FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

It was another Calle Real Pedestrianization Sunday and I found myself traversing the whole stretch of JM Basa street from Plazoleta Gay up to Freedom Grandstand. And like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, a gastronomic treasure awaited at the end of my journey - Roberto's.  Despite the long queue (it almost never disappears), I absent-mindedly lined up then took a while to decide what buy. The Queen was nowhere to be seen that afternoon and I wasn't really excited to meet (and eat) the King . So it was a toss between the regular Roberto's Sio Pao (pork adobo) and the Jumbo. And it was a very delicious decision to get the Jumbo Sio Pao that time since it was the best sio pao from Roberto's I have ever tried - better than the Queens and Kings I had before. At PhP45 each, the Jumbo is filled with Chicken-Pork Adobo, Chinese Sausage and Hardboiled egg. In comparison, with the addition of ham, it would become King (PhP70) or if it has bacon (and become a l

These mangoes are the biggest ones I've seen so far and they are as long as a 500ml mineral water bottle. A few weeks ago, I got some  unripe sefaida mangoes from Mr. Eugene Jamerlan whose farm in Brgy. Tagsing in Santa Barbara, Iloilo is fortunate to have this Indian variety mango. I was saving some of those for them to become ripe but they were so good that we all finished them. Good thing, supply of this mango seem fast from the farm and I get to have another bite of the safeda mangoes - this time, in all its ripe glory. But take notice that even though the flesh is almost golden yellow, the skin is still green unlike most varieties. You can only tell if it's ripe through the aroma and when you feel the mango says Sir Eugene. The taste is like the Indian mangoes we are all familiar with, this one just bigger and better. And just look at the seed, it is very thin and small - you get all the mango goodness you want in every bite or slice! 

I love puso ng saging [banana heart] especially when made part of sinigang na bangus . The sour and milky broth often commands cups of rice to go with it. Also as part of laswa , chopped puso ng saging gives in more fiber and texture to the merry mix of vegetables. Then there's the adobong puso ng saging in which it has the familiar vinegar-soy sauce flavour without the guilt of cholesterol. And ginata-ang puso ng saging - this could also be kilawin of sorts as vegetables can also be made into one. I had my share of this specialty the few times I've been to the H appy Kitchen Diner at Amigo Plaza mall. Though this may not be their recipe but it almost like the one my tastebuds got to try and remember. INGREDIENTS 3 pcs fresh banana heart 2 Tbsp coconut milk 3 pcs shallots, thinly sliced 5 pcs calamansi 2 pcs red chili salt PREPARATION 1. Peel off the reddish outer layers of the banana heart to reveal the