Sooo Pinoy in Iloilo at Freska Ilonggo Seafood Restaurant

Among the quintessential methods of cooking seafood for the Ilonggos is pinamalhan. Rooting from the Hiligaynon word "mala" meaning dry, pinamalhan is describe as a "paksiw made dry". Various kinds of fish - from bangus and sapsap to bilong-bilong andsalmonite are stewed in vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, pepper - the recipe varies almost from each household, basically a paksiw recipe or maybe almost like that of adobo. It is then stewed and when almost dry, oil is added to give it a smooth finish.

This style of Ilonggo cooking was highlighted by Chef Pauline Gorriceta Banusing during the Unilever Food Solutions' Sooo Pinoy event dubbed as Food Trip Na, Pilipinas in Iloilo City last March. In cooperation with the Department of Tourism, the campaign aims to get into the belly of what makes up Filipino cuisine . For the first leg (out of 10) of the nationwide food trip, Iloilo City hosted the Sooo Pinoy foodies at Freska Ilonggo Seafoods and Inasal Restaurant.

For a food blogger like me, it was an honor at the same time pressure for oftentimes "first impressions lasts". And I was very excited to be part of the event (having prior knowledge about the Sooo Pinoy search for the Ultimate Food Blogger who will go on a food tour in 10 cities and dine in 100 restaurants around the Philippines). Too excited in fact, that I was the first one to arrive at the venue - 101 Luna Steakhouse at Sarabia Manor Hotel. There I had a little chit-chat with Ms Pauline and she explained that she opted her steak house to serve as in order to give a more intimate ambiance.

But more than that I said to myself since Ms Pauline created an impressive table set up which gave our guests an impression of how the things that are about to come. And when the foodies came it was a perfect set up to give a cheerful and gastronomic Ilonggo welcome! The group was composed of foodies Unilever Food Solutions, PR firm Stratworks, representatives from the Department of Tourism Region 6 and Iloilo City Tourism Office. National and local media were also present represented print and broadcast journalists as well as bloggers.

Ms Pauline prepared a brunch consisting of typical Ilonggo dishes and first out of the kitchen was Chicken Binakol served on a palayok. It is known as the chicken soup of the Ilonggos and is noted for it's three main ingredients - native chicken, coconut meat and coconut juice. Can be almost likened to chicken tinola just with the galore of coconut ingredients. The recipe varies from each house hold but Freska's recipe had potatoes as well as papaya and ginger giving this hearty soup a taste of the familiar but with an Ilonggo twist.

Next was KBL and nothing is more Ilonggo than this made with Kadyos, Baboy and Langka. It is basically a mild sinigang utilizing local beans - kadyos or pigeon peas which gives the dish a light purplish hue and distinct soft bean taste and texture. Pata (pork leg with knuckles) is usually utilized but pork cubes also widely used. At home the pork is usually broiled to give the soup a smoky taste making it more appetizing. Unripe langka (jackfruit) cubes, boiled until soft completes the dish. The Ilonggo souring ingredient of choice is almost always batwan (batuan), a green fruit growing in clusters on the batwan tree. The seeds when stewed gives any dish a mildly sour flavour as compared with other souring ingredients. It can laso be used in making pinamalhan.

Every restaurant featured for the Sooo Pinoy campaign has to highlight their best sellers at the same time create a unique dish of local flavour using new ingredients. And for Chef Pauline's Sooo Pinoy dish, she used local "langgaw" or vinegar for her Ilonggo dish with a twist - Pinamalhan nga Pink Salmon Fillet. Usually pinamalhan is found in households using "standard" fishes but Pink Salmon to be made into "pinamlahan", it's just Sooo Pinoy as it can be.

With freshly squeezed dalandan juice to down these delectable Ilonggo dishes, dessert consisted of Guimaras mangoes and buco gelato. A perfect blend of the mango's sweetness and the gelato's creaminess! But that's not all as we all went home with a one-of-kind loot bag with hard to find items (in Manila that is) - kadyos beans and batwan seeds. A perfect way to end the very wonderful meal of Ilonggo specialties and a perfect startto showcase the best of Ilonggo cuisine.

To know more about this local gastronomic affair, food lovers are invited to like the “Sooo Pinoy page on Facebook and follow @SoooPinoy on Twitter. More photos - Flavours of Iloilo on Facebook.

Unilever Food Solutions' Sooo Pinoy: Food Trip Na, Pilipinas
Iloilo Leg - Day 1 Restaurant 1: Freska Ilonggo Seafoods and Inasal
Chef Pauline Gorriceta Banusing
Smallville Complex, Brgy. San Rafael
Mandurriao, Iloilo City
(033) 321-3855
http://www.freskagroup.com/

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FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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