It ended at Mang Inasal

There's a saying that goes "Sa hinaba-haba man daw ng prusisyon, sa simbahan din ang tuloy" This (sort of described) what happened to me last weekend. I planned to eat and blog about it but I had so many choices of what and where to eat for most of them I have already blogged . And after an hour of silently debating where my gastronomic (and blog) desires would be fulfilled, I ended up with at the most common and most generic places one can eat these days, Mang Inasal.

But no regrets - I now love their chicken inasal unlike before. Eating at any Mang Inasal branch during lunch hour proves very challenging - it's always "chaotic" and almost standing room only. That's a testament of how popular it is (despite the bitterness of some people-lol). But I thought of one branch in Iloilo City that is not as chaotic or full even at lunch hour (that is on a Sunday and given that it's vacation time for most students)

Indeed I was right, there were only three customers that time at Mang Inasal - Times Square (in front of University of San Agustin). As I placed my order for their Paborito Meal #2, I was informed that I have to wait for around 15 minutes. That was the nothing plus the fact that I have to go to this branch on purpose to have a leisure lunch compared to a hurried one in other branches. While waiting I just took photos of their trio sawsawan - soy sauce, chicken oil and vinegar. Their summer promo together with Selecta Pinoy Sorbetes had a special corner that would certainly get one's attention.

It turned out to be 25 minutes (I think) since they really grilled their inasal from scratch that time. It wasn't precooked and just reheated, I can see the grill from I was seated. When my order came, I was really hungry yet I have to immortalize it. It wasn't as photogenic like the one I ordered last Dinagyang but smelled and tasted the same. It was cooked just right and together with the trio sawsawan - I had 3 additional servings of rice enough to energize my whole afternoon.

As I have said no regrets since it was another very satisfying meal from Mang Inasal - not only gastronomically but also had the chance to update my blog with new photos and new experience.

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 por...

Easy Century Tuna Recipes

If you're looking for simple, easy and delicious Century Tuna recipes online, congratulations, you've found it right here! How about spicy tuna sisig or tuna sinigang ? Maybe stir fried tuna with pickles or just yang chow fried rice . I love Century Tuna from its flakes in oil variety, the spicier the better, but when I discovered the versatility of its solid variant, it became an obsession. At first I was just into the usual tested recipes; pasta and sandwich filling, but then it got simpler – I just eat it straight from the can! Usually with a piece of bread or an apple. I just add a few drops of vinegar to spice it up a bit. Then came the experiments. Yup I got tired of that habit that one day, I decided to test my skills in the kitchen. Serendipity, you might call it yet most of them turned into good recipes that I have shared now and then. Satisfying my Palabok cravings had me experiment on this recipe on the spot. With Century Tuna in lieu of the us...

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. ...

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?"

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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