FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

What is bitso-bitso ? Also spelled/called bichu-bichu or bitsu-bitsu , this native delicacy is made with fried rice flour dough then coated with coconut cream and muscovado sugar syrup. Its like a combination of making palitaw and banacue . The rice flour based "dough" is usually twisted and deep fried. Then it is placed/cooked in a mix of muscovado sugar then dried out. The sugar then "re-crystallize" making a crisp coating for the fried rice flour. The result is a local delicacy that crisp and sweet in the outside yet chewy inside.  Cooking bitso-bitso is done many different ways and with different mixes of ingredients. These particular ones in Santa Barbara, Iloilo are still crisp even after being exposed - they are peddled every afternoon around town for 5 pesos a piece. I particularly like the fact that the sugar coating crumbles in every bite, though messy at times, but its alway a treat to have these bitso-bitso . ...

After all the cholesterol-laden gastronomy this Holiday season, chances are we are looking forward to some fiber enriched diet. And here's a simple vegetable salad made with easy to get ingredient (that is if your based in the Philippines). Made with steamed okra and kamote tops with local langgaw (vinegar) with fresh tomatoes, onions and chives as garnish. It was a play of colors, textures and flavours all in one plate. But I may tweak the recipe a bit by adding some guinamos ( bago-ong ) to the vinegar dressing and/or olive or sesame oil. Now my mouth just waters at the thought ...