Batchoyan ni Jasmin sa Ilawod in Santa Barbara, Iloilo

It's been a while since I visited my hometown's most popular batchoyan, the viral Batchoyan ni Jasmin Sobredo in Ilawod, Santa Barbara, Iloilo.

Though I got to enjoy this semi-regularly, it's always on delivery/take-out. So out of nowhere, I just have to satisfy my cravings of having a hot and delicious bowl of La Paz batchoy…. inside a not so typical batchoyan.

If you haven't been here for a long time, you'd be glad they now have a bigger parking space and a much more welcoming main entance.

It's a testament of its success after it went viral over socmed a few years ago as they were always flooded with hungry guests - locals and tourists alike.

With a collection of plants ( borne out of the pandemic, hello plantitos and plantitas) flanking the passageway, its a respite from the hustle and bustle of regular batchoyans located inside wet markets. Not typical but Tropical batchoyan, I may add.

Upon entry, you'll already smell the aroma of the La Paz batchoy coming from the kitchen. And it's one very big batchoyan which can seat almost 100 (just assuming) - proof of it doing very well even before, during and most especially now, after the pandemic.

But mind you, its just the second extension. If wander around while waiting for your order, you'd find the first extension, which has a more local and say, native feel.

It's an off shoot of the original area where the counter and kitchen are to be found.

The counter, where you can also place your order, has an assortment of sides on display to complement your bowl of La Paz batchoy. Most popular of which is Puto from Brgy. Lanag, also in Santa Barbara. You can also have some pan de leche and pan de sal plus my personal fave - baston baston breadsticks.

Aside from its signature flavor and lots of toppings, Jasmin's batchoy popularity can also be pinpointed to its price. While the menu and pricing below is already post pandemic, it used to be just around PhP 60 per bowl which is just half of the price of most batchoyans on the city.

Ofcourse, this price point is common for those located outside the city where almost everything is a lot pricier. And don't forget to bring your own container for take out orders (for the caldo or broth).

Meet Jasmin Sobredo. I just said my hi's and hellos to not disturb her work in making my and others' batchoy orders. Most often you'd find her manning the kitchen preparing batchoy bowls in large numbers.

From placing the meke noodles to "scissoring" the pork, lover and intestines in every bowl, Jasmin also do the take outs - placing them in plastic.

And then my ordered just arrived. Yes, orders take a long time, making up the majority of the complaints I've read online, especially during peak time - usually Sunday mornings. You nay have to wait for an hour at times...

The signature taste of Jasmin Sobredo's La Paz batchoy is the broth that tends to be sweeter than most. She has her own secret recipe and it doesn't include guinamos or the local bago-ong alamang. This makes the broth last longer and stays true to its taste even at room temperature or even inside the fridge for days (yes, I've done this many times and still tastes good.)

Look at all these toppings! The real "hindi tinipid" order - pork, liver, intestines, garlic and lots of chicharon too. The egg is an additional order and you can have it fresh or hard-boiled.

For the sides, there's the delicious puto from Brgy. Lanag ( I personally prefer bread though) and something new to most - baston baston aka breadsticks. Crunchy but teeth-friendly (soft enough to break easily) and perfect to dip in the savory caldo.

I end this post with a snippet from an article from ABS-CBN NEWS Online quoting Prof. Ambeth Ocampo who has visited Jasmin's Batchoyan twice already.

No less than famed historian and gourmand Ambeth Ocampo has raved about the fairly new street-side spot which has grown popular due to online recommendations.

“Sobredo started [her] batchoy stall in a hut, with five kilos of ingredients to make a deep pot of the iconic noodle dish. [It was] was sold out by 10am,” Ocampo related in a Facebook post. “Today, she cooks 50 to 80 kilos depending on demand. It may not be the original from La Paz, but it’s one of the best I’ve tasted.”

Dali na, mamatchoy 'ta kanday Jasmin! 😋

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.

A native (foods) welcome in Guimaras

Even after having breakfast less than an hour that time, we couldn't say no to this lot of native delciacies that welcomed us in Guimaras. First and foremost, Guimaras best known produce is their sweet mango famous almost worldwide. And it comes with it's best partner, ibos. This brown baye-baye variety is made from toasted rice thus giving it a more disctinct flavour compared to it's more "caucasian" cousin. I like the one wrapped in banana leaves compared with the one in plastic for it gives it a more native feel. So when you're in Guimaras, be sure to check out the markets for these native delicacies that can make your trip more gastronomically satisfying.

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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