Manang Diding's "pickled ampalaya"

An enterprising couple from Pakiad, Oton started their business by making ampalaya appetizer. It began when Manang Diding attended a training-workshop in making livelihood products. She became interested and made her own homemade appetizer made of young, green ampalaya (bitter gourd) and later sold them to her neighbors. People like the taste and quality and the news spread around through words of mouth. Many people come to Pakiad to buy her pickled ampalaya, for personal consumption or for gifts and pasalubong. It’s crunchy, juicy and firm with the right tang that will make you drool for more. I tasted it myself and I’m sure their ampalaya appetizer will also excite your taste buds. Now, they make use of their farm to plant ampalaya to lessen the cost of production but sometimes they’re run out of amplaya if demand increases.

My officemate happens to be her relative and once in a while Manong Lando would bring us pickled ampalaya for P25 per pack (150 grams including liquid). I tried to ask the recipe but Manang Diding doesn’t share her well-guarded formula but she can teach us the basic of making home-made pickles. Nang Diding has become a regular speaker of TESDA and travels to different towns to give lectures and trainings.

If you know something about making pickles or if you have your own tried and tested pickling solution you might as well try pickled ampalaya. They’re a good substitute for atsara and could be a source of extra income.

Tip: Wash your ampalaya with tap water and let it soak in a bowl of water for a few minutes to remove the bitter taste.

Text and photos courtesy of JakeM of WeekendPastime

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