So HOT, so DELICIOUS, so BATCHOY.

Yet another feature on Iloilo's most famous cuisine published on the Philippine Star a few days ago. It narrates the origins of La Paz batchoy from it's humble beginnings in the La Paz market to it's current nationwide invasion. This feature is about Deco's Original La Paz batchoy which opened it's first branch in Manila at the Southgate Mall beside the MRT Magallanes Station along EDSA in Makati City.

MANILA, Philippines - A steaming bowl of meke noodles soaked in a tasty broth and topped with generous servings of pork meat, liver and sinful bits of chicharon never fails to entice the palate of foreign and local tourists whenever they go to the La Paz public market in Iloilo City.Popularly known as La Paz batchoy, this Ilonggo comfort food has captured the taste buds of foodies in search of a hot, delicious and filling meal that can be enjoyed any time of the day — in Iloilo.While a few eateries in the metro also serve this delectable dish, some say that nothing beats Deco’s Original La Paz Batchoy, the inventor of this now-famous meat soup.I haven’t tried Deco’s so I was delighted to learn that I don’t have to fly to Iloilo to partake of this mouthwatering treat because there’s now a Deco’s Original La Paz Batchoy Since 1938 branch right outside the Magallanes MRT station in Makati.Here, special batchoy can be savored for as little as P67 and can be paired with the so-called pre-war pan de sal for P3.50 or the Manapla puto for P6.50 per piece.Well, who could resist this tempting treat, especially if you can have unlimited servings of kaldo (soup), chicharon bits and crunchy garlic as toppings for free?

A Taste Of Ilonggo History

The history of batchoy dates back to the years before World War II.Federico “Deco” Guillergan Sr., a butcher who worked at the La Paz market at that time, is the man behind what is now known as the La Paz batchoy.As a cook, Deco experimented with different ingredients to come up with a kaldo (broth) that was meaty and tasty, a dish he could serve market vendors to ease their hunger.The aroma of the soup percolated through the large Chinese population of the city who would later troop to his makeshift carinderia for a bowl of the hot soup. Soon, noodles were added to satisfy the cravings of his Chinese customers.Whenever customers would ask Deco what the name of his noodle dish was, he would hastily reply “batchoy,” which simply means meat soup in Chinese.The people of La Paz enjoyed the original Ilonggo soup for only 10 to 20 centavos per bowl. From then on, they got hooked.Realizing the need to pass on the legacy to his sons and daughter, Deco has taught his children to love the business that helped put them through school and earn their degrees.“I started helping my father when I was 12 years old. It was more like play than work. I enjoyed talking to our customers. I would help him chop the meat and veggies in the kitchen. After school, I would volunteer to wash the dishes in exchange for a hot bowl of batchoy,” relates Federico “Nonoy” Guillergan Jr., the son of Deco, who is now managing Deco’s La Paz Batchoy, the oldest batchoy chain in the country. Read the complete article

Text and Photos courtesy of The Philippine Star

So hot, so delicious, so batchoyBy Lai S. Reyes (The Philippine Star)
Updated March 04, 2010 12:00 AM

Fruits from the grocery

These packs of cut up fruits were bought from SM Delgado's grocery. Got enticed by their color and luckily, they were as good as they looked, especially the papaya. Each was just less than Php 22, really a bargain!

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.

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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