FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

My sudden craving for this Ilonggo native delicacy had me contact my "suki" baye-baye maker - D'Original Jaspe Baye-Baye based in Brgy. Cabugao Sur in Santa Barbara, Iloilo. Baye-Baye is an Ilonggo favorite native snack usually made with ground toasted rice aka pinipig, coconut meat and white sugar. But some makers also use corn and brown sugar giving it a distinctive taste from the original. The mixture is then pounded altogether then rolled into finger size bites and finally wrapped in plastic. It is usually packed in 5s and sold for around PhP 20 to PhP25 per pack. Expect the price to be 2x when you buy it in stores in the city. But  bigger cravings are not usually satisfied with a pack of 5s, so bigger orders are welcome too. You can have them by the kilo or per plate in some makers. For baye-baye lovers like me, having them in almost unli serving like this loaf-style serving  is a gastronomic dream come true. Just slice and enjoy every forkful of it. D'Original J...

Another Ilonggo dish named after its main ingredients is the kadyos, manok kag ubad . Kadyos is a local legume, though also found in other parts of the country but most recognizable in Ilonggo cooking. It comes in pods and ranges from deep violet to green in color and makes a purplish broth (for violet beans).  Native chicken or darag , is most commonly used when making the dish but one can also used broilers. But the free range chicken gives better flavour to the dish. And ubad , yes it's with an A, is the pith of the banana tree. Aside from being a sort of extender to the dish, it also creates a a different texture and it is almost flavourless. Read more about Ubad .

If a picture is worth a thousand words, there would be thousands of the word namit (delicious) written all over this native delicacy called bot-ong. Bot-ong is made with glutinous rice mixed with gata wrapped in banana leaves in a pointed shape then boiled until cooked. It is like ibos but with different shape and wrapper. Ibos is mostly tubular and wrapped on coconut leaves while bot-ong is pointed at one end and wrapped in banana leaves. Ibos and Bot-ong being wrapped and still uncooked. Photo from Google While the dips could be interchangeable, ibos is usually paired with sugar, bukayo or ripe mango while bot-ong with latik which is  made with gata and sugar boiled until it is syrupy and caramelized. One of my fave bot-ongs now comes from Brgy. Lanag in Santa Barbara, Iloilo from the same makers of  Puto sa Lanag .  I could eat 5 or even more in just one sitting when the bot-ong is warm and drizzled with the latik.  Will give details on how to ord...

Bingkahan sa Mohon makes one of the most popular bingka places in Iloilo City. It has been one of my blog frustrations before not having a feature on them. I've tried many times before but I ended up with more frustrations - having no more bingkas left or my reserved order was given to others. It's not easy to get them since I live far from where they are located. But finally I ended this streak of bad luck; I got "tons" of bingka from Mohon and I loved it! What makes it delicious aside from the concoction is the amount of coconut strips in each of these small round bingkas. While others have microscopic amount, Mohon bingkas have more than enough that sometimes it feels like eating bucayo rather than bingka . Sold for PhP 10 per pack of four, this quick fix will surely makes one crave for more and oftentimes come back and buy some more. Good thing I bought 5 packs that time, more than enough for me to savour every bite. With the h...

Kusahos is my favorite way of enjoying beef. it is basically sun-dried beef strips marinated adobo style - that is with vinegar, garlic and soy sauce, among others. After an overnight marination, it is then sun-dried for a few days - watch for flies as this is a fly-magnet! The drier it becomes, the better tasting it will become. It is then deep fried or at time placed directly over charcoal, for a crunchy-lious local beef gastronomic experience.  Here's the recipe for Kusahos

Bujawi (budjawi, budyawi) is what Ilonggos refer to the fruit of the buri or century palm tree . Abundant in many parts of the province of Iloilo, the buri has many many uses from the leaves to its trunk. It produces a fermented drink (tuba), alcohol, vinegar, syrup, and sugar. The trunk yields large quantities of starch. The bud (ubod) is used for salad or as a vegetable. The kernels of the young fruits are edible and are made into a sweetmeats. The mature seeds are used for beads? (rosaries) and buttons.  The petiole yields so-called buntal fiber of which, the famous Baliuag and Lucban hats are made, or which, when crudely extracted, is sometimes twisted into rope. Mature leaf is used for covering tobacco bales, rarely as a thatch for houses, while the ribs are used for making brooms. From the unopened leaf is obtained a very fine fiber, corresponding to raffia fiber, which is utilized in making cloth, fancy articles, and as string. Fibers ...

Named after one of Iloilo City’s districts, Pancit Molo is one of the more identifiable pancit dishes in the country. It stands out uniquely among the noodle dishes mainly because of its non-traditional pancit look. It is a derivative of the Chinese wonton (filled dumplings) made into a soup.  One of the first questions always asked is "Where's the Pancit?". With pancit as a sort of "prefix" to the name of the dish, first timers always for the noodle-like component of the dish. It's then explained that the pancit is actually the molo ball wrappers which is basically of the same mix as any pancit/noodles. Pancit Molo is more of a household specialty and the recipe varies from household to household. From the meat filling mix to the soup, there could be a hundred and one ways of making pancit molo. Pancit Molo Filling I suggest to make this days before the actual cooking of pancit molo so that the flavours will be full....

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

What started out as a catering service specializing in customized and personalized food provider for weddings, private parties and corporate events way back in 2017, has just opened its doors to a brand-new restaurant, bringing its unique flavors to the Ilonggo community. Located along Commission Civil Street, Rustica Restaurant is the newest culinary gem in the heart of Jaro, offering an upscale dining experience with innovative dishes, personalized service, and comforting classics.  With its signature catering flavors that have delighted Ilonggos at countless celebrations, Rustica now brings its signature taste to the table, fresh daily. Under the culinary expertise of Chef Miguel Cordova, a pioneer in Ilonggo dining (think of Afrique's, Esca's, and Dova), Rustica's journey began in 2012 as the catering arm of Afrique's, focusing on bespoke events.  As its passion for creating unforgettable culinary experiences flourished, Rustica soon evolved into a standalone cat...

My first memories of aripahol , were just exactly like this - steamed grated coconut meat and pounded pilit ( malagkit ) rice wrapped in banana leaves. Almost every afternoon then, I hear the manuglibod , yell her stuff and we'd almost always buy aripahol . But then as time went by, it became "scarce" as the  manuglibod , suddenly made her disappearing act that eventually led to the non existence of  aripahol  in our place or even in town. Then came to my senses another kind of aripahol - puto lanson.  This one's made with grated balinghoy  ( kamoteng-kahoy or cassava) mixed with butter and sugar then steamed. But still, my tastebuds crave for the aripahol I grew up with. I got quite  surprise a few days ago upon seeing this very familiar sight - a delightful combination of pilit, white coconut meat and green banana leaves. And that familiar smell! Aripahol nga pilit kag niyog finally made a comeback at home. I've been s...