Binaki - Bukidnon, Mindanao

My hometown native delicacy, Binaki is steamed cake made of grated young corn with powdered milk, baking powder and sugar mixed with water. It is a known delicacy of Northern Mindanao and was originally a homemade dessert in Bukidnon. In the native language, naming the delicacy “binaki” is pretty weird since the term sounds like baki, which is the vernacular for frog. This delicacy has nothing to do with frogs, though, and it doesn’t taste like one either

 My first try of binaki was when I went to Malaybalay, the capital city of Bukidnon. In Cagayan de Oro, vendors of binaki are just around the streets of Divisoria and Cogon Market. If made with the best choice of ingredients, clean and hardworking hands, and with patient preparation, binaki will be one of the most delicious hunger reliever to an empty stomach

Ingredients:

2 cups grounded young corn

1/4 cup powdered milk

1 tsp Baking powder

1/2 cup Sugar

3 glasses water

corn husks for wrapping

Procedure:

Combine sugar, powdered milk and baking powder. Add corn and mix thoroughly. Pile 2 corn husks and fill 2 tbsp of the mixture. Wrap and tie. Repeat the same procedure with the rest of the mixture. Arrange in a saucepan, add water then boil until done.

HALANG HALANG

    This is a Visayan chicken dish. Most dish from that region has coconut milk in their cooking.  Actually it is ginataang manok or chicken stew with coconut milk known in most part of Luzon.

   This dish is known to us bisaya spicy yet delicious, especially in rainy cold season we love to eat/cook hot dishes or soups.

      Ingredients:

     1 chicken, cut into serving pieces

    1 tablespoon ginger, crushed

    1 small green papaya, peeled and sliced into 2 inch slices

    2 cups thin coconut milk

    1 cup sili leaves

    salt

    Pepper

PROCEDURE:

     In a large casserole, put together chicken, ginger.

    Put in enough water just to cover chicken.

    Simmer over low fire, when chicken is almost tender, add papaya.

    When papaya is cooked, pour in the coconut milk, add siling labuyo, silk leaves and season with salt and pepper.

    Perfect for COLD RAINY SEASON.

SINUGLAW

This dish is perfectly known to us bisaya, its spicy and exotic texture of the food is perfectly fits in our taste. This dish is perfect to be serve in the beach while enjoying the ambiance.    

 Sinuglaw is a combination of  two cooking methods which are commonly done in Visayas and Mindanao: from “sinugba” or grilled, referring to the grilled pork in the dish cut into chunks, and “kinilaw” or raw, referring to the raw fish or seafood soaked in coconut vinegar with onions, ginger, salt, suwa (native lime) and tabon-tabon fruit extract (native chico fruit).

    Kinilaw is actually the main ingredient of sinuglaw, the grilled pieces of pork are just being added. This kind of dish is always present in any occasion especially during summer when families take time to go to the beach to unwind. It’s sour and salty, and also a little bit sweet; tastes that are very distinct and delicious as a whole.

    Ingredients

    1 lb Inihaw na liempo (grilled pork belly), chopped

    1 lb fresh tuna meat, cubed (or any fish that suits your budgets or your style)

    2 cups cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced

    1 1/4 cup vinegar (cane, white, or coconut vinegar)

    1 medium sized red onion, sliced

    2 tablespoons ginger, julienned

    4 pieces finger chilies, sliced

    1 piece lemon

    4 to 6 pieces Thai or Bird’s eye chili, chopped

    1 teaspoon salt

    Cooking Procedure

    Place the tuna meat in a bowl then pour-in 1/2 cup of vinegar. Soak for 8 minutes.

    Using a spoon of fork, press the tuna meat lightly.

    Drain the vinegar then combine cucumber, onion, ginger, finger chili, Thai or Bird’s eye chili, and salt. Mix well.

    Squeeze the lemon until all the juices are extracted then pour-in the remaining 3/4 cup vinegar. Mix well and soak for 10 minutes.

    Put-in the Grilled pork belly and mix thoroughly. Let the mixture stand for at least 1 hour (you may place this inside the refrigerator).

    Transfer to a serving plate then serve.

    Share and enjoy!

Lengua Con Setas y Olivas (ILO-ILO)

The sossy dish of Ilo-Ilo Lengua Con Setas y Olivas. An ilonggo heritage cuisine served during special occasions. A Spanish inspired heirloom recipe of late Francisca Jiz de Ortega Jardeleza. The dish is not commonly served on our HAPAG. It is quite expensive and not all restaurant had this dish on their menu.

     Ingredients:

     4 pounds ox tongue, cleaned

    2 cups canned cooked chick peas

    5 tablespoons cooking oil

    1 cup water

    3 teaspoons salt

    1/4 cup bread crumbs

    2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

    1/2 cup white wine

    2 tablespoons cooking oil

    1 cup chopped onion

    1/2 cup tomato sauce

    Procedure:

     Boil tongue in water to cover until tender. Drain. Fry in oil until brown. Slice tongue and marinate 1 hour in salt, pepper and white wine. Set aside. In a medium skillet, heat oil. Saute onion and sliced tongue. Add tomato sauce, chick peas and marinade and 1 cup of water. Simmer for 15 minutes or until sauce is thick and tongue is tender. Add bread crumbs to thicken sauce. Serve hot.