FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

Puto Bumbong is very synonymous with the  Pinoy Christmas as it is part of the Holiday gastronomic scene especially during 9-day early morning mass called Simbang Gabi . Characterized by it's purple hue because of its quintessential partner - ube or purple yam. Its named as such because of the usage of bamboo as steaming "vessel" for the native delicacy. Placed on banana leaves, it is then topped sugar, shredded coconut, margarine and even cheese. But you can cook puto bumbong even without the bumbong or bamboo tubes. Here's a simple recipe that could start your gastronomic love affair with the native delicacy the Filipino Christmas gastronomic scene is made of. Ingredients Puto 2 cups boiled and mashed Ube (Purple Yam) 1 cup Gata (Coconut Milk) 1 1/2 cup  Malagkit (Glutinous Rice)  flour Salt Water Banana leaves Toppings Shredded niyog (mature coconut) Margarine Brown sugar (muscovado is also good) Cheese

A visually enticing and mouth-watering collection of Pinoy appetizers makes up this bilao full of favorites. Making one in you own home is just easy as collecting and making these individually and then arranging them to make an appetizer centerpiece. There's steamed okra , atsara , piniritong talong , steamed kamote tops, itlog na maalat (which you can also make as a salted egg sauce ),  fresh tomatoes and onions, sweet and spicy dilis , bago-ong (either fresh or guisado ) and lato or seagrapes which you can serve fresh or salad . You can mix and match a variety of appetizers, taking into consideration its flavors at the same time colors to make it appeal more and yes - visually and gastronomically appetizing! Click the links below for the recipes: Papaya Atsara  Salted Egg Sauce Guisadong Bago-ing Alamang Lato Salad Sweet Spicy Dilis