Roasted Munggo with Laing

 When we were young, my grandma would prepare and feed us with ginisang munggo. We would literally get fed up with it since we would usually have it for breakfast then for lunch then dinner. And then the following day. Well, we have plenty of  it since mung beans thrive in Kalinga Province.

 Munggo or mung bean in Kalinga and Ilokano term is "balatong." It is one of the favorites among Pinoys because it is the best alternative for pork meat. Trivia has it that mung beans and pork meat taste a bit similar.

Aside from ginisang munggo with kamote tops, my grandma would also mix it with ginataang laing. 

Here's what you need:

roasted munggo

 laing/ taro leaves

1 cup coconut milk
1 sliced ginger

4 minced cloves garlic

Salt to taste

sili

Instructions:

1. Sauté garlic and ginger, then add coconut milk,the roasted munngo and salt to taste. 

2. Bring to a boil.

3. Stir occasionally, until coconut milk becomes thick and oily. 

4. Add laing. 

5. Cook until dish is done.

6. Serve with hot sili.

PAKPAKO SALAD

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS?

PAKPAKO!!!

Pakpako or pako are ferns. We usually grow ferns as ornamental plants. However, in Kalinga province and in any part of the Philippines, PAKO is served as a delicious dish. 

My grandma loves to prepare ensaladang pako. It is so simple.

INGREDIENTS:
Fresh pako leaves 
Sliced tomatoes
Calamansi juice
Onions
Salt and pepper for seasonings

HOW TO COOK:
1. Blanch the pako leaves.
2. Toss all ingredients in a mixing bowl.
3. Mix well.
4. Serve.

There you go. So easy to prepare yet nutritious and refreshing.

SISIG: PUSO NG SAGING

SISIG WITH TOKWA

Just the other day, our dear Uncle Tony invited us for dinner to sample his recipe----"Sisig using puso ng saging" or banana blossom. A dish which he shall serve to celebrate a cousin's birthday.

With the hope to learn his secret recipe, I readily accepted the invitation. 

I did a little research on the origin of "sisig" and found out that it is a Kapampangan term which means "to snack on something sour." It also refers to the method of marinating fish or meat into a sour liquid such as lemon juice or vinegar, and adding seasonings like salt, pepper and other spices.

Kapampangans used the part of a pig's head and liver, marinating it with calamansi and chilli. The process takes three phases, the boiling,broiling and grilling. A pig's head is boiled to remove the hairs and to tenderize it. Then, portions of it are chopped, broiled and grilled. The final step is to chop onions and add to the grilled meat then serve it in a sizzling plate.

Uncle Tony applies the same procedure to his sisig na puso ng saging, of course with his own litte variation.

INGREDIENTS:

PUSO NG SAGING/ BANANA BLOSSOM

2 medium size banana blossoms
1/4 tokwa, braised tofu or bean curd
8 cloves of garlic
1 onion
calamansi juice
soy sauce 

Siling Mahaba/ Long Pepper

long pepper
salt
mayonnaise





PROCEDURE:
1. Slice the banana blossoms. Boil it then let it cool down and squeeze out the water.
2. Saute garlic and onions then add banana blossoms.
3. Add tokwa/ tofu
4. Stir well.
5. Add soy sauce and calamansi juice.
6.Add chopped long pepper.
7. Let it simmer for 7 minutes, stirring it every now and then.
8. Add salt and little mayonnaise. Stir well then serve.

PATPATONG

One of the most delicious but simple recipe that Mom prepares is “patpatong.” Patpatong is the Kalinga term for siling mahaba, long chili.

Siling mahaba (Long Chili) is usually a bright green in color but gets yellow with age. Likely a variety of Capsicum annum longum, it packs about the same hotness as jalapeno.

Siling mahaba is commonly used in preparing sisig, bicol express, pork dinuguan, ginataang  laing, etc. 

For most Ykalingas, patpatong is used in cooking simple dishes such as dinengdeng or inabraw. But what we love most is when Mom sautes it with bagoong. 

Lidoy kan Aggola

When we were kids, my grandpa would bring us to the river to look for "aggola." We search under the rocks. And how we scream with delight when we catch one. 

And then, Mom would cook what we have caught with lidoy (ginataang laing). Mmmmmm-m-m-m...

What is an AGGOLA?

Aggola is the Kalinga term for talangka, a variety of small crabs or river crabs.

Scientific name: Hemigrapsus sanguineus

Common English name: Asian shore crab

INGREDIENTS:

aggola/ talangka (mud crabs)

1 pack laing/ taro leaves

1 cup coconut milk

1 sliced ginger

4 minced cloves garlic

Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Steam crabs. 

2. Set aside.

3. Sauté garlic and ginger, then add coconut milk, laing and salt to taste. 

4. Bring to a boil.

5. Stir occasionally, until coconut milk becomes thick and oily. 

6. Add crabs. 

7. Cook until dish is done.

INASASUT : THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT

Inasasut is a Kalinga term for salted dried meat. It can be eaten raw or cooked.  Other Cordillerans call it Innasin or etag.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND:

Salting is used because most bacteria, fungi and other potentially pathogenic organisms cannot survive in a highly salty environment, due to the hypertonic nature of salt. Any living cell in such an environment will become dehydrated through osmosis and die or become temporarily inactivated.

 

WHAT YOU NEED:

- Pork  

- Plenty of Salt

- Storage container- preferably wooden

 

HOW IT IS DONE: 

1.     Rub the meat with generous amount of salt.

2.    Look for a suitable place where the meat can be hanged so it will undergo the curing process.

 

My Mom would usually smoke it for about two weeks as what Ykalingas would traditionally do. They hang it over their “dalpong” earthen stove. In the early times, instead of pork, they used the meat of “ugsa” or wild deer and “baboy ramo” or wild pig.

 

If you choose to smoke it, make sure it is free from dust and insects for the meat can be eaten raw or cooked with beans such as munggo (Mung Beans).

 

Dinakdakang Puso ng Saging

Kalinga is a place with temperate climate ideal for fruit- bearing trees. With its vast rainforest, fruit trees are everywhere. One of which are BANANAS!!!!

In my childhood days, we are fed with different varieties of bananas. Small bananas, big bananas, mashed bananas, banana chips, banana bread, sweetened banana.. Even raw bananas, fried in cooking oil. But what I enjoy most are Mom's deliciously cooked Puso ng Saging.

Puso ng saging when literally translated is "Banana's heart."  
In some English source books however, it is known as banana bud/ banana blossom.

And I say Mother is so creative to have thought of turning Puso ng Saging into a dinakdakan. This is however, not new to Filipinos.

Ingredients:
Onion; thinly sliced
ginger
Salt and black pepper
mayonnaise
coconut milk
raisins
calamansi or lemon juice or vinegar
3 pcs banana blossom
 

Procedure:

1. Chop banana blossom into small pieces.
2. Boil.
3. Squeeze out the water.
4. Add calamansi juice, sliced onions, and ginger.
5. Mix in mayonnaise (quantity depends on how much is needed).
6. Season with salt and black pepper.
7. Pour in the coconut milk.
8. Sprinkle with raisins.
9. Chill. Serve.