FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

What the Bicolanos (and the rest of the Philippines?) know as laing , the Ilonggos call it pangat . This particular one from Breakthrough Restaurant along Villa beach in Iloilo City is among the most popular commercially produced pangat .  There are also a number of pangat -makers especially in Villa with pangat  like the one served during the Arevalo fiesta. The one below was during the Jaro Fiesta served at the Jamerlans. Pork or whatever filling one prefers (seafood) is wrapped inside  gabi  leaves. It is then simmered in low fire in a coconut milk-ginger concoction until cooked. 

Pinamalhan is the Ilonggo way of making pinaskiw na isda . Its starts with the fish being cooked in vinegar or with sour fruits like batwan or iba (kamias). Making  pinamalhan  with the use sour fruits tends more subtle compared to the soured with vinegar. The recipe's quite simple as it just uses all- around spices and the method of cooking is just stewing.  Here's a basic recipe for Pinamalhan nga Salmonite sa Iba Ingredients 1 kilo salmonite, gutted and cleaned (Cut into half if medium sized or whole if small) 2 cups iba, sliced 1 medium size onion, sliced 1 tbsp. crushed black pepper 5 pcs. siling pansigang 1/2 head garlic, crushed 1 thumb size ginger cut into thin slices Oil Salt Procedures In a pan put garlic, onion, ginger and the sliced kamias at the bottom. Place the salmonite on top then add the green/red chili, spring onions and crushed black pepper.  Add half a cup of water and season with salt. Cover a...

You can almost smell and taste the goodness of this dish. It's sinugba na pata with a sour broth and banana heart. Its almost like the recipe for the Ilonggo favorite KBL   (kadyos baboy langka) for the pork is first grilled then soured with batwan . The absence of the kadyos beans and langka is made up for by the the puso ng saging which makes a milk broth. Now what more can I say but, extra rice please!

Back in 2019, I remember having lunch at Cafe Belmont during one of my Manila trips.   It was that serving dish of crabs that had me at first glance and it never faded in my memory.  Now, five years later, it’s the breakfast buffet that would tickle my gastronomic fantasies.  We stayed at Belmont Hotel Manila for my parents 50th anniversary and for  two days we had our fill of delicious breakfast. Check out more photos on Facebook From the staples like bacon, ham and sausages to Pinoy faves like tuyo, dilis and danggit. I just love this kind of spread of which local faves go side by side with contemporary fares.  As the first meal of the day where one stocks up carbo, I’m glad there was plenty. From rice, potatoes and pancit to pancakes, waffles and breads - I love the pudding. There’s an egg station where you can request how you would like your eggs cooked - hardboiled, sunny side up or scrambled You can DIY your omelette with lots of fillings to choose from w...

I could still smell the aroma and taste the flavor of this Bourbon Barbecue Ribs that still linger in my senses after today's grand opening of Bourbon Street Bar and Grill 's branch at Festive Walk Iloilo. Enjoying these ribs will now come with a view of modern Iloilo as Bourbon Street's newest branch features an al fresco veranda that opens up to the Iloilo Business Park.  One can particularly admire the Park Square (featuring the monument of Ilonggo hero, Gen. Martin Delgado ), Casa Emperador housing the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (ILOMOCA) and Megaworld's condominium row - closest being the sunset-lit One Madison Place. Located in Iloilo's most happening spots, Bourbon Street's first branch is located at the  (then) center of city’s most popular night spot area – Smallville. Presently, it is located at The Avenue Complex, just a stone's throw from its original location. But this new branch at the 2nd floor of Fe...

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 .