippines needs a food
ambassador to send abroad, GlendaRosales-Barretto is called. Glenda hasdecades of food production experience,organizing presidential state dinners at
Malacanang Palace, supervisingprovincial celebrations for thousands,and running her restaurants in Makati.When I first returned to the Philippines
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after a long absence, my brother Tristanknew where to bring me for my firstauthentic Filipino merienda: Via Mare,
Glenda’s flagship restaurant specializinn Filipino food. There I had my firstaste of charcoal-broiled bibingka and
freshly steamed puto bumbong after wenty years of dreaming about them.
Since then, I’ve gotten to knowGlenda personally. In a country where
people are generous and kind to a fault,Glenda wholeheartedly and sincerelyredefines the meaning of both. Glenda’smission in life is to fulfill food cravings
and fantasies, so during my last triphome, I asked Glenda to give me aglimpse of her own personal comfort
foods. Glenda comes from Samar, the
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most northern of all the Visayan islands,ust below the boundary of the Bicol
peninsula, and she told me about
sinacugan, served during fiestas only inSamar and some parts of Leyte. Whenshe returns home for a visit, this is whatshe looks forward to eating.
Sinacugan is a special rice dish,which is served with hot chocolate ands eaten with humba, escabeche, and
daing. For dessert, Glenda’s comfortmeal would close with pinaklob andconserva. Glenda cooked this sinacuganmeal for us in the kitchen of her newest
restaurant, the Oyster Bar, located in theGreenbelt area of Makati.
Sinacugan: A combination of black rice
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pirurutong or tapol), regular rice, anglutinous rice cooked in coconut milk.
Hot chocolate: A drink made fromnative chocolate tablets (called tablea
boiled with water, whisked until all thchocolate is dissolved, then simmerewith breakfast cocoa, sugar, andevaporated milk, served in a batidorand whipped.
Daing: Brined fish such as mackerel ohasa-hasa that is air- or sun-dried anfried crisp.
Escabeche: Sweet and sour fish (thipage).
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Humba: A dish traditionally made frompig’s knuckles or trotters, but Glenduses pork belly for a spectacula
presentation, parboiling it, reserving thbroth, scoring each piece, anmarinating it overnight in vinegar, sosauce, garlic, peanuts, black beansmashed tajure [salted bean curd], baeaves, and brown sugar, then braising i
until fork tender (for a simila
preparation, see Mrs. Relova’s PatEstofado, this page).
Pinaklob: Sweet stuffed taro, similar t
he Irosin kakanin called kinalû-kô, thas halved horizontally, the taro scraped
out, combined with coconut milk anpanocha [brown sugar], cooked unti
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hick, then restuffed into the taro, whics wrapped in banana leaves and cooken coconut milk.
Conserva: Called irait na conserva iSamar, this suman is made with gratedcassava and stuffed with bukayo [mixture of grated young coconupanocha, and a pinch of anise cooked icoconut milk until thick].
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SINACUGAN
was first introduced to the concept of
eating native chocolate poured over riceand viand in the early 1990s when Iraveled to Taal, Batangas, with my
friend Becky Villegas. I was surprisedo see this combination again in theSinacugan of Samar. If you are not readyo eat chocolate with your pork and fish
dishes, just try this rice dish, which isruly a comfort food and delicious withhot chocolate (this page).
SERVES 4 TO 6
1 cup short-grain rice
½ cup short-grain sticky rice
½ cup black rice
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2 cups coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
Rinse all the rice, drain, and combine ia large saucepan with the coconut milk1½ cups water, and salt. Bring to a boiover high heat, then reduce the heat ansimmer, covered, until the rice is tenderabout 40 minutes. Stir to incorporate ancoconut milk that has risen to the top
hen replace the cover and let sit for 5 t10 minutes before serving.
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Nga-nga [beetle nut and leaves].
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Banana trunk.
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MEMORIES
Iloilo Markets and
Foodn Jaro, Iloilo, Thursday is market day.
Called Huebesan ( Jueves is Thursday inSpanish), it is a very old tradition of selling finished goods without amiddleman. Vendors from all over the
sland go from one market to another fora day at a time. All kinds of products aresold: food, rope, tobacco, farmingmplements, knives of all shapes and
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sizes, clay pots, and woven mats. Evenhe people who dabble in superstition
and mysticism get their raw materials
here. At one table, Rosario Tuampresides over herbals and exotic itemscalled anting-anting , amulets to wardoff evil or bring good luck to the wearerTiny bottles filled with red seeds, driedstrands of bark or root are an antidotefor desperate people, “para sa mga
sawi,” who believe that someone has pua hex on them. In larger dark bottles is aonic she calls Vino Agoso, “para sa
nerbiyos” (for the nerves) made from
cocoa, banana bark, and sugar. There arhe vegetable trademarks of classiclonggo cooking: the tambo [bamboo
shoot] and ubad [pith of the banana
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bark], which some vendors recommendcooking with grated native corn, coconumilk, tugabang, saluyot, and takway [all
ocal leaves]. There are baby mangrovecrabs (on their way to extinction) anddried fish made with local fish likegumaa for daing [butterflied, dried fish]and the tabagak for tuyo.
The town is known for la paz batchoypork broth with noodles], grilled fresh
seafood [sugba], grilled chickeninasal], and baked products. A quick our of Iloilo’s well-known attractions,
organized by Lourdes “Bopeep”
Ladrido, brought us to the famousseafood restaurant Breakthrough, at VillBeach. The restaurant is filled with gian
aerated water tanks filled with live
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pitik-pitik [slipper lobster], mangrovecrabs, several kinds of clams, and fish.Then it was off to Tatoy’s Manokan.
Tatoy’s rags-to-riches story is a stapleof Iloilo lore. His sprawling eaterystarted with one small grill that hewould bring to the beach to sell chickenbarbecue.
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What is Ilonggo
Food? asked Corona Villanueva-de Leon,
owner of Mama’s Kitchen, Chef KevinPiamonte of Villa Sagrado, and ChelingMontelibano, a local food producer,what they considered to be true Ilonggo
food. Here’s what they told me:Corona Villanueva-de Leon bakesdifferent flavors of cookies based onocal native ingredients: cacao beans,
cashew, pinipig, peanuts, and mango.From Corona, I learned that Ilonggosove to cook with achuete. Corona cook
adobo by boiling the meat in achuete
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water, garlic, onion, and bay leaves untiender. Then she adds the vinegar andets it cook until the adobo is dry. Oil is
added to the meat to fry the adobo untilcrisp; the rice is fried in it, too.
Kevin Piamonte said that the classiclonggo dish is the combination of
kadios [soft peas], baboy [pork], andangka [unripe jackfruit]. But his
childhood favorite recipe is amorgoso
bitter melon]. He says that the best wayo cook amorgoso is to squeeze it in salt“I discovered that the best way to cook s to cook it very fast. The longer you
cook it, the more bitter it gets.” Hisfavorite bitter melon recipe is to sautégarlic, onions, and shrimp and then add
he sliced amorgoso. You scramble eggs
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separately and then add them to theamorgoso—a very Ilonggo touch.
Cheling Montelibano makes and sells
many products from her home, such asmasa podrida [a local version of shortbread cookie], ensaimada, sansrival, malacanang rolls [sponge cakewith chocolate filling and boiled icing],beef flakes, and binoro, salted andfermented bilong bilong [moonfish].
Cheling is proud of her technique of salting the fish without touching it. Shesalts the fish using two saucers, rubbingcontinuously until the fish wilts.
When the moisture comes out, the fishare put in a container with ground gingerand salt for three days, then the fish are
fried, one by one. The juice that comes
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out of the fish during fermentation isseasoned with ginger, garlic, sugar,vinegar, and spirits [alcohol].
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Unripe jackfruit, masa podrida, patane[lima beans].
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Batchoy stand and La Paz Market, Iloilo City.
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Batchoy
Batchoy, or batsoy, is derived from theChinese ba chui, meaning “meat water.”The batchoy of La Paz Market, Iloilo’ssignature dish, is a rich pork and beef-based broth filled with yellow noodlesand topped with cut-up roast pork,chicharron, fried garlic, and scallions.
Reynaldo Guillergan owns the originalbatchoy stand at the La Paz Market inloilo City. He inherited the recipe and
business from his father, who worked
for and later bought the original noodlestand from its Chinese owners whostarted it fifty years ago.
The La Paz batchoy begins with a
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basic batchoy stock made with a mix of pork bones, intestines, liver, and beef bone marrow simmered in a stockpot
with water seasoned with salt, sugar,and guinamos [Visayan fermented fishpaste] for hours. The next day, the stocks skimmed and he adds two separately
prepared stocks: sautéed red onionscalled Bombay in Iloilo) simmered in
water, and guinamos boiled in water and
strained. Sahog is the pre-cooked andcut-up meat that is added to the soup.The meat from the stock ingredients isadded, including the pork liver. Before
serving, the marrow from the beef boness added, along with pieces from aechon snipped with scissors. The soups garnished with fried garlic, chopped
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scallions, and pieces of crispychicharron [pork skin cracklings madeespecially crisp by boiling until tender,
hen sun-drying for three days beforefrying]. The steaming batchoy is ladlednto a bowl, and pieces of freshly madeellow noodles from a huge pile on the
side are cut straight into the hot soup.The batchoy is traditionally served withwhite puto.
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Chicken inasal on the grill.
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CHICKEN INASAL
This is Romy’s version of Chicken
nasal, one of my favorite meals at theend of a long night at the restaurant. Thiss better grilled, but it can also be
roasted in an oven.SERVES 4
Marinade:
¼ cup achuete oil (this page)3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and finely
chopped3 tablespoons freshly squeezed
Kalamansi or regular lime juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or
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coconut vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
One 3½-pound chicken, quartered
1. In a large nonreactive bowl, combineall the marinade ingredients. Add thechicken pieces, cover tightly withplastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least2 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Transfer the chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet,reserving the marinade.
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3. Roast the chicken, bastingoccasionally with the reservedmarinade, until the chicken is cooked
through, about 45 minutes.
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Sinamak [Visayan vinegar with chiles,
garlic, and black pepper].
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Molo! Molo!
Pancit Molo is a soup of pork dumpling
n chicken broth. It is named after one ofhe oldest sections of Iloilo on the island
of Panay in the Visayas. Molo wasoriginally the Parian, the Chinesequarters in Iloilo established in theeighteenth century by the Spanish tosegregate the growing Chinese
population in the islands. MelaniePadilla, a historian based at theUniversity of the Philippines in IloiloCity, told me that the name Molo,
according to local legend, came aboutwhen the Chinese called out a warningagainst approaching Moros [Filipinosfrom Mindanao] in their vintas who
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were notorious for raiding coastalvillages at the time. The Chinese couldnot pronounce the r and cried out,
“Molo! Molo!”The pancit Molo is a Visayan staple
hat has traveled from the Parian of loilo to the elegant homes of the
wealthy elite in both Cebu and BacolodFrom the simple “caldo”—the chickenbroth—there are richer and more
flavorful versions that I encountered inhomes and in stories. Bing Escano-Garrido told me that her mother wasfamous in Cebu for her pancit molo and
hat her secret was a small amount of ahure [fermented soybean paste] in the
broth. In Bacolod, Maget Gaston Locsin
cooked a molo for us with a rich broth
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packed with ham and chicken. It wasquite an experience to go to the source.At the Panaderia de Molo, where most
of these things reputedly originated, wehad our pancit Molo, a very simple andplain chicken broth served with delicatepork dumplings topped with choppedchives.
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PANCIT MOLO
This is our basic pancit Molo recipe as
we do it at the restaurant, and it is moreclosely akin to that offered at thePanaderia de Molo. I loved the way
Maget Gaston Locsin shaped her dumplings like nuns’ hats, reminiscent ohe original nuns in the Molo district,
and I’ve adopted that technique. (Once
ou get going, it makes sense to make aot of dumplings—it’s pretty quick workand they freeze well.) A third of therecipe, in 12 cups of chicken stock, will
feed six, so you can keep two morebatches (of dumplings) in the freezer.
MAKES ABOUT 80 DUMPLINGS
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Dumplings:
1 pound ground pork
8 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, andminced
¼ cup diced jicama or fresh water chestnuts
1 small carrot, minced½ leek, white parts only, minced
1 large egg
1½ teaspoons cornstarch1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Assembly:
About 80 square wonton wrappers
Egg whites for brushing the wrappers
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12 cups homemade chicken stock
2 leeks, white parts only, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons ground white pepper
Fish sauce (optional)
1. Place all the dumpling ingredients ina large bowl, and use clean hands to miuntil well combined. To roll thedumplings like a nun’s hat, place awonton wrapper on a work surface or on your hand so one corner is facingyou. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling on
the lower corner. Fold the corner over the mixture and roll the filled part upand over a little past the center. Press oboth sides of the filling to enclose it.
Brush egg white over the side points and
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fold the points into the center, one sideoverlapping the other. Repeat. Youshould have about 80 dumplings.
2. Place the stock in a large saucepanand add the leeks, salt, pepper, and fishsauce to taste, if using. Bring to asimmer and gently add 24 of thedumplings until cooked, about 2 minutesPlace 4 dumplings in each of 6 serving
bowls and cover each with 2 cups of thebroth.
3. Freeze the remaining dumplings on
cookie sheets until solid, then transfer toan airtight container, where they’ll keepfor a month.
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Panaderia de Molo
The 130-year old Panaderia de Molo is
he oldest bakery in Iloilo. Built besidehe Molo cathedral in the old Parian
district of Iloilo, the bakery was startedby Luisa Jason Sanson when nuns from a
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nearby convent donated surplus eggolks to her and her sisters. In the 1800s
egg whites were used as a binding agent
n building the walls of the cathedral andother churches. To this day, most of thePanaderia classics use egg yolks,ncluding the galletas, hojaldres,
barquillos, bañadas, broas, kinamuncil,and rosquetes. Chicken and pork dumplings for the classic Ilonggo soup,
pancit Molo, are also produced andretailed there. The bakery still uses theoriginal concrete, custom-built, wood-fired ovens, according to Georgina
Gaona and Heather Maloto, two of Luisa’s grandchildren. The Panaderiaproducts, sold in the distinctive largeround tins with the green and white
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abel, have always been the officialloilo pasalubong [gift from one’sravel] of several generations of
Filipinos for friends and family.
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MEMORIES
Bacolod, the Land
of the SweetBacolod and Silay were once the
domain of powerful sugar barons. Thesugar industry was the brainchild of theformer British Vice Consul NicholasLoney in the 1850s. Initially he set up th
plantations and the mechanicalnfrastructure in Iloilo. Eventually thendustry leapfrogged over to the western
part of Negros, where the land was
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found to be more suitable for this crop.Scions of the Iloilo aristocracy weresent over to Negros to start and manage
he plantations, and workers werebrought in from neighboring Visayanslands. By the next decade, Negros washe leading producer of sugar in the
Philippines.The Ilonggo spoken in Iloilo is the
same as the Ilonggo in Bacolod. Peque
Gallaga, a director for film and theater,claims that many of the wealthy Ilonggofamilies bought sugar plantations in
egros and sent the black sheep of their
families to Bacolod to tend to theplantations. This, he says, is why the
egrosanons have an inherent maverick
culture, while Iloilo is “sophisticated,
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cultured, traditional, and sometimesboring.” How else, he asks, “does oneaccount for family eccentricities such as
a very wealthy aunt who wearscauliflower in her hair and diamonds onher shoes?”
From 1900 to 1945, the Philippinesugar industry benefited from favorableU.S. tariff laws and a quota system thatguaranteed a protected market for
Philippine sugar in the United States.Then, in the 1960s, the United Statesdeveloped competitive sources of sugarFor the past three decades, the sun has
been slowly setting on the Negros sugar aristocracy. Negros is not unlike theAmerican South, with its old graceful
cotton plantations and a bygone culture
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hat its northern industrial counterpartnever quite aspired to.
My personal connection to this part o
he world came via my cousin Lyn Besawho married Nil Gamboa, the son of asugar planter, and became part of afamily steeped in culture and history. Assoon as Lyn settled in Silay, she activelyworked to preserve old historicmansions and stately homes that had
been abandoned and neglected byfamilies who fled to Manila or abroad.I was a young child when Lyn moved
o Silay. Besa family reunions were
always more promising whenever Lynwas in town. She brought lumpia ubodthis page), homemade carabao milk ice
cream with pinipig [toasted young rice]
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made from a hand-cranked, old-stylegarapiniera, and the bihud, fermentedfish eggs that we sautéed in garlic,
onions, and tomatoes and ate withsteaming white rice. What could not beransported had to be eaten in situ:
chicken inasal at Manokan Country andhe fresh seafood at the daily bagsakan.
Unfortunately, the Bacolod specialty, thediwal [angel wing clams], is threatened
with extinction.
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Bacolod, Visayas
uring my last few days in Manila,when time was getting short, I met with
ernando “Fern” Aracama, chef and
owner of Uva, in the Greenbelt section
of Makati. Fern, a Visayan, is one of
he most respected young chefs in the
hilippines today and his restaurant is
a functioning culinary vision of theromise that Philippine food can offer.
The best way to capture the spark of
his gifted chef is in his voice, recalling
what he ate as a child in Bacolod. Hereare excerpts of our memorable
conversation that late afternoon in
Uva:
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am from Bacolod. Mama is a Cavitenfrom Luzon) and Papa is fro
Escalante, Negros Occidental. Both m
parents cooked, and at home we ate combination of Visayan and Tagalogfood. We ate Tagalog dishes like paksiwmeat or fish poached in vinegar] an
kare kare and Papa’s cooking, which wcalled “tropical Spanish.” He used a loof garlic and pimenton [smoke
paprika], brought directly from Spain ba relative. He loved to make salads. Hwould grow a lot of peppers in thbackyard and grill them with olive oil
Mama would mash up avocados witevaporated milk to make little ice cubavocados, like popsicle treats, for thkids.
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We always had muscovado sugar. Wcould run out of salt in the house first,but never sugar. When muscovado
catches moisture in the jar, it turns intoittle rocks of sugar. I spent many
afternoons opening the jar and eatinghese little sugar balls. And I loved
everything that Mama did withmuscovado. She would make a syrupand drop freshly grated buko in it and le
t melt.It was not a conscious effort on our part that food had to be very special. Bufood was given respect. Papa did not
allow us to eat in our T-shirts. We hado wear sleeves and regardless of what
was on the table, we always had a
napkin and flatware, even if we were
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ust having tuyo [dried fish] with sukavinegar] and guinamos [Visayan
fermented fish paste].
We ate simple adobo with long greenbananas called buungan, which are veryaromatic. To make the adobo, in akawali [a small wok] you combine porkgarlic, peppercorn, bay leaf, soy sauce,vinegar (more vinegar than soy sauce),and water to cover the meat, then cook
until the pork is tender, the liquidevaporates, the oil comes out, and themeat browns in its own fat. Each one of us would get our own banana, mash it,
and shape it into a small volcano. Weput the oil from the adobo in the middle,sprinkled salt around the banana,
covered it with rice, and mixed it all up
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Then we ate the adobo with the rice andhe banana. I have never seen anyone
else do that.
Sources of Sugar
The Philippines derives most of its sugafrom sugarcane. Raw, unrefined sugar iscalled muscovado in the Visayas andpanocha in the Tagalog region. It comes
either in granulated form or as cakes thaare grated and served with nativedesserts such as puto bumbong [violetrice cakes steamed in bamboo tubes].
However, in areas such as IslaVerde, Batangas, south of Manila, wherehe buri palm, or sugar palm trees, grow
n abundance, the sweet sap of the palm
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ree is boiled and turned into moldedpalm sugar cakes, called pakaskas (seephotos). The pakaskas is the equivalent
o the jaggery or gur of South Asia or thegula java of Indonesia.
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Making pakaskas in a vat.
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Pakaskas.
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CHICKEN BINAKOL
Remedios “Aling Reming” Sugon, a
successful caterer and restaurant owner n Bacolod, generously spent an entire
morning demonstrating this dish to us in
a makeshift kitchen under the atrium of he Negros Museum. Aling Remingearned to cook the original chicken
binakol from her mother, using a bambo
ube as a cooking vessel for chicken,oung coconut, and herbs. The tube wassealed with lemongrass, covered with abanana leaf, and tied securely with
string. A hole would be dug in theground just big enough to fit the bambooLive coal would be put at the bottom and
he bamboo fitted into the hole. It was
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hen regularly rotated and banged againsa hard surface to prevent the chickenfrom sticking to the sides.
It is possible to replicate the resultsn a regular stewing pot with a few
pieces of fresh bamboo thrown in tocapture that authentic binakol flavor.Serve this chunky soup over steamedwhite rice.
SERVES 4 TO 6
One 3½-pound chicken, cut into pieces
4 medium potatoes, peeled and
quartered1 medium tomato, quartered
1 large onion, quartered
4 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths
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2 cups buko meat sliced from about 4coconuts (this page), or use frozenshredded buko, thawed and
drained, juice reserved4 cups buko juice (from about 4
coconuts, or drained from the
frozen buko)2 stalks lemongrass, smashed andquartered lengthwise
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
and julienned1 stalk rhubarb, cut into 4 pieces (or
substitute ¼ cup lemon juice)
1 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper, plus additional totaste
2 sticks fresh bamboo (about 4 inches
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long, 1 inch thick), (optional)
Combine all the ingredients in a Dutc
oven and bring to a boil. Reduce the heaand simmer, uncovered, until the chickes tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Taste and
add more salt and pepper if needed.
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Libas [leaf used for souring soups and
stews].
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LUMPIA UBOD
There are several versions of the ubod
filling; this is the simplest. In place of Baby Lacson’s paper-thin lumpiawrapper, we recommend using Tita
Ding’s delicate recipe.MAKES ABOUT 12 LUMPIA
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 small onion, finely chopped2 garlic cloves, minced
½ pound pork butt, cut into ¼-inch cube
1 pound fresh ubod (hearts of palm), preferably coconut ubod, juliennedand soaked in water until ready touse
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1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste
½ pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, andfinely chopped
6 scallions, trimmed and cut in half, or 6lettuce leaves
½ recipe Tita Ding’s Fresh LumpiaWrappers (recipe follows)
½ recipe Lumpia Escaño Sauce (this page)
1. In a large saucepan over medium-high
heat, warm the oil. Add the onion andgarlic and sauté until softened, about 3minutes. Add the pork and cook until itturns white, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup
water and bring to a simmer. Add the
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ubod, sugar, and fish sauce and cook until the ubod is tender, about 5 minutesAdd the shrimp and cook for another
minute. Taste and add more fish sauce ineeded. Set aside to cool.
2. To assemble, place a wrapper on aflat work surface. Spread about 2tablespoons of the sauce over thewrapper. Top with about ¼ cup of the
filling and place a scallion half over thefilling, extending past the outer edge of the wrapper. Fold the bottom of thewrapper up over the mixture. Fold in the
sides so they overlap. Serve at roomtemperature.
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TITA DING’S FRESHLUMPIA WRAPPERS
Tita Ding is my mother’s youngest sistersabel Camara-Garcia. Tita Ding and he
family are very much a part of my
memories of Nanay and Iba, Zambales. Ifound this recipe in my mother’snotebook of treasured recipes. We findhat it is delicate, easy to make, and
reliable for our fresh lumpia.
MAKES ABOUT 24 WRAPPERS
¾ cup cornstarch½ cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
5 large eggs
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1. Place the cornstarch, flour, and salt ina large bowl and whisk to combine. Ad1 ½ cups water, whisking. The batter
should be fairly wet. Add the eggs, oneat a time, whisking to combine.
2. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Warm an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons batter
(using a 1-ounce ladle is the easiest wayof getting all the batter into the panquickly) to the pan and quickly rotate,spreading a thin layer over the pan.
Cook until set and the edges begin tocurl, about 30 seconds. Flip and cook othe other side until cooked through,about 10 seconds. Stack, overlapping,
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on a large plate, keeping the wrapperscovered with a slightly damp towel toprevent drying.
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BUNUELOS DE VIENTO
Translated as wind puffs, bunuelos are
Maget Gaston Locsin’s specialty,recalling a time when old Negrosanonfamilies would serve a festive meal
ending in these treats. They are deep-fried little pieces of dough that arecoated with syrup—the skill for makinghese must come easily to people from
sugar country.You want to make sure you fry the
bunuelos well: Fry and test the first oneo be sure it is cooked through, before
frying the rest. If the batter is notcompletely cooked inside, fry thebunuelos a little longer, lowering the
heat a little if they’re browning too fast.
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MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN
Syrup:
½ cup sugar Bunuelos:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into
pieces1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour 4 large eggs
Canola oil, for frying
1. For the syrup, in a medium saucepanover medium-low heat, combine thesugar with 1 cup of water, stirring gently
with a wooden spoon to dissolve the
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sugar. Heat the mixture until it reads225° F on a candy thermometer. Simmerfor 5 minutes without stirring.
2. For the bunuelos, in a large saucepanover medium heat, combine the butter,sugar, and salt with 1 cup of water andbring to a boil, stirring to melt the butterand dissolve the sugar. Take the pan offthe heat and add the flour all at once,
beating continuously with a woodenspoon until the mixture leaves the sidesof the pan and forms a ball. Transfer toan electric mixer bowl and let cool
slightly. With a paddle attachment, beatin the eggs, one at a time, until smooth.Cool completely.
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3. While the batter is cooling, fill alarge saucepan with about 4 inches of oil. Place over medium-high heat and
heat until the temperature reads 360° Fon a candy thermometer.
4. Drop the batter by the tablespoon intothe oil, making about 6 at a time,adjusting the heat to keep the oil at aconstant 360° F. Fry the bunuelos,
turning to cook evenly on all sides, untilthey have risen to the top and are nicelybrowned and puffed, 6 to 7 minutes. Usea spider or slotted spoon to transfer the
bunuelos to paper towels.
5. Reheat the syrup and pour it over thebunuelos or pass in a pitcher alongside.
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MEMORIES
The Manuglibod
The vision of the manuglibod, theambulant vendors of Bacolod and Silay,raditionally dressed and balancing a
woven basket of native delicacies on hior her head, will probably soon passnto the world of memories. The
manuglibod collected the best native
reats from famous local kakanin makersand brought them directly to people’shomes. Unfortunately, the native Visayankakanin, known as kalan-unon, are
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slowly being replaced by spaghetti andham and cheese sandwiches. Even theart of wrapping with banana and coconu
eaves is giving way to Styrofoam andplastic wrap. We met with amanuglibod, Amalia Sabobo, one earlymorning in Lyn’s Silay home, where shegave us this taste of the kalan-unon:
Kalamayhati: Coconut milk andpanocha or muscovado sugar cooked in
a vat until thick, then cut into strips andwrapped in banana leaves. Bicho-bicho
A rice flour-based dough rolled, loopedfried, and glazed in muscovado syrup.
This is similar to the Tagalog pilipit.Puto taktak: A steamed cassava cake.Ibos: Suman wrapped in a tube of
coconut leaves. But-ong: Triangle-
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shaped suman, similar to ibos, whichakes on a green hue from the bananaeaf. Buchi: Boiled camote [sweet
potato], mashed with milk, flour, andsugar and fried. Bae-bae: Glutinous ricor pinipig, brown sugar, and youngcoconut pounded in a mortar untilproperly mixed, then cooked in bananaeaves. Inday-Inday: Flattened balls of
glutinous rice flour dough boiled in
water and rolled in sugar, gratedcoconut, and toasted sesame seeds.Suman latik: Suman with coconut syruphe by-product of coconut milk that has
been cooked (the other by-product iscoconut oil). Biko: Bibingka made withwhole-grain glutinous rice. Puto tikoy:
Tikoy comes from the Chinese term for
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sticky cake, and is made from glutinousrice flour [malagkit], dyed with purplefood coloring. Puto lansong: Violet
colored steamed rice cake that wasoriginally made with pirurutong [purplerice]. Pirurutong is nearly extinct in thePhilippines, so this is made with foodcoloring now. Butung-butong: Coconutmilk slowly cooked with muscovadosugar to a candy consistency. The soft
dough is rolled in sesame seeds, cut intosmall pieces, and wrapped like candy.Piaya: Flaky dough with muscovadosugar filling, these round biscuits are
baked on a griddle heated with charcoalThe flaky dough is similar to the doughof the Chinese cake specialty called
hopia. Puto Manapla: A soft, spongy
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rice cake from the town of Manapla,steamed in banana leaves. Ukoy: Riceflour fritter with a whole shrimp on top.
Dulce gatas: Carabao milk slowlycooked with sugar until it caramelizes.
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My Memories of Ambulant Vendors
The manuglibod of Bacolod and Silaybrought back memories of the joys of growing up with the strange andwondrous food of the ambulant vendors
of Manila. From my room on the second
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floor of our house in Malate, I heard theregular call of the slim, wiry menntoning “ba-luuut” [fertilized duck eggs
and “taho” [soybean custard in caramelsauce]. Balancing a long, elastic bambopole on one shoulder, bobbing with theweight of the covered metal containershung on each end, these vendorsirelessly served neighborhoods like
mine to share goods we otherwise
would never have tasted. The taho manwould open the lid of the container andwe would get a whiff of freshly made,hot, steaming soybean custard. He had a
ritual. With a flattened scoop, he wouldskim the custard and discard extra waterhat had risen to the top before deftly
spooning thin horizontal slices of the
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aho into a bowl and pouring the arnibalcaramel) on it.
Other memorable foods were only
vended in specific places. At the Lunetagrounds near the Jose Rizal statue, weused to buy chicharron with sukangpaombong spiked with labuyo chiles. Aa college student at the University of thePhilippines on the Diliman campus, nomerienda was complete without the
banana cue [caramelized saba bananas]sold on the steps of the library. And Imust be among many of my generationwho wistfully recall, now and again, the
familiar bell rung by vendors of thehomemade (no brand) ice cream thatwas known fondly as “dirty ice cream”
because it was made in people’s homes
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The Games of
Bacolod and SilayLife in Bacolod and Silay cannot be toldn its entirety without the passion and
humor that come with the stories of panggingge and mahjong. Panggingge, agame using tarot cards, introduced by th
Spanish in the Philippines in the late1800s, is no longer played. What peoplecan remember is how it affected their forebears. Historian Roque Hofilena
reminisced that he was born in themiddle of a panggingge game that hismother refused to abandon.
Mahjong, introduced sometime in the
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1960s, took over where panggingge leftoff and is firmly entrenched inPhilippine society today. Although other
forms of gambling such as monte, pokerblackjack, and baccarat took hold after he war, mahjong is still the game of
choice for many Filipinos. Beneath itssimple-sounding rules lies a dauntingworld of mind games. A master mahjongera or mahjongero can smell
fear and can detect the slightesthesitation, wobble, indecision, or for hat matter, any sense of satisfaction wit
one’s cards.
My friend Lilia V. Villanueva wrote,“I enjoy mahjong more for the socialnteraction rather than the gambling
aspect. The game is different when
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played with family instead of strangers.Small talk and gossip are passed alongas revelations. No matter what happens
o the rest of the world—such as newsabout a husband’s infidelity or aneighbor’s out-of-wedlock pregnancy—he game must go on.”
Cecile Locsin-Nava, a Bacolod-based linguist and cultural historian, toldme that the most notorious gamblers in
Bacolod history were men who hadgreat wealth and social influence. Whenocal officials tried to criminalize
gambling, people resorted to building
private gambling dens in their attics andbasements.
I was asked to do research on
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these old houses on Cinco de Noviembre Street. Two of myformer students brought me to this
house with a secret room on thesecond floor where people couldhide and play panggingge.Apparently it was high stakesgambling and periodically themayor would go through themotions and run after these people,
since these activities were illegal.The famous gamblers weremen. They gambled with their chekero [an assistant holding their
checkbooks] beside them, but theyalso bet their jewelry and properties. They would gamble 48
hours straight. They could not be
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bothered to stand up and take their food, especially when they wereon a winning streak. The
manuglibod would come and bringtheir food, and while they weregambling they would eat.
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MEMORIES
The Escano Recipe
Collection of CebuCebu is the first and the oldest city in the
Philippines. The Portuguese navigator and explorer Ferdinand Magellan, as aresult of navigational errors in hissearch for the Moluccas [Spice Islands]
sailed into Cebu harbor on April 17,1521. One of my nieces likens modernCebu to Manila fifty years ago, before itbecame a traffic-clogged, overpopulated
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metropolis. This vibrant and pleasantcity in the heart of Visayan country is theenvy of many Manileños today. My
second visit to Cebu, in 2003, proved tobe one of my most memorable andenjoyable trips back home. I was hostedby members of three old Cebuanofamilies, the Escaño, Unchuan, andMoraza families, all of which havecontributed to the financial and
manufacturing lifeblood of this historiccity.The Recipe Collection from the
itchen of Lolo Mamerto and Lola
ena Escaño is a rare glimpse of Spanish-Cebuano lifestyle in the early1900s. The typewritten recipes, mostly
n Spanish with a few in English and on
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n Cebuano, have been copied andhardbound by the Escaño grandchildreno preserve the memory of their
grandmother’s kitchen. Leafing throughhe copy our friend and customer Nieves
“Bing” Escano-Garrido (granddaughter of Lolo Mamerto and Lola Mena) lentme, I wished my grandmother had leftsuch records.
The Escaños are descended from an
old Spanish line. The branch that settledn Cebu prospered through the shippingndustry. Mamerto Escaño and Mena
Fortich were married on May 11, 1909
at the Bishop’s Palace in Cebu. Theyhad eight children. After going throughhe cookbook, one can imagine the busy
ife of Lola Mena, besieged by children
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and grandchildren for her cakes,cookies, and fiesta fare. Her repertoirencluded native Filipino desserts
bibingkas, puto pinalutaw), Spanishclassics (relleno de pavo, morcillas,relleno de huevos con espinacas),noodle recipes (pancit à la VicentaRodriguez), and American classicsangel food, devil’s food, sponge cakes,
bread pudding). She had recipes for
ensaimada, tocino del cielo, pan de sal,and several ice cream flavorspineapple, tutti frutti, chocolate, and
Klim powdered milk).
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FRESH LUMPIA ESCAÑO
Fresh lumpia, or lumpia sariwa, is the
umpia that is served for any fiesta or meal showcasing the most traditionaland representative dishes of the
Philippines. Although there are manyvariations, the dish is unmistakable, wita fresh lettuce leaf peeking out of aneatly wrapped filling of sautéed
vegetables, pork, and shrimp. A sweet-salty sauce is spooned over the roll andgarnished with chopped peanuts andfried garlic. This version from the
Escaños of Cebu adds ubod [hearts of he coconut tree] to the filling and
minced garlic to the sauce.
MAKES 20 TO 24 LUMPIA
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Filling:
½ pound large shrimp, with heads andshells
Half a chicken, cut into pieces
1 large onion, quartered
1 pound pork butt, cut into ¼-inch cubes
1 medium russet potato, peeled and julienned
3 tablespoons achuete oil (this page)
1 small onion, finely chopped6 garlic cloves, minced
½ pound fresh ubod, preferably coconut
ubod, julienned and soaked inwater until ready to use
½ small head green cabbage, thinlysliced
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½ cup cooked (or canned and drained)garbanzo beans
3 tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste
½ cup chicken stock, or as needed
Sauce:
3 cups chicken stock 3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 recipe Tita Ding’s Fresh LumpiaWrappers (this page)
Fried garlic slices (this page), for garnish (optional)
1. Cut the heads off the shrimp and peel
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off the shells. Place the heads and shellsin a food processor with ½ cup water.Process until the heads and shells have
broken down. Strain through a fine-meshstrainer, pressing down on the solids toremove all the juice. Cover andrefrigerate the juice until ready to use.Devein and julienne the shrimp bodiesand set aside.
2. To prepare the filling, place thechicken and quartered onion in a largesaucepan with water to cover. Bring to boil, then lower the heat and simmer,
uncovered, until the chicken is tender,about 40 minutes. Strain, reserving thebroth. When the chicken is cool enoughto handle, remove the meat from the
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bones and cut it into ¼-inch pieces. Setaside.
3. While the chicken is cooking, preparethe pork. Place the pork in a mediumsaucepan with water to cover. Bring to boil, then lower the heat and simmer,uncovered, until the pork is tender,about 10 minutes. Strain the pork anddiscard the cooking liquid. Set aside to
cool.4. While the chicken and pork arecooking, fill a medium saucepan with
water, bring to a boil over high heat, anadd the julienned potatoes. Reduce theheat and simmer until tender, about 5minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
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5. In a large skillet or wok over mediumheat, warm the achuete oil. Add theonions and garlic and sauté until
softened, about 3 minutes. Add theshrimp juice, bring the mixture to a boilthen add the pork, shrimp, and ubod andcook until the shrimp begin to turn pink,about 3 minutes. Add the cabbage,potatoes, and garbanzo beans and cook until the cabbage is softened, about 3
minutes. Add the chicken and fish sauceand cook for 2 minutes, or until thechicken is warmed through. Taste andadd more fish sauce if needed. The
filling should be moist but not wet. If itis too dry, add a little of the reservedchicken broth. Keep the filling warmwhile you make the sauce.
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6. To make the sauce, combine 1 cup ofthe chicken stock with the soy sauce andcornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk to
dissolve the cornstarch.
7. Place the sugar in a small, heavysaucepan. Drizzle 2 tablespoons water over the top. Cook over medium-highheat, gently swirling the pan but notstirring, until the sugar has melted into a
deep amber-colored syrup. Slowly addthe remaining 2 cups chicken broth andstir to dissolve the sugar. Add the stockcornstarch mixture and simmer, stirring,
until the sauce has thickened, about 3minutes. Add the garlic.
8. To wrap the lumpia, lay a wrapper on
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a flat surface and spread about ¼ cup ofthe filling over it. Roll into a thick cylinder, seam side down. Continue
rolling until you’ve used up all thefilling. Spoon the sauce over the lumpiaand serve sprinkled with fried garlicslices, if using.
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Ubod [hearts of coconut].
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BUTIFARRAS ESCAÑO
The Escaño recipe for butifarras
stands out as a classic. Presiding over he kitchen of her son and daughter-in-aw in Cebu, Tina Escaño-Unchuan
demonstrated how to stuff, boil, then fryhe sausages to a beautiful crisp brown.When they were ready, her son JovieUnchuan sat down, reverently surveyed
he sausages, then cut them with greatcare and anticipation.The Escaños serve this for breakfast
or as appetizers for cocktail parties. If ou don’t want to use sausage casing, th
filling can be fried as patties—it will beequally delicious.
MAKES ABOUT 1 DOZEN 6-INCH LINKS
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2 pounds pork butt, coarsely chopped
1 pound pork fatback, coarsely chopped
1½ teaspoons freshly ground white pepper
1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1½ tablespoons salt5 egg yolks
Pork casing
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for frying
1. Combine all the ingredients except thpork casing in a large bowl. Mix very
well, using your clean hands toincorporate the eggs. Cover andrefrigerate for at least 2 hours, or
overnight.
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2. Soak the sausage casing in a bowlfilled with warm water for 30 minutes,then put one end of the casing over the
end of your kitchen faucet and wash theinside with warm water. Change thewater in the bowl and soak for another 30 minutes.
3. To make the sausage, use a foodgrinder with a sausage stuffer
attachment. Pull the entire length of casing over the tip of the sausage hornand tie a knot at the end. Fill the feedtube of the grinder with the meat mixture
and crank the meat through the grinder tofill the casing until you have used all themeat. Remove the casing from the hornand tie the sausage every 6 inches with
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kitchen twine. Prick the sausages with apin to remove any air bubbles. Cut thesausages into individual links.
4. Place the sausage links in a largeskillet and add water to come halfwayup the sides of the links. Place over medium-high heat and cook, turning thesausages, until the water is evaporated,about 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons oil
and continue frying until nicelybrowned, about 3 minutes on each side.
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Clockwise from top left corner:
Kalamay [sticky rice cake colored with food coloring], sinapot, guinamos
[Visayan fermented shrimp], imbao
[mangrove clams], kaimito [star
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apple], kinilaw ingredients at market,
sinamak, nga-nga, kurakding, clams,
making chicken inasal, and currachas
[Zamboanga crabs].
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Parol [Christmas lanterns from
Pampanga].
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chapter 5
Christmas: A
Merging of Traditions
Christmas season in the Philippines
asts for six weeks, starting with four Sundays of Advent before Christmas
Day until the Epiphany or Three KingsDay, celebrated on January 6. Oneradition is the Misa de Gallo (called
Mass of the Rooster because the mass is
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held at daybreak when the cock crows),held nine days before Christmas. Noche
uena is the most special Christmas
feast. After midnight mass on ChristmasEve, the hungry mass-goers (peoplenormally fast before going to mass) aregreeted by hordes of street vendorsoutside the church selling puto bumbongbibingka, and hot salabat.
At home, the Noche Buena meal
ncludes ensaimadas and queso de bolaEdam cheese sealed in round tin cans]with hot chocolate. Main courses areglazed ham, roast stuffed turkey [pavo
embuchado], or chicken [galantina or chicken relleno]. These dishes areSpanish in origin—stuffed with forced
meat, chorizos, pimenton [paprika], and
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olives. Historical notes on the galleonshat used to dock in Cavite describe
great excitement from the locals upon th
arrival of the galleon, because it carriedhe goods for Christmas: the olives,
olive oils, queso de bola, and turronesde alicante [hard nougats with almonds]
Food is the most popular Christmasgift item. Local bakeries and kakaninmakers do sellout business for their
ensaimadas, sans rival, yemas, brazosMercedes, puto (pandan and ube),cassava bibingka, and suman sa ligia.
The Chinese in the Philippines have
also contributed to the flavors of Christmas with their holiday gift basketsfilled with Chinese ham, queso de bola,
ikoy [a hard cake made with sticky rice
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flour that could be steamed or fried],boxes of Jacob’s cream crackers,biscuits, and other candies, all made by
Chinese manufacturers in thePhilippines.
Spain brought Christmas to thePhilippines and America brought theextra trimmings, but it is fully anchoredon Philippine values of family andcommunity. Christmas is a Filipino
radition, infusing the love of food andhe embrace of other cultures into thespirit of giving, hospitality, andgenerosity. It is a time when everyone
brings to the table whatever traditions,customs, and food they love—wherevert comes from.
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Chestnuts.
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Making babingka, heirloom rice fromthe terraces, dalandan.
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Chocolate tablets from Cebu.
A Season to Celebrate the Harvest
The Christmas season coincides withharvest in the Philippines. Freshlyharvested rice is transformed intocountless varieties of bibingka, puto, an
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suman. In November, Sta. Rita,Pampanga, celebrates the harvest of itsprecious duman, the immature rice
grains of the Milagrosa species. Theannual yield for these delicate, light-green grains of rice is small and pre-sold to a few families who can afford tobuy it before it reaches the market.Poured into a hot steaming cup of chocolate and carabao milk, the grains
melt to a puddinglike consistency at thebottom of the cup. This is also theseason of the dalandan, or dalanghita,he native orange of the Philippines.
Once underappreciated by Filipinos, itsfreshly squeezed juice is now served bymany restaurants as a drink or a frozenshake. When shopping for dalandan, one
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ooks for the tell-tale white streaks on itgreen rind. Called kalawang (Tagalogfor rust), it indicates that the orange is
quite sweet.
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A typical Filipino Christmas feast.
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CHRISTMAS HAM
remember one Christmas when my
mother decided to cook the Chinese hamfor Christmas Day. The ham was soakedfor a couple of days in several changes
of water, then it was simmered inpineapple juice and brown sugar. Whent was cooked, the skin was peeled off
and the fat sprinkled with sugar. An iron
spatula called a plancha was heated inhe fire, then pressed firmly on thesugared fat to caramelize the ham. Thiswas an old-fashioned method developed
n rural areas where there were no largeovens in people’s homes to finish theham. If you are serving this at a
Christmas party, the ham will be a
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dramatic centerpiece and will bedelicious and moist straight from theoven when the glaze is fresh. Leftover
ham was what I always looked forwardo. I would fry the ham slices in butter,
sprinkle some sugar, and squeeze someorange juice on it and let it caramelize.
SERVES 12 TO 15
One 17- to 20-pound fresh, ready-to-eat
bone-in smoked hamSix 46-ounce cans unsweetened
pineapple juice
½ liter dark rumOne 1-pound box dark-brown sugar
About 1 cup granulated sugar, for glazing the ham
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Pickled Pineapple (recipe follows), for serving
1. In a stockpot large enough to hold theham and the juice, combine 5 cans of thepineapple juice with the rum and brownsugar and place over high heat. Bring toa boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.Add the ham. If the pineapple-juicemixture doesn’t cover the ham, add mor
pineapple juice or water to cover. Bringback to a boil, then reduce the heat tomedium-high and simmer until you canpeel off the skin, about 1 ½ hours. Leav
the ham in the stockpot for another hour to let the flavors settle.
2. Take the ham out of the pot and set on
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a wire rack in a large roasting pan linedwith foil. Let the ham cool slightly,about 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Using asmall, sharp paring knife, take the skinoff the ham, keeping as much of the fatas possible.
4. Score the fat in a crisscross fashion
with the point of a sharp knife andsprinkle generously with granulatedsugar. Bake the ham until the fat and thesugar caramelize, about 20 minutes,
watching carefully that the sugar doesn’burn.
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PICKLED PINEAPPLE
found this recipe in the Philippine
Sunday Tribune Magazine, publishedAugust 16, 1936. It is a perfectcondiment for the Christmas ham cooked
n pineapple juice.MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART
One large (4- to 5-pound) pineapple
1 teaspoon whole cloves½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
5 cups rice vinegar 4 cups sugar
1. Peel and core the pineapple. Slice the
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pineapple into ½-inch pieces, then cutthe slices into quarters. Tie the cloves,peppercorns, and cinnamon in
cheesecloth.
2. Combine the vinegar, sugar, andspices in a large nonreactive saucepanand place over medium-high heat. Bringto a boil, then reduce the heat andsimmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar,
for 20 minutes.3. Add the pineapple, bring the liquidback to a simmer, and cook until the
pineapple is tender, about 1 hour. Usinga slotted spoon, transfer the fruit to aheatproof container. Raise the heat andboil the liquid until it has a syrupy
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consistency, about 30 minutes. Pour thesyrup over the pineapple, let cool, andrefrigerate.
The Galantina and Chicken Relleno
asked Rachel Laudan, a culinaryhistorian presently living in Mexico, toenlighten me about the differencebetween chicken relleno and galantina.
She tells me that rellenos are alive andwell there, while she has notencountered galantinas, which sheconsiders nineteenth-century cuisine.Filipinos, on the other hand, havesometimes used the termsnterchangeably, assuming that the
chicken relleno is a Filipino version of
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Spanish galantina using ground pork,canned sausages, sweet pickles, and aboiled egg to stuff the chicken. A
Philippine archival recipe I encounteredfor galantina used canned “Oxfordsausages” and “lengua de carnero”referring either to its literal translation
of sheep’s tongue or to a Spanish herb)o stuff the deboned chicken. The
chicken was sewn up, wrapped in
cheesecloth, and steamed until cooked. Iwas allowed to cool, then pressed toflatten it slightly before slicing andserving.
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CHICKEN RELLENO
n our recipe for chicken relleno [roast
stuffed chicken], we have done awaywith any canned sausages and sweetpickles and returned the olive to its
rightful place as a wonderfulcounterpoint to the ground pork-chorizofilling.
SERVES 4 TO 6
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium onion, diced1 medium carrot, diced
¼ pound chanterelle or shiitakemushroom caps, diced
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1 pound ground pork
1 small chorizo, diced
1 roasted red bell pepper, diced
6 green olives, pitted and diced
⅓ cup raisins soaked in ½ cup brandyfor 30 minutes, then drained
SaltFreshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch or sweet potato
starch1 large egg
One 4-pound de-boned chicken (have
your butcher do this for you)2 hard-boiled eggs, shelled
1 large carrot, cut in half and slicedlengthwise
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1. In a large skillet over medium heat,
warm the oil. Add the garlic, onions,and carrots and sauté until softened,about 3 minutes. Add the mushroomsand sauté until they release their juices,about 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture toa large bowl and set aside to coolcompletely.
2. Add the pork, chorizo, bell pepper,olives, raisins, 2 teaspoons salt, ½teaspoon black pepper, cornstarch, and
egg to the cooled vegetable mixture.Using clean hands, mix well until wellcombined.
3. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Season
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the chicken with salt and pepper insideand out and place on a work surfacebreast side up. Stuff the chicken with the
filling through the neck cavity, nestlingthe eggs in the middle. Using a largeneedle and sturdy thread, starting withthe neck opening, sew the chickenaround all the skin openings to seal it.Tuck the wings under the chicken andtruss the chicken with kitchen twine by
tying the legs together and then tyingagain around the length and width of thechicken.
4. Line a roasting pan with foil. Line thefoil with the carrot slices and place thechicken on top. Brush the chicken withthe butter and sprinkle with salt. Roast,
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basting occasionally, until the internaltemperature of a thigh reads 180° F andthe temperature of the stuffing reads
165° F, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.Discard the trussing strings and let standfor 5 to 10 minutes before carving.
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ENSAIMADA
We consulted several sources, including
Marc Medina, to find the best briocherecipe. This is a version we feel peoplecan do at home.
MAKES 12
Dough:
2 envelopes active dry yeast
¾ cup milk, warmed
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups bread flour
5 tablespoons sugar 4 teaspoons salt
3 whole eggs, at room temperature
9 egg yolks, at room temperature
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3 sticks unsalted butter, softened, plusadditional for the tart pans
3 cups grated Gouda, Edam, or manchego cheese
Topping:
2 egg yolks beaten with 2 tablespoonsmilk, for brushing
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened,for brushing
4 tablespoons sugar, for sprinkling6 tablespoons grated Gouda, Edam, or
manchego cheese, for sprinkling
1. Dissolve yeast in warm milk and letstand until foamy, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the all-
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purpose flour, bread flour, sugar, andsalt. Transfer to a stand mixer fitted wita paddle attachment. Add the yeast
mixture and beat for 2 to 3 minutes. In aseparate bowl, lightly beat the eggs andthe eggs yolks. Add to the dough andbeat for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the softenedbutter 2 tablespoons at a time until fullyblended.
3. Exchanging the paddle for the hook attachment, knead the dough for 7minutes at medium speed.
4. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl,cover with plastic, and let rise untildoubled, about 1 hour. Punch the doughdown, cover with plastic wrap, and
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refrigerate overnight.
5. The next day, pinch off twenty-four 2
ounce pieces of dough and roll them intoballs (about 2 inches). Place on a bakinsheet, cover with plastic, and let rise fo1 hour.
6. Liberally butter twelve 4- or 5-inchtart rings (without the bottoms) and
arrange them on baking sheets. On alightly floured work surface, roll out adough ball with a rolling pin into a 12-by-4-inch rectangle. Spread 2
tablespoons of the cheese over thedough, leaving a little room at the edgesRoll the dough lengthwise, encirclingthe cheese into a snug rope shape about
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14 inches long and ½ inch thick. Repeatwith the rest of the dough—you willhave 24 ropes.
7. Take two of the ropes and twist themaround each other. Hold one end down,then wind the rest of the rope around itto form a spiral shape, and tuck in theends. Repeat with the rest of the rest of the ropes. Place each spiral in the
middle of a tart ring and place on thebaking sheets. The spiral should comealmost to the edge of the tart ring. Coverwith plastic and set aside to rise for
about 1 hour, or until the dough reachesthe sides of the ring.
8. During the final rise, preheat the oven
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to 400° F. Brush with the egg wash andbake, turning the pan halfway throughbaking, until lightly browned on top, 10
to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly, thenbrush with the softened butter, andsprinkle with the sugar and cheese. Theensaimada can be wrapped in plasticwrap and frozen.
The Historical Significance of
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Ensaimada
The Philippine ensaimada is a coiled
brioche sweet roll that traces its originso Mallorca in the Balearic Islands of
Spain. Alan Davidson, in his Oxford
Companion to Food , writes thatensaimada came from the Mallorquineseword saim, which means pork lard.How this sweet bread came to Mallorca
s a bit muddled, but some sources pointo either a Jewish or Arab bread calledulema that was shaped like a turban
and whose dough was made with olive
oil.In the late 1300s and early 1400s, the
Spanish Inquisition forced Jews to eitheeave Spain or convert to Christianity
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Conversos) if they wanted to stay. Inorder to ferret out baptized Jews andheir descendants who were suspected o
secretly practicing their Jewish ritualsand religiously prescribed dietsMarranos), the Catholic Church
mandated the use of pork and pork products. This explains thepredominance of pork lard in breads anddishes of Spain following this period.
To this day, the official recipe of Mallorca ensaimada requires the use of pork lard as its main ingredient.Families in the Philippines who take
pride in their ensaimada recipes nowuse butter instead of lard, unaware of his bit of historical significance to their
beloved sweet roll.
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HOT SALABAT
We serve salabat to customers who
request it and offer it to people whocome in suffering from sore throats or colds. It is a soothing and healing brew
hat can compete with Mom’s chickensoup anytime.The most straightforward way to
make the salabat is to boil pieces of
ginger until you get a beverage that hassome bite to it. Romy adds a couple of other ingredients to the brew to softenhe ginger’s edge: oranges, apples, or better yet, during the fall, quince. Thearoma of brewing ginger and quince wilfill your kitchen and home and lighten
our heart. This is also the best time to
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bring out that special honey that youhave been keeping in your cupboard toserve alongside.
SERVES 4 TO 6
1 pound fresh ginger, cut into large
chunks2 oranges, peeled and sliced
2 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
Honey, for serving
Place the ginger and orange and applslices in a large saucepan. Add 10 cup
water, bring to a boil, then reduce thheat and simmer for about 10 minutes, ountil the brew has developed a nicflavor. Strain through a very fine siev
nto a large teapot or two small teapots
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Serve with honey.
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BRAZO DE MERCEDES
This recipe, which my mother was able
o get from Gilda Cordero-Fernando’smother, uses an old-fashioned, labor-ntensive method of cooking the egg
olks and sugar to a syrupy texture, towhich melted butter is added. Mrs.Cordero’s brazos were huge and fluffy.Although it takes some patience and skil
o master, I have never found a recipebetter than this one.
SERVES 8 TO 10
Meringue:
12 large egg whites, at room temperatur
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
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Pinch of salt
1 cup superfine sugar
Egg Yolk Pastry:12 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1. Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line a 12
by-16-inch baking pan with parchmentpaper, cutting slits in each corner of thepaper to allow the parchment to fitsnugly into and up the sides of the pan.
2. To make the meringue, in the bowl ofan electric mixer fitted with the whisk
attachment, beat the egg whites with a
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pinch of salt on medium speed untilfoamy. Add the cream of tartar and beatuntil just before soft peaks form.
Gradually beat in the sugar on highspeed until soft peaks form. Using arubber spatula, evenly spread themeringue over the pan. Smooth the topwith an offset spatula.
3. Bake until the meringue is set and
very lightly browned, about 30 minutes.Transfer the meringue to a wire rack andlet cool in the pan.
4. To make the egg yolk pastry, set afine-mesh strainer over a bowl and haveit ready near the stove. Combine theyolks, sugar, and butter in the top of a
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double boiler or in a metal bowl setover, not in, simmering water. Do not lethe water come to a boil. Whisk
constantly until the butter has melted,then switch to a heatproof rubber spatuland continue to cook, stirring constantlyand scraping the sides, until the mixtureis thickened, about 15 minutes. Adjustthe heat as necessary while cooking toensure that the water doesn’t simmer too
actively (this can cause the eggs tocurdle). Strain the mixture immediately.
5. With a paring knife, loosen the sides
of the meringue from the pan. Put abuttered parchment paper on top of themeringue, invert, and remove bottomparchment paper. Using a rubber
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spatula, carefully spread the egg yolk pastry thinly over the cooled meringue,leaving about an inch of the meringue on
all sides without egg pastry. With theshort end of the cake facing you, gentlypull the cake from the parchment androll it away from you, like a jellyroll.Using a serrated knife, cut the rollcrosswise into slices and serve.
A Gypsy’s Arm
The “arm of Mercedes,” as it is literallyranslated, was an adaptation of the
Spanish “Brazo de Gitano,” or “arm of aGypsy.” How an arm of a gypsy with asponge cake base became Mercedes’s
ightweight meringue wrap enveloping
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egg yolk, butter, and syrup fillingbecomes moot once you taste thisfavorite Filipino dessert.
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HOT CHOCOLATE
The Pampanga hot chocolate is made
from native cacao mixed with a smallamount of ground peanuts. The cacaocomes in balls or tablets (called
ableas), which are melted in hotcarabao milk and brought to the guest ina batidor, a tall, narrow pitcher with awooden beater and a handle that is
rotated in swift motions by the palms of both hands to create a frothy top.For this version, we have omitted the
ground peanuts. We do a combination ofnative chocolate (which can be found insome Asian stores) and other brands of chocolate to soften the edge of the native
variety. Mexican chocolate can be used
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as a substitute for the Philippine cacao.
MAKES EIGHT 4-OUNCE SERVINGS
1 cup heavy cream2 cups milk
5 ounces Philippine chocolates, chopped
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate,chopped
½ cup muscovado or other brown sugar
Whipped cream, for servingn a large saucepan over medium heat,
combine the cream and milk and heat
until the liquid just comes to a boil,about 5 minutes. Whisk in the chocolateand sugar until dissolved. Serve toppedwith whipped cream.
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Serving Salabat and Chocolate
Salabat, along with hot chocolate, are
he two most traditional beveragesserved during Christmas. Salabat isnative and therefore served with kakaninnative desserts] such as suman or
bibingka, while hot chocolate is foreignfrom Spain and Mexico) and served
with ensaimada or other sweet fried
doughs such as gollorias or churrosdeep-fried fritters for breakfast or merienda].
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MEMORIES
Christmas in
Tarlac, Tarlac
anay, my maternal grandmother, died
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when I was ten, and the family ties thathad brought us to Iba, Zambales, on aregular basis began to fade. The bucolic
picnics floating down the Bangkal river on rafts and riding water buffaloes onhe black beaches of Masinloc gave wayo the more urban setting of Tarlac,
Tarlac, a few hours drive north of Manila in Central Luzon. I distinctlyremember this shift from one side of the
family to the other.My father’s oldest brother, TomasBesa, was the undisputed patriarch of he huge Besa clan, having raised his
ounger siblings, who were orphanedearly in their lives. Tom Daddy, as weall called him, had built a huge,
exquisitely intricate home along the mai
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street of Tarlac. The ground floor alonewas a warren of corridors leading frommy uncle’s office (in a country that likes
o convey titular respect, he wasreferred to as Attorney) to the kitchenopening up to a grand living room withan elevated dining room on the sideined with wide planks of polished
hardwood. There were French doorseverywhere opening up to gardens and a
wide expanse of grassy area where thecousins played softball with room tospare.
This house was the setting for the
most memorable Besa family Christmasreunions. We were five families, withmore than thirty cousins. On Christmas
Eve, the whole clan would dress up in
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heir best and head to church for midnight mass. Midnight mass in an oldFilipino church, underneath vaulted
ceilings, stays with you forever becauseof the distinct smell of burning votivecandles, incense, old wooden pews, andstone walls amid the scent of people’sperfumes. When the mass had ended inexultant singing, the family would headback to the house for Noche Buena, gift
giving and serious socializing.As soon as the Noche Buena mealwas cleared away and the adults hadrepaired to the living room for cigars
and political discussions, the twenty-foot-long table in the dining room wasransformed into a big blackjack table
for the cousins. This is where one’s true
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mettle was tested, for the humor wouldget personal. Kanchawan (a friendlyform of teasing or taunting) is a national
pastime and one can easily fall into therap of being pikon [a sore loser]. My
mother abhorred gambling and Iremember her anxious glances our wayas we eagerly pulled out our peso billsfor the “bank.” Since I was barely in myeens then and financially dependent on
my parents, there was not much that Icould lose anyway. But this was our annual rite of passage, and if onesurvived the personal taunts with grace
and good humor, one was assured apermanent place in that esteemed state o“cousinhood.”
Our household received a steady
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stream of gifts, mostly food, during thisime. Because my father was a doctor
who performed free operations on a
weekly basis at the National OrthopedicHospital, his grateful patients thankedhim for his kindness at Christmas.
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Clockwise from top left: Vendor in
Silay, agar agar, candied pili nuts,eggplants, chestnuts, pili nuts in shell,
heirloom rice, sago, carabao milk.
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chapter 6
Changing
Landscapes:Discovering the
Filipino Palate
Many years ago at our first
restaurant, Cendrillon, a lone diner—aFilipina—sat facing a table that held aumbled mess of appetizers and main
courses. Seeing this, I turned to the
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woman’s waitress to scold her and ask why she had not waited until the diner had finished her appetizers before
bringing out the main courses. Thewaitress, already flustered, explainedhat the customer wanted everything at
once. The woman then gestured for me tcome to the table. “I have a complaint,”she said sternly. (My heart started tobeat faster—I hate complaints.) “I
ordered my leche flan [milk custard incaramel sauce] a long time ago, and theyhave not brought it out yet.” “But,” Ibegan, almost as flustered as the
waitress, “we’ll bring your dessert onceou’ve finished your main courses.” Tohis she replied, “Oh, no,” and pointed t
a specific place on the table. “I want tha
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flan right here. I want to look at it while am eating all my other dishes.”
Such is a Filipino meal, with all the
opsy-turvy, chaotic, and sometimesunnerving cultural blips that come witht. Filipinos do not eat in courses! They
want a visual of the offerings and thebounty of the meal; that way, they canmake a mental note of how much theywill eat of what appeals to them while
saving room for dessert—if they want itf not, they eat more of the lechonkawali.
Unlike the Western approach to
service, food is to be eaten, not fussedover with dots and squiggles of sauces.Each dish has its own merits and its own
role to play in the meal. Filipino food
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pairings defy logic: adobo with monggomung beans]; champorrado [chocolate
rice porridge] with tuyo [dried fish];
dinuguan [blood stew] with putosteamed rice cakes]; and so on.
And Filipinos like to mix and matchn no particular order. Some people eatheir halo-halo [an iced dessert] before
meal; some eat it during. Soup is neithera stand-alone course nor an appetizer,
but is served alongside the dinner plateo be sipped throughout the meal.At Purple Yam, we do not organize
he dinner menu into appetizers and main
courses, but instead by headings:oodles and Dumplings; Pinoy (a
playful name Filipinos call themselves,
but in this case, one that indicates the
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Filipino classics); and Sambals,Chutneys, and Kimchi (a sampling of other Asian dishes). At first this caused
our customers and our staff someconfusion, but after a couple of years,diners have learned to order whatever hey want, let the dishes come out in
whatever order the kitchen produceshem, and savor everything without
decorum or rules. That is the Filipino
way of enjoying a meal.
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In addition to preserving archivalrecipes by reintroducing them in thepresent, there is the exciting challenge o
developing recipes using nativengredients that are otherwise oftenrelegated to obscurity because homecooks and restaurant chefs have not seen
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heir potential. Cases in point are our native cacao in the form of tableas andour heirloom rices, both of which have
been preserved by communities thatcontinue to grow them in smallquantities.
What does it mean to go back to our roots and immerse ourselves in thepalate of our home shores? Romy and Idiscovered the answer in 2010 when we
were planning a celebration in Manilafor my mother’s ninety-fifth and my ownbirthday. This was our chance toshowcase the best of what the
Philippines had to offer. It meant goingback to a time when food was preparedhe old way: with great care and an eye
oward using the best ingredients
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available. It was our homage to oldrecipes, old cooking equipment, and oldcooking techniques.
We proved that one did not need togo beyond our shores to serve amemorable feast. We had the opportunito source the best artisanal fish sauce, as
well as organic fruit-based vinegars,produce, and pork. We were able tomake homemade ice creams with water
buffalo milk and local fruits, cook withnative chickens and ducks and giantcrabs from Mindanao, and serve kakaninrice desserts] from Luzon and the
Visayas for dessert.During our preparations, we
discovered that flavors and textures
come not only from ingredients and
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seasonings, but also from blackened oldclay pots, wood-burning ovens, bananaand bamboo leaves that are used to wrap
fish and rice desserts or line clay pots.Pandan leaves [screwpine] are mixed ina pot of steaming rice to enhance therice’s flavor and aroma. Taro leaves areused to wrap pouches of baby shrimpand chiles or as wrappers for produce inhe market. Fresh and green bamboo
ubes are cut open to expose the tender membrane lining their insides, then usedo steam chicken binacol, imparting a
delicate flavor that no other cooking
vessel can capture.What are the flavors of Filipino
food? I can only say that the Filipino
palate reflects the flavors of nature, of
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our local environment, and of our coastsature is still the best and most versatil
source of flavors and aromas, which can
never be replicated by manmade flavor enhancers. Nature is our best guide for our palate. And our palate is the key tohe survival of our culture and carrieshe road map to health and well-being.
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MEMORIES
Nana Meng’s
Kitchenn the late 1990s, Jayme Natividad, at
he time a budding chef, brought hisood friend, the Filipino journalist
argaux Salcedo, to Cendrillon.
argaux wrote a rave review of the
restaurant for one of the Philippinedailies back home. She later told us
hat she had never before written a
word about food, but her visit to
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Cendrillon started her on a new path.
ow she is a prolific food blogger
( margauxlicious.blogspot.com ) and
writes a regular restaurant reviewcolumn for the Philippine Dailynquirer. She also produces and
markets Nana Meng’s Tsokolate, made
rom a treasured family recipe.
obody remembers the exact year whe
our ancestral home in Sta. MariaBulacan, was built, but we do know thahe house existed even before the war
and that our great-aunt Carmen Torres
Reyes, known as Nana Meng, was born that house on New Year’s Day in
1916.Uncles and aunts, depending on their
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age, also recall notable personalities,ncluding past Philippine presidents,
who have visited the house. Nana
Meng’s mother served food to PresidentManuel Quezon; Lola Cholengremembers President Elpidio Quirino;Tito Louie, my mother’s eldest brother,had memories of President RamonMagsaysay; and Nana Meng herself, whived until 2009 and was the last of that
generation to pass away, had occasion toprepare a meal for President JosephEstrada, who, at some point, ate at thevery dining table that stands at the cente
of the home to this day.Generation after generation, the lives
of those who have lived here have
revolved around food and fiestas. The
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wisdom that has been passed on is thatall you need for a good life are pots andprayers (well, maybe a lot of pig, too!).
The family has been raised strictly anddevoutly Catholic, so hours of the daywere noted based on times for prayer 5:00 A.M.for morning prayers and 6:00
P.M. for the Angelus), while months wercounted in terms of the feast days of thesaints. This method of telling time was
of importance to the kitchen because itdictated their schedule in the preparatioof meals. It meant getting up at 4:00 A.M
o prepare breakfast for the family after
he morning prayers—usually a cup of sokolate served with pandesal and
kesong puti, or suman and coconut jam.t also dictated the cooking preparation
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schedule for the town fiesta, whichrequired food enough for the entire townbecause neighbors would freely walk in
and out of houses, as was the traditionduring a fiesta.
The house had three kitchens: one onhe second floor, used for the family’s
everyday eating; another on the groundfloor for visitors; and the “dirty” kitchenbehind the ground-floor kitchen, which
was used for big family events or fiestas. This kitchen was where theywould kill and roast pigs or chickens, orhang up goats in preparation for
kalderetang kambing, or roast a cow forechong baka during a fiesta. Cooking
would be done over the two stoves, one
stone and one wood-burning. Nana Men
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used to say that food tastes so muchbetter when you use wood fire instead ogas.
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Margaux Salcedo, right, and her Nana
Meng enjoying a cup of tsokolate.
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While the house was known as theTorres-Reyes ancestral home, we refer o the kitchen as Nana Meng’s kitchen
because she and her sister, Nana Julita,were renowned for their cookingprowess. Unfortunately, Nana Julita,who was famous for her beef asado andensaimada, passed away at an early ageAnd so it was Nana Meng’s cooking onwhich our generation grew up. We were
privileged to grow up with Nana Meng’sokolate, kesong puti, chicharron,sinigang sa bayabas, lumpiang sariwa,and dinuguan, among other Bulacan
recipes that she herself would create inhe kitchen.
These recipes (save for the tsokolate
have never been written down. Instead,
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hey have been passed on fromgeneration to generation, but only tohose who labor in the kitchen. In this
Bulacan home, a recipe is not learned byreading or listening to instructions, butby cooking in the kitchen. That is howKa Tage (Lolita), now seventy-six,earned to cook our family recipes.
A Popular Everyday Dish
Dinuguan is blood-and-innards stewdugo means blood). A dish made withnnards and blood may sound
challenging to some, yet it is surprisinglmild. During my travels, it was arevelation to learn that the dinuguan
enjoys widespread popularity as an
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everyday dish throughout thePhilippines. Families were eager toshare their dinuguan recipes (and of
course, each claimed to have the bestrecipe in the region). In my later nterviews, I had to stop collecting
recipes, as I was accumulating too manysee this page for the Pampanga version
Tidtad Baca), and I instead noted onlynteresting regional variations. In Lagun
and Bicol, I found recipes using cow’sblood, an ingredient many had rejectedas too greasy. In Bicol, they add coconumilk to the blood. And in New York
City, of all places, I discovered goatdinuguan. In Sta. Rita, Pampanga, theGuanzon family prefers to let the bloodcoagulate and adds it as chunks to the
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stew, calling it “white dinuguan” (pork blood needs to be mixed with vinegar toprevent it from coagulating). In Laoag,
locos Norte, the Ablan family uses theclassic vinegar-blood mixture, butcontinues to cook the stew until it isalmost dry. The result is a thickly coatedstew, almost like a dry-fried dinuguan.
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ANA MENG’S DINUGUAN
Dinuguan was served at merienda time,
before the 6:00 P.M. Angelus. This wasusually paired with a cup of tsokolateand puto pandan. It was not served
during fiestas, but as everyday comfortfood. As it has vinegar as its base, itwould last for weeks. In fact, dinuguanastes even better two days after
cooking, when the flavors of the blood,nnards, and vinegar have really set.In Bulacan, to this day, pig’s blood is
given away for free. It is important thathe blood is from a newly butchered pig
Do not pour in all of the vinegar andblood immediately, but in small
ncrements. This will allow you to
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adjust the sourness and the thickness of he blood stew to your liking.
MAKES 10 TO 12 SERVINGS
4 pieces pig’s ears
4 pounds pork belly
4 pounds pork innards (including theheart, spleen, lungs)
1 cup canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced3 red onions, sliced thin
6 tomatoes, sliced
1 tablespoon salt
1–1½ cups vinegar [sukang paombong],or white vinegar
4–6 cups pig’s blood
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6 long chile peppers [siling haba]
1. Rinse and clean the pig’s ears; dice
the outer ear and dispose of the hardparts (the inner ear).
2. Place the ears, pork belly, and
innards in a large pot and cover withwater. Bring the water to a boil, reducethe heat, and keep at a low boil for
about 15 minutes, then remove the pork belly from the pot and set aside.Continue cooking the innards for 15minutes more, then remove all the meat
to a bowl and reserve the cooking stock
3. Cut the pork meat, ears, and innardsinto small cubes.
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4. Heat the oil in a large wok, add thegarlic, and cook until golden. Add theonions and the tomatoes.
5. Stir in the salt, and then add the pork meat, ears, and innards.
6. Add the vinegar, but do not stir.Leave uncovered until any acrid vinegarodor has subsided.
7. Cover and simmer, stirringoccasionally, until the pork meat andinnards are soft, about 30 minutes.
8. Pour in the pig’s blood and stir continuously until the stew begins tothicken. If the mixture becomes too
thick, dilute with the reserved stock to
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the consistency you prefer.
9. Add the chiles and simmer for anothe
5 minutes. Adjust the vinegar and salt totaste and serve hot with puto pandan or white rice.
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MEMORIES
Lola Anday and
her ChickenKinulob
first met Tricia Tensuan, a senior
executive of Enderun Colleges, one of
he most prestigious culinary schools
n the Philippines, at Cendrillon, just before the first edition of this book was
ublished. In anticipation of its launch
Tricia invited me to come to Enderun t
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ive a talk and share some food wisdom
with their students. I did, and along
with the book was launched a great
artnership with an institution that roduces fine culinary professionals,
some of whom are devoting their
careers to studying and learning their
own culinary heritage. Through the
ears, Tricia has invited me to hold
workshops and classes at the school,
which has helped me fulfill a long-helddream: the establishment of the Ang
Sariling Atin Culinary Heritage
nstitute, the goal of which will be the
documentation and preservation of oldrecipes, old cooking techniques, and
old cooking equipment.
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Until I was ten years old, Christmas Dameant a road trip from Manila to PoloBulacan (located just north of Metr
Manila), where my great-grandparentLucio and Ricarda “Anday” Tolentinoived. They were blessed with eleve
children, and Christmas was always big reunion attended by four generationof Tolentinos! I remember hearing mmom introduce herself: “Ako s
Teresing, anak ni Conching” [I amTeresing, daughter of Conching]. Takingmy cue from her, I would introducmyself to aunts, uncles, grandaunts, an
granduncles while kissing their hands“Ako si Patricia, anak ni Teresing, anani Conching”[I am Patricia, daughter oTeresing, daughter of Conching].
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It’s hard for me, thinking back now,o imagine how we all fit under one roof
but we did. As soon as all the
ntroductions were made and everyoneseemed to recall whose child or spousewas whose, the house would be filledwith much laughter and revelry, withLolo Lucio and Lola Anday at the center
My most vivid memory of thoseChristmases is the food. One particular
dish stands out: Lola Anday’s ChickenKinulob. Days before Christmas, Iwould hear my uncles chant inanticipation “Kinu-lob, kinu-lob.” My
brothers and I would chant the same inhe car on our way to Polo.
Chicken Kinulob is native chicken
stuffed with ginger, onions, and pork
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stomach, then topped with cabbage,celery leaves, and leeks. The traditionalway also included eggs from “inahen”
and chicken blood, slow-cooked in apalayok, tightly covered with bananaeaves, over an open charcoal fire. The
dish produces a flavorful broth that isserved on the side; it is served with arich liver dip balanced with the acidityof kalamansi and saltiness of patis [fish
sauce]. There are variations, but thisrecipe was passed down from LolaAnday to one of her daughters: Lola Fe,my great-aunt. Lola Anday would pair
his dish with Putong Polo (the brownvariety), which she bought from aspecialty store in the same town.
After lunch, the children would go up
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o the second-floor balcony to watch theChristmas parade pass by. We felt wehad the best seats in town, as our great-
grandparents’ home had a wonderfulview of the church and plaza. Lolo Luciwas a high school superintendent, whileLola Anday was a schoolteacher turnedentrepreneur. She manufacturedchildren’s clothes for an Americancompany and hired her neighbors to do
he hand embroidery. Lola Fe says LolaAnday was well loved for her generosity.
Our Lola Anday passed away in
January 1980, a few weeks shy of her eighty-seventh birthday. Our Lolo Luciopassed away two months later, and I
remember one of my aunts saying that he
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had died of a broken heart. Our Christmas reunions in Polo becamefewer and farther between, but the
Chicken Kinulob remains a staple in ourfamily gatherings, no matter where theyare.
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Tricia Tensuan, right, preparing
Chiken Kinulob.
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LOLA ANDAY’S CHICKENKINULOB
SERVES 4 TO 6
½ pound tito ng baboy [pork stomach]
1 whole free-range chicken (2 pounds),liver and heart reserved
1 medium white onion, quartered
One 3- to 4-inch piece fresh ginger,
chopped into 3 to 4 piecesSea salt and freshly ground pepper
2–3 banana leaves
String (for tying the banana leavesaround the mouth of the clay pot)
1 head cabbage, quartered
Celery leaves (from about 3 stalks of
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celery)
3 leeks, with a bit of the green top left o
Juice of 2 to 3 kalamansi limes
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1. Scrub the pork stomach with coarse
salt to clean and rinse well with water.Place in a large pot of boiling water andcook until fork tender, about 30 to 45minutes. Set aside to cool and then chop
into bite-size pieces.
2. Stuff the chicken with the pork stomach, onion, and ginger; season thebird with salt and pepper.
3. Place the stuffed chicken in a palayok
[clay pot] and cover with 3½ to 4 cups
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water. Cover the clay pot with 2 to 3layers of banana leaves (see Note). Usea string to secure the banana leaves.
Place the clay pot over a low charcoalflame and cook for 2 hours.
4. Uncover the clay pot; the chickenshould be fork-tender at this stage.Check for seasoning; add salt andpepper, if necessary.
5. Add the reserved liver and heart, andplace the cabbage, celery leaves, andleeks on top of the chicken. Re-cover th
pot and let simmer for another 30minutes, or until the vegetables arecooked through.
6. To make the sawsawan [dip], remove
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the chicken liver and heart. Mash theliver and mince the chicken heart, thenplace in a small bowl with the
kalamansi juice and fish sauce.
7. Serve the chicken and vegetables witthe sawsawan on the side.
Note: In the United States, packages ofrozen banana leaves are available i
Asian grocery stores. One package wilnclude enough leaves to cover one clapot. In the Philippines, 2 to 3 wholfresh banana leaves will suffice.
Note: Use a blackened clay pot with aopening that will fit a 2-pound chickenbroth, and vegetables. For those wh
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have no access to clay pots, a regulaenamel-lined Dutch oven will work, too
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FRESH LUMPIA
For our lumpia, we wanted a wrapper
hat was different, so we made it withpurple yam. The traditional sauce for fresh lumpia is sweet and salty,
hickened with cornstarch, and garnishedwith ground peanuts and raw mincedgarlic. We decided instead toncorporate the peanuts into our sauce
and created a peanut-lemongrass-garlic-flavored sauce.
MAKES ABOUT 30 LUMPIA
rappers:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rice flour (not glutinous)
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⅓ cup ube (purple yam) flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup coconut milk
Filling:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil2 cloves garlic, minced
2 leeks, white parts only, trimmed,cleaned, and thinly sliced
½ Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
2 cups bean sprouts
1 large carrot, cut into matchstick pieces
1 small jicama, peeled and cut intomatchstick pieces
12 snowpeas, trimmed and thinly sliced
on the diagonal
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12 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed,cleaned, and thinly sliced
4 teaspoons fish sauce, or to taste
½ teaspooon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Peanut Sauce:
1 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil
1 stalk lemongrass, white part only,minced
1 garlic clove, minced1 shallot, minced
One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
and minced1½ cups roasted peanuts, finely ground
in a food processor
1 cup coconut milk
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1–2 small fresh bird’s-eye chiles,minced (optional)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce2 teaspoons fish sauce, or to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
or to taste
Fried garlic slices, for serving (this page)
½ cup roasted peanuts, coarselychopped (optional)
1. To make the wrappers, sift together the flours and salt into a large bowl. In aseparate bowl, whisk the eggs with thecoconut milk and 1 ½ cups water and
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add to the flour mixture. Whisk untilblended and smooth, adding more waterif the batter is too thick. (It should have
the consistency of heavy cream.)
2. Warm an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add about 2tablespoons batter to the pan (using a 1-ounce ladle is the easiest way to get allthe batter into the pan) and quickly
rotate, spreading over a thin layer, like crêpe. Cook until the wrapper is set andthe edges begin to curl, about 2 minutes(The underside should stay purple—if i
starts to brown, turn the heat down alittle.) Flip and cook on the other sidefor 30 seconds longer, or until cookedthrough. Repeat with the remaining
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batter and stack the finished wrapperson a large plate. You’ll have about 30wrappers that measure about 6 inches in
diameter. Keep covered with a veryslightly damp towel to prevent drying.
3. For the filling, in a large skillet or wok, warm the oil. Add the garlic andstir over medium-high heat untilfragrant, about 1 minute. Add the leeks,
and sauté until slightly softened, about 2minutes. Add the cabbage, bean sproutscarrot, jicama, snowpeas, andmushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until
the vegetables are tender but stillcrunchy, about 5 minutes. Season withthe fish sauce and black pepper to taste.
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4. To make the peanut sauce, heat the oiin a small saucepan over medium-highheat. Add the lemongrass, garlic,
shallot, and ginger. Cook, stirring often,until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.Add the peanuts and the coconut milk.Reduce the heat to medium and simmer,uncovered, stirring often, untilthickened, about 5 minutes. If the sauceis too thick, stir in a little water. Add th
chiles, vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce,and black pepper to taste and cook for another minute. The sauce can be madeseveral days in advance.
5. To assemble, lay a wrapper on aplate. Spread with ¼ cup of the filling,and roll into a thick cylinder, seam side
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up. Top the finished rolls with thepeanut sauce, fried garlic slices, andcoarsely ground peanuts, if desired.
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KULAWONG TALONG
My first introduction to the concept of a
kulawo was in 2003, when I visited UguBigyan’s home and pottery studio inTiaong, Quezon (see this page). Visitors
could call ahead and arrange to haveunch in one of his beautiful gazebos,where they would savor his signaturedish, the banana-heart kulawo. In
Laguna, a neighboring province north ofQuezon, it is the kulawong talong thatstirs many nostalgic food memoriesamong the locals. Both versions are tart
because vinegar, instead of water, isused to extract the milk from freshlygrated coconut singed with a hot coal.
nterestingly, if one travels further south
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he Bicolanos’ burnt coconut cream isnot vinegary at all, since water is usedas the prime medium of extraction.
The use of burnt coconut cream hasbeen one of my most treasureddiscoveries in Philippine cooking, and Ihave never stopped wondering why Inever encountered this while growing upn Manila, which is just a two-hour
drive from Laguna and Quezon. We
would like to thank NicholettaLabellachitarra, a Filipino chef workingn Boston, who shared her memory of his dish—grilled eggplant with burnt
coconut cream—with Romy, inspiringhim to create a version of his own.
SERVES 8
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Burnt Coconut Cream:
MAKES 2 TO 3 CUPS
Two 16-ounce packages frozen gratedcoconut (available in Asianmarkets)
1 cup coconut sap or rice vinegar 2 cups canned coconut milk
5 cloves garlic, peeled
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeledand sliced
2 shallots, peeled and sliced
2–3 bird’s-eye chiles (optional)
Grilled Chinese Eggplant:
8 Chinese eggplants
Sea salt, to taste
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1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Defrostthe coconut and mix with the coconutsap or rice vinegar, kneading to extract
as much cream from the coconut aspossible. Wrap the coconut-vinegar mixture in cheesecloth and squeeze thecoconut milk into a bowl until all themilk has been extracted (this shouldyield approximately 2½ cups of liquid).Set the extracted coconut milk aside.
2. Spread the squeezed, grated coconutevenly on a baking sheet and bake,stirring every 15 minutes, until it is dark
brown, about 50 minutes. Turn on thebroiler, and place the baking sheet undeit for another 5 to 10 minutes to slightlychar the coconut—but be careful not to
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burn it too much.
3. In a saucepan, combine the extracted
coconut milk, half of the pan of burntcoconut, the canned coconut milk, garlicginger, shallots, and chiles, if using.Bring to a boil, then lower the heat andallow the mixture to simmer for 10minutes. Strain through a very fine-meshsieve, using the back of a big spoon to
squeeze out as much liquid as you can.Return the liquid to the saucepan andkeep warm while grilling the eggplant.
4. Place the eggplants on a stovetop grilor under a broiler and cook until the skiis charred and the interior is soft. Whenust cool enough to handle, peel the
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eggplants and use a fork to spread andflatten the flesh a little. Season to tastewith sea salt.
5. Arrange the eggplants on a dish andpour the warm burnt coconut cream ovethem. Top with Romy’s White Bitter Melon, Guava, and Nectarine Salad(this page) or Pomelo, Watermelon, andPapaya Salad (222).
Note: Freeze small portions of the burncoconut cream for future use. Burncoconut cream can be used for Chicke
Adobo (this page) instead of cannecoconut milk.
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The Secret to Frying Ukoy
One of Romy’s enduring food memories
s the sinapot of Irosin, Sorsogon, whichs a layer of five saba [plantain] slices,
coated with rice batter and set on acacao leaf, and then lowered into hotfrying oil. Romy remembered that thismethod of using the cacao leaf ensuredhat the layers of bananas would not
disperse in the hot oil, and the sinapotwould come out as one beautiful piecewith intricate leaf markings on the batter
Romy applied this principle to ukoy.
Customers often tell me that when theycook ukoy at home, the fritter alwaysdisintegrates when lowered into the hotoil. I tell them to anchor the batter on a
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banana leaf (cacao leaves are notavailable here), and it always works.
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UKOY
Ukoy is the most popular item on our
menu. Rice flour gives the added cruncho these shrimp-and-vegetable fritters.
As with many fried foods, some achara
this page) goes well here.MAKES ABOUT 12 FRITTERS
½ banana leaf, thawed if frozen
Batter:
¾ cup rice flour
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt 1 large egg
Filling:
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1 cup julienned Napa cabbage
1 cup julienned carrots
1 cup julienned snowpeas
1 cup julienned leeks (white parts only)
1½ cups bean sprouts
1 cup chopped peeled and deveined
shrimp2 teaspoons fish sauce
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Canola oil, for frying
Rice vinegar with sliced garlic andchopped chiles to taste, for serving
1. Using a damp towel, wipe the banana
leaf clean on both sides. Cut out 4-inch
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squares from the banana leaf. Set asideon a baking sheet. Brush one side lightlywith oil.
2. To make the batter, sift the rice flour,all-purpose flour, baking powder, andsalt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl,beat the egg with ¾ cup water, then stir this into the dry ingredients, to form athick but smooth batter. Refrigerate the
batter for 30 minutes to 1 hour.3. Fill a deep saucepan or wok with 3inches canola oil and warm over
medium heat until the temperature isbetween 350° F and 365° F.
4. While the oil is heating, prepare the
filling: Combine the cabbage, carrots,
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snowpeas, leeks, bean sprouts, shrimp,fish sauce, and pepper in a large bowl.Stir the batter and pour just enough into
the filling to coat the ingredients.Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons over themixture and toss to firm it up if necessary (it should not be too wet).
5. Put about ⅓ cup of the filling on theoiled side of each banana-leaf square.
Place a square on a spider and lower itinto the oil. Fry until the fritter is set(about 1 minute), lift from the oil, andremove the banana leaf. Continue frying
for another minute until the fritter islightly browned. Flip and brown theother side until crisp, 1 ½ to 2 minutes.Lift out of the oil with the spider and
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place on a paper towel–lined bakingsheet to drain. Repeat until all the fillingis fried. Serve hot with the vinegar
dipping sauce.
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PIEDMONTESE BEEFADOBO IN TURMERIC
AND COCONUT MILK One can never have enough adoborecipes in one’s repertoire. Adobo is no
ust a dish, but rather a cooking methodhat allows creativity in the chef’s
selection of the vinegar (coconut, nipa,
or sugarcane), coloring (soy sauce,achuete, or turmeric) or lack of it, andchoice of finish (grilled, broiled, or fried). Soy sauce was not originally par
of the mix in adobo lore, but when theChinese landed on our shores, weadapted many of the ingredients theybrought with them as our own. Dilaw
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which means yellow in Tagalog] or urmeric is part of our culinary heritage,
albeit one that is disappearing in urban
areas. But adobo sa dilaw is still presenn all the regions of the country using
pork, chicken, beef, eel, and catfish. Inhe Tagalog region, ginger is most
commonly paired with turmeric. Romyprefers a Visayan twist, usingemongrass to balance this vinegar-
spiked stew. At Purple Yam, when wewant a very special adobo, we useheritage meats—in this case,Piedmontese beef brisket.
SERVES 8 TO 10
7 pounds Piedmontese beef brisket
5 cups coconut sap vinegar
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4 cups coconut milk
1 tablespoon turmeric powder, or 6knobs of fresh turmeric, peeled and
cut into 2-inch piecesCloves from 5 heads of garlic, peeled
2 stalks of lemongrass, cut into 2-inch
pieces2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
10 Thai chiles
2 tablespoons sea salt
1. Trim the excess fat from the brisketand cut the meat into 2-inch cubes.
2. In a nonreactive or enamel-lined pan,combine the beef and remainingingredients. Bring to a boil, then lower
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the heat and simmer, uncovered, untiltender, about 2 hours.
3. When the meat is tender, remove itfrom the pan and set aside. Continuesimmering until the sauce is reduced byhalf.
4. Let the sauce cool and refrigerate thebeef and sauce separately overnight. Th
fat will harden at the top of the sauce, soit can be removed easily. Reserve 2 to 3tablespoons of the fat.
5. Melt the reserved beef fat in a heavyskillet. Add the beef and fry untilbrowned. In a separate pan, heat thesauce.
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6. Remove the beef to a platter; top withthe sauce, or serve it on the side.
Variation: The beef can be grilled obroiled instead of fried in step 5; ussome of the sauce to baste the meat iusing either of these methods. Serve thsauce on the side.
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GRILLED WHOLE FISHWITH CITRUS-BUTTER
SAUCEWe were surprised when this dishbecame a runaway hit as a special on th
Purple Yam menu; the credit goes to theunique citrus-butter sauce that alwayshas diners cleaning their plates. Another
key to its success is the freshness of thefish; that’s why we only serve it whenRomy is able to go to the market himselfTry this recipe during the holiday
season, when all kinds of oranges areavailable: Clementines and tangerinesare our favorites.
SERVES 2
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Citrus Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeledand thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
Juice of 2 oranges
Juice of 3 lemonsJuice of 3 limes
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
1 teaspoon sea salt3 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 orange, peeled and segmented
1 lemon, peeled and segmented1 lime, peeled and segmented
1 green chile, sliced (optional)
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2 medium-size whole fish, such as sea bass, pompano, mackerel, dorade,or snapper, scaled and cleaned
Sea saltAny mixture of the following fresh
herbs: basil, cilantro, dill, garlic
chives, lemongrassBanana leaves (optional), for broiling
Olive oil, for brushing
1. To make the sauce, heat the olive oilin a saucepan over medium heat. Addthe ginger and garlic and sauté. Add the
citrus juices and bring to a boil. Add thebutter and let it melt and bubble. Addthe salt, scallions, citrus sections, andchile, if using. Let simmer for 1 minute.
Keep warm.
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2. Lightly salt the fish inside and out;stuff the cavities with the fresh herbs.Line a broiler pan with banana leaves o
aluminum foil and brush with olive oil.Place the fish on the pan and brush witholive oil. Broil the fish until lightlybrowned on both sides, turning once.Remove the fish to a serving platter immediately to prevent overcooking.Pour the citrus sauce over the fish and
serve.
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BLUEBERRY–PURPLEYAM TART
Although this was one of the mostpopular tarts at Cendrillon, we chose noo serve it at Purple Yam. Then, a year
after we moved, Romy posted it onlineas a special addition to the menu. Theresponse was swift—we had no ideahow much people had missed it! The
dish is best when made with tiny, wildblueberries from Maine and laced withhomemade blueberry sauce. We have
also learned that blueberries are nowbeing grown in Baguio, a summer resortocated up on the mountain north of
Manila. Filipinos can now savor a
pairing of native purple yam with local
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blueberries—a match made in culinaryheaven!
MAKES 6 TARTS
Tart Shells:
½ cup melted unsalted butter
1½ cups flour 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg, lightly beatenPurple Yam Filling:
2 cups frozen grated purple yam [ube]
½ cup sugar ½ cup coconut milk
1 cup whole milk
½ cup heavy cream
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Purple Yam Cream:
2 cups Purple Yam Filling (from above)½ cup crème frâiche
Blueberry Sauce:
1 cup sugar 2 cups fresh blueberries
Juice of ½ lemon
3 cups fresh blueberries, washed andtowel dried
1. To make the tart shells, brush 6 tartmolds with removable bottoms with themelted butter. In the bowl of a foodprocessor, combine the flour, butter, and
sugar. Pulse for several seconds until
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crumbly. Add the egg and pulse until thedough forms a ball. Wrap the dough inplastic wrap and let rest at room
temperature for half an hour. Divide thedough into 6 portions and, working on afloured surface, roll each portion into acircle large enough to fit the inside of the tart mold with a ¼-inch overhang(the dough will shrink during baking).Press the dough along the sides of each
mold and prick the bottom with a fork.Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat theoven to 375° F. Bake the shells untilnicely browned, about 15 minutes. Let
cool on racks before removing the shellfrom the molds.
2. For the filling, combine the purple
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yam, sugar, coconut milk, whole milk,and heavy cream in a heavy saucepanand cook over medium heat. Stir
continuously with a wooden spoon untilthe mixture thickens and pulls awayfrom the sides of the pot, 15 to 20minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Transfer to a bowl and letcool.
3. For the purple yam cream, mix cooledpurple yam filling with the crèmefraiche.
4. For the blueberry sauce, heat thesugar and ¼ cup water in a heavysaucepan over medium heat untilcaramelized and dark brown. Add the
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blueberries and simmer for 5 minutes.Stir in the lemon juice. Keep warm.
5. To assemble the tarts, fill each shellwith ⅓ cup purple yam cream and topwith ½ cup fresh blueberries. Pour warm blueberry sauce over the tarts andserve.
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KALAMANSI MERINGUEPIE
When I was in the Philippines I alwaysdreamt of tasting the best Americanemon meringue pie, but when I arrived
n the United States I could never find agood one. Our version uses kalamansiime curd instead.
MAKES ONE 9-INCH TART
For the crust:
All-purpose flour, for dusting
½ recipe Basic Pie Pastry (this page)
For the kalamansi curd:
¾ cup granulated sugar
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⅓ cup kalamansi lime juice
8 egg yolks, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut intosmall pieces
For the meringue:
4 egg whites, at room temperature¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup superfine sugar
1. On a lightly floured work surfacewith a lightly floured rolling pin, roll thdough into a 14-inch circle about ⅛ inch
thick. Transfer to a 10-inch tart pan witha removable bottom, pressing the doughinto the pan. Trim away excess doughfrom the edges of the pan. Cover the tart
with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at
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least 1 hour or overnight.
2. While the dough is chilling, make the
curd: In a metal bowl (or the top of adouble boiler) set over, not in,simmering water, whisk together thesugar and lime juice. Do not let thewater come to a boil. Whisk until thesugar completely dissolves, about 3minutes. Take the bowl off the heat and
keep the pot of water at a steadysimmer.
3. In a separate, heatproof bowl, whisk
the egg yolks. Whisking constantly,slowly pour a small amount of the hotlime juice mixture into the yolks,gradually adding more juice until all of
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it has been incorporated.
4. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the
egg-lime mixture back into the metalbowl, and set the bowl over thesimmering water. Add the butter andwhisk constantly until thickened, about10 minutes. (The mixture should read130°F.) Take the bowl off the heat.
5. Strain the curd through a fine-meshstrainer into a bowl. Let cool slightly,then place a piece of plastic wrapdirectly onto the surface of the filling,
and refrigerate until ready to use. Thecurd can be made up to 1 day inadvance.
6. To bake the crust, preheat the oven to
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350° F. Remove the plastic wrap fromthe tart shell and prick the bottom of thedough all over with a fork. Line the tart
shell with enough parchment paper tocover the bottom and come up the sidesFill the bottom of the pan with pieweights or dried beans so the doughdoesn’t puff during baking.
7. Transfer the tart shell to the oven and
bake until set and lightly brownedaround the edges, about 15 minutes,removing the parchment paper andweights about 3 minutes before the
pastry is finished baking to ensure thatthe shell is evenly browned. Transfer the shell to a wire rack to coolcompletely. Increase the oven
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temperature to 400° F.
8. Make the meringue: In the clean bowl
of an electric mixer fitted with the whisattachment, beat the egg whites onmedium speed until foamy. Add thecream of tartar and beat until soft peaksform. Gradually add the sugar and beaton high speed until glossy and stiff, butnot dry, peaks are formed.
9. To assemble the pie, spread thekalamansi lime curd evenly over thebottom of the shell. Cover with the
meringue, smoothing it with a rubber spatula and making sure the meringuetouches the edges of the shell. Transfer the tart to a baking sheet and bake until
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the meringue is golden brown on top,about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wirerack to cool. Refrigerate for 20 minutes
to allow the curd to set before serving.
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CHOCOLATE TURON
The classic turon uses the native saba
Cardaba banana], a cooking bananawidely used for desserts in thePhilippines. It is sliced horizontally,
sprinkled with sugar, wrapped in aumpia wrapper, and deep-fried. Extrasugar added to the oil caramelizes thewrapper, creating a crispy and delicious
crunchiness that cannot be equaled.Romy discovered that chocolate not
only goes well with bananas, but itsroasted, fruity, and nutty flavorscomplement the unique aromaticsweetness of jackfruit. So, over theears, jackfruit filling has become part
of this recipe. Adding coarsely chopped
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or shaved native cacao to the filling iset another creative way to use our
Philippine cacao. At Purple Yam, Romy
has served this chocolate-and-jackfruit-filled turon with his chocolate-caramelce cream—a combination that has been
wolfed down by many customers whoswear they don’t like chocolate at all.
Unfortunately, we cannot getPhilippine saba here in Brooklyn, so we
use the Caribbean plantain, available inmany Korean markets, which can besweet and delicious when they are ripeand firm.
Jackfruit is available in cans packedn syrup. Drain the desired number of
pieces to use for turon and refrigerate
he rest, in their syrup, in an airtight
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container for future use. You can use theextra jackfruit for fruit salads or halo-halo (this page).
SERVES 6
2 (8- to 9-inch) plantains
2 pieces whole jackfruit, slicedhorizontally or diced
2 ounces bittersweet or native chocolatecoarsely chopped
¼ cup sugar, for sprinkling (or more totaste)
8 lumpia wrappers
1 egg white, beaten, or ½ cup wholemilk, for sealing
Vegetable oil, for frying
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1. Peel the plantains and cut each one inhalf. Slice each half horizontally into 3pieces. You will have 6 pieces from
each plantain; match the pieces fromeach half for equalsize pairs.
2. Make a “sandwich” from each of thepairs of plantain: Place one piece of plantain on the bottom, top withackfruit, chopped chocolate, and 1
teaspoon of the sugar, then top with thematching piece of plantain. You willhave 6 sandwiches.
3. Take 2 lumpia wrappers and cut eachinto quarters. Take a second wrapper and lay it in front of you with one endfacing you like a diamond; lay 1 smaller
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square from the first wrapper in thecenter of the diamond. Place a plantainsandwich on the small square and
sprinkle with another teaspoon of sugaror more to taste. Bring the bottom endover the sandwich, fold the sides over,and seal the roll with the top end,tucking the edge over the folds like anenvelope. Seal with the beaten eggwhite or milk. Repeat with the
remaining 5 sandwiches. (Note: Thismethod of wrapping is the same as thatused in Lumpia Shanghai, this page)
4. Pour 3 inches of vegetable oil in asmall saucepan and heat to 350° F. Donot fry the rolls unless the oil isproperly heated or else they will absorb
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the oil and become greasy.
5. Carefully add the rolls to the hot oil,
3 at a time, to avoid overcrowding. Fryuntil they are golden brown, 3 to 5minutes. Bring the oil temperature back to 350° F and repeat with the remainingrolls.
6. Remove the rolls to a metal strainer
over a bowl (do not use paper towels todrain). Let cool before serving.
7. To caramelize the rolls, add ¼ cup
sugar to the oil after all the rolls havebeen fried. Heat the sugar for a fewminutes until it starts to caramelize, thenreturn the rolls to the pan, turning them
frequently until they are evenly coated
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with golden caramel.
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CHOCOLATE-CARAMELICE CREAM
Cacao trees grow everywhere in thePhilippines. In generations long gone,families in rural areas grew cacao in
heir backyards, and each householdwould roast and grind their own beans,boasting of serving the best chocolate inown. With the advent of easy access to
mported chocolate from the UnitedStates and Europe, the practice of serving native chocolate has dwindled
significantly; now, handfuls of localenthusiasts recall the age-old traditionduring the Christmas holidays.
In Davao, we met Olive Puentespina
of Malagos Farmhouse, who produces
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wonderful tablea [round disks or tabletsof rich, dark, unsweetened cacao fromher family farm. We brought these
reasured tablets of pure cacao with uso Purple Yam and experimented with a
caramel-based ice cream recipe that wehoped would inspire other Filipino chefo use native ingredients in their cooking
and baking. Other than instruction onhow to make a good cup of chocolate
espresso, I have never encountered anyother recipe in Philippine cookbooksusing our native chocolate. Thischocolate ice cream is a big hit at Purpl
Yam, and diners often bring homeportions to share with their families.
We highly recommend that the ice
cream be kept in the freezer for a few
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days after freezing to fully develop thechocolate flavor (if you can resist theurge to finish it before then, that is!).
We recommend using unsweetenedPhilippine tablea or Scharffen Berger 99% unsweetened cacao, if tablea areunavailable.
MAKES 1 QUART
Custard:
15 egg yolks1 cups sugar
2 cups milk
4 cups heavy cream
Caramel:
2 cups sugar
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Chocolate:
1 pound native cacao (about sixteen 1-ounce tableas) or unsweetened dar
chocolate (at least 70% cacao),chopped into small pieces
¾ cup cocoa powder, preferably
Valrhona
1. To start the custard, beat together theegg yolks and sugar in the bowl of a
stand mixer, until the mixture forms afine ribbon. In another bowl, stir together the milk and heavy cream andset aside.
2. For the caramel, place the sugar and cup water in a heavy saucepan over
medium heat and bring to a boil. Do not
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stir, but wash down the sides of the panwith a pastry brush to keep the sugar from crystallizing. Simmer until you get
a dark caramel.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Pour the cream mixture, a little at a time, intothe hot caramel. Be sure to pour awayfrom you as the caramel and cream mayspatter and release hot steam. Return the
pan to medium heat and whisk themixture until fully combined.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and
slowly incorporate the caramel mixtureinto the egg yolks, being careful not tolet the hot caramel cook the eggs. Returnthe entire mixture to the pan and
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continue cooking over medium heat untia custard forms and coats the back of awooden spoon.
5. Using a fine sieve, strain the custardinto the top of a double boiler or aheatproof bowl placed over a pan of simmering water. Add the cacao or chocolate (if using) and cocoa powder and whisk until completely dissolved.
6. Move the top of the double boiler or the bowl to an ice bath (a bigger bowlwith ice cubes and water) and let the
custard cool, stirring occasionally.Refrigerate the custard overnight beforemoving it to the freezer.
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UBE ICE CREAM
The ube, or purple yam, is uniquely
Filipino. It is technically a yam and noto be confused with taro or any purple
potato or tuber. We use purple yam ice
cream as a topping for our halo-halothis page).
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART
Haleyang Ube or Purple Yam Jam:
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup whole milk 1 cup coconut milk
¾ cup sugar ½ cup purple yam flour
½ pound (2 cups) frozen grated purple
yam, defrosted
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Ice Cream Base:
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1½ cups whole milk
¾ cup sugar
1. For the purple yam pastry cream, in a
medium saucepan over medium heat,whisk together the cream, milk, coconutmilk, and sugar. Bring to a simmer.Whisk in the purple yam flour, then the
grated purple yam. Lower the heat andcook, stirring with a wooden spoon,until the mixture holds together and
starts to pull away from the pan, 5 to 8minutes. Set aside.
2. For the ice cream base, in a clean
medium saucepan over medium heat,
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whisk together the cream, milk, andsugar. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Whiskin the purple yam jam until fully
blended. Place the mixture in a blender and blend until smooth, then transfer to aclean bowl and refrigerate until cold, atleast 3 hours.
3. Blend the chilled custard again andstrain through a fine-mesh sieve. Freeze
in an electric ice cream maker followinthe manufacturer’s instructions. Transfeto an airtight container and freeze untilfirm.
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Ube [purple yam].
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POMELO, WATERMELON,AND PAPAYA SALAD
The beauty of this salad is that thengredients are available both in the
Philippines and in the United States. In
he Philippines, pakwan [watermelon],suhâ [pomelo], and papaya are eaten athe end of the meal in place of dessert
and are seldom used as salad
ngredients. To give this salad a flavor hat brings you back to the home country
we suggest adding green mango to the
mix. Green mango, or manggang hilaw,s a merienda staple classically pairedwith rock salt or bagoong [fermentedshrimp or fish paste]. Most people think
of salads as primarily made with lettuce
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omatoes, and cucumbers, but they canbe a perfect way for home cooks toncrease their family’s daily fruit intake
Fruit salads also enhance the flavors of meat and poultry dishes with their nuanced sweetness and refreshingflavors.
Look for mountain yam in Asianmarkets; it can be eaten raw, but shouldbe soaked in a bowl of cold water with
a splash of white vinegar for about 15minutes before being added to the saladThe amounts for each ingredient will
depend on how much salad you want to
prepare; assume 1 cup of salad for eachserving.
1. In a large bowl, mix together:
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pomelo, peeled and sectioned;watermelon, seeded and diced; papaya(not too ripe), peeled and julienned;
green mango, peeled and julienned(optional); Korean cucumber, peeledand diced; jicama, peeled and juliennedcherry tomatoes, cut in half; mountainyam, julienned and soaked in acidulatedcold water; and 4 to 5 leaves of mint,minced.
2. In a small bowl, combine lemonuice, lime juice, and orange juice. Pour
over the salad and toss to dress. Season
with sea salt to taste.
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ROMY’S WHITE BITTER MELON, GUAVA, AND
ECTARINE SALADRomy’s salads have always been eye-opening, or rather palate-opening,
excursions into new territory. This saladpairs raw bitter melon and guava withsweet and densely textured fruits, such
as semiripe nectarines, in a refreshingsummer salad. Substitute what’s inseason, using other fruits with similar extures, such as peaches, green mango,
or slightly underripe plums.When Romy discovered white bitter
melon in Brooklyn’s Chinatown, it wasan exciting addition to our repertoire of
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Asian vegetables; it makes this attractivsalad a conversation piece duringdinner. You can also use the more
commonly available green bitter melon.Remove the bitterness from either variety by salting it as described below
Guava is commonly used in thePhilippines in a variety of ways: as akey souring ingredient for sinigang, theeveryday sour soup that Filipinos love;
n making guava jelly, a recipe weearned from the Spanish and theMexicans; or as a snack eaten out of hand, especially by children, and usually
dipped in salt. But never have we seen ias a main ingredient in salads. The mainchallenge in eating guava is to avoid
breaking a tooth by accidentally biting
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nto its small hard seeds. This salad onluses the outer pulp of the guava, so wehighly recommend that you reserve the
seeds, wrap them in cheesecloth, and ushem the next time you make sinigang or
any other soup that will benefit fromheir sourness.
SERVES 2
½ white or green bitter melon, thinly
sliced (see Note)Sea salt
Juice of 2 lemons
1 medium or 2 small guavas, seeded andthinly sliced
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, andsliced or diced
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5 cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
2 firm nectarines, cut into thick slices
4 red radishes, quartered or cut intomatchsticks
1. Spread the sliced bitter melon over
cheesecloth or heavy paper towels. Rubwith sea salt and squeeze the juices out.Sprinkle with lemon juice and set aside
2. In a large bowl, mix together theguava, cucumber, tomatoes, nectarines,and radishes. Stir in the bitter melon.
3. Sprinkle with more lemon juice andsea salt to taste before serving.
Note: You can stir-fry the rest of the
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bitter melon with garlic, onions, another vegetables, such as green beanand squash.
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ORITACO (DEEP-FRIEDSEAWEED SHELLS)
The name “noritaco” was coined byRomy and our Korean chef, HaegeenKim, when she was re-creating a
raditional Korean snack called bugak,small dishes using vegetables or seaweed coated with a sweet rice pasteand then deep-fried. These deep-fried
nori sheets form curly tacolike shellshat neatly hold any number of fillings.
They can also be cut up and fried in
small squares to be eaten like a savorycracker, or topped with grilled mackereor sardines for hors d’oeuvres.
These are versatile snacks: Fill them
with Pomelo, Watermelon, and Papaya
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Salad (this page); Romy’s FriedHeirloom Rice (this page), garnishedwith watercress or radish sprouts; Beef
Tapa (this page) cut into slivers, crushedchicharron; or Adobo Flakes (this page)For vegetarian snacks, top with either shredded nori, toasted sesame seeds,radish sprouts, or fried tofu.
At Purple Yam, Haegeen usesJapanese nori sheets, which are stronger
han the Korean kind, and brushes sweetrice paste on the shiny side of the sheet.
MAKES 6 “NORITACO” SHELLS
Sweet Rice Paste (see Note):
1 cup sweet rice (glutinous rice) flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
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6 (7½-x-8-inch) nori sheets
Toasted sesame seeds, optional
Vegetable oil, for frying
1. To make the sweet rice paste,combine the rice flour and salt with 2
cups water in a saucepan over mediumheat. Cook, stirring with a whisk, untilthe mixture starts to thicken, then add 2more cups of water, ½ cup at a time,
stirring continuously for another 3minutes. Remove from the heat, transferto a bowl, and let cool. It is importantthat the paste be completely cooledbefore it is used on the nori sheet.
2. Using a 2-inch pastry brush, liberally
paint the shiny side of the nori sheet
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with the rice paste, starting from themiddle and brushing outward. If desiredsprinkle lightly with sesame seeds. Dry
the sheets on baking racks for severalhours or overnight. When dry, the sheetswill shrink to about 5-inch squares. Airdried nori sheets can also be stored inairtight containers in a cool, dry place.Do not refrigerate, as the sheets willcollect moisture and become soggy.
3. To fry the noritaco, heat 3 inches of vegetable oil to 350° F in a deep,heavy-bottomed saucepan or a wok. Fry
the nori sheets one at a time, with thepainted side facing down, for just 2seconds. Hold the sides open with tongsto prevent the sheet from curling too
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much. Quickly remove the nori and draion paper towels or racks. Allow to coobefore using.
Note: This recipe will make 4 cups osweet rice paste; 1 cup will coat 6 to sheets of nori. Extra rice paste can bstored in the refrigerator in an airtighcontainer for up to 4 days. To reusebring to room temperature and whisk t
blend the mixture, as the water and pastwill separate.
Philippine Heirloom Rice from the
Terraces
Sometime in the late 1990s, I
received a call from a Filipino MBA
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student asking me whether I thought itwas possible to develop a U.S. marketfor organic heirloom rice grown in the
erraces of the Cordillera Mountains of he Philippines. I told her there was adearth of high-quality ingredients fromhe Philippines available to restaurateurike us who desperately wanted to
promote our food in this country, andhat we would definitely use these
heirloom rice varieties in creating our menu.She then told me about Mary Hensley
a former Peace Corps volunteer who
spent two years working with the ricefarmers in that area and returned to thePhilippines after twenty years to set up
Eighth Wonder. Since then, Mary has
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been bringing up to seventeen tons of grains into the United States annually.We use four of her rice varieties:
Tinawon (a grain that is harvested onlyonce a year), Ulikan Red, Kalinga Unoyand the purple Diket (an Ifugao glutinouvariety).
At Cendrillon, we served mixedvarieties of the rice without adornment,because we wanted their full flavors,
extures, and nutty nuances to come toour palates unadulterated. At PurpleYam, we use heirloom rice as part of other dishes: stuffing for squid; part of
he mixed grains in our Korean-inspiredbibimbap; and sometimes in steamedrice cakes, desserts, and Romy’s fried
rice.
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For more information about EighthWonder or to buy Philippine heirloomrice, visit www.heirloomrice.com.
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Rice terraces, Philippines.
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PURPLE YAM MIXED RICEGRAINS
This delicious blend of several grains isa healthy alternative to steamed whiterice. Purists can use just the heirloom
grains (and not include the sushi rice)and cook them according to thenstructions on the back of the package.
This can be eaten as is or used to make
Romy’s Fried Heirloom Rice (at right).We suggest that you blend the grains
beforehand and only cook the amounts
needed, following a proportion of 1 parrice to 1.5 parts water. We recommendcooking small batches first to determinehe proper proportions of rice and water
o achieve your preferred texture and
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degree of doneness. The proper amountof water to cook rice grains depends onhe length of time the grains have been in
storage. The longer they have been instorage, the more moisture they willhave lost and the more cooking water hey will need.
MAKES 4 TO 5 CUPS
2 cups organic sushi rice
¼ cup purple Diket¼ cup Kalinga Unoy
¼ cup Ulikan Red
Combine all the grains and washhree times. In a rice cooker, combinehe rice with 3½ cups of water and cook
according to the manufacturer’s
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directions. When cooked, let the ricerest, covered, for 10 minutes beforeserving.
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ROMY’S FRIEDHEIRLOOM RICE
MAKES 4½ CUPS
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, diced2 tablespoons olive oil
2 long beans (sitao), cut into ¼-inch pieces
1 small carrot, diced1 small stalk celery, diced
2 shiitake mushrooms, diced
4 cups cooked Purple Yam Mixed RiceGrains (at left)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper or 2
teaspoons bagoong, for seasoning
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(optional)
n a heated wok, sauté the garlic an
onions in olive oil for 1 minute. Add thong beans, carrot, and celery and coo
for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add thmushrooms and cook for 1 more minute
Add the rice and season to taste with thsalt and pepper or bagoong. Cook untiheated through. Our menu at Purple Yam
sn’t strictly Filipino. Just as aCendrillon, Romy draws on influencefrom throughout Southeast Asia as welas from his own imagination. Our chef
Haegeen Kim, brings her own foomemories to our table with such dailfeatures as a homemade kimchi and revolving selection of dumplings. This i
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a selection of Haegeen’s inventivdumplings, each paired with a dippinsauce. At Purple Yam, we use the Twin
Marquis brand of dumpling wrapperwhich can be found frozen in most Asiamarkets.
Dumplings freeze well. Line a sheetpan with wax paper and lay thedumplings on it, leaving a little space inbetween each one. Place the pan in the
freezer until the dumplings are frozen,hen place them in a plastic bag or othersealed container. When ready to use,cook as directed in each recipe, leaving
more space in between and allowing aittle more time for cooking on each
side.
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HAEGEEN KIM’SHOMEMADE DUMPLING
WRAPPERSThis is how my mother used to makewrappers at home. Adding buckwheat
flour is my contribution, and I like itbecause it gives beautiful color andexture. She would let my siblings and
me choose a bowl to punch out thecircles, and we competed in coming upwith different shapes and designs of dumplings. On one occasion, my mother
nvented a new way of closing thewrappers that made the dumplings look ike little rabbits. I marveled at her ncredible talent. Compared to store-
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bought wrappers, homemade ones arevery flexible and easy to work with. It ia lot of work, but the incomparable
exture of the dough and the fun of shaping the dumplings are great payoffs.
MAKES ABOUT 40 (3-INCH DIAMETER)
WRAPPERS
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Handful of buckwheat flour 2½ cups boiling water
1. Mix the flours in a large mixing bowlMake a well in the middle and pour inthe boiling water. Do not use your hands. Instead, working quickly with a
fork, try to bring the dough together as
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much as possible. Turn the dough outonto a generously floured board or worksurface and mix thoroughly, this time by
hand. Add 2 tablespoons of boilingwater and knead about 5 minutes, untilthe dough is soft and elastic. Put thedough in a plastic bag, seal, and let itrest for at least 20 minutes.
2. Gently remove the dough from the bag
and flatten it on the work surface,pressing down from the center outtoward the edges. Dust the top of thedough with more flour and roll the
dough from the center out. Flip thedough and repeat the dusting and rollingon the other side. The dough shouldmove easily on the surface. Continue
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rolling, flouring as needed, until thedough is ⅛ inch thick. (If space is tight,you can divide the dough into smaller
pieces and repeat the process severaltimes.) Punch out circles, as closetogether as possible to avoid wastingdough, using a sharp-edged bowl or cookie cutter (about 3 inches indiameter). Place the wrappers on alightly floured surface with wax paper
in between the layers. Cover thewrappers with dry kitchen towels toprotect them from drying out. Use themright away for making dumplings.
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STEAMED EDAMAMEDUMPLINGS
MAKES ABOUT 30 DUMPLINGS
2 cups frozen shelled edamame,defrosted
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup finely diced carrot
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon sea salt1 egg
30 round dumpling wrappers, store-
bought or homemade (see this page
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Banana leaves, chopped cabbage, or wecheesecloth, for lining the steamer basket
1. Place the edamame in the bowl of afood processor and pulse until finelyground, about 1 minute. Set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the carrots and cook,
stirring constantly, for about 1 minute.Remove the carrots from the pan anddrain of any oil. Set aside to cool toroom temperature.
3. Meanwhile, combine the ginger, limezest and juice, sesame oil, and salt in amixing bowl. Add the edamame and
carrots and mix well. In a small bowl,
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beat the egg.
4. To form the dumplings, hold the
wrapper on your left palm (if you areright-handed) and place about 1tablespoon of the filling in the center.Using your fingertips, wet the top half othe wrapper with the beaten egg and folup the bottom half to meet it, pinchingthe edges together. Wet the inside of one
tip with the beaten egg and form thedumpling by overlapping the oppositetip by ½ inch and pressing to close.
5. Line a steamer basket with bananaleaves, chopped cabbage, or wetcheesecloth. Line the steamer with thedumplings, allowing ¼ inch in between
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(dumplings expand slightly as they cookleave a bit more space if cooking frozendumplings), and steam for 5 to 7
minutes. Serve warm with Apple andVinegar Soy Sauce (recipe follows).
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APPLE AND VINEGAR SOYSAUCE
MAKES ½ CUP
¼ cup cold-pressed, all-natural apple juice (we like Fuji apple juice fromRed Jacket Orchards)
¼ cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil1 teaspoon finely diced ginger
1 red Thai chile, finely chopped
n a small mixing bowl, combine thapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, sesamoil, and ginger. Whisk well, top with th
chile, and serve with dumplings.
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PAN-FRIED CORN ANDMUSHROOM DUMPLINGS
MAKES ABOUT 30 DUMPLINGS
3 large ears sweet corn (3 cups of kernels)
3 tablespoons butter
½ pound fresh oyster mushrooms, finelychopped (about 2 cups)
1 medium onion, finely chopped1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ teaspoon sea salt1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
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1 egg
30 round dumpling wrappers, store- bought or homemade (see this page
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Shuck the
corn and cut the kernels from the ears.Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter andbrush it on a large baking sheet. Spreadthe corn on the baking sheet in a layer no
thicker than ½ inch. Bake until the edgesturn golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Lethe corn cool to room temperature, thentransfer to the work bowl of a foodprocessor. Pulse to finely grind thekernels, about 2 minutes, then pour intoa strainer set over a bowl. If the corn is
very moist, you may need to use
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cheesecloth or a kitchen towel tosqueeze out the water. Set aside.
2. Melt another tablespoon of the butter and brush it on a second large bakingsheet. Spread the mushrooms on thebaking sheet in a layer no thicker than ½inch. Bake until the edges turn goldenbrown, 25 to 30 minutes. Set themushrooms aside to cool to room
temperature.3. In a pan over medium heat, melt theremaining butter. Add the onion and
sauté until it becomes translucent, 5 to 7minutes. Strain and let cool to roomtemperature.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the
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garlic, pepper, salt, soy sauce, sesameoil, and sugar. Add the corn, mushroomand onion and mix well. Taste and
adjust the seasoning with more salt, if needed. In a small bowl, beat the egg.
5. To form the dumplings, hold thewrapper on your left palm (if you areright-handed) and place about 1tablespoon of the filling in the center.
Using your fingertips, wet the top half othe wrapper with the beaten egg and folup the bottom half to meet it, pinchingthe edges together. Wet the inside of one
tip with the beaten egg and form thedumpling by overlapping the oppositetip by ½ inch and pressing to close.
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6. Coat a lidded, nonstick skillet evenlywith the vegetable oil. Fill the skilletwith dumplings, allowing about ¼ inch
in between, and cook over medium heatuntil the first side turns golden brown,about 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoonswater, cover the pan, and let thedumplings cook for 4 to 5 minutes.When the water cooks off, uncover thepan and flip the dumplings, using
chopsticks or tongs. Cook for another 3minutes. Serve warm with Warm ButterSauce (recipe follows).
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WARM BUTTER SAUCE
MAKES ¼ CUP
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Pinch red pepper flakes
Handful mixed fresh herbs (sage, garlicchives, thyme), chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, meltthe butter, but do not let it bubble. Addthe garlic and red pepper flakes. Swirlthe saucepan gently and cook until thebutter turns golden brown. Remove the
pan from the heat and toss in the fresh
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herbs.
2. Pour the warm sauce in a serving
bowl and stir in the vinegar. Servewarm with the dumplings.
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STEAMED OXTAILDUMPLING
MAKES ABOUT 30 DUMPLINGS
2 pounds oxtail, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 bay leaves1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 leek (white part reserved)
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup finely diced carrot
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
½ teaspoon finely minced ginger
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
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¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 large egg, beaten
1 large egg, for sealing
30 round dumpling wrappers, store- bought or homemade (see this page
Banana leaves, chopped cabbage, or we
cheesecloth for lining the steamer basket
1. Place the oxtail in a large bowl andcover with cold water. Soak,refrigerated, for at least 8 hours or overnight.
2. Drain the meat, rinse with cold waterand place in a heavy-bottomed pot. Addthe bay leaves, peppercorns, and the
green tops of the leek. Add enough cold
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water to cover the meat, plus 2 inches.Place the pot over medium heat andgradually bring it to a simmer. Cover
and cook for 2½ to 3 hours. Check for doneness by pulling the meat from thebone; it should come off easily. Strainthe oxtails, reserving the broth for another use, and let them cool to roomtemperature. Using a paring knife,separate the meat from the bone.
Discard the bone and chop the meatfinely. This will make about 4 cups.
3. Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the
carrots and ½ cup of the finely dicedwhite part of the leek, and sweat untilthe vegetables are soft. Transfer thevegetables to a bowl, drain of any oil,
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and let cool to room temperature. Addthe garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy saucepepper, and salt, and mix well. Stir in
the meat and the beaten egg. In aseparate small bowl, beat the other egg.
4. To form the dumplings, hold thewrapper on your left palm (if you areright-handed) and place about 1tablespoon of the filling in the center.
Using your fingertips, wet the top half othe wrapper with the beaten egg and folup the bottom half to meet it, pinchingthe edges together.
5. Line a steamer basket with bananaleaves, chopped cabbage, or wetcheesecloth. Line the steamer with the
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dumplings, allowing ¼ inch in between(dumplings expand slightly as they cookleave a bit more space if cooking frozen
dumplings), and steam for 5 to 7minutes. Serve warm with BasicVinegar Soy Sauce (recipe follows).
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BASIC VINEGAR SOYSAUCE
MAKES ½ CUP
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup rice vinegar 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon chopped scallion
Pinch toasted sesame seeds
n a small bowl, mix together the soysauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.Garnish with the scallion and sesame
seeds and serve with the dumplings.
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PAN-FRIED ROASTEDBEET AND CARROT
DUMPLINGMAKES ABOUT 30 DUMPLINGS
1 bunch fresh beets (5 medium bulbs),with greens attached
1 medium carrot
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon finely chopped Thai chile
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½ teaspoon finely minced garlic
¼ teaspoon finely minced ginger
1 medium egg (optional)
1 egg
30 round dumpling wrappers, store- bought or homemade (see this page
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Remove
the beet greens; set the bulbs aside.Clean the leafy stalks and chop into verysmall pieces. Drop them into a pot of boiling water for 7 to 8 minutes. Drain
and let cool to room temperature.
2. Peel and slice the beets and carrotinto ¼-inch-thick (or thinner) disks. Lin
a medium-size baking sheet with
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aluminum foil and brush with the oliveoil. Arrange the beets and carrot evenlyon the baking sheet and cover with
another sheet of foil. Roast for 1 hour.
3. Uncover and strain the beets andcarrot, then let cool to roomtemperature, chop into small pieces.Using a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth, squeeze the excess water
from the chopped roots and greens.Place the beets, carrot, and beet greensin a large mixing bowl and season withthe sesame oil, vinegar, sea salt, pepper
sugar, chile, garlic, ginger, and egg, if using. Mix well. Taste and adjust theseasoning with more salt, if needed. In asmall bowl, beat the other egg.
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4. To form the dumplings, hold thewrapper on your left palm (if you areright-handed) and place about 1
tablespoon of the filling in the center.Using your fingertips, wet the top half othe wrapper with the beaten egg and folup the bottom half to meet it, pinchingthe edges together. Wet the inside of onetip with the beaten egg and form thedumpling by overlapping the opposite
tip by ½ inch and pressing to close.
5. Coat a lidded, nonstick skillet evenlywith the vegetable oil. Fill the skillet
with dumplings, allowing about ¼ inchin between (allow more room if cookingfrozen dumplings), and cook over medium heat until the first side turns
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golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add 2tablespoons water, cover the pan, andlet the dumplings cook for 4 to 5
minutes. When the water cooks off,uncover the pan and flip the dumplings,using chopsticks or tongs. Cook for another 3 minutes. Serve warm withYogurt Honey Sauce (recipe follows).
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YOGURT HONEY SAUCE
MAKES ½ CUP
½ cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon local honey
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Chopped fresh herbs of your choice
n a small bowl, mix together the yogurthoney, lemon zest and juice, and saltGarnish with the herbs and serve withe dumplings.
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Where Do We Go from
Here?
hen Romy and I opened our first
restaurant, Cendrillon, we not only
wanted to produce good Filipino food—we wanted to show just how good itcould be. Those first years were spentapplying the concepts and philosophies
of the new American cuisine movemento traditional Filipino dishes. This washe philosophy of freshness, using local
and organic produce. But it brought us
forward only so much, and at some poinwe realized that we could no longer dowhat we wanted to do unless we went
back to search for our roots.
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Some of the recipes in this book mayseem difficult to make at first glance,which is why I set them aside when they
were first given to us. But as we werefinalizing the book’s recipe list, we tooka second look and were exhilaratedwhen we were able to reproduce them.We tested Marc Medina’s bringhe (thispage), and it came out just the way itooked in the photo Neal took that day in
Arayat. It was a moment of great triumphand pleasure. The best part of the dishwas the tutong [crust] that formed at thebottom, and we fought over it just like
we did when we were kids. When weold Marc that the bringhe was
successful, he was so excited that he senus some more recipes to be tested here
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n the United States. He was eager to seehow the recipes that his family had beencooking for several generations would
raverse the geographical and culturaldivide.
Working on this book has certainlypushed us forward in a way that wenever expected. We never realized howdifficult and complicated some of thePhilippine dishes could be. Many were
abor intensive—like the lumpia recipeshat require prepping a dozenngredients. I can make bibingka and
suman, but I gave up on puto, which
came out like a brick every time weexperimented with it. But I know thatone day we will come up with a good
puto. We just have to keep trying, while
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keeping alive the memory of the bestputo I ever ate, in Digos, a town outsideDavao, Mindanao.
That’s what memories are for.umain na tayo! [Come, let’s eat!]
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Glossary
Achara: pickled vegetables or fruits ibrine or with vinegar
Achuete: annatto seeds; used as re
food coloring
Adobo: a dish of meat, seafood, ovegetable cooked in vinegar garlic, saltor soy sauce
Alamang: tiny shrimp for salting an
making bagoongAlimango: freshwater crab
Alimasag: saltwater crab, blue crab
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Almondiga (Span.): meatball
Alokon: vegetable belonging to the sita
longbean) family
Alugbati: Malabar spinach
Amorgozo; amorgoso: variety oampalaya
Ampalaya: Momordica cylindricabitter melon; amargoso
Anahaw: a type of palm with beautifu
eaves that are used for decoration
Aratiles: a small cherry-like fruit
Arnibal: caramel
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Baboy: pork
Bae-bae: glutinous rice, coconut milk
and grated coconut, cooked in bananeaves
Bagnet (Ilocano): deep-fried pork bell
with crispy skin
Bagoong: fermented shrimp or fis
paste. Central Luzon provinces use tinshrimp frye called alamang, while thlocanos of northern Luzon use fis
called monamon. In the Visayas
fermented shrimp or fish paste is calleguinamos
Balut: boiled fertilized duck egg
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Bangus: milkfish
Barako coffee: only coffee bea
ndigenous to the Philippines
Barangay: the smallest political unit ihe Philippines
Batuan: a small sour green fruit used fosouring tinola (Visayan sinigang)
Bicho-bicho: a rice flour-based doughat is fried and glazed in syrup
Bihon: Philippine rice noodle
Biko: a type of bibingka where wholegrain glutinous rice is cooked first wit
coconut before baking with a topping
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Binoro; binuro (Ilonggo): fish salted iayers; buro (kapampangan) is th
process of fermenting shrimp, fish, o
pork in cooked rice and salt
Bird’s-eye chiles: some sourcedescribe these as Capsicum frutescenswhich would make it equivalent to thsiling labuyo, the hottest pepper in thPhilippines
Biscocho: dried bread, which is usuallground up to use as breadcrumbs
Buchi: boiled sweet potato mashed witmilk and sugar, then fried
Budbud; bodbod (Cebuano): glutinou
rice cooked with coconut milk an
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wrapped in banana leaf; budbud kaboganother Cebuano specialty, is made witmillet
Bukayo: a sweet made from maturcoconut
Buko: young coconut prized for its juicand tender meat
But-ong: triangle-shaped suman, similao Ibos
Butong-butong: coconut milk slowl
cooked to a candy consistency
Camote: sweet potato
Canela: Mexican cinnamon
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Capiz: windowpane oyster
Carinderia/Karinderia: small restauran
serving pre-cooked food, usually founn markets or along roadsides
Chicharron: crispy deep-fried por
rind; crackling
Cuchinta: same as kutsinta
Dahon ng sili: chile leaves
Dayap: type of lime similar to the gree
imes of the U.S.
Dorade: sea bream
Duhat: Java plum
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Dungon: prehistoric fruit used fokinilaw
Gabi: taro root
Galangal: member of the ginger family
Galapong: rice soaked overnight anhen ground to the consistency o
cornmeal
Gata: coconut milk extracted frograted mature coconut; the firsextraction has the consistencty of heav
cream and is called kakang gata
Guinamos: Visayan fermented shrimp ofish paste
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Halabos: steamed shrimps or prawns
Hibe: small shrimps, peeled and dried
Hipon: regular-size shrimp
Ibus: suman wrapped in a tube o
coconut leaves
Inday-inday: balls of glutinous ricerolled in sugar, coconut, and toastedsesame seeds
Itik: native duck of the Philippines
Jackfruit: langka, nangka
Kadyos/Kadios: pigeon pea
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Kakanin: snacks, light cakes, usuallmade of rice
Kalabasa: pumpkin
Kalabaw (mangang): variety of manghat is unusually sweet and not as fibrou
as those grown in Mexico
Kalamansi: Philippine lime
Kalamay: cake made from malagkit ricand coconut milk
Kamias: a small sour fruit akin tstarfruit used as a souring agent fosinigang and kinilaw
Kangkong: swamp cabbage, wate
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spinach
Katuray/Katuday: West Indian pea
flower or blossom of the Hummingbiror Corkwood tree used in pinakbevegetable stews) and salads in thlocos retion
Kinchay: Chinese celery
Kropec: Deep-fried, shrimp-flavoreflour crackers
Kurakding: a wild mushroom tha
grows on rotting barks of trees found ahe foot of volcanoes and mountains
Kutchay: chives
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Kutsinta: a little cake made of steamed mixture of sugar, rice, and lye
Labanos: radish
Labong: edible tender shoot of bamboo
Langka; nangka: jackfruit; frugenerally eaten raw; ripe fruit made intsweets and candies. Starchy seeds ma
be roasted or boiled.Lasona: small purple onions
Latik; latek: by-product of coconumilk or meat after extracting oil
Latundan; saging: sweet variety o
banana
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Libas or batuan leaf: a leaf onlavailable in the Visayas
Liempo: pork belly
Ligia; lihia: lye, an alkaline substancused in cooking to improve texture an
color
Linubak: same as linusak, which is
Bicol dessert using pounded boilesaba, young coconut, buko, and browsugar
Longaniza: Filipino chorizo or porsausage
Lugao; lugaw: rice porridge or gruel
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Lukadon: term for a coconut in thmiddle stage between the young (bukoand mature
Lumpia: generic term for vegetablemeat, or fish filling in a wrapper; can beither deep fried (spring rolls) or nofresh lumpia or lumpia sariwa)
Luya: ginger
Macopa: Curaçao apple tree cultivatefor its fleshy, juicy, pear-shaped ediblefruit
Malagkit: a rice variety that is glutinouor sticky
Malunggay: horseradish tree whos
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flowers, leaves, and young pods areaten as vegetables
Mami: a dish of noodles, chicken obeef, and broth
Mangga: mango
Marautong: the young fruit of thmalunggay (horseradish) tree
Merienda: Filipino tradition of midmorning or mid-afternoon meal
Miki: noodles made of wheat and eggsMilagrosa: an aromatic and semi-stickvariety of rice
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Mirin: sweet Japanese rice wine
Misua; miswa; misoa: very fine an
ender Chinese noodles resemblinvermicelli and made from non-alkalinwheat dough
Muscovado sugar: brown or unrefinesugar from sugarcane; the term comefrom the Spanish mas acabado, meanit
“more refined.”Nangka (Cebuano): see Langka
Nata; nata de coco: a sweet made bgrowing a culture on coconut water
Nipa; Nipa fruticans; sasa: source o
uba, a native beverage
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Pagui: stingray
Pako: edible fern
Palabok: sauce made from shrimp juiceachuete water, and cornstarch; used fopancit luglug or pancit malabon
Palay: unhusked rice grains
Palayok: round-bottomed clay pot
Paminta: black peppercorns, pamienta
Pancit; pansit: general term for any disof noodles and shrimp, fish, meat, ovegetables
Pandan: screw pine leaf; widely use
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for flavoring native desserts, juices, anap water
Panocha: dark, solid cake made frosugarcane juice and molded in a halcoconut shell
Papaya: when green, made into pickleor cooked as a vegetable
Pasotes: epazote leaves; found in thlocos region
Patane; patani: lima beans
Pating: shark
Patis: liquid that rises to the top whe
fish are layered in salt and fermented i
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earthen jars to make bagoong. In Cebuhe word patis actually means soy sauce
fish sauce is referred to by its mos
famous brand, Rufina
Pechay; petsay: bok choy, pak choy
Piaya: flaky dough with muscovadsugar as filling
Pili nut: a hard nut endemic to the Bicoregion of the Philippines
Pinangat: taro purses filled wit
alamang, ulang, and shredded tareaves cooked in coconut milk (Bicol)fish cooked in vinegar, ginger, and salTagalog)
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Pirurutong: purple rice that is nowalmost extinct in the Philippines; basingredient of the puto bumbong; closes
variety is called tapol in the Visayas
Pitik-pitik: slipper lobster
Pla-pla: Nile Tilapia
Puso ng saging: banana blossom
banana heartPuto: steamed rice cake
Puto Manapla: a soft, spongy cake frohe town of Manapla, steamed in bananeaves
Puto taktak: a steamed cake made o
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pure cassava
Rosangis: pinhead-size clams
Saba; saging na: a cooking variety obanana similar to plantains
Sahog: pre-cooked and cut-up meachicken, or shrimps used to flavonoodle dishes
Saluyot: Jews’ mallow, a native leaf
Sangkaka: from the Spanish chancaca
brown cake of molassesSili: general term for all chiles. In th
Philippines, there are generally tw
types of chiles: siling labuyo (tiny, slim
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and fiery peppers akin to the Thai birdseye chiles used for spiking vinegar dipand condiments) and siling haba (a lon
pepper that is used to flavor dinuguaand coconut-based dishes)
Siling haba: Louisiana long pepperused in pickles and for seasoning
Siling labuyo: cayenne or chile
Siniguelas: Spanish plum
Sitao; sitaw: longbeans
Sotanghon: mung bean noodles
Spider: Chinese strainer used for fishin
ngredients from boiling water or hot oil
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Suahe or suaje: small shrimp
Sukang Paombong: vinegar from th
sap of the nipa palm from Paombong, own in the province of Bulacan; one ohe most common native vinegars in th
Philippines today.
Sugpo: prawns
Suman: a grain or root cake (rice is thmost common ingredient) wrapped ibanana or coconut leaves and boiled
Suman sa latek: boiled rice cake witcoconut caramel sauce
Tabagwang: river snails
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Tabon-tabon: fruit whose juice is usefor kinilaw
Taclobo: giant clam
Taho: Chinese soybean custard icaramel sauce
Takway: a native leaf of IloilVisayas)
Talangka: crablets that are fermenteand their fat extracted
Tamban: a variety of fish of the sardinfamily
Tambo: bamboo shoot (Visayan)
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Tanglad: lemongrass
Tanigue: Spanish mackerel
Tapayan: earthen water jar
Tapuy: Igorot rice wine
Taro: a starchy tuber
Taure: fermented soybean paste
Tausi; tawsi: Chinese soybeanpreserved in dehydrated salt sauce
Tikoy: comes from the Chinese term fosticky cake, made with glutinous ricflour
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Tinapa: Smoked fish
Tocino: cured pork
Toyo: soy sauce
Tugabang: a native leaf of Iloil
Visayas)
Tuyo: salted and air-dried fish
Ubad: Pith of saba banana plant
Ube; ubi: purple yam, used for jams, ic
cream, and sweetsUbod: heart, core, or pith of the coconuree; in the U.S., the closest equivalent i
he heart of palm, the pith of the saba
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Palmetto
Ulang: fresh water shrimp or praw
characterized by a much larger headsimilar to that of craw- or crayfish
ansoy: coriander leaf; cilantro
Yemas: egg yolk–based candy
Sources
Earthy Delights, Inc.1161 E. Clark Road, Suite 260DeWitt, Michigan 48820Toll-free: 1 800 367-4709
www.earthy.com
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High-quality specialty food supplier.
Kalustyans
123 Lexington Avenue New York, NewYork 10016212 685-3451www.kalustyans.comThis specialty food store carries a widarray of spices and specialty fooproducts from around the world.
Melissa’s/World Variety
Produce, Inc.P.O. Box 21127
Los Angeles, California 90021Toll free: 800 588-0151www.melissas.comThe largest distributor of specialt
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produce in the U.S.
Pacific Rim Gourmet
7825 Highlands Village Place,Suite 446San Diego, California 92129www.pacificrim-gourmet.comOnline purveyor of ingredients, foodand cooking equipment
Penzeys SpicesToll free: 800 741-7787www.penzeys.comA wide variety of quality spices and
custom seasoning blends.
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Further Reading
Books
Achaya, K. T.ndian Food: A Historica
Companion. Oxford India Paperbacks1998.
Agdan, Nieves. Farm Cooking n
anang Nieves. Institute of Women’Studies, St. Scholastica’s CollegeManila: Raintree Publishing, 2001
klat ng Pagluluto. Edited ancompiled by Rosendo Ignacio. JMartinez, Intramuros, 1919.
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Alegre, Edilberto N. Inumang Pinoy
Manila: Anvil Publishing, 1992.
Alford, Jeffrey, and Naomi DuguidFlatbreads and Flavors: A Baker’
tlas. New York: William Morrow1995.
Duguid, Naomi & Jeffrey Alford. Ho
our Salty Sweet: A Culinary Journey
Through Southeast Asia. New YorkArtisan, 2000.
Anderson, E.N. The Food of China
ew Haven and London: YaleUniversity Press, 1988.
Besa, Solita F. Camara. Up Close with
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e: Memoirs of Solita F. Camara
esa, M.D. Quezon City, PhilippinesThe University of the Philippines Press
2004.
Barretto, Glenda Rosales. Flavors o
he Philippines: A Culinary Guide to
he Best of the Islands. Manila: ViMare Catering Services, 1997.
Cebu: More Than An Island . Edited bResil B. Mojares and Susan F. QuimpoManila: Cebuano Studies CenterUniversity of San Carlos, and Ayala
Foundation, 1997.
Centro Escolar University.
Filipino Cuisine. Manila: Centro
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Escolar University Publishing, 1998.
Clark, Samuel and Samantha. Moro
The Cookbook . London: Ebury Press2001.
Clayton, Bernard.Complete Book of Small Breads. NewYork: Simon & Schuster, 1998.
Cordero-Fernando, Gilda. Philippin
Food and Life. Manila: AnviPublishing, 1992.
Corn, Charles. The Scents of Eden: Aistory of the Spice Trade. New York
Kodansha America, 1997
David-Perez, Enriqueta. Recipes of th
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hilippines. Manila: Zone Printing1973.
Daza, Nora. Let’s Cook with NoraAsia Book Corporation of America1975.
De Jesus, Pascuala. Rice: Its NutritivValues and Culinary Uses with 101
Tested Recipes . Quezon City
Philippines: Carla Publications, 1960Fenix, Michaela. Philippine Cuisine: A
Country’s Heritage. Monterey Farm
Corporation, 1995.
Fernandez, Doreen G. Tikim: Essays on
hilippine Food and Culture. Manila
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Anvil Publishing, 1994.
Fernandez, Doreen G. Fruits of th
hilippines. Makati City, PhilippinesBookmark, 1997.
Fernandez, Doreen G. Palayok
hilippine Food Through Time on
ite, in the Pot . Makati CityPhilippines: Bookmark, 2000.
Fernandez, Doreen G. “Food and War,”from Vestiges of War: The Philippine
merican War and the Aftermath of
an Imperial Dream, 1899-1999. Editeby Angel Shaw and Luis H. FranciaAsian/Pacific/American StudieProgram and Institute. New York: New
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York University Press, 2002.
Fernandez, Doreen G., and Edilberto N
Alegre. Kinilaw: A Philippine Cuisineof Freshness. Makati City, PhilippinesBookmark, 1991
Fernandez, Doreen G., and Edilberto NAlegre. Sarap: Essays on Philippin
Food . Manila: Mr. & Ms. Publishing
1988.Gerona, Danilo Madrid. Naga: Th
irth and Rebirth of a City. Naga
Philippines: City of Naga, 2003.
Gonzalez, Gene R. Cocina SulipenaCulinary Gems from Old Pampanga
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Makati City, Philippines: Bookmark1993.
Gitlitz, David M., and Linda KaDavidson. A Drizzle of Honey: Th
ives and Recipes of Spain’s Secre
Jews. New York: St. Martin’s Press1999.
Hahn, Emily, and the Editors of Time
Life Books. The Cooking of ChinaFoods of the World Series. New YorkTime Inc., 1968.
Henson, Mariano A. The Tastes andWays of a Pampango. N.p., 1960.
Joaquin, Nick, Manila, My Manila
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Bookmark, Inc., 1999.
asaysayan: The Story of the Filipin
eople. Vol. 2. Asia PublishingCompany, 1998.
asaysayan: Life in the Colony. Vol. 4
Asia Publishing Company, 1998.
Kennedy, Diana. My Mexico: A
Culinary Odyssey. New York: ClarksonPotter, 1998.
Laudan, Rachel. The Food of Paradise
xploring Hawaii’s Culinaryeritage. Honolulu: University o
Hawaii Press, 1996.
Malgieri, Nick. Nick Malgieri’
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erfect Pastry. New York: MacMillan1989
anila Chronicle Recipe Book . Vol. 3Manila: The Manila Chronicle, 1960.
Mintz, Sidney W. Tasting Food
Tasting Freedom: Excursions into
ating, Culture and the Past . BostonBeacon Press, 1996.
Mong, Lee Siow. Spectrum of Chines
Culture. Malaysia: PelanduPublications, 1995.
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Thesis, Pontifical and Royal Universit
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of Santo Tomas, Manila, 2003.
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4, 1941.
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Ramos, Celia S., and Carmen S. ReyesGayuma, The Prevailing Charm oFilipino Cookery. Manila: ReBookstore, 1981.
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Wright, Clifford. A Mediterranea
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Internet Sources
On the Katuday (katuray), Eleanoakama-Mitsunaga, StarBulletin.com
Oct 23, 2002.
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Bibingka:
Egullet.com
Spekkoek (Lapis Legit)
www.iias.nl/iiasn/iiasn4/ascul/tropen.txwww.indochef.com/page39.html
Suman
www.philrice.gov.ph/prorice/food/sum
Palitao
www.recipegoldmine.com/worldphil/ph
Spanish Influence
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andalusia
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www.milligazette.com/Archives/15102Habeeb Salloum, “Muslim Influence iSpain Still Felt in Daily Life Unti
Today,” The Milli Gazette (IndianMuslim newspaper).
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Metric Conversion
WEIGHT EQUIVALENTS
The metric weights given in this chartare not exact equivalents, but have beenrounded up or down slightly to makemeasuring easier.
Avoirdupois Metric¼ oz 7 g
½ oz 15 g
1 oz 30 g
2 oz 60 g
3 oz 90 g
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4 oz 115 g
5 oz 150 g
6 oz 175 g7 oz 200 g
8 oz (½ lb) 225 g
9 oz 250 g10 oz 300 g
11 oz 325 g
12 oz 350 g
13 oz 375 g
14 oz 400 g15 oz 425 g
16 oz (1 lb) 450 g
1½ lb 750 g
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2 lb 900 g
2¼ lb 1 kg
3 lb 1.4 kg4 lb 1.8 kg
VOLUME EQUIVALENTS
These are not exact equivalents for American cups and spoons, but havebeen rounded up or down slightly tomake measuring easier.
American Metric Imperia¼t 1.2 ml
½ t 2.5 ml
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1 t 5.0 ml
½ T (1.5 t) 7.5 ml
1 T (3 t) 15 ml¼ cup (4 T) 60 ml 2 fl oz
⅓ cup (5 T) 75 ml 2½ fl oz
½ cup (8 T) 125 ml 4 fl oz⅔ cup (10 T) 150 ml 5 fl oz
¾ cup (12 T) 175 ml 6 fl oz
1 cup (16 T) 250 ml 8 fl oz
1¼ cups 300 ml10 fl oz (½
pt
1½ cups 350 ml 12 fl oz
2 cups (1 pint) 500 ml 16 fl oz
2½ cups 625 ml 20 fl oz (1
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pint1 quart 1 liter 32 fl oz
OVEN TEMPERATURE
EQUIVALENTS
Oven Mark F C Ga
Very cool 250–275130– 140
1/2–1
Cool 300 150 2Warm 325 170 3
Moderate 350 180 4
Moderatelyhot
375 190 5
400 200 6
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Hot 425 220 7
450 230 8
Very hot 475 250 9
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Acknowledgments
Food would never have tasted so goodwere it not for my grandmother’scooking. Food would not be so excitingo talk about were it not for Doreen
Fernandez who gave Filipinos of mygeneration the intellectual foundationand the vocabulary to articulate our culture of food. And it was Stephen JayGould, along with his wife, RhondaRoland Shearer, who first encouraged uo put all of these words and thoughts
about our food into a cookbook.We thank Marisa Bulzone andStewart, Tabori & Chang for giving ushe opportunity to collect, document and
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share stories and recipes of our generation. We thank Cristina Taborawho connected us to Marisa and whose
steadfast confidence in us to do thisbook was our light at the end of theunnel.
How does one thank friends whostopped at nothing to make sure the bookwas the best it could be? Our photographer, Neal Oshima, traveled
everywhere with me in good and badhealth and functioned as my inner eyeand conscience. Our art director PaulineGaliana’s light hand put the soul of
beauty on Neal’s images and our wordsCendrillon would not have been wha
t was if it were not for our angels: Pete
Kaminsky, Ray Sokolov and Barbara
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Kirshenblatt-Gimblett whose words hado be an integral part of this book. Thankou for your friendship and the laughter
we shared through the years. And thank ou to Grace Young who held my hand
from day one and whose generous spiritcontinues to be an inspiration to us.
Thank you to all our dearest friendswho generously gave their time topromote a cuisine they love: Reggie
Aguinaldo, Stephen Young, LiliaVillanueva, Craig Scharlin and PerryMamaril. My deepest thanks go to MikeGarrido and Bing Escaño-Garrido who
shared her grandmother’s collection of recipes with me.
We thank our production team who
shepherded this book through a grueling
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schedule: Production Coordinator JohnW. Glenn and designer Wendy Palitz.Special thanks to Leda Scheintaub, our
wonderful recipe tester who eventuallyook over the editing of the manuscript ohis book. Thank you to Crispina Reyes,
my Philippine-based researcher, for giving me a valuable collection of research material on Philippine food.And thank you, Vicky Garchitorena of
he Ayala Foundation, for referringCrispina to me. My love to my specialniece, Maya Besa-Roxas (also DoreenFernandez’s niece), who gave the
manuscript a careful scrutiny beforegiving it her blessing.
For the revised edition, we are
grateful to Margaux Salcedo and Tricia
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Tensuan for sharing treasured familyrecipes from Bulacan. New recipeswere photographed with antique plates,
bowls, and fabric from Penine HartAntiques & Art and Joan Platt.
PHILIPPINES
Manila: I want to thank my mother,Dr. Solita Camara-Besa; my brothers,Vicente, Emmanuel and Tristan; my
uncle, Dr. Augusto Camara and my aunt,sabel Camara-Garcia whose memoriesof my grandmother, Nanay, augmentedand enriched my own.
We thank Clara Lapus, children Joycand Mark, brother Ramon Reyes andsister Chichi Reyes Tulao of the
Aristocrat and Mama Sita family for
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aking such good care of me and being“my other family” every time I go homeo the Philippines to do food research.
We thank this hardcore group of foodovers who live and breathe Filipino
food on a daily basis: Lyn Besa-Gamboa, Glenda Rosales-Barretto,Larry Cruz, Claude and Mary AnnTayag, Marc Medina and BeckyVillegas. Thanks to Rosa Laurel-
Liamson and her mother, Teresa “Tiks”Laurel of Mama Rosa restaurant for sharing their homemade sauces andexotic vinegars with me. Thanks to the
beautiful Mrs. Virginia Gonzales whosememories were fading but lent me boxesof recipes she had developed for her
elevision shows. Thank you to Lourdes
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“Nani” Labrador of Castillejos Farms,for always being there for me.
There were new friendships formed
based on shared memories and goodcompany: Carla M. Pacis, Cora Relova,Marichi Francisco, Lestie Fronteras andbrother Emil Puruganan, Lourdes“Bopeep” Ladrido, Peque Gallaga,Fernando “Fern” Aracama, MargaritaFores, Uro del Rosario, Jose “Peng”
Olaguera and Butch Perez. Theyprovided many strands of personal,cultural and historical substance thatwere woven into the stories of this book
It was a pleasure to establish aconnection with Mara Pardo de Tavera,another passionate soul whose legacy
ies with the Pardo de Tavera recipes
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crannies of Manila’s Chinatown.
LUZON REGION: Ilocos Norte
Laoag: Thanks to Annette Ablan anduncle, Manuel “Nonong” Ablan. Annettenot only arranged for her family cook topreprare classic Ilocano dishes for us,but she also drove us to the northern-most tip of the Luzon mainland to see thebeautiful beaches of Pagudpud.
Dingras: Thanks to Emil Purugananand Lestie Fronteras bringing us toDingras.
Ilocos Sur, Vigan: Thanks to CarlaPacis and cousin, Eddie Quirino, whogave us access to one of the mosthistoric and beautifully preserved
mansions of Vigan, the Syquia Mansion.
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Many thanks to Rusty Ponce, residentcook of the Syquia Mansion, for spending several days with us going to
he markets and cooking traditionallocano food. We want to thank Jose
“Bonito” Singson who brought in hisongtime cook, Digna Claudio Mercadoo cook his favorite comfort foods of
Vigan. And to Ramon Zarragoza thank ou for bringing us to remote barrios of
Vigan to see how sukang Ilokosugarcane vinegar) and the burnayearthen jars) are made.
Bulacan, Barrio Maronquillo: My
special thanks to Hector Fernandez andhis relatives who live in this warm andfriendly community for giving us a
magical day filled with all kinds of
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kakanin delights.Pampanga, Sta. Rita: Rosario
“Mamang” Guanzon is the grandmother
of my nieces, Tricia and Krissy GuanzonBesa. Mamang arranged for a whole dayof feasting in the elegant garden of her
daughter-in-law Tess Guanzon. I havebeen a grateful recipient of the Guanzonhospitality for several decades nowwhenever my former sister-in-law,
Linda Guanzon, would give me a gift of duman (fragrant young milagrosa ricegrains) from the family reserve. Our gratitude goes to Ramon Ocampo for
allowing us to watch and photographhow the Lansang Delicacies bakerymake their trademark turrones de casuy
and sans rival.
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Angeles: Our personal thanks toClaude and Mary Ann Tayag for invitingus to stay in their magnificent house. We
will always be grateful to Mary Ann’sfamily cook, Juana Tuazon Miranda,who showed us how to make tamales,bringhe and tibok-tibok. Many thanks toRobby Tantingco, Director of the Centerof Kapampangan Studies, Holy AngelUniversity in Angeles, for sharing his
nsights on Pampango food andproviding me with scans of oldpostcards depicting food and life fromanother era.
Arayat: We owe Marc Medina, hisfamily and the cooks at Arayat a debt ofgratitude for preserving a way of life
hat is fast disappearing.
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Tarlac, Tarlac City: I want to thank my cousins, Betty Ann Besa-Quirino andher sister, Isabel Besa-Morales for
making my short visit to my father’shometown an enjoyable one. Isabel setus up with their beloved Auntie TacingAnastacia Pineda) whose cooking Betty
Ann lovingly remembers as “to die for.”We also visited the Tarlac Marketwhere we met up with Beth Buan who
showed us how to make tocino (sugar-salt cured pork).Tiaong, Quezon: To Augusto “Ugo”
Bigyan, one of the most talented potters
and artists of the Philippines, thank youfor your delicious food and telling meall about burnt coconut cream.
Laguna, Pila: Cora Relova brought
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back special memories of a treasuredime of our lives – the 50s and the 60s.
Her mother, Loreto Del Mundo-Relova
gave us a rare glimpse of the history of he national heritage town of Pila,
Laguna. We appreciate Joe Lat’sdelicious specialties including his lecheflan with homemade macapuno.
Bicol, Naga: We thank GerryBenares and his wife Monica who
contacted her mother, MarichiFrancisco, who arranged andcoordinated our entire Bicol trip. Wehank Mayor Jesse M. Robredo for
hosting our stay in Naga. We thank Mr,Joe Perez, head of the Visitors Officewho took care of our accommodations a
he newly renovated Regent.
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Many thanks to Lilibeth U. GuysaykoPresident of the Isarog GardenCooperative and Chairperson of the
Developmental Institute for BicolanoArtists (DIBA) for arranging all of thecooking demonstrations at ClaraVerdadero’s restaurant, Aling Conchingand at the beautiful Isarog Garden. Wehank Tita Aringo who showed us howo make pinangat; City Information
Officer Carlos “Itos” Briones who madeBicol Express, and Anita Badong whomade caramelized pili nuts.
Thank you to Wong Yee and daughter
Jasmine Wong, owners of New ChinaRestaurant, the oldest Chinese restaurann Naga, for sharing your interesting
personal history with us.
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Thank you to Bicol experts: historianDanny Gerona, Honesto General, authorof The Coconut Cookery of Bicol; and to
Mariano “Obi” Obias who sent meseveral essays about the food of Nagaand his youth.
Polangui: We thank MarcRakotomalala, Owi Ruivivar and her parents, Rene and Ninya Ruivivar for elling us about this fabled place of
Polangui where Ninya’s relatives arepreserving Chinese food and culture. Whank our Polangui hosts: Tita Ong
Samson, her daughter Dina and her
fragile aunt, Mama Auyan for their generous help in our search for thekurakding (wild mushroom) and showin
me how to cook their Chinese dishes.
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Sorsogon City: We thank Pilar Yrastorza Leocadio from the Office of he Mayor and Office of the Governor o
Sorsogon; Irma Guhit, local broadcasterSonia Lariosa; and Jing Hayag, whoowns the most popular gathering place ihe Sorsogon City market. We thank Mrs
Petrona Haw in the neighboring town ofJuban whose kitchen she graciouslyallowed us to photograph
Irosin: We thank our family fromrosin who gave us our miracle picnic a
Masacrot Springs: Dr. Eddie Dorotan,his wife.Oyen and Danny Dorotan. We
give special thanks to the BarangayCaptains who cooked classic Irosindishes and gave us new food memories
o cherish. We thank and salute Kap.
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Miguel Aguilar and wife, Elsa; HaileArtile and Galopa; Kap. Maya Erlano;Kap. Gaspar Espergongate; Kap. Appa
Esperanzate; Kap. Alberto Esplano;Kap. Neal Futalan; Mr. Kiko Galicio;Kap. Gaspar Haspela; Kap. FelipoMartinez; Kap. Simplicio Rodriguez;Kap. Wenceslao Santos and Junrick.
Catanduanes: We thank TeddyArcilla and his cooking retinue, Nelia
Bagadiong and Fe Caspe for cookingdishes that many Filipinos still need todiscover. Special thanks to Popsie,Luisa and Chef J Gamboa of Milky Way
my favorite childhood restaurant now iMakati), for providing kitchen space forhe cooking demonstration.
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VISAYAS REGION
Cebu, Cebu City: Our deepest thanks to
he family of Nieves “Bing” Escaño-Garrido: Tina Escaño-Unchuan and her son and daughter-in-law, Jovie andMaite for cooking favorite family dishes
We thank Bing’s aunt, Rosebud Salawho hosted an elegant merienda for us iher beautiful home. We are grateful toRichie Unchuan, our Master Lechonero,
who made his special lechon for us inhis Mactan home. Thank you to RaulArambulo, photographer and raconteur,
who took us to the local eateries of Cebu.Negros Occidental, Bacolod/Silay:
Thanks to my cousin, Lyn Besa-Gamboa
Maget Gaston Locsin, Adelma Salado,
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Remedios Sugon for cooking classicBacolod dishes and delicacies for us.We are deeply grateful to our Master
Lechonero and Kinilaw Master, Vicente“Enting? Lobaton for our lessons inkinilaw and lechon.
We enjoyed our conversations withinguist and cultural historian, Dr. Cecil
Locsin-Nava, historian Roque Hofileƒaand Lolita Jardeleza who even sang
childhood ditties for us. We were luckyo meet up with Charlie Co and his wifeAnn Legazpi, whose aunts, the threeLegazpi sisters, allowed us to
photograph their famous piaya. Ann alsontroduced us to Emma Lacson and her
daughter, Nora “Baby” Lacson who gav
us a tour of their kitchen where we
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watched how the famous Silayempanadas and lumpia ubod were made
Thanks to Lilia Villanueva, her sister
Anabel Villanueva-Salacata and ElenaEsparagoza for identifying the kalan-unon in my photographs.
Iloilo, Iloilo City: Lourdes “Bopeep”Ledesma-Ladrido introduced me to thefood world of Iloilo. We enjoyed our conversations with historian Melanie
Padilla of the University of thePhilippines (Visayas); Gerardo “Junjie”Yusay; Cheling Montelibano;restaurateurs Robert Montelibano andEsther Maria Dulce “Doll” Jarancilla;Chef Joey Piamonte of Villa Sagrado;Georgina Gaona and Heather Larraga
Maloto of Panaderia de Molo; Cecilia
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Gison-Villanueva of Sinamay House;Corona Villanueva-de Leon, Mama’sKitchen. From them, we learned much
about Iloilo, its history, its families andts food.
Filipino Families in the U.S.
I would like to thank Mona andCarlos Lu and Yaya (Lourdes Ebon) forsharing their recipe of Tata Sing’s Bam-. My special thanks to Marivic and
Andy Madrid and family whose initialconversations about the food of their childhood started us on our journeycollecting food memories from other friends. Thanks to Mila Manalac and hemother, Clara Grajo-Villanueva, for spending a whole afternoon talking abou
Bicol delicacies. We met Heny Sison,
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who runs a cooking school in Manila, atour restaurant. She generously sent mematerials about Bataan and the food that
her mother cooks. And thanks to DannyMaclan for his memories of PancitMalabon. And to our wonderful friend,Jessica Hagedorn, thank you for sharingwith me your mother’s old cookbookswhich proved to be a good source of recipe material for the book.
Photo Shoot credits:We thank the following owners of
galleries, antique and design shops for ending us valuable pieces as props for
our photoshoot:Lilia Villanueva and Craig Scharlin,
Tama Gallery: antique tribal wooden
boxes and food containers, woven mats
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and native fabricsStephen Hurrell, Notus Gallery: late
nineteenth century Brazilian country
kitchen table, Imbuia wood, which weused as a mahjong table
Penine Hart, Penine G. Hart: antique
cups, saucers, plates and glasswareFederico De Vera, De Vera: antiquespoons, metal buckets, wooden bowlsand glassware
Jessica Hagedorn: family heirloomChinese plates
Perry Mamaril: production and
design of food shotsSardi Klein: photographic lightingequipment
Kathy Morano: make-up
Rurungan sa Tubod Foundation
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Women Empowered Through RightLivelihood), Palawan, Philippines: piñafabrics (delicate native fabrics woven
from pineapple leaves)Pauline Galiana: design and
arrangement of props.
Linda Johnson: prop styling
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Index of Searchable Terms
AAccompaniments. See also
Condimentsacharang ubod banana heart kinilaw banana hearts in coconut milk grilled eggplant salad with
papayamiso saucekangkong saladlaing
menudomongo guisadomushroom and bamboo shoot
rice
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sinacugantomato and salted duck egg
salad
AcharaAcharang ubodAchuete oil
Achuete seedsAdobadoAdobo
baby-back ribs beef shortribschickendinaing na trout/bangus
flakessquid
Agar-agar (gulaman)
American influence
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Appetizers: beef and chorizo empanaditas butifarras Escaño
kinagangApritadaArroz caldo
AsadoAvocado ice cream
B
Baby-back ribs adoboBagnetBagoong na alamang
BalikuchaBamboo shoot and mushroom riceBam-i, Tata Sing’s
Banana(s):
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cream piecrêpesmashed boiled (linusak)
Banana heart(s)in coconut milk kinilaw
Banana leaves: bringhekinagang
sumantamalesBanana trunk Bangus (milkfish)
dinaing naBarbecued:
chicken skewers
pork skewers
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BatchoyBeef:
and chorizo empanaditas
oxtail kare kare pocheroshortribs adobo
tapatidtad baca
Beverages:
hot chocolatehot salabatBibingka
cassava
Bicol, cooking of banana hearts in coconut milk Bicol Express
chicken tinola
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crabs in coconut milk halo-halokinagang
laing periwinkles in coconut milk
Binut-ong
Bitter melonBlack rice (pirurutong)
paella
puto bumbongsinacuganBoar, in longanizaBrazo de Mercedes
Bread pudding, pineappleBringheBukayo
Buko (young coconut)
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chicken binakolkinagang pie
BunguranBunuelos de vientoBurong
Butifarras EscañoButtercream, chocolate
C
Cakes:chiffonchocolate macadamia sans rival
nangka (jackfruit) delight chiffonCalf’s liver, in menudoCaramel sauce, mango
Cassava:
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bibingka puto
Catanduanes
ChicharronesChicken:
adobo
adobo flakesarroz caldo barbecued, skewers
binakol bringhein burnt coconut crème (tinu tungan)inasal
pipianrellenotamales
Tata Sing’s bam-i
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tinolaChiffon cake
nangka (jackfruit) delight
ChilesBicol Express
Chinese influence. See also Lumpia;
PancitChocolate
hotmacadamia sans rival
Chorizo:and beef empanaditas pochero
ChristmasChristmas hamChristmas lanterns (parol)
Clams
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black rice paellaCoconut(s)
burnt, crème
hearts of. See Ubodtoddy or wine (tuba)young. See Buko
Coconut budsCoconut leaves, in suman in ibosCoconut milk
banana hearts incrabs in periwinkles in
Coconut oil
Coconut sport (macapuno), caramelizedeche flan with
Coffee-roasted pompano
Condiments: achara
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achuete oil bagoong na alamangBicol Express
eggplant caviar fried garlic pickled pineapple
ConservaCookies, pinipigCrab(meat)(s)
black rice paellain coconut milk kinagang
Crêpes, banana
Currachas
D
Daing
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DalandanDayapDesserts. See also Cakes; Ice cream;
Pie(s) banana crêpes bibingka
brazo de Mercedes bunuelos de vientoespasolhalo-haloof Irosinleche flan with caramelized
macapuno
mango tart with quick puff pastrynative (kakanin) pineapple bread pudding
pinipig cookies
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putosumantocino del cielo
Dinaing na trout/bangusDinengdengDinuguan
DinuyduyDuck eggs, salted, and tomato saladDumplings, in pancit Molo
DurianE
Egg(s):
salted duck, and tomato saladyolk pastry
Eggplant
caviar
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grilled, salad with papaya-misosauceEmpanadas
Empanaditas, beef and chorizoEnsaimadaEscabeche
EspasolEstofado
F
Fish. See also Seafoodcoffee-roasted pompanodinaing na trout/bangus
escabecherice-fermentedsinigang
Flan:
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leche, with caramelized macapunotocino del cielo
Food pairing
Fritters, shrimp and vegetable (ukoy)Frostings:
chocolate buttercream
nangka (jackfruit)Fruit vinegars
G
GalantinaGalapongGarlic:
friedsauce
Ginamos
Ginger, in hot salabat
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Granita, tomatoGrilled:
barbecued chicken skewers
barbecued pork skewerschicken inasaleggplant salad with papaya-miso
saucesugba
GuinamosGuinataanGuinataang hipon RelovaGuisado
mongo
Gulaman (agar-agar)
H
Halo-halo
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Ham, ChristmasHeart of palm, in acharang ubodHibe
HinagomHot chocolateHot salabat
Humba
I
ce cream:
avocado jackfruitmango
ubellonggo foodlocos, cooking of
chicken pipian
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dinuguangrilled eggplant salad with
papayamiso sauce
kangkong salad pinakbettomato and salted duck egg
saladVigan empanadasvinegar in
loilo markets and foodJ
Jackfruit (nangka)
delight chiffon cakefrostingice cream
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K
Kakanin. See also DessertsKalamansi lime(s)
meringue pieKalamayKamias
pulp, freshtidtad baca
Kangkong salad
Kare kareoxtailKinagangKinalingking
Kinilaw banana heartingredients for
lobster, chilled
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tuna and oyster KinunotKuping
KurakdingKutsinta
LLaguna, cooking of acharang ubod buko pie
guinataang hipon Relovaleche flan with caramelized
macapuno
pata estofadoLaingLatik
Leche flan with caramelized macapuno
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Lechonkawali
Limes. See also Kalamansi lime(s)
dayapLinusak Lobster kinilaw, chilled
Lomo-lomoLonganizaLukadon
LumpiaAmy’s spring rollsfreshfresh, Escaño
pineapple sweet and sour sauce for rollingShanghai
ubod
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wrappers, Tita Ding’s fresh
M
Macadamia chocolate sans rivalMacapuno, caramelized, leche flan withMackerel, in escabeche
Mango(es)caramel sauceice creamtart with quick puff pastry
ManuglibodMenudoMeringue(s):
brazo de Mercedeschocolate macadamia sans rival pie, kalamansi
Mexican influence
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Milkfish. See BangusMiso-papaya sauceMolo, pancit
Mongo guisadoMung beans, in mongo guisadoMuscovado sugar
Mushroom and bamboo shoot rice
N
angka. See Jackfruit
ga ngaoodles. See Pancit
OOil, achueteOxtail kare kareOyster(s)
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pancit malabonand tuna kinilaw
PPaella, black ricePakaskas
Pampanga, cooking of arroz caldo bringhechocolate macadamia sans
rivaltamalestidtad baca
tocino del cieloPancit
bihon
buko
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luglugmalabonMolo
musikoTata Sing’s bam-i
Pan de sal, ube
Papayaacharamiso sauce
ParolPastry: pie, basic pie, rich
puff, quick Pata. See Pig’s trottersPeanut sauce
Periwinkles in coconut milk
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Pickled:achara pineapple
Pie(s): banana cream buko
kalamansi meringue pastry, basic pastry, rich
Pig’s trotters (pata):deep-fried (crispy)estofado
Pili nuts
PinaitumPinakbetPinakolb
Pinakrö
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PinangatPinapaitanPineapple:
bread pudding pickledsweet and sour sauce
vinegar Pinipig cookiesPinoronan
Pipian, chickenPirurutong. See Black ricePocheroPoki-poki
Pompano, coffee-roastedPork. See also Pig’s trotters
apritada
baby-back ribs adobo
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barbecued, skewersBicol Express butifarras Escaño
Christmas hamdinuguanlechon
lechon kawalilumpia Shanghaimenudo
mongo guisado pancit Molorice-fermented (burong baboy)rinds (chicharron)
sinigang, Fe’s specialtocino
Potatoes, in menudo
Puff pastry, quick
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Putocassava
QQuail relleno
R
RambutanRed snapper, in fish sinigangRibs:
baby-back, adobo beef shortribs adobo
Rice
arroz caldo black, paella bringhefermented fish and pork
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mushroom and bamboo shoot pinipig cookiessinacugan
tamalestutong
Rice cakes
bibingkakutsintasticky (kalamay)
sumanRice flour sweet, in espasol
Rice noodles. See also Pancit
Rich pie pastryRolls:
ensaimada
ube pan de sal
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S
SabaSago
Salabat, hotSalads:
grilled eggplant, with papayamiso
saucekangkongtomato and salted duck egg
in ViganSans rival, chocolate macadamiaSauces:
garlic
mango caramel papaya-miso peanut
pineapple sweet and sour
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sweet and sour (escabeche)Sausage:
butifarras Escaño
longanizaScallops
black rice paella
Sea bass, in escabecheSeafood. See also Fish; Shrimp
black rice paella
crabs in coconut milk kinagangkinilaw pancit malabon
periwinkles in coconut milk squid adobo
Seaweed
Shortribs adobo
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Shrimp: black rice paelladried (hibe)
fry (alamang)guinataang hipon Relova juice
pancit luglug pancit malabon paste, fermented (bagoong na
alamang)ukoyVisayan fermented (guinamos)
Side dishes. See Accompaniments
Sigadillas (winged beans)Silag (sugar palm seeds)Sinacugan
Sinamak
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Sinanglay na tilapiaSinapotSinigang
fish pork, Fe’s special
Sisig
Skewers: barbecued chicken barbecued pork
Snapper:escabechered, in fish sinigang
Soups:
arroz caldo batchoychicken binakol
chicken tinola
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pancit MoloSoutheast Asian cuisineSpanish influence
Spring rolls. See LumpiaSquid:
adobo
pancit malabonStews. See also Adobo
apritada
chicken binakolchicken pipiandinuguankare kare
menudoSticky rice cake (kalamay)Sugar
muscovado
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Sugarcane vinegar (sukang Iloko)Sugar palm seedsSugba
Sukang IlokoSuman
sa ligia
Sweet and sour sauce:for escabeche pineapple
T
TabagwangTabog-tabog
TamalesTamarindTapa, beef (or venison)
Taro leaves
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laingTart, mango, with quick puff pastryTata Sing’s bam-i
Tidtad bacaTilmok
Tinegteg
TinolaTinutunganTocino:
del cielo pork Tokwa’t baboyTomato(es)
granitaand salted duck egg saladyellow, vinegar
Trout, dinaing na
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TubaTuna and oyster kinilawTurrones de casuy
Tutong
U
Ube (purple yam)ice cream pan de sal
Ubod (hearts of coconut)
acharanglumpia
Ukoy
V
Vegetables:in Filipino diet
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pinakbetukoy
Venison tapa
Vinegar pineapple or yellow tomatosukang Iloko
Visayan (sinamak)Visayas, cooking of
barbecued chicken skewers
barbecued pork skewers bunuelos de viento butifarras Escañochicken binakol
chicken inasalfresh lumpia Escaño
umpia ubod
pancit Molo
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sinacugan
Water spinach (kangkong) salad
Y
Yam, purple. See Ube
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Published in 2012 by Stewart, Tabori &ChangAn imprint of ABRAMS
First edition published in 2006
Text copyright © 2012 by Amelita Besa
and Romeo DorotanAll photographs copyright © 2012 by
eal Oshima, except: This page, thispage, this page, this page, this page, thispage, this page (top left), this page, thispage, this page (bottom), this page (topeft), this page (bottom), this page (left
bottom), this page (bottom), this page,his page (bottom), this page, this pagetop), this page (top right), this page (topeft and right), this page (top right,
bottom left), this page, this page (top),
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his page (top), this page, this page (top)his page (bottom), this page (top), this
page, this page, this page, this page (top
row), this page (top), this page, this pagtop), this page, this page (top right), thi
page, this page (top), this page, this pagtop), this page (third from left), this
page (bottom left), this page (top) arecopyright © 2006 by Amelita Besa. Thipage (bottom left), this page (far right)
are copyright © 2006 by PaulineGaliana.
All archival images including Fr.
Manuel Blanco’s Flora de Filipinas1888) courtesy of the Filipiana
Collection,Eugenio Lopez Memorial Museum,
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Manila. All archival postcard imagescourtesy of the Center of KapampanganStudies, Holy Angel University in
Angeles, Pampanga.
The authors would like to express their gratitude to the many individual families
who lent personal photographs for use inhis book.
Map copyright © 2012 by Tony Morse
All rights reserved. No portion of thisbook may be reproduced, stored in a