Mang Inasal: Truly "Kumbinsing!"

It was unplanned and unexpected. Today I ate at Mang Inasal! I had been very vocal about disliking the timpla of their chicken inasal because of the overwhelming taste of ginger in their first inasal I sank my teeth into. From then on, anywhere but Mang Inasal was my "motto". But still, I am very proud of what has Mang Inasal become now only a few years after they had their first branch at Robinson's Place Iloilo.

My late lunch: pecho with unlimited rice and liver plus crispy kangkong and iced tea

I had a late lunch today and one of the reasons why was I can't seem to decide what and where to eat. Most often my blog dictates my gastronomy whenever I am out of the house and gives me these dilemma. First I wanted KBL and sio mai combo (lol) at a foodcourt only to know there was no KBL at the foodshop I was eyeing (Ocean City). Then I thought of having a club sandwich and a cake at Dulgies, since it was already 3pm. A sio pao and sio mai combo at Kongkee crossed my mind. Finally, I decided to eat inasal but not Mang Inasal. But the resto I was eyeing was closed (can't be sure if it was closed like just for today or closed like it won't ever open again ) so with a sigh with my stomach already grumbling, I "settled" for the nearest inasal house, Mang Inasal!

Chicken inasal, grilled liver and Mang Inasal's signature rice wrapped in banana leaves

A little over a year ago, I decided to have a quest for the "Best Chicken Inasal in the City" and I started with the nearest and most convenient inasal house at that time, Mang Inasal at the Marymart Center. Read about it.

Mang Inasal's pecho up close (and gastronomical)

It was no deja vu even though I was back at the same branch, ordered almost the same items and seated a table away from my original place. My order promptly came except for the crispy kangkong but when it came, I then knew why; it was fried upon order. It was "no-words-can- describe-it" delicious (lol).

Served with crisp you can actually hear; kangkong leaves

For a food blogger, the rule of the thumb is "shoot first-eat later" no matter how hungry you are, it's got to be this way. At least when the food doesn't satisfy you, there are always the photos. Anyway, I spent around 15 minutes taking photos (getting the right angles, the right settings, the right food arrangement, etc.)

A closer look at Mang Inasal's crispy kangkong

Finally I got to satisfy my hunger, first with some crispy kangkong dipped in mayonnaise. Then a bite of the chicken liver had me float over the clouds and hear the angels sing (i.e. felt like in heaven-lol). And finally, the chicken inasal itself. I had to taste it five times unadulterated (i.e not dipped in my soy sauce-calamansi-vinegar-chicken oil concoction) savouring the taste since it didn't taste like the one which I "detested" (i.e. gingerly yours). At last! It was a timpla of an inasal I (really) liked that I sort of lost count of the number of times I called the unlimitied rice guy to my table. Three? Four? It seems I am lost because of the newfound liking to something I almost detested before...

Pecho with unlimited rice PhP 79

Grilled chicken liver PhP 39

Crispy kangkong PhP 18

Large iced tea PhP 30

Discovery and satisfaction over the "new?" timpla of Mang Inasal PRICELESS

Ultimate Ilonggo Favorite: KBL Kadyos, Baboy, Langka

K.B.L. or Kadyos, Baboy, Langka is the ultimate favorite dish of most Ilonggos. It is also one of the most missed native dishes as kadyos and the souring ingredient, batwan , are hard to find when outside of the Ilonggo region. Basically, it is boiled/stewed pork dish owing its "deliciousness" to the combination of the soft and tender pork, the tamed sourness of batwan and the malinamnam na sabaw . One of the "secrets" of the malinamnamn na sabaw , is the fact that the pork, whether just the plain meat or pata (hocks) are first grilled or broiled. This gives the broth a rather smoky taste that makes it more appetizing.. Learn how to make the Ilonggo dish KBL (Kadyos, Baboy, at Langka) with the recipe below. Ingredients 1 kilo Pata (pork hocks) or pork cubes, GRILLED and sliced into bite size pieces 1 unripe Jack fruit, cubed 2 cups pigeon pea (kadyos) 6-8 pieces batwan fruit (or tamarind powder) 1 piece pork broth cube (

An Ilonggo favorite - Valenciana

Found in almost all occasions like fiesta, birthdays, reunions and others, Ilonggos really love valenciana because most if not all have grown accustomed of having it in special gatherings at home. A complete " go, grow and glow " dish because it has the carbohydrates, protein and vitamins and minerals in just one spoonful, Valenciana is really an " occasional dish ". Here's the recipe for Valenciana

Batwan

Ilonggos know batwan or batuan by heart as the fruit is almost endemic to the Western Visayas. Its scientific name is Garcinia binucao, derived from the Tagalog name for the fruit, binukaw. It is a large green fruit with large seeds and its a favorite souring ingredient in most Ilonggo dishes especially KBL or kadyos, baboy, langka and the Ilonggo-style paksiw known as "pinamalhan". It is characterized by a tamed sourness compared to tamarind and kamias . The fruit is sold by pieces or kilo in wet markets and even big grocery stores. Batwan is the preferred souring ingredients for the Ilonggo favorite- KBL. The photo shows boiled batwan with skin and without skin (right) A favorite riddle when we were young - "Among the many fruits in the forest, but one (batuan) is the best. What is it?"

Takway

The gabi (taro) is just one of those plants which is edible from "roots to tops". The most popular of which is the tuber part which is used in a variety of dishes and mostly in combination with coconut milk. Its leaves, of course, is the main ingredient of a Bicol specialty, laing . It is dried then chopped and sauteed with other ingredients including, again, coconut milk. Then there is takway . The local term for its tendrils/runner, that part which is torn between being a stem or a root for it neither grows upwards nor downwards - it grows sideways . Scraped off of its outer skin, takway is often a key ingredient in vegetable dishes like laswa and the gabi tuber with coconut milk and local snails know as bago-ngon . It is also popular when cooked adobo style with guinamos , the local bago-ong . It is very popular in the region that even big supermarkets sell takway in style - cleaned and plastic wrapped in styro with some additions to make it easier to prepare.

A native (foods) welcome in Guimaras

Even after having breakfast less than an hour that time, we couldn't say no to this lot of native delciacies that welcomed us in Guimaras. First and foremost, Guimaras best known produce is their sweet mango famous almost worldwide. And it comes with it's best partner, ibos. This brown baye-baye variety is made from toasted rice thus giving it a more disctinct flavour compared to it's more "caucasian" cousin. I like the one wrapped in banana leaves compared with the one in plastic for it gives it a more native feel. So when you're in Guimaras, be sure to check out the markets for these native delicacies that can make your trip more gastronomically satisfying.

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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