Kalamay (BOHOL)

 When travelling to BOHOL kalamay is always been on our list of pasalubong. Aside from tarsier, kalamay is also known in this place. The sweet sticky like treats will make you appreciate the food. The first time I’ve tried the dish I’m having a messy hard time dealing with it, because it was so sticky.

     Kalamay from the island of Bohol can vary from extremely sweet to mildly sweet. It is distinctive for being sold inside halved smooth coconut shells (the mesocarp of coconuts, locally known as bagol or paya). These containers are then sealed shut with a characteristic red crepe paper (papel de japon). This type of packaging is known as Kalamay-hati (literally 'Half Kalamay').Basically, its composition is made up of well-milled glutinous rice, coconut milk, sugar plus chopped peanuts as optional. The milled rice is then poured into the half-heated coconut milk. Constant stirring is needed until the right consistency of stickiness is achieved. This what makes Calamay famous. Two hours of constant stirring over low fire is not a joke. It resembles the patience, dedication and hard work of every Boholanos.

     Ingredients:

     2 kilos ground, Milled glutinous rice

    Coconut milk (from 20 coconuts)

    10 kilos Molasses Sugar (darkest colored-sugar you can find)

    10 liters of water

    Procedure:

     Soak the glutinous (malagkit) rice overnight.

    If possible, you can buy already grated coconuts from you favorite palengke (wet market). Extract the milk, first using 5 liters of water. Then, the second extraction using 3 liters of water.

    Pour the soaked glutinous (malagkit) rice in the first coconut milk extracted then proceed to ground the malagkit & coconut mixture. You may have this done through a machine available in many wet markets or do it yourself if you have a grounding machine.

    Mix the sugar to the second coconut milk extract and boil until a heavy syrup or 'latik' is attained.

    Afterwards, pour the ground malagkit mixture into the simmering 'latik' mixture taking extra caution not too scald yourself. Also, prepare to flex your muscles and tone you arms because you will be stirring this mixture over slow fire for four (4) long hours, non-stop.

    After cooking, you may now place them in cleaned and polished half-a-coconut shells (see photo), cover with the other half, and seal with a red band of Japanese paper (papel de hapon). You may also place calamay in plastic air-proof containers (but make sure to cool them down first). Or just serve and enjoy!

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!