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Anthony Bourdain in Manila for World Street Food Congress

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issue 3, 2017

OUR EATING CLEAN ISSUE: HERE’S HOW TO COOK AND EAT SUSTAINABLY, HEALTHILY AND HAPPILY

53 Pares hot pot with sotanghon by Katherine Jao

HOT, HEARTY, HEALTHY

F o o d Lo v e s

Diets and Detoxes Because we splurge on everything from steak to sweets, we need our little strategies to help us prep for (or recover from) a big binge Photography by PAU L DE L ROSA RIO | Styling by TIN A CONCE P CION DIA Z

“When I know I might overindulge, I make sure to avoid carbs and other food high in salt and sugar a day or two before and after. I also make sure to have a fresh smoothie (spinach and mango is my favorite!) to help with digestion and detox. But what I’ve learned the past couple of years is that water is my best friend, so I aim to drink at least two liters of water daily.”

– Ceia Ylagan, associate editor “The first thing I do in my kitchen when I wake up is to make what I call my morning rush drink.

It’s a cleansing ritual for me that basically wakes up my system and gives me energy. It eases my little aches and pains while keeping me full longer, so I tend to eat less during the day. The wild honey makes it very palatable so I never need coaxing to drink it bottoms up.”

– Tina Diaz, food stylist and recipe developer

Apple Cider Morning Rush

By Tina Concepcion Diaz Serves 1 1 cup water, room temperature 2 tablespoons organic apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon chia seeds 1 tablespoon wild honey Make this 30 minutes before breakfast to cleanse your system and jumpstart your metabolism. In a glass, combine water, vinegar, chia seeds and honey. Stir to dissolve the honey. Drink right away or let it sit for a few minutes to plump up the chia seeds.

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FOOD | 2017 Issue 3

Issue 3, 2017

Eating Clean Issue 24

Versatile, Vibrant Vermicelli Happy, healthy ways to cook with sotanghon

By Ceia Ylagan

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Everyday Dinners Great ideas for gluten-free dishes

60

By Nancy Dizon-Edralin

Entertaining Living the holistic lifestyle at Holy Carabao Farms

By Ceia Ylagan

! OUR PLUASNDY H TORY DIRECLP YOU TO HRETEATINNG STALEAN O C 9

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57 REGULARS 2 7 8 102

Food Loves Starter Tastings Events

MENU GUIDE 2017, Issue 3

FEATURES 38 Cook It Five Ways Hitting the sour notes in Filipino cooking

88 D.I.Y. Fun and easy veggie chips and dips

By Jam Melchor and Elmer Nocheseda

By Pixie Rodrigo Sevilla

46 Eats on the Street What happened at World Street Food Congress 2017

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By Anne Marie Ozaeta

52 Cooking Lessons from the Masters Four chefs shared healthy recipes and cooking tips at FOOD’s second event of the year

17 Homegrown The simple flavors of buridibud

By Tatung Sarthou

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DINING OUT 19 A guide to FOOD’s favorite new restaurants

FOOD TOUR

LAST BITE

92 Location, Laguna Discovering culinary and cultural treasures of this Southern Tagalog province

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106 A conversation with Anthony Bourdain

By Troy Barrios

By Dahia Conde

76 Cooking Class Italian cooking goes light

By Giuliano Berta

80 Simply Desserts Bake healthy with nuts

By Tina Concepcion Diaz

84 30 Minutes or Less Savor these smoothies

By Rebecca Disini

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Back to Basics Beans are in

By Jill F. Sandique

By Jaclyn Clemente Koppe

72 Light and Right Blissful, big bowl meals

16 Sweet Stuff A healthier pandesal

By Joey E. Prats

54 Kitchen Virtuoso Josh Boutwood sets the culinary world on fire from The Test Kitchen

HOME BASICS

COLUMNS

60

65

28

36 36

68

86 RECIPE BOX Starters 68 Corn chowder 36 Hearty rice soup 51 Itek tim 45 Kinilaw na lumyagan 68 Native salad 77 Paparazzi salad 28 Shake shake scallop vermicelli salad 77 Watermelon carpaccio 51 Xiamen-style spring rolls Mains 53 Asadung matua 68 Black heritage cochinillo 36 Crispy cornflakes chicken with honey mustard sauce 101 Crispy pork sinantolan

101 Guinataang 45 28 85 84 101 101 44 101 9

kalabaw Kilayin Pares hot pot with sotanghon Pulled pork burrito bowl Salmon bibimbap bowl Shrimp with aligue in coconut cream sauce Sinugno sa bayabas na kanduli Tidtad Tinagang na palos Tuna poke bowl

Sides 42 Atcharang kamias 18 Barbecued beans with corn and sausage 16 Buridibud 86 Cauliflower tabbouleh

53 Creamy tapa pasta Desserts 68 Grilled labong 79 Coconut and 53 Munggo guisado strawberry

with tinapa salad Sisig paella 82 Sisig puso Sisig sotanghon 81 Warm rice noodles with tofu masala 82 36 Zucchini noodles with shrimps 51 40 53 36

panna cotta Crispy chocolate hazelnut clusters Dark chocolate mousse tart Easy browned butter and walnut brittle ice cream 28 Rose falooda

Snacks 80 Nutty caramel drinks and popcorn smoothies 89 French fried beans 2 Apple cider 88 Green tomato chips morning rush 36 Homemade beef 68 Coco-nutty hot and veggie sliders tsokolate 90 Mushroom chips 74 Coconut chia 14 Whole wheat bowl oatmeal pandesal73 Dragon fruit bowl 72 Hot and spicy smoothie 73 Kale juice 74 Mango matcha smoothie bowl FOOD | 2017

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Editor-in-Chief Anne Managing Editor

Marie Ozaeta

Regina Troy Barrios

Art Director Noel

AvendaĂąo

Associate Editor Ceia Contributing Editor Nutritionist & Recipe Tester Cecilia

Ylagan

Ginny Mata

R. Esperanza, rnd

Editorial Assistant Hannah

Lopez

Columnists Joey E. Prats, Jill F. Sandique, Tatung Sarthou Photographers Sheila Juan Catilo, Jar Concengco, Paul del Rosario, Ricky Ladia, Pat Mateo, Paulo Valenzuela Writers Jaclyn Clemente Koppe, Ginny Mata Stylists Tina Concepcion Diaz, Nancy Dizon-Edralin, Katherine Jao, Pixie Rodrigo Sevilla Recipe Developers Dahlia Conde, Tina Concepcion Diaz, Rebecca Disini, Nancy Dizon-Edralin, Katherine Jao, Jam Melchor, Pixie Rodrigo Sevilla

President, ABS-CBN Publishing, Inc. Ernesto L. Lopez Managing Director Mark Yambot Content and Editorial Director Christina N. Lopez Publishing Operations Head Doris Laxamana Associate Publisher Roselle Miranda Publishing Assistant Pamela Martin Brand Marketing Consultant Mari Santiago Finance Officer Rowena D. Dote Finance Analyst Sheryl A. Baria API Ad Sales Heads Monica Herrera Sales Consultant Philip Cu-Unjieng Strategic Planning Manager Jamie Victoria Account Executives Euniz Sunga, Jane Ramirez, Iaree Anico,

Jenny Dayao, Melanie Magtira, Patricia Mata, Michelle Sy-Yap, Roselyn Bisquera, Patricia Villarica, Patrick Garcia Digital Sales Manager Rex Anthony Fontanoza Advertising Traffic Assistant Rizza Miralles Events Manager Love Andaya Marketing Artists Christian Louis Manuel, Kara Louise Jimenez Head, Advertorial and Special Publications Ruby Gonzalez Production Specialist Athena Fregillana Senior Art Director Sherwin Llames Art Directors Raff Colmenar, Alphard Buenaventura Retail Operations Head Kristine Hernandez Vendor Manager Joy T. Pedraza Vendor and Marketing Manager Sharleen Soon Logistics Supervisor Fernando Tioyao Pre-press Production Manager Andy Lizardo Pre-press Sales Manager Teresita Bayani Pre-press Production Supervisor Gil Cargason Jr. Art Director Alex Dulay Desktop Operator Seb Cachola Printing Coordinator Jouie Mar Doca General Services Head Arnel C. Bon HR Account Head Mia Ortiz HR Account Officer Anika Gregorio Administrative Assistant Robyn Tongol

COO, Sky Cable Corporation and Head, Narrowcast Antonio S. Ventosa Senior Finance Officer, Narrowcast Myca G. Ramos Ad Sales Cluster Head Jenny Silverio Marketing Head, Narrowcast Terry Villareal HR Cluster Head, Narrowcast and Star Creatives Jovie Sy ABS-CBN Publishing, Inc. is a member of ABS-CBN Cable Channels and Print Media Group.

8/F ELJ Communications Center, Mother Ignacia Avenue cor. Eugenio Lopez Jr. Avenue, Quezon City 1103, Philippines Editorial: Tel. No. 415-2272 local 4645; Fax No. 415-1215 or email food@abs-cbn.com Advertising: Tel. Nos. 415-2272 local 4655; 924-4101 to 02 local 4668 to 74

Pares hot pot with sotanghon Recipe and styling by Katherine Jao Photography by Ricky Ladia

Copyright August 2017 ABS-CBN Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. All submissions become the property of FOOD Magazine.

Printed in the Philippines. No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of ABS-CBN Publishing, Inc. For orders and subscription inquiries, please call 4152810 or 415-2272 local 4826, and look for Lizzel.

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Photography by RICKY LADIA | Shot on location at EDSA SHANGRI-LA MANILA

Starter

Not just about the diet

hen we sit down to produce our “Healthy Eating” issue every year, we usually start by asking: What’s the newest diet fad? The trendiest superfood? The latest food that’s bad for you? But we also try to be careful about espousing one diet over another or banning one food group and hyping another. After all, in this ever-evolving food world, today’s good-for-you ingredient can become tomorrow’s villain, and vice versa.

Through the years, what we’ve come to realize is that there’s no one-size-fitsall philosophy when it comes to healthy eating. There are many different paths to take depending on one’s personal dietary goals: losing weight, addressing a specific medical condition, as a preventive to disease, or simply a lifestyle choice. In this issue, we explore a number of these paths through delicious, easy-to-cook recipes that offer a bit of everything—vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, low calorie, organic.

But more importantly, we also try to connect our individual approaches to the larger picture—how eating healthy involves our families, our communities, and yes, our planet.

We’re calling this issue “Eating Clean” to highlight the fact that healthy eating is so much more than dieting or avoiding unhealthy foods. It is a lifestyle, a way of connecting with others around us, and hopefully, keeping our environment clean as well. That’s why we were so inspired by our visit to the Holy Carabao farm in Sta. Rosa, Laguna where its founders Hindy Weber-Tantoco and Melanie Teng-Go exemplified this holistic lifestyle, producing and selling their all-natural products, reveling in home cooking, and focusing on their families.

While not all of us may feel we can live a 100% clean lifestyle, there are myriad ways to imbibe some of its principles—choose fresh and organic, the less food processing the better, eat in moderation—if not all the time, then at least as much as we can. And if you want to go further by cutting the meat, carbs, dairy, gluten, sugar, or whatever else—then that’s OK, too.

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Editor-In-Chief

Like us on facebook.com/FOODMagazine Follow us on Instagram: @FOODMagazine

contributors Sheila JuanCatilo has been a lifestyle photographer for over a decade now, as half of husband-andwife team, Catilo Photography (www.catilo.net).

Just as busy raising three lovely daughters, Sheila is a fullfledged Instagram mom and Pinterest addict. She recently embarked on a journey of conscious or mindful eating, which makes her grateful to have photographed the lifestyle gurus of Holy Carabao Holistic Farms on page 66.

Jaclyn Clemente Koppe started writing about food on her blog One Big Bite in 2008, followed by a stint as managing editor of a food magazine until she became pregnant with daughter, Chiara. These days, she writes for various print and digital magazines, while running after her three-year-old and keeping her constantly-hungry German husband well-fed. On page 60, she revels in the meal she experienced at The Test Kitchen.

Rebecca Disini has traveled the world as a professional chef, including stints as an Innovation chef for global food giants. After taking French pastry at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, she is currently creating gorgeous French cakes under the label Ooh la la! by Rebecca Disini (IG: @rebpepperflakes or oohlala@ rebeccadisini.com). For this issue, she shares fun and healthy smoothie recipes on page 78. (Photo by Sara Black)

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trends | finds | news | media | travel

POKE MANIA

By TROY BARRIOS | Photography by PAUL DEL ROSARIO | Recipe and styling by NANCY DIZON-EDRALIN

oke, a dish traditionally made of fresh raw fish seasoned with Hawaiian salt, seaweed and roasted candlenut meat, is a beloved Hawaiian specialty that, in the 1960s, became the dish to have at every single

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pupu (party) or even with beer after a hard day’s work.

The secret to a good poke is fresh, fine quality fish cut in fingertip-size slices; whatever seasoning was used should only enhance but never overpower the fish’s mellow, buttery taste. Poke represents the

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Hawaiian’s deep connection to the ocean as a source of abundant food, and yet it easily accommodates new ingredients from other cultures, like chili, sesame oil and soy sauce. It first reached fandom levels in New York last year, and is fast gaining ground in

Manila. It’s easy to see why. What other dish fits so well with the current obsession with wellness and fast casual dining? Plus it’s unbelievably versatile and so Instagrammable, too! Go ahead and grab a bowl of poke. We guarantee you’ll love it.

FAB FOUR

get the name right

Poke rhymes with OK, not spoke.

It’s spelled as poke, never poké.

Tuna Poke Bowl Serves 4

3 tablespoons light soy sauce 2 tablespoons sliced shallots 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1/2 teaspoon chili paste 1/2 kilo ahi tuna steak, sashimi grade 2 tablespoons chopped spring onion 6 cups white rice, cooked 1/2 cup shredded carrots 1/4 cup pickled pink ginger 1 cup cucumber, diced 1/2 cup nori, shredded 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds, toasted 1. In a large bowl, mix together soy sauce, shallots, sesame oil and chili paste.

Set aside.

2. Cut ahi tuna into 1/2-inch cubes. Add tuna and spring onions to the soy sauce mixture. Gently combine.

3. In a serving bowl, add desired amount of rice in the bottom. Then arrange the tuna, carrots, pickled ginger, cucumber and nori on top. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Ahi Hawaii The couple who owns this tiny restaurant designed it to feel like a beach stall in Waikiki, where they honeymooned. The menu offers five bowls that play up the umami flavors of poke. Ahi Poke, for example, has all the traditional elements: salmon and tuna sashimi, seaweed, rice, but then gets a jolt of mango, melon, cucumber, tomato, sesame oil, honey, toasted breadcrumbs and soy garlic sauce. The combinations are fun and flavorful, and they don’t shy away from such ingredients as cheddar cheese, elotes sauce, squid balls and even Spam.

It’s hip and young and fun.

3 Maginhawa Street, Quezon City, (0999) 881-2239 Kapoke Operating only at the Legaspi Sunday Market or select bazaars in the city, this is the most fun and affordable poke in the city.

Create your own bowl, building your poke from the base up.

Begin with rice (we love sushi rice), choose between salmon or tuna, then select your veggies and toppings (from tempura flakes to chicharon bits). Add ripe mangoes for a little extra zest. Mix in a bowl and enjoy.

IG: @kapokeph, FB: kapokeph The Wholesome Table Their elegant version of poke feels almost like chirashi in its mix of flavors and textures.

Fingertip-size cubes of salmon sit on a bed of brown rice, with wakame (Japanese seaweed), ebiko (roe), flavored with Japanese mayonnaise, togarashi, pickled ginger, onion leeks and stir-fry sauce.

Admire the beautiful plating for a moment, then mix it all up to get a pleasing symphony of flavors and textures.

Branches at Estancia Mall, Pasig City; Salcedo Village, Makati; Bonifacio High Street, Taguig Poke Poke Chef Kel Zaguirre has the most diverse selection in town, with nine signature poke bowls (and growing) ranging from the basic ahi tuna poke bowl to creative riffs like Cali poke bowl with fresh ripe mangoes, kani and white rice; or the best selling For The Rich Only heaped with steak cubes, crispy bacon, a soft-boiled egg and a touch of white truffle oil. You can even design your own poke bowl; there are no rules.

As Chef Kel likes to say, “Poke is millennial, sushi traditional.”

Branches at G/F Estancia Mall, Pasig City; SM Aura, Taguig

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TASTINGS | media books French Kusina

By Xavier Btesh Anvil Publishing, 2017 This book is Xavier Btesh’s autobiography in the form of recipes. French-born, of partly Syrian descent, and with a nomadic childhood spent traveling “like a gypsy” through many countries, Btesh has a gift for understanding different cuisines and flavors. His recipes range from appetizers to desserts, from France and the Mediterranean, simplifying the mysteries of making Boeuf Bourguignon or Chicken Lemon Tajine. His love affair with the Philippines is reflected in such recipes as Kangkong Pasta Gratin and Adobo Shepherd’s Pie. A delightful read.

Available in National Bookstore and Powerbooks

So You Want to Be a Chef

By Sharwin Tee Sharwin Tee, 2017 At the age of six, Sharwin Tee knew he wanted to be a chef watching a cooking show on TV. It took him 25 years to achieve his dream. Through finger cuts, blown up ovens, a lot of burns and even sabotage, Sharwin shares his journey with humor, good sense and throws in some practical advice. Today, the star of Curiosity Got the Chef gives a clear-sighted picture of the food industry. A lighthearted and heartfelt must-read for anyone thinking about working with food. Order on Amazon. via bit.ly/sharwinbook

What Kids Should Know About Filipino Food

By Felice Prudente Sta. Maria Adarna House, 2017 This whimsical, illustrated book takes kids (and adults) through the intricacies of the Filipino kitchen and makes the trip most enjoyable. Learn about ingredients from land, air and sea; tools and cooking techniques; and peek into the fiesta. Food is not just something we eat, but is a unique part of our “edible identity”. Historian Felice Sta. Maria has created an appealing medium for sharing our culinary heritage to younger generations.

Available in National Bookstore and Powerbooks

web site

Dessert Comes First is back!

It was love at first sight from the moment Lori Baltazar launched her blog, Dessert Comes First.

The year was 2005, and nobody took blogging seriously. There were very few Filipino food bloggers around, but Lori was different. She had a journalist’s love for wordcraft, a finely-honed palate, and most of all, a passion—a zeal—for food, especially dessert. It runs through my mind, she’d say. Other people were sweet tooths; Lori had sweet teeth. Dessert Comes First took us on a journey to discover food, vicariously through Lori’s experiences. When she went on hiatus in 2015, for health reasons, the food world was a less vibrant place. So we are very happy to herald the return of Dessert Comes First. It has evolved, just as Lori has evolved, but in every way that matters, it is still full of the passionate, vibrant food writing we love.

Welcome back, DCF. We’ve missed you. www.dessertcomesfirst.com

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The Backyard Farm: Growing Your Own Food

By Paula Zayco Aberasturi Take Five Books, 2017 So you want to grow your own food in your own backyard? The idea may glow with charming domesticity, but the reality involves months of dirt, drudgery and grit. But don’t despair!

The end result is worth all the work, with this book as your handy companion. Written for local gardeners, it shows you how to start your own backyard farm in the tropics, following biodynamic, permaculture and organic agriculture principles.

Available at Powerbooks

TASTINGS | finds

EAT AMICI’S NEWEST HITS

CIBO DOES STREET FOOD, ITALIAN STYLE To celebrate the 20th anniversary of everyone’s favorite Italian eatery, Cibo recently launched its Cibo di Strada menu, Margarita Forés’ take on Italy’s beloved street food fare. Choose from arancini or deep-fried risotto balls; arrosticini or skewered beef tenderloin cubes; fritto misto or deep-fried, lightly battered seafood and veggies; Roman-style porchetta sandwich with apple and pear mostarda and arugula; pizza fritta or Neapolitan deep-fried pizza pockets with your choice of stuffing. The Cibo di Strada menu is available exclusively at Cibo’s SM Aura Premier branch, while the pizza fritta is available at all Cibo branches.

Visit www.cibo.ph for a list of branches

Pepita’s Kitchen to go Famous for her stuffed lechon and private degustation dinners, “Lechon Diva” Dedet de la Fuente of Pepita’s Kitchen now offers an extensive to-go Filipino menu, bold in flavor, generous in portions, and never shy about the fat. Traditional dishes include oxtail kare-kare, menudo, paksiw na lechon and paksiw na pata, plus innovations like her popular Hiplog or prawns in salted egg sauce, and Traffic Shelter Crab (her witty take on Hong Kong’s typhoon shelter crab). Her new line of chicken rellenos boast out-ofthis-world stuffings like Portobello mushrooms and bread and butter foie gras. Of course, her lechon continues to be a showstopper, especially her newest one stuffed with beef tendon and bone marrow.

Call (0917) 8660662, email pepitaskitchen@gmail. com or visit FB: Lechon Degustacion at Pepita’s Kitchen

FLAVORS OF SPAIN AT NEW WORLD MANILA BAY Spanish cuisine is so much more than the usual paella and tapas. New World Manila Bay offers a bountiful assortment ranging from stews to rustic roasts at Flavors of Spain, a month-long Spanish food festival happening this August. Heirloom dishes on offer include cordero de asado, caldereta de cornero and cochinillo. Pair with a selection of wines, specialty cheeses, jamón and deli meats from Terry Selection—you can even buy the deli items to take home. A buffet of Spanish desserts include strawberry-studded brazo y gitano, cream-filled ensaymada and tortada de almendras con naranja (almond and orange tart).

Until August 31 at Market Café, AG New World Manila Bay, Pedro Gil corner M. H. Del Pilar, Manila, newworldhotels. com

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Fresh from a two-year apprenticeship in restaurants all over the world, Chef Paolo Moran infused new life into Amici, his family restaurant chain, via new dishes inspired by his stints at traditional restos like Maga Magò in Florence and Montalcino in Sienna. Try the bacon and cheese gnocchi bathed in an unctuous Asiago and Parmesan cheese sauce; pasta Nero inspired by Sicilian squid ink pasta and topped with crispy calamari, the Italian burger with patties mixed with spicy Italian sausage. “Just like the Italians, who are very family oriented, we Filipinos love to share food with loved ones. So that’s why our dishes are #BestWhenShared,” says Chef Paolo. Available in Amici branches in Greenhills, Ayala Triangle and Alabang

JIPAN opens at UP Town Center Good news for northerners: you can now grab buttery Monroe bread, sweet potato cakes, katsu curry and dynamite rolls from UP Town Center where JiPan opened its sixth branch. The homegrown, local brand has been serving fresh breads and savory hot meals since 1992.

A new menu, available from Mondays to Thursdays, is perfect for the lunch rush. As a way of greeting its new neighbors, JiPan UP Town Center offers 10% discount to students, teachers and staff of the schools in the area until September 12. Just present a valid ID. UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City, jipan.com.ph

PIPINO ADDS SUPERB FILIPINO VEGAN DISHES TO ITS MENU Pipino opened in 2010 as the first creative Pinoy stand-alone restaurant that’s 100% vegan. Last July, a new menu added superb dishes to the standards. Standout dishes include veggie kare-kare with black bean bagoong, sizzling laing, pochero, sinigang and tofu sisig. New desserts are on the menu too: halo-halo, leche flan, saba and camote chips, plus a selection of vegan, handmade and dairy-free ice cream, cookies and cupcakes.

39 Malingap Street, Teachers Village, Quezon City, IG: @pipinoveg

SHOP

CARRASCO JAMÓN IBÉRICO BELLOTA There is jamón ibérico, and then there is Carrasco.

Since 1895, the Carrasco family of Guijuelo has raised its acorn-fed black pigs the artisanal way in Extremadura, Spain, curing the legs for up to three years. Don Francisco Carrasco was in Manila recently to share his passion for jamón at Txanton.

Considered the “haute couture” of hams, Carrasco jamón provides a range of flavors and textures, from subtly sweet to salty.

Available exclusively at Txanton, 2nd Floor Algeria Alta, 2294 Chino Roces Avenue Extension, Makati City, (02) 877-6928, txanton. com.ph

PERFECT DIPS WITH LADY’S CHOICE REAL MAYONNAISE Dips and dressings can liven up any dish, from simply boiled vegetables to spicy grilled meats. They enhance flavor and add variety to the same old dishes. The perfect base for these dips is Lady’s Choice Real Mayonnaise which is endlessly versatile.

Create a miso ginger dip for tempura or karaage, a Greek-style tzatziki dip with grilled chicken, or even a peanut butter and chocolate dip with fruits.

For more recipe ideas, visit unileverfoodsolutions.com.ph

TEFAL TITANIUM COOKWARE To get a good dish, make sure to use quality ingredients and the right cookware, advises Portia Baluyut of Rustic Mornings at Isabelo.

Tefal’s newest Titanium collection—which comes in Character, Pleasure and Expertise lines—is made of high quality aluminum reinforced with titanium for durability and strength, with non-stick and antiabrasive coating. It performs well for any cooking style, under extreme heat, and on induction cooktops.

Available at Rustan’s. For more information, follow @TefalPH on IG and FB

CARTE D’OR GELATO Made with real Australian cream, this gelato has a pure, clean taste and rich texture that makes it a winner, even among the many frozen desserts crowding Manila’s food scene. Choose from four flavors—Salted Caramel swirled with butter and caramelized sugar; Double Dark Chocolate with Belgian chocolate chunks; Pistachio full of roasted, ground nuts; and Chocolate Hazelnut combining nuts with wafer crisps and a rich chocolatey base.

Available in select supermarkets and convenience stores. Follow IG: @cartedorph

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TASTINGS | travel

A

POBLACION Night Crawl

Screen heartthrob Piolo Pascual and actor/host Robi Domingo wander through the narrow streets of Makati’s hippest district in search of local craft beer, great-tasting pulutan and fun encounters

BUCKY’S Soft serve makes for a chilly break from all-night drinking, especially when paired with Bucky’s original not-abrownie. 5666 Don Pedro Street

ALAMAT While most might know Alamat for its craft beer selection and reasonably-priced yet “elevated” pulutan, their Pinoy-version of cocktails make this pub stand out.

5666 Don Pedro Street

TAMBAI This former neighborhood sari-sari store’s name is a play on “tambay” and its Japanese food inspired dishes. It serves up an assortment of flavorful yakitori sticks from the familiar to the unusual. 5779 Felipe Street

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OTO This is the place to chill on any given night of the week, rain or shine.

Craft beers and cocktails, handcrafted coffee and hefty comfort food fill you up, while you listen to your favorite tunes. 5880 Enriquez Street

THE CRAWL ON LIFESTYLE TV This food and travel special is back on air with three new destinations that showcase delicious local cuisines through the eyes and appetites of its food-loving celebrity hosts.

The Crawl Poblacion finds hosts Piolo Pascual and Robi Domingo, guided by Joe’s Brew’s Marco Viray, eating and drinking their way through the best nightspots that this Makati district has to offer. Airs August 16

Z HOSTEL Piolo, Robi and Joe’s Brew’s Marco Viray so enjoyed the vibe at this hostel’s jam-packed rooftop bar that Piolo even gamely jammed with the resident band. 5660 Don Pedro Street HOLY SMOKES Piolo and Robi lined their stomachs with hefty servings of this barbecue joint’s bestselling beef brisket before setting off on their Poblacion crawl. 5834 Matilde corner Jacobo Street

HOUSE OF JOE You might come here for the booze, but eventually you’ll stay just because they’re all so friendly and the beer is that good.

Ask for Poblacion brew, which they never bottle and is only available on the premises. They’ll even let you order from the restaurant next door and send someone to pick up your food for you. 5834 Matilde Street

PURA VIDA At this relaxed lounge, Costa Rican and other Latin American dishes jibe with the reggae music playing all night long. Don Pedro Street

The Crawl Hong Kong takes Atom Araullo to this cosmopolitan Chinese city brimming with such delicacies as dim sum, roast goose, beef brisket noodles, claypot rice and more.

Airs in September The Crawl Taiwan flies Matteo Guidicelli and crawl buddy Ivan Carapiet to this island republic’s capital famous for its bustling street food scene and local specialties like gua bao and milk tea. Airs in October Find Lifestyle TV on channel 52 on SkyCable.

Visit lifestyletv.com or Facebook: lifestyletvph for The Crawl schedule

HANDLEBAR Piolo hangs out with the biker regulars at this landmark sports bar, over bottles of beer and billiards. 31 Polaris Street, Bel-Air

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sweet stuff

By Joey E. Prats

A “BETTER” PANDESAL The Philippines’ most iconic bread gets a delightful and nutritious makeover Photography by PAUL DEL ROSARIO Styling by PIXIE RODRIGO SEVILLA

ith more and more experts giving us the lowdown on the health benefits of whole grain (versus white bread), I decided to tweak my classic pandesal formula to make it both “health worthy” and drop-dead delicious. Adding rolled oats and whole wheat flour improves the bread’s flavor and texture, and lowers its glycemic index—a bonus if you’re watching your blood sugar levels. Honey replaces part of the sugar, and cholesterol-free vegetable oil is substituted for half the butter. And, instead of using commercial brown sugar, which may contain sulfur dioxide, I make my own brown sugar (recipe below) using unsulfured molasses.

Now you have a guilt-free and delicious pandesal that gives you the best of both worlds!

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Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pandesal Makes 48 pieces

1 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 3/4 cup dark brown sugar (recipe below) 2 1/2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon fine sea salt

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2 cups warm water 5 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour 1/4 cup nonfat milk powder 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon instant yeast 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to very soft 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 medium whole eggs fine breadcrumbs, as needed 1. Combine rolled oats, brown sugar, honey, salt and warm water in a bowl. Mix well and allow to stand for 30 minutes.

2. Combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, milk powder and instant yeast in a mixer bowl. Add butter, vegetable oil, whole eggs and rolled oats mixture.

Using the dough hook (or spiral kneader) attachment, knead dough on low speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down bowl, preferably with a plastic scraper rather than a rubber spatula. Switch to medium speed and continue kneading dough for 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

3. Using an oiled plastic scraper, transfer dough to a large, well-oiled bowl.

Flip dough over once, so that it is well coated in oil.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours. This step is called fermentation.

4. Lightly grease one 18 x

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13 x 1-inch (half-size) sheet pan. Turn dough out onto an oiled surface. Using oiled hands, press dough gently to deflate. Shape into a cylinder, then divide into 48 portions weighing 37 grams each. Shape each piece by rotating your hand over it while gently pressing to form into a sphere.

5. Coat spheres with bread crumbs, then arrange on the prepared sheet pan, 8 rows x 6 rows. Drape with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes. This step is called proofing.

6. Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake pandesal for 15 minutes, or until well risen and deep golden brown.

CHEF’S NOTE: Due to the inconsistencies of brown sugar in the market, I prefer to make my own dark brown sugar. Nothing beats its superior flavor and aroma. To make, combine in a mixer bowl 4 1/2 cups white granulated sugar and 5 tablespoons unsulfured molasses. Using the paddle attachment, beat mixture on low speed until well mixed.

Chef Joey prefers to serve his pandesal nice and hot, straight out of the oven. To learn more of Chef Joey’s pastry secrets, visit Joey Prats School of Baking and Pastry Arts on Facebook for his schedule of lifestyle cooking and baking classes and his three-month Fundamentals of Baking and Pastry Arts course.

Homegrown

By Tatung Sarthou

BOUNTIFUL BURIDIBUD Fresh and simple, this Ilocano vegetable stew makes the best of each harvest Photography by PAUL DEL ROSARIO Styling by PIXIE RODRIGO SEVILLA

hough buridibud is a little less popular than inabraw or dinengdeng, it is quite similar.

Its simple manner of cooking is a hallmark of Ilocano daily fare where local vegetables such as eggplant, okra, string beans, bitter gourd (ampalaya), moringa (malunggay) leaves and fruit, jute leaves, alocon and squash blossoms find their way into a pot of boiling water, then simply flavored with bagoong isda, a rich fermented fish sauce that is a staple Ilocano condiment.

Often, a bit of freshly caught fish is added to the dish, but not before it is grilled or fried. I reckon that in the olden days the fish was always grilled to make use of embers spilling out of the dalikan (wood-fired stove). The grilled or fried fish adds not just flavor, but protein to the simple dish, and like the vegetables, there are no rules on which fish makes the best buridibud, as each cook swears by their own personal preference.

What makes buridibud strikingly different from dinengdeng and inabraw is its sweet, soupy broth made from camote or kalabasa that is boiled long enough to break into a slurry.

Paolo Rimando of Cusina, an Ilocano restaurant in San Fernando, La Union, often had buridibud growing up, especially during the amihan which brought the rains. He’d enjoy it from morning until night as it was hearty and heartwarming. He explains that it’s difficult to tire from the dish as its flavors vary depending on the fish and vegetables added to the pot. Each mealtime required a fresh batch, with no stew tasting exactly the same as the one before it.

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The term buridibud is said to come from the word burbur, meaning mashed or broken down, or “nadurog” Rimando explains, describing how the starchy vegetables turn out after its cooking. A soupier version lends itself perfectly to steamed rice, and a chunkier version could surely serve as a meal of its own.

Such simplicity is a true celebration of the Ilocos region’s geography— vegetables from its central plains to the Cordillera mountains; seafood from the South China Sea and Lingayen Gulf; river fish from Agno River; not to mention the best salt and salted products made in the province—all come together in the best vegetable stews in the country.

1 cup malunggay pods, peeled and cut into pieces 1 cup local vegetables, preferably firm like eggplant, ampalaya, sitaw, cut into pieces 1/2 cup flat peas bunch of malunggay leaves, trimmed 1/2 cup alocon flowers 3 tablespoons bagoong isda, or to taste

Buridibud

1. Bring water to a simmer, throw in fish flakes, including fish head for more flavor. Add kamote, shallots and tomatoes. Allow kamote to cook halfway through.

2. Add malunggay pods and other firm vegetables and allow to cook for 3 minutes, then add leafy vegetables.

3. Season with bagoong isda. Do not substitute with patis.

3 cups water 1 grilled or fried fish, flaked, fish head included 2 lasuna (native shallots), chopped 2 tomatoes, diced 1 cup diced kamote

Chef Tatung champions Philippine regional cooking through his award-winning cookbooks and TV guestings. He cooks every Monday on Umagang Kay Ganda on Channel 2, and regularly appears on Trending with Kelly on ANC. Get to taste his dishes at his restaurant Agos in Mall of Asia.

Serves 4

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Back to Basics

By Jill F. Sandique

THE BOUNTY OF BEANS The secret to cooking dried beans—go slow and easy Photography by PAULO VALENZUELA

re you tired of the same old pork and beans straight out of a can? Don’t worry.

With just a little planning, you can make your own bean stew from scratch, using all kinds of beans and flavorings, for a nutrientpacked one-pot meal. Just remember that cooking dried beans requires a bit of patience. It takes a long time because the beans need to be soaked for at least two hours or at best, overnight for eight to 12 hours. Then, the beans are drained and cooked in unsalted water or stock for at least one to two hours until fully cooked. It’s a long process, but it is definitely worth the wait because beans are packed with protein and fiber. Spread your wings and create your own bean dishes, starting with this delicious Tex-Mex-inspired bean recipe.

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Barbecued Beans with Corn and Sausage Serves 6

1/4 cup olive oil 1 cup chopped onion 2 teaspoons minced garlic 8 chicken breasts, skinless, cut into cubes 1/4 kilo low fat smoked sausage, sliced 2 cups store-bought barbecue sauce 2 cups precooked Great

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Northern or navy beans 1 cup precooked baby lima beans 2 cups precooked black beans 1 1/2 to 2 cups whole kernel corn, preferably fresh 3 to 4 cups water, or as needed salt and black pepper, to taste baked corn tortilla chips, as needed 1. Heat olive oil in a pot. Add the onion and cook over medium-

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high heat. Sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Add the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes or until slightly golden. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, except the tortilla chips. Mix well, then bring mixture to a boil.

3. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the sauce is reduced by half. Check the consistency of the beans. They must be soft and creamy. Season with

salt and pepper.

4. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl or bean pot (like the one in this photo). Serve with tortilla chips.

This easy bean recipe is quite versatile, according to Chef Jill. It can be served as a dip, side dish, topping or filling for sandwich wraps. Chef Jill is a culinary consultant, a lead trainor for the United States Department of Agriculture, and the owner of Delize Cakes and Pastries.

the best new eats in town

GOING JAPANESE KYO-TO Among the multitude of Japanese restaurants in the metro, Kyo-to stands apart. At its core is Chef Ryohei Kawamoto who trained in the art of kaiseki for many years, honing its centuries-old techniques in order to develop a sensitivity to seasonality and equilibrium one exquisitely prepared dish at a time. Those uneducated in the ways of kaiseki (this author included) can still appreciate the meal for

what it is—beautiful to look at, with delicately balanced flavors and textures, using quality ingredients as fresh as can be—enjoyed in an oasis of serenity in busy Makati.

At our dinner, Chef Ryohei started off with a trio of Hokkaido crab, vinegar jelly, ikura (fish roe) and uni (sea urchin), a play of sweet crabmeat and sour vinegar punctuated by bold umami flavor. From cold to hot, came a bowl of somen noodles and grilled saba (mackerel) in

a clear broth rich us to a generous G/F and satisfying. scoop of vanilla 119 C. PALANCA We went back ice cream topped JR. STREET, to cold with a LEGASPI VILLAGE, with a kinako and MAKATI CITY, sashimi platter mochi crumble.

(02) 805-7743, of tuna belly Unlike most any (0917) 596-9697 (otoro), scallop other Japanese (hotate), abalone restaurant in the (awabi) and yellowtail city, Kyo-to invites (hamachi). Despite its diners to delve into simple, stark presentation, the soul of Japanese the next course, teriyaki traditional culture, its gindara was anything aesthetics and philosophy, but ordinary, served through a multi-sensory with gohan or steamed experience that is both Japanese rice, just as enlightening and deeply much a star as the fish. To enjoyable. end, Chef Ryohei treated — Anne Marie Ozaeta

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DINING OUT

GOING JAPANESE

IKOMAI Walk into Ikomai and you’ll instantly want to hang out.

Sit at the long bar/counter that extends almost the length of the space and chat it up with the kitchen staff, or if the weather is nice, settle in the inviting CASUAL JAPANESE (Clockwise from top) Famous Tochi cookies; terrace outside. The vibe is Kakuni Don or braised pork rice bowl; Tebasaki or Nagoya-style informal and relaxed with chicken wings; Kushikatsu, traditional street food in Nagoya an Instagram-friendly look that thankfully won’t scare away the “non-millennials.”

Ikomai has been a favorite of Salcedo Market denizens for its Nagoya-style street food and legendary Tochi cookies. Now at the restaurant, the Salcedo favorites are still ACI on the menu— BUILDING, tebasaki or 147 H.V. DE LA COSTA STREET, Nagoya style to Ikomai’s own Lunch sets include a choice SALCEDO chicken wings version of poke, of rice bowl (karaage, VILLAGE, MAKATI with sweet or tuna or salmon, sashimi, etc.) with miso CITY, (02) 8164588, (0999) spicy glaze, and with avocado, soup, green bean salad 887-0297 kushikatsu or wonton strips and and a Tochi dessert. A deep fried skewers sriracha mayo.

Japanese-style afternoon of karaage, pork, The Ikomai motto tea is in the works. At shrimp, eggplant, okra and is “we are home,” and night, the extensive drinks more. But the menu now understandably, you can menu—sake, whisky, wine, offers raw seafood as well, enjoy a meal there anytime cocktails—is a real draw. from traditional sashimi you want, like at home.

And let’s not forget the

beautiful desserts by coowner and pastry chef James Antolin, like his matcha tiramisu shaped in a roll, or his Bavarian lychee with layers of chocolate and guava. Before leaving, make sure to pick up a cylinder of Tochi cookies, simply the best in town.

— A.M.O.

SINGLE-FOCUS SPECIALS TRUFA PASTA BAR This charming little pasta bar epitomizes the contemporary dining scene where borders are blurred, yet menus (and dishes) are carefully rendered by passionate culinary artistes.

Her travels in Barcelona inspired Patricia Espino to open a little restaurant with Spanish chef Gerard Lorente.

Espino hies from Bacolod, Lorente is from Barcelona, and the restaurant they opened is dedicated to artisanal pasta. It shouldn’t make sense, and yet it all works out beautifully, as you’ll know in every mouthful of the pasta they serve.

Trufa Pasta Bar offers eleven different pasta types (as of this moment), all fresh and handmade. You choose

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109 ESTEBAN STREET, LEGASPI VILLAGE, MAKATI CITY CLASSIC COMBINATIONS Freshly-made artisanal pastas (top right) you can enjoy with a selection of wines or a sangria (top left)

from 12 different sauces, then mix and match with 14 different toppings. You can come back every day for a month and not have the same kind of pasta twice.

Hence the name Trufa, which Espino explains is taken

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from their signature dish, truffle pasta. “When you slice open a black truffle, each cut yields a different experience,” she explains.

And that’s the experience you get at Trufa.

Rounding off the menu

are tapas, salads and desserts. With its rustic wooden tables, chalkboard menu and slate serving boards, it’s just the spot for a quick lunch, or a classy, cozy weeknight dinner.

— Troy Barrios

OTO Its name means “sound” in Japanese.

When OTO opened last February, it was just a music lounge where you could get specialty coffee and craft cocktails while listening to your favorite tunes. In short, a chill and very hip watering hole.

It took a few months for a food 5880 menu to be ready; now that ENRIQUEZ it’s out, it feels like the OTO STREET, POBLACION, experience is complete.

MAKATI Like the coffee and the CITY cocktails, the dishes feel almost “artisanal.” They’re hefty comfort food that’s beautifully-executed.

For example, homemade corned beef is sandwiched in Liege waffles, with fried egg and maple butter. There’s a satisfying Wagyu rice bowl with chorizo and garlic rice. There are meat platters of sausage, thick-cut bacon or homemade corned beef. And our special favorite, the Buta Kakuni with Japanese rice and a kakuni glaze. The meals will fill you up but the real artistry is in the cocktails. We love the Kingston Negroni, a Caribbean version of the classic; or the Enriquez, a tablea-infused spiced rum with orange bitters. They also have wine, single malts and craft beer. OTO is “bites, brews, booze and beats.” Sounds like a winning combination.

— T.B.

DROP BY, HAVE A DRINK (From top) The chill-est lounge in town; a sampler of, delicious onebowl meals; hand-pulled coffee; craft cocktails, like this whisky sour and dirty martini

LÁGRIMA Everything in Lágrima is spare, except for the flavors. Almost a hole-in-thewall with its dark interiors, blackboard menu and rough stools, the tiny space never seems big enough to accommodate all the hungry BSA hopefuls who want to chow MANSION, 108 BENAVIDEZ on the Oaxacan-style tacos STREET, made by partners Mano Lotho LEGASPI and Jorge Barita. “This is VILLAGE, MAKATI not Tex Mex tacos,” a server AUTHENTIC MEXICAN (From top left) The thin and crunchy Elvis, the only dessert on the menu; CITY emphasized. Instead, they are Horchata, a traditional Mexican drink; a trio of tacos, for people who can’t make up their minds serving tacos the way you’d get it in Mexico City where it’s authentic that will remind you of sisig. The working man’s food bought off the homemade sauce made with roasted streets. chilies is exceptional. They also have We suggest you arrive early quesadillas, nachos and burritos. before the dinner crowd comes.

There’s only one dessert option Ask a server to walk you through and that’s the Elvis, a quesadilla fried the menu posted on the blackboard with peanut butter and banana. Very wall. You get to build your own nice! And don’t miss the horchata, a tacos, choosing the size (by the Mexican drink made of powdered rice, way, the tacos are made from flour, sweet and slightly nutty. For a little not corn), and the meat. We chose extra, they’ll liven it up with a dash Carnitas, a crisp and tender pork of rum. Enjoy the vibe of the place, finished on a flat grill; Chorizo, and don’t forget to ask them why the housemade grilled pork and beef resto is call Lágrima. That’s Spanish sausage; and Buche, an offal mix for “tears.”

— T. B.

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new menu OLD MANILA Old Manila, The Peninsula Manila’s THE signature PENINSULA MANILA, restaurant, has AYALA CORNER always been the MAKATI AVENUE, last word in luxury MAKATI dining in this city.

CITY Cosmopolitan and refined, it’s an icon of Filipino fine cuisine—a rather daunting legacy that’s now on the shoulders of Allan Briones, the first Filipino chef to take over this storied restaurant.

Briones, who worked under legendary chef Marco Pierre White in London (he who mentored Gordon ingredients, and he presents Ramsay and Mario Batali), his creations in fresh new rose from within the ranks, ways. It’s exciting! impressing his superiors The new menu is not with his talent. His newlylengthy, but a glance is released “sophisticated enough to show we’re market menu” is something looking at a definitive new of a revolution. For one, chapter in Old Manila’s he relies heavily on local history.

FINE DINING MADE FUN AND FAB (From top left) Chef Allan Briones; Sweet corn velouté; Frozen key lime pie; Foie gras torchon

Very contemporary standouts include the duck and tamarind essence, its broth brewed in a coffee percolator then poured

over tortellini, duck confit, mushrooms and chili; a theatrically-plated roasted bone marrow and steak tartare with shimeji mushroom and salted egg espuma—all its elements to be mixed and eaten with pan-grilled bread; charred octopus, tender and with a mildly smoky flavor, to be enjoyed with cauliflower purée and leeks. Everything was exceptional. We highly recommend the signature craft cocktails that will be sure to impress.

— T. B.

CHEFS DRIVEN CASUAL SOUV! It’s been some time since Chef Robby Goco has come up with something new. After Cyma, the country’s most popular Greek restaurant, and Green Pastures, his trendsetting farm-to-table, Chef Robby has finally debuted Souv!, what he calls “fun, modern, progressive” Greek. Peruse the menu and you’ll be amazed at the choices, starting with 12 of Cyma’s bestsellers, including the Roka Salata of course.

But the rest of the menu items are less traditional, inspired by his recent trip to Greece. While he still cooks with the traditional pillars of Mediterranean cooking—salt, pepper, olive oil, oregano and lemon— he now adds avocado to his Greek Summar Salad, reimagines the Roka Salata as a Salata Kinoa with quinoa, and creates cool Greek Nachos by layering tzatziki, melizanosalata,

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G/F NET PARK BUILDING, 5TH AVENUE, BONIFACIO GLOBAL CITY, (0949) 481-9621

MODERN GREEK DISHES (Clockwise from top) Tuna Roe Pasta with chickpeas, tomatoes and breadcrumbs: Sticky Chicken Wings with honey, lemon, oregano, pickled onions and harissa yogurt; Beef Kalamaki with parsley salad

hummus. He braises and grills Angus Beef Short Ribs and serves it with gremolata, and tops a whole grilled fish (seabass or lapu-lapu) with clams and an out-of-this-world lemon sauce emulsified with extra virgin olive oil and clam juice.

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Souv! strives to be a place where you can dine every day, with customizable lunch sets and dinner platters that can be vegan, paleo or gluten-free friendly. Even better, the wine list is a real steal, with pretty good Greek wine for as little as P500 a bottle! In

the evening, try any of the Greek-style cocktails, like the Vineyard Lemonade, to de-stress after a hard day’s work. No need to wait for a special occasion, Souv! is that casual, homey restaurant that you can come back to day in and day out.

— A.M.O.

NONO’S At Nono’s, dining is a celebration of your tastebuds with Chef Baba Ibazeta cooking up a storm. The beloved patissier and restaurateur created a menu of knockout dishes like Truffle Cheese Wonton, Pork Belly Balsamic Adobo, Mac n’ Cheese and Nono’s Homestyle Fried Chicken, each a unique twist on wellG/F UP TOWN loved family classics. “I feel like eating is CENTER, a celebration—someone’s birthday, an DILIMAN, QUEZON anniversary,” says Chef Baba, so that in CITY conceptualizing her menu she focused on the “things that made me happy.” Well, they make us happy, too!

Chef Baba had an interest in culinary arts from a very tender age and went to the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Her culinary prowess was honed after many years’ focusing on her pastries under Classic Confections.

Which is why you should never miss dessert at Nono’s—her Chocolate Oblivion remains to die for.

Her new restaurant is a chic, tasteful space that reminds of Palm Springs with its soft muted colors and homey ambiance. There is nothing pretentious here, just like in the cooking which is the embodiment of nostalgia. They say the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so please head over to Nono’s and experience Chef Baba’s cooking yourself.

— Hannah Lopez

CHEF AT PLAY (From top left) Black Ink Pasta, Pigpen-style; Tomato and Salted Egg Salad; Sisig Papadum Nachos; Chef Carlos testing new dishes in the kitchen; Grilled tamarind chicken

THE PIGPEN COMFORT COOKING (Clockwise from top) Roasted beef belly with balsamic glaze; Parmesan crusted fish with tomato basil spaghetti; French onion soup; Classic Bolognese; Oriental shrimp salad

Just flipping through the slim menu at The Pigpen is sheer pleasure, anticipating the delectable meal that awaits.

The new restaurant of Chefs Trisha Macdonald and Carlos Garcia Rodriguez is a cozier, friendlier version of their first restaurant, The Black Pig. “Think of it as the younger sister,” says Chef Carlos. While The Black ETON TOWER, Pig is serious destination dining, The Pigpen is RUFINO relaxed, fun and friendly. Here is where you can STREET, LEGASPI get exciting new takes on such familiar dishes VILLAGE, as roast chicken and nachos.

MAKATI CITY The restaurant reflects Chef Carlos’ evolution after four years in Manila, being exposed to Asian ingredients like calamansi, patis, tamarind and kimchi.

“The menu is Asian European,” he says. His creations are flawless, but we especially adore the Sisig Papadum Nachos, with fatty, melt-in-your-mouth sisig complemented

by Indian tortillas; the Thai-inspired Grilled Tamarind Chicken, marinated in lemongrass, coriander and black peppercorn with a tamarind-chive sauce; Pork Belly Kimchi, delightfully plated with potato spirals and served with a smoked egg sauce.

The Pigpen is our new favorite spot for brunch, a working lunch (service is really fast to accommodate one-hour lunch breaks), or a relaxed dinner with friends. A huge draw are the craft cocktails created by Jericson Co of The Curator, designed to match up with the menu items. With elegant industrial interiors designed by Hisako Hirayama of Design HQ, it’s the new place to be in. Drop by on a weekend when the office crowd is out. You’ll find delicious food that’s never predictable, always beautifully executed. — T. B.

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Long Live

Noodles!

Eating noodles for long life has never been this easy—and healthy

By CEIA YLAGAN Recipes and styling by KATHERINE JAO Photography by RICKY LADIA

ike most women my age, I’ve struggled with my weight and been on one too many diets. I thought I’d always have a love-hate relationship with food and the weighing scale. However, as I got older, I realized that the best approach to maintaining overall good health is to always pick quality over quantity, and to enjoy good food in moderation rather than completely depriving yourself. Chances are, deprivation will only lead you to overeat on unhealthy, processed food—and a load of guilt when you step on the scale.

What I’ve learned is that eating and dining shouldn’t be a restrictive activity. No matter what our health dictates, it’s important to find joy and pleasure in eating.

As we have become more diet-conscious, food trends promising healthier alternatives have mushroomed in the last few decades. A simple Google search yields thousands of websites and articles warning us of the dangers of high sugar and carbohydrate consumption, urging us to skip the carbs and go “gluten-free.”

Surely you’ve had second thoughts about eating that hearty plate of pasta or bowl of rice because you’re “trying to be healthy.” You’d be surprised to know that noodles don’t have to be bad for you, particularly when prepared with fresh and nutritious ingredients. Sapporo Long Kow Vermicelli or sotanghon are noodles that you may have overlooked as a healthy, gluten-free alternative. These crystal clear, glassy noodles, made mainly of potato starch and mung bean starch, are a versatile option to have as a kitchen staple. Easy and simple to prepare, vermicelli absorb flavor well and doesn’t get soggy, yielding delicious and flavorful dishes that you and your family can share, without worrying about your health.

Cheers to long life—and a plateful of mouthwatering noodles!

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Pares Hot Pot with Sotanghon

Simple to make and packed with flavor, chicken vermicelli (sotanghon) soup is comfort food that may remind you of mom’s or lola’s cooking. But why not transform this familiar noodle soup into a hearty yet still healthy hot pot? It’s a great way to bring everyone together around the table to cook and share a meal. This communal dish can be easily adjusted to suit one’s taste with a variety of toppings and seasonings.

The secret, of course, is in the flavorful broth. Sear the beef bones to create a crust on the meat, producing an intense and complex flavor that adds richness and depth to the broth.

Then elevate the hot pot’s full-bodied flavor with Chinesestyle saté BBQ sauce or sha cha sauce. It’s a thick paste with a salty-sweet-spicy taste made of soybean oil, garlic, chilies, dried shrimp and fish, typically used in Chinese dishes, and found in most Chinese groceries. If sha cha sauce is not available, you may substitute with a Southeast Asian satay sauce instead, with a touch of chili garlic oil to round out the flavors.

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Shake Shake Scallop Vermicelli Salad

One way to ensure that you are eating healthy is to bring your own lunch meals from home. Making your own healthy baon gives you control over what you eat, as well as room to be creative with the kind of lunches you can make. This Shake Shake Scallop Vermicelli Salad is a great example of an easy, simple and healthy dish that you can make in just a few minutes or even ahead of time. Chop and prep all the ingredients in one go, and assemble the night before. Choose seasonal vegetables for optimum variety, crispness and freshness. Add a lean protein like grilled scallop or chicken breast, and a healthy carb source such as sotanghon. Whip up a big batch of the Asian dressing to last you a few days or so, and keep in a tightly sealed jar to retain freshness. Can’t find tahini? Use or make your own white sesame paste or almond butter, or substitute it with unsweetened peanut butter.

Rose Falooda

Who knew that vermicelli can be used in dessert? Our South Asian neighbors, that’s who. A sweet, cold dessert popular in India, falooda is traditionally made with milk, jelly, vermicelli and basil seeds, sweetened with rose syrup, and topped with ice cream and pistachios. You can make a healthier version by replacing the basil seeds with fiberrich chia seeds. Get even more creative by substituting rose syrup with strawberry syrup or mango purée (plus mango chunks!) for a more local flavor. You can top with cashew nuts instead of pistachios. If you’re avoiding dairy, use almond milk or coconut milk and omit the ice cream. Just note that almond milk makes the texture lighter. Surprisingly refreshing, this dessert is a wonderful complement to a savory, even spicy main dish. Truly a satisfying and sweet ending!

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Pares Hot Pot with Sotanghon Serves 4 to 6

3 cups cooked Sapporo Long Kow Vermicelli (sotanghon) 1/2 kilo beef short plate, sukiyaki cut slices 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 kilo beef bones, chopped 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon ginger strips 1 onion, chopped 2 pieces star anise 2 tablespoons oyster sauce 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon saté BBQ sauce or sha cha sauce 12 cups beef broth or water, or more if needed salt and pepper, to taste 1 1/2 cups fresh portobello mushrooms, blanched 1 cup tenga ng daga, boiled and julienned 1/4 kilo baby bok choy, blanched 1 carrot, julienned 1/2 cup leeks, julienned sliced spring onion, for garnish soft-boiled egg, for garnish, optional toasted garlic, for garnish chili oil, for topping 1. In a skillet, sear beef short plate in vegetable oil. Set aside.

2. In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, sear beef bones until brown.

Add garlic, ginger and onion. Sauté until fragrant.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients except the short plate, Sapporo Long Kow Vermicelli (sotanghon) and garnishes. Boil for 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Serve broth with Sapporo Long Kow Vermicelli (sotanghon), seared beef, vegetables and egg (if serving). Top with toasted garlic and chili oil.

Shake Shake Scallop Vermicelli Salad Serves 4

SA L A D:

2 cups cooked Sapporo Long Kow Vermicelli (sotanghon) 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 12 scallops 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage 1/2 cup shredded carrots 1/2 cup sliced cucumber 1/2 cup cilantro or mint leaves 4 cups shredded mesclun, optional 2 oranges, cut into segments, optional shingaling (deep-fried flour snack), for topping 1. For the Asian dressing, whisk together all the ingredients until well combined. Set aside.

2. In a hot skillet, heat vegetable oil then sear scallops for about 2 minutes on each side. Set aside.

3. Portion the rest of the salad ingredients among 4 large jars with lids. Top with scallops and shingaling.

4. To serve, pour some Asian dressing into the jar, secure the lid, and shake the jar to toss the dressing with the salad.

Rose Falooda Serves 2

1 cup Sapporo Long Kow Vermicelli (sotanghon) 1 tablespoon chia seeds, soaked in water, for topping 1/3 cup rose syrup, or more if needed 1 360-ml can evaporated milk, chilled 6 red gelatin cups (like Jelly Ace) ice cubes 1/2 cup sago or tapioca, cooked vanilla bean ice cream, for topping chopped pistachio nuts, for garnish 1. Soak chia seeds for 20 minutes.

Set aside.

2. Boil vermicelli for 2 to 3 minutes, then soak in cold water. Drain and set aside.

3. To assemble in individual glasses, pour rose syrup in the bottom of a glass. Layer with chilled milk. Add red gelatin cups and ice cubes, followed by chia seeds, vermicelli and sago.

4. Top with ice cream and garnish with pistachio nuts.

A SIA N DRE SSING:

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 1/3 cup premium soy sauce 2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons white sesame paste, tahini or almond butter 3 tablespoons wild honey 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

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COOK’S NOTE: Rose syrup is traditionally used as a flavoring and sweetener in many South Indian and Middle Eastern desserts. You can find rose syrup at Assad Mini Mart in Metro Manila. Visit assadminimart.com for a list of branches

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MAKE A HEALTHY SWITCH

Sotanghon or vermicelli are dried white noodles made from potato starch and mung bean starch. Sapporo Long Kow Vermicelli (sotanghon) turn clear and glassy when boiled, but retain a chewy and tender bite. Typically used in Asian soups, stir-fries and spring rolls, sotanghon is great for flavorful dishes as the noodles absorb flavor well.

To cook vermicelli, blanch the noodles in boiling water for around 5 minutes or until soft and transparent. The noodles tend to absorb a lot of liquid so make sure to use enough water. To stop the cooking, you can soak or rinse the noodles in ice water.

Uncooked vermicelli are a handy alternative to other types of noodles. They can be stored for more than one year and don’t take long to cook, making them an ideal pantry staple for any home cook or professional chef.

Sapporo Long Kow Vermicelli (sotanghon) are available at leading supermarkets and groceries nationwide. To learn more about Sapporo noodle products, visit www.sapporoproducts.com.ph and like Sapporo-Products-Inc on Facebook.

Zucchini Noodles with Shrimps

Instead of wheat pasta, create noodles out of zucchini for this veggie- and flavor-packed dish! Using a spiralizer, you can easily extract noodles out of firm or hard vegetables—zucchini, squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, beetroot, even broccoli stems. Just keep in mind that firmer veggies need to be cooked or blanched before serving, while softer veggies like cucumbers and zucchinis can be eaten raw. If you don’t have a spiralizer, your good ol’ vegetable peeler will do the job just fine.

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Gluten Go od Without Creative ways to replace bread and pasta in your everyday meals

By GINNY MATA Recipes and styling by NANCY DIZON-EDRALIN Photography by PAUL DEL ROSARIO

hat’s all this fuss about going glutenfree? Gluten, a protein found in wheat, is what provides bread, pasta and pastry dough with structure and elasticity. But for people suffering from celiac disease, a genetically based autoimmune disease, the presence of gluten in

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food triggers a reaction in the immune system that damages the lining of the small intestine. In short, if you have celiac disease, it’s imperative to eliminate gluten from your diet.

Because gluten can cause inflammation, it is said to also exacerbate ADHD, autism and other autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and lupus. For the

rest of us, going gluten-free is a good strategy to eat more healthfully because it forces us to cut down on carbs and eat more vegetables. But take note that going gluten-free isn’t for everyone. So make sure to consult the experts before removing wheat and other gluten products from your diet for an extended period of time.

In these pages, Chef

Nancy Dizon-Edralin gives us five delicious and healthy gluten-free recipes that are easy enough to make for your family’s everyday meals. Thanks to her work providing meals at several top international schools in the city, Chef Nancy regularly comes up with gluten-free dishes for students who are allergic or are sensitive to gluten.

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EVERYDAY DINNERS Hearty Rice Soup

Similar to arroz caldo, think of this dish as a template for making filling soups with any grain of your choice. Other options include adlai, quinoa, and the like. You can also completely change this soup’s flavor profile by replacing the tomatoes with beef stock, chicken stock or even cream.

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Crispy Cornflakes Chicken with Honey Mustard Sauce

Fried chicken tenders get an upgrade as Chef Nancy replaces wheat flour with delicious crispy cornflakes as a coating. You can try other cereals too, just make sure to check the labels to make sure they’re free of gluten. Because these chicken tenders are so crunchy and crisp, your kids will surely want to have this for dinner every day. Mix it up by serving these with BBQ sauce, too.

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EVERYDAY DINNERS Homemade Beef and Veggie Sliders

For your burgers, sliders and sandwiches, who needs bread when you can use grilled vegetables that have been sliced into rounds, such as eggplant and zucchini?

Aside from this recipe eliminating gluten and carbs, there’s the added benefit of increasing the nutritional value of your burgers. Feel free to experiment with other grilled vegetables for use with your sliders: tomatoes, squash, and sweet potatoes, too!

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Warm Rice Noodles with Tofu Masala

This dish is for those who love Indian and Middle Eastern flavors, but made much less calorific because it has minimal fat (no ghee). To make it even heartier, you can add your choice of protein (sliced chicken, beef or pork), and marinate in a combination of yogurt (to tenderize), garam masala, ground cumin and coriander. Feel free to add heat to this dish by throwing in some sliced chili peppers.

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EVERYDAY DINNERS Zucchini Noodles with Shrimps Serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 kilo jumbo shrimps, shelled, deveined salt and ground black pepper, to taste 1/4 cup white wine 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed 3 medium zucchini, sliced into noodles using a vegetable peeler or spiralizer 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish 1. In a sauté pan over medium heat, add olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes.

Cook for 1 minute.

2. Add shrimps to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

3. Transfer cooked shrimps to a bowl. Leave the liquid in the pan. Add white wine and lemon juice to the pan. Stir and simmer for 2 minutes.

4. Add zucchini noodles.

Cook for 1 minute.

5. Return shrimps to the pan and toss to combine.

Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with parsley.

Hearty Rice Soup Serves 6 to 8

1/4 cup cooking oil 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup diced onions 1/2 kilo beef sirloin, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 3 cups beef stock 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon dried thyme 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning salt and ground black pepper, to taste 1 carrot, diced 1 cup diced celery 5 cups whole peeled tomatoes, puréed

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3 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce (preferably Bragg Liquid Aminos soy sauce) 1 cup green beans, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 cup sweet corn, drained fresh thyme, for garnish 1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add oil, garlic and onions. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add beef and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add beef stock and cook until beef is forktender.

2. Wash rice using a strainer and drain. Add rice to the beef.

3. Add oregano, thyme and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Let cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add carrot, celery, tomato purée and soy sauce. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Adjust seasoning.

4. Add green beans and corn. Cook until rice and vegetables are tender.

Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh thyme. Serve hot.

Crispy Cornflakes Chicken with Honey Mustard Sauce Serves 4

4 chicken breasts, sliced into strips salt and ground black pepper, to taste 1 cup cornstarch 2 eggs, lightly beaten 4 cups gluten-free cornflakes 1 cup canola oil 1. Season chicken strips with salt and black pepper. Dust chicken with cornstarch, then dip into the beaten eggs. Dredge chicken with cornflakes.

2. Heat oil in frying pan. Fry chicken until cooked. Serve with honey mustard sauce (recipe below).

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HONEY MUSTARD SAUCE: 1 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup mustard salt and ground black pepper, to taste Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix until smooth.

Homemade Beef and Veggie Sliders Serves 4

1/2 kilo ground beef 1/2 cup minced onion 1/4 cup chopped parsley 2 eggs 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/2 cup gluten-free cornflakes, ground finely 3 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce salt and ground black pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon cooking oil 2 large zucchini, sliced into thick rounds olive oil, for brushing 2 tablespoons honey or Dijon mustard 4 romaine lettuce leaves 2 large tomatoes, sliced into rounds 4 slices cheddar cheese 1 cup alfalfa sprouts 1. In large bowl, combine ground beef, onion, parsley, eggs, cornstarch and cornflakes. Mix well. Add soy sauce, salt and pepper.

Shape meat into patties.

2. Heat cooking oil in a nonstick pan. Cook burgers thoroughly.

3. Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly brush zucchini slices with olive oil and place zucchini rounds on the hot grill pan.

Grill zucchini slices until tender, but do not overcook.

Set aside.

4. To assemble, spread honey or Dijon mustard on one side of a grilled zucchini round. Top with lettuce, then a burger patty, a slice of tomato and cheddar cheese. Cover with another grilled zucchini round. Top with alfalfa sprouts.

Warm Rice Noodles with Tofu Masala Serves 4 to 6

200 grams dried rice noodles hot water, enough to cover noodles 1/4 cup cooking oil, divided 1 14-ounce pack tofu (extra firm), cut into 1-inch cubes 2 tablespoons minced onion 2 tablespoons minced ginger 6 cloves garlic, minced 4 cups whole peeled tomatoes, puréed 1 tablespoon garam masala (Indian spice mix) 2 teaspoons cumin powder 2 teaspoons coriander powder salt and ground black pepper, to taste 2 cups yogurt 1 1/4 cups cooking cream 1/2 cup frozen green peas 1/2 cup cilantro, for garnish 1. To cook the rice noodles, boil water and add noodles.

Stir every 1 to 2 minutes.

When noodles are cooked, drain them and run under cool water to stop cooking.

Add a little cooking oil to keep noodles from sticking.

Set aside.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, add cooking oil and fry tofu until golden brown.

Transfer tofu to a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside.

3. Add onion, ginger and garlic to the skillet. Cook for approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomato purée, garam masala, cumin and coriander powder. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Add yogurt, cooking cream and green peas.

Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, then return fried tofu into the skillet. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.

5. Before serving, reheat rice noodles by pouring hot water on them, and drain thoroughly. Top warm noodles with tofu masala sauce. Garnish with cilantro.

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THE POWER OF SOUR Vinegar was the theme of the 14th Doreen G. Fernandez Food Writing Award, taking cue from Fernandez herself, who called it “the principal condiment” in Filipino gastronomy. Inspired, we collaborated with Jam Melchor, a culinary advocate working through the Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement and Slow Food Manila, to tell the story of Philippine heirloom vinegars. “Each vinegar has its own distinct taste and character. Filipinos love the elevated asim that these natural vinegars provide,” he says. We love how the story of our vinegars is also the story of our land and cooking, our culture and history.

By TROY BARRIOS Essay by ELMER NOCHESEDA Recipes by JAM MELCHOR Photography by PAUL DEL ROSARIO Styling by PIXIE RODRIGO SEVILLA

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The Suka in Us

By Elmer Nocheseda inegar is a defining element in Filipino cuisine. The suka makes the paksiw, the adobo, the kilawin. It gives that sweet and tangy, sharp and zesty, robust and tingling sensation of sour goodness that reaches our remarkably sensitive taste buds that can detect vinegar even at extremely low concentrations. A TV ad of a suka brand even parodies this tingling sensation. They showed mukhasim, coinage for sour face, to describe the grimacing look of anyone tasting vinegar.

As Filipinos, we can say that suka is in our blood. My mother has a term for it: buhay ang suka. It is potent. It kicks. We even have terms for this desired vinegar quality. “Makusug” is how Fr. Matheo Sanchez, S.J. (1562-1618) defines in Binisaya this quality of “vinagre de muchas fuerzá.”

In Panay, Fr. Alonso Mentrida, OESA (b.1559) defines it as nagaisug. Fr. Andres Carro OESA (1733-1806) learned it in Ilocos as mabayani, as well as its antonym “naauáao” when vinegar loses its kick, “perder la fuerza la vinagre.” In Pangasinan, as recorded by Fr. Lorenzo Fernandez Cosgaya, O.P. (b. 1661), it is “nabaobao” when the suka loses its apséng. I now wonder if vinegar is ever invented or simply discovered running in our veins. As Madame Auring once said, “may asim pa.”

With suka, the common adobong puti becomes a singular creation. Without suka, longanisa would just be a lump of sweet minced meat. With a dash of suka, even the proletariat pansit habhab becomes elegantly refreshing, while the more elaborate pansit batil patong is tamed by silam of the Ibanag. Suka blends well with crushed garlic and peppercorn for daing. Suka mellows the salt of tuyo and tinapa in the same way that it wraps together all the flavors enveloped in Vigan empanada.

Antiqueños preserve fish into pinarmahan by boiling them until almost dry in vinegar with onions, garlic and ginger. A little suka ti basi will keep longer the higado for days in the same way the frugal Ilocanos keep sinuka-an jars of everything inartém, or pickled fruits, root crops and vegetables. The aslam in Kapampangan adobong matuwa rounds up its flavor after days of curing in a banga. More so, suka clears away the oil in ukoy as it washes away the sin from chicharong bulaklak, kwekwek and balot.

Vinegar can be made from just about anything that contains natural sugars. Antonio Pigafetta in his 1521 Cebu chronicles even noted how the early Sugbuanon make the “vinegar in their several kinds, these people have the aforesaid things which come only from the palm tree.” Fr. Miguel Ruiz records plants that can serve this purpose, like bilocao, lagolo and mamad, and they smell ganhao in Tagalog and hungao in Ilonggo when they turn into vinegar. Yeast ferments these sugars into alcohol, and certain types of bacteria convert that alcohol a second time into vinegar. The three most

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An old recipe made new

This traditional Kapampangan dish is sometimes called Lagat Puso, which references the cooking process. “It is inilaga sa suka, literally cooked in vinegar like kinilaw,” explains Chef Jam Melchor. The traditional technique involved sautéing in shrimp or pork fat, instead of cooking oil.

Sisig Puso Serves 6 to 8

2 banana hearts (Butuan variety), sliced 2 tablespoons salt, for rubbing 100 grams pork liempo, sliced thinly 3 tablespoons cooking oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 onion, minced 100 grams shrimps, shelled and deveined 2 tablespoons sukang Paombong 1 chicken broth cube, dissolved in 1/2 cup water 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 1. Peel and discard hard covering of banana hearts (about 3 petals each).

Slice the soft inner part of the banana blossoms, crosswise.

Sprinkle with salt to remove sap. Set aside for about 10 to 15 minutes, then squeeze dry to get rid of the sap. Rinse with tap water, drain, and squeeze dry of excess water.

2. Fry pork in hot oil until brown in color.

Set aside.

3. In the same pan, sauté garlic, onions and shrimps.

4. Stir in pork. Add sukang Paombong and dissolved chicken broth cube. Bring to a boil.

5. Add banana blossoms. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Season with salt and ground black pepper.

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common vinegars in the Philippines are sukang tuba (coconut vinegar), sukang tubo (cane vinegar) and sukang sasa (palm vinegar).

Sukang tuba or suka sa lubi in Bisaya, is vinegar from coconut sap that is cloudy (thus, also called sukang puti) with mild musty smoky flavor (thus, aslam in Kapampangan) and becomes sukang pinakurat (from Bisayan word kurat, to stun) when blended with spicy pepper, ginger and garlic. Sukang sinamak is the Ilonggo’s version of this spiced sukang tuba. Fr. Alonso de Mentrida in 1618 calls bahal the two to threeday old tuba vieja that is transformed to vinegar after a couple of more days.

Kinilaw na Lumyagan

Ubiquitous in the fishing villages of southern Mindanao, this dish is a perfect example of how Chef Jam works to promote and preserve local ingredients and cooking techniques.

Lumyagan is a type of fresh baby squid, considered a delicacy of the area.

Sukang tubo, otherwise known as sukang Iloko, is sugarcane vinegar from aged basi wine (i.e. suka ti basi).

It is also called binagri in Cebu in the same way the French first dubbed vinaigre or the Spanish vinagre as “sour wine.” Fr. Lorenzo Fernandez Cosgaya, O.P. (b.

1661) noted in Pangasinan how “nagmálio á tuca so alac” when wine turns to vinegar.

It is compared to rice wine vinegar tapuy in its mildness, but it is not exactly sweet and instead has a slight sharp taste that is good for pickling or making sauces. Note that while vinegar turns bright green chlorophyll into drab grey color of the balángeg, it can turn plant pigments known as anthocyanins into bright red. That is why it is also called sukang pula as it is often colored with the leaves or bark of the samak tree (Macaranga tanarius, Linnaeus). Fr. Matheo Sanchez in 1600s noted the use of “minonğá” to dye red the “lan-gao” of Samar and Leyte.

Sukang sasa is more commonly called sukang Paombong as it was then

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Atcharang Kamias Preserving what’s in season

Filipinos love to pair pickles with grilled or fried meat and seafood. And it’s still the practice, especially in the probinsya, to pickle whatever produce is in season. Opinions can be divided about the kind of vinegars to use, since the level of sourness affects taste. The rule of thumb is: the longer the pickling, the better the taste.

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Serves 4 to 6

1⁄4 kilo kamias 1 1/2 tablespoons salt 2 tablespoons sukang Iloko 4 1⁄2 to 5 tablespoons sugar 1. Slice kamias diagonally.

2. In a bowl, add salt to the kamias. Let sit for 2 hours for kamias juice to come out.

3. After 2 hours, wash kamias. Soak it in water for a while so that it won’t be too salty. Add sukang Iloko and sugar.

Mix well.

4. Keep in the refrigerator overnight to let it pickle.

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Kilayin

Naturally cloudy and still retaining a hint of alcohol, sukang tuba is the perfect choice for cooking kilayin, a Kapampangan version of adobong puti.

The meat used is all innards, which is why a heavy, concentrated vinegar is needed to get rid of its aftertaste.

popular to source them from the now dwindling sasaan or nipa swamps of Paombong and Hagonoy in Bulacan. It is a fine vinegar from fermented sasa or nipa palm sap. It is also the favored aslam sasa in Kapampangan tidtad and kilayen. They also make dalok or pickled mango in vinegar, which was also called sisig like their Tagalog neighbors pickle fruits “en vinagre con un poco de sal para comer la luego al punto,” as noted by Fr. Miguel Ruiz, O.P. (d. 1630).

Serendipity allows us to savor Sagada’s gabay rice vinegar, Aurora’s suka ng pinya, Quezon’s sukang latundan, Cavite’s sukang kaong, Pangasinan’s tuka silag, Bohol’s suka sa buli and Mindoro’s sukang rambutan. They too have stories to tell.

Indeed Filipinos love their suka. In a way, all these binagri can decolonize our diet. All regions boast of their best meals prepared from their remarkable vinegars prior to colonization.

Batanes’ pinasu, Batangas’ binange, Cebu’s sinugba, Antique’s ginag’ang and Iloilo’s inasal will be wanting without suka sa tuba as marinade and as dipping sauce. Beachcombers in Dipolog start their morning with the tender white flesh of steamed kasag and grilled lumot swimming in a bowl of sukang pinakurat. The popularity of Bacolod chicken inasal travels to Manila with its bottles of sinamak and its secret langgaw or pure coconut vinegar as marinade, banyos and dip. A feast of oysters and seafood in a Roxas City seaside restaurant will be wanting without the matching sukang tuba from Baybay. The Ilocano favorites like sinanglao, dinakdakan, imbaliktad and dinardaraan are made memorable by the sukang Iloko. It is also the same vinegar that sizzles the tinuno. Crispy bagnet crackles in sukang Iloko flavored with bagoong isda.

Pastil or small empanada filled with bihon noodles is a common snack around Tawi-tawi. It is a bit bland, but delightfully filling when FOOD | 2017

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Tidtad

Serves 6 to 8 2 tablespoons crushed garlic 1 1⁄2 cups sliced onions 1/4 cup oil 1 kilo pork liempo, boiled separately until tender, sliced into 1⁄2-inch cubes 1 cup sukang sasa 2 tablespoons crushed garlic 1 1⁄2 cups sliced onions

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3 tablespoons oil 1⁄2 kilo pig’s blood, diced 1⁄2 inch; expect dinuguan to be runny and thin, not thick 4 to 8 cups broth or water salt and pepper, to taste 6 to 8 pieces siling pangsigang 1/2 inch cube panucha or 1 teaspoon brown sugar 1. Sauté garlic and onions in oil. Add pork and sukang sasa.

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2. In a sauté pan, sauté garlic and onions in blood. You will know it is cooked when it is no longer red. At this point, add blood to the meat mixture.

3. Add water, 2 to 4 cups, depending on how thick you want the sauce. Add as needed.

4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add siling pansigang.

Simmer 10 to 15 minutes over low heat.

5. Add panucha and simmer a little more.

CHEF’S TIP: Remove stew from heat and cool at room temperature overnight. The following day, remove chilies before heating. Then before serving, put back chilies. If too thick, add a little more stock or water. Leave blood cubes whole so as not to thicken stew.

A lighter dinuguan

A variation of dinuguan, tidtad is not as thick because the blood is stewed for hours with meat, natural vinegar and dried oregano.

doused with hot and spicy pagasam. The Sama and Tausug crisp and translucent guso seaweed in vinegar goes well with grilled seafood. In Dumaguete, slivers of green mango, unripe papaya, and crisp singkamas are street food eaten with sukang pula and salt. Just thinking of them makes my mouth water.

However, suka dishes are most delicate to make.

A small amount makes food taste bright and fresh, while too much tastes unpleasantly sour. Cooking with vinegar requires therefore perfect balance and delicate cooking technique as well as some amount of folk wisdom.

The dish called serkele of Baliuag, Bulacan speaks of this perfect balance. It is a sour beef blood soup. The laman-loob are cut into big chunks. The soup is thin and abundant and definitely sour because of sukang sasa. As in the Pangasinan binagis, the sourness is not avoided but fondly desired. On the other hand, in Antique, they make bingdonggadas, a thick soup that uses internal organs of a cow that are cleaned very well and boiled in water and vinegar until tender. The tender meat cutlets are sautéed in garlic, onion, herbs, spices. Vinegar is added to clean the gamey taste, and it’s brought to a boil with bread crumbs to

Kilayin

Kinilaw na Lumyagan

200 grams pork liempo, menudo cut 1⁄2 cup sukang tuba 1⁄4 teaspoon ground pepper 1 cup water or broth 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon oil 10 cloves garlic, minced, divided 2 white onions, chopped, divided 150 grams pork lung, chopped bopis style 2 tablespoons fish sauce 100 grams pork liver, cut into strips 1 teaspoon dried oregano salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 kilo lumyagan (fresh baby squid) soda water, for marinade 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1⁄2 teaspoon ground pepper 1 cup sukang hinalang 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped 1 thumb-sized ginger, finely diced 2 small bird’s eye chilies, minced 1 cup diced ripe mangoes 2 tablespoons chopped wansuy, optional

Serves 6

1. Simmer pork liempo in sukang tuba, pepper, water, bay leaves, garlic and onions until tender. Keep broth for future use.

2. In a separate pan, sauté garlic, onions and pork lung till you hear it popping and cooked.

3. Put the broth and pork meat. Add fish sauce and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in liver and simmer for another 5 minutes.

4. Add oregano and adjust salt and pepper, according to taste.

thicken the broth.

Vinegar in any kitchen is a versatile, tasty and healthy ingredient that has also endless non-culinary uses as well. A vinagrera (jar of vinegar) is in the Good Friday procession as it joins the Arma Christi (Instruments of the Passion) as we recall the biblical quote in Juan 19:29-30, “Mayroon doong, isang sisidlang puno ng suka: kaya’t naglagay sila ng isang esponjang basa ng suka sa isang tukod na hisopo at kanilang iniabot sa kaniyang bibig.” Though now rarely practiced, vinegar is wiped on the lips of a dying person for relief from the pain of death. Fray Pedro San Buenventura recommends

in 1613, “magpacolo ca nang suca, t, polot” as a gargle of hot vinegar and honey. And when I am down with flu, I literally smell like paksiw na pata with a piece of cloth soaked in vinegar on my forehead while my mother determines my state of health by saying, “maputla ka pa sa suka.”

I do not want to end with this sour note but rather with a little challenge. Fr. Ruiz listed several ulam na susukaan like pacasam, pañgat, paralañgat, quilao, sànglal, sisig and taghilao. Some sound familiar, but the rest are quite strange and might be interesting to discover again. Well, it is another way to enjoy our suka.

Serves 4

1. Marinate baby squid overnight in soda water.

2. Drain squid and grill with salt and pepper. Let cool and set aside.

3. In a large non-reactive deep bowl, non-metal if possible, mix sukang hinalang, onions, ginger and chilies. Add diced squid and mix all ingredients.

4. Add ground pepper with salt.

5. Add mangoes to balance the sweetness and sourness.

Sprinkle with wansuy before serving.

Guinamos at the Central Market in Iloilo. Bagoong is the theme of this year’s competition. Photography by SONNY YABAO W H AT YOU SHOU LD KNOW A BOU T TH E DORE E N G A M BOA FE RN A N DE Z ( DG F ) FOOD W RITING AWA RD WHO: Doreen Gamboa Fernandez was a pioneering food anthropologist, cultural historian and scholar who wrote extensively about Filipino cuisine. She explored Filipino food and culture at depth, and she was always fun to read.

WHAT: The DGF Food Writing Award is an annual food writing competition dedicated to her memory.

WHERE: Entries should focus on Philippine food and culture.

WHEN: The deadline for the submission of entries is November 15, 2017.

WHY: The goal is to inspire research into Philippine culinary culture, and sustain a pool of increasing new talents in food literature and food journalism.

HOW: If you’re an aspiring food writer interested in participating, please visit Facebook: DoreenGamboaFernandezFoodWritingAward for details. The theme for this year’s competition is bagoong.

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FLAVORS OF THE WORLD 1. Pork trotters black bean tostadas by Pasillo de Humo of Oaxaca, Mexico; 2. Best-selling Balinese BBQ pork ribs “Warung Sunset” by Chef Yudi; 3.

Vietnamese bánh bèo or steamed rice cakes; 4. Lanie’s Batac special Ilocos empanada filled with cheese, papaya, egg and longanisa; 5.

Traditional pork trotters stew soured with black vinegar and old ginger by Chef Xu Jing Ye of Guangzhou, China; 6. from Singapore, Coco Kanin nasi lemak composed of coconut rice, chicken wings, crispy dilis, peanuts, sambal; 7. Beef brisket stew from China; 8.

Sweet Indonesian martabak by Martabak Manis topped with cheese, chocolate, green tea Kit Kat, red velvet, Oreos; 9. crowds enjoying the offerings at the SM Mall of Asia concert grounds

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THE

STREET IS WHERE IT’S AT

This year’s World Street Food Congress brought us a sampling of the world’s best street food, fascinating talks on the future of street food, and yes, even Anthony Bourdain

By ANNE MARIE OZAETA Photography by PAT MATEO Additional photos courtesy of TOURISM PROMOTIONS BOARD

hen we think street food, we envision manong at the corner frying up some fish balls in his cart or grilling isaw on his makeshift grill.

It’s humble fare, requiring only the most rudimentary of cooking equipment.

It’s cheap and filling, but admittedly associated with the smoke and grime of the street.

Then there’s the street food you’ll find at the World Street Food Congress. Think baby back ribs marinated in Asian spices and roasted over charcoal, aloo tikki or boiled

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potatoes with onions and curry spices, pork trotters black bean tostadas, deepfried empanada filled with cheese and longanisa, and pork sisig paella. Yes, it’s food you can eat on the streets as well as in hawker centers, food parks and markets around the world, all brought together by Singaporean heritage street food champion K.F. Seetoh of Makansutra at the SM Mall of Asia concert grounds last May 31 to June 4.

Presented by the Tourism Promotions Board, the 5th World Street Food Congress came back to the Philippines after last year’s

success. Industry players, restaurateurs, food media attended the two-day Dialogue featuring 18 speakers and presenters, while street food lovers flocked to the Jamboree which boasted over 30 vendors from 13 countries (including six from the Philippines). The highlight, of course, was the special appearance of chef-turnedauthor and TV host, and arguably one of the most famous culinary personalities in the world, Anthony Bourdain.

With this year’s theme “Re-Imagine Possibilities,” the World Street Food

Congress was more than just an excuse to go food tripping around Asia, Europe and the Americas, or to celebrity stalk Anthony Bourdain.

The event raised questions about a cuisine’s authenticity, disputed definitions of what street food is and what its not, and offered possibilities about what street food can evolve into as a society develops and matures. And while we will always appreciate the manong who sells turon or taho in our neighborhood, we’re also more than excited to discover and taste the wider, more diverse world of street food beyond what’s familiar.

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THE DIALOGUE ON THE STREET key part of the World Street Food Congress was the twoday Dialogue where 18 chefs and industry practitioners from around the world shared their ideas and experiences, with the theme “Re-Imagine Possibilities.” Here are a few of the highlights:

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Keeping culinary traditions

Heritage street food has to be celebrated and promoted, proclaimed K.F. Seetoh.

Ruth Alegria, the grand dame of Mexican cuisine, agreed as she gave a crash course on traditional Mexican cuisine, extolling its rich pre-colonial past, varied ingredients, seasonality

and ties to the Philippines. Also celebrating her heritage was Chef Mai Pham, an immigrant to the United States, who returned to her Vietnamese roots with her restaurants Star Ginger and Lemongrass in California.

Professor Nguyên Nha of the Vietnam Gastronomic Culture Association revealed that it’s the women who are primarily responsible for developing Vietnamese cuisine, specifically street food. Indonesian food editor Odilia Winneke talked about the importance of recognizing halal food and halal certification around the globe, simply because there are 1.8 billion Muslims in 2015, and growing.

Innovations in street food

Several speakers showed how they reimagine traditional street food to make it more relevant and appealing to millennials. “Street food is about improvisation and using what is right in front of you,” explained Thai chef Andy Yang of one-Michelin starred Rhong Tiam as he demonstrated a Thai Salad using local langka, mangoes, duhat and watermelon. Singaporean chef and former hawker Shen Tan of The Wok & Barrel talked about her “Mod Sin” (Modern Singaporean) innovations like Nasi Lemak Sushi, Ba Zhang Pie and Dark Chocolate Gula Melaka Caramel Tart, all based on traditional dishes and ingredients.

The future is technology

The future of street food is global, thanks to the Internet and technology.

Chef Ulf Tassilo Muench of Tashiro Dimsum introduced Asian food to an “Internet-travelled” German public who find Asian street food irresistible.

Indonesian entrepreneur Gibran Rakabuming Raka of Markobar modernized martabak, the popular Indonesian pancake, directly appealing to millennials with his “Instagrammable” food. Richard Tan, who helped develop Singapore’s clean, standardized hawker centers, talked about using technology to further improve hawker centers in terms of accessibility, delivery (using social media) and competition.

RE-IMAGINING POSSIBILITIES 1. Team captain Chef Sau del Rosario and organizer K.F. Seetoh championed heritage street food in spreading cultural awareness and in creating jobs; 2. Greg Drescher of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) spoke about global street food’s expanding influence among top chefs in the US, and how the CIA brings street food vendors and chefs together; 3. The who’s who of the global street food scene with Anthony Bourdain; 4. Acclaimed chef-writer Claude Tayag joined a panel discussing the challenges of succession; 5. Anton Diaz of Our Awesome Planet talked about the power of social media to promote Filipino heritage food to the rest of the world; 6. Inspired by Asian street food, Chef Peter Lloyd of Sticky Mango in London demonstrated his modernized version of mango sticky rice; 7. Activist and social entrepreneur Arbind Singh discussed how street food peddling was legitimized in India

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Anthony Bourdain talks

street food W hile Anthony Bourdain’s name didn’t appear in the program, everyone knew he’d be the last one to speak at the Dialogue. By the late afternoon, it was standing-room only as the crowd anticipated his arrival.

Seemingly lankier and even leaner than his familiar on-screen persona, Bourdain walked up the stage to deliver his unfiltered thoughts on street food, his travels, and Bourdain Market. The next day, he held a press conference, and gave an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN to expand on his talk, and his unabashed love for sisig.

Food for thought “I don’t want to evaluate food. I’m not a critic,” Bourdain emphatically declares. “I don’t want to think about my food. I don’t want to write down tasting notes and score it on the basis of one to ten. I don’t want to think about my waiter or whether the busboy is doing their job. I don’t want to be aware of what’s happening in the kitchen.” For him, it’s not about dissection or analysis, but something much more visceral.

He explains, “I want to experience food emotionally, like a child. I want to be lost in the moment. I want to take a bite of food that takes me to another time and another place, whether it’s my childhood or somebody else’s childhood.”

Street food’s significance It’s that approach that has drawn Bourdain to the far-flung corners of the world to seek out humble meals by the wayside, and the insight he gains about their cultures. He shares, “Food is maybe the most direct and obvious reflection of who we are, where we come from, what we love, who eats in a country, who doesn’t eat. These are reflections of often long, very painful histories.”

Sisig love Perhaps that’s why Bourdain is so drawn to the cuisines of places like Mexico, India, Southeast Asia, including the Philippines. He declares in no uncertain terms his utter devotion to sisig, “I think the number one Filipino dish that would really set the world on fire and has the highest possibility of success for export anywhere in the world is sisig. It’s the ultimate drinking food, anywhere people like to drink, anywhere people like beer in particular, it’s really perfect.” For Bourdain, Filipino food, at least in the United States, has reached hipster status where people are actively seeking it out. He declares, “(People) are increasingly looking to the Philippines and Filipino food culture for that next big thing.”

The vision of Bourdain Market Sisig will definitely be part of the Bourdain Market, promises Bourdain.

It’s a huge undertaking, set to open in 2019 in New York City. Inspired

by Singapore’s hawker centers, Bourdain Market won’t be a hipster food hall, but rather “a living, breathing, stinking market” filled with fishmongers and butchers, along with stands selling chicken rice, laksa, tostadas and other iconic street food dishes from around the world, including Filipino pork favorites, sisig and lechon. Right now, together with Seetoh, he is scouring the world for vendors willing to set up shop in New York and sell their food exactly as they would do at home. While logistics are still an obstacle—work visas, lodging, supply chains, etc.—Bourdain is resolute that it’s something that New York has to have. “New York is a city of immigrants…And yet shockingly and scandalously enough, we don’t have a real market.”

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BEST OF THE JAMBOREE (Clockwise from top left) Vietnam’s báhn bèo lién; spicy aloo tikki made of boiled potatoes, onions and spices by Mangla Ghaat in India; pinakbet pizza from Bicol province; Vietnamese banh xeo or crispy mung bean pancake filled with seafood, greens and fish sauce; coffee pork burger from Singapore; khao niaw ping from Thailand; junay with boiled egg and grilled chicken with black grated coconut from Mindanao; (from left) Chef Rafael “Tibong” Jardeleza makes La Paz batchoy, Chin-Chin Gutierrez of Fresh Start with piaya from Negros; Chef JP Anglo of Sarsa prepares chicken inasal in pita bread

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REINTERPRETING STREET FOOD (From left) A traditional Nyonya dish, Itek Tim, modernized by Chef Malcolm Lee of Candlenut, the first ever Michelin-starred Peranakan restaurant in Singapore; Chef Sau del Rosario of 25 Seeds and Café Fleur in Angeles City transformed Pampanga’s famous sisig into a Spanish-inspired paella, but kept the spirit and authenticity of this pork dish intact; Singapore-based food journalist and consultant David Yip talked about Cantonese and Teochew street food, while Chef Zhang Cong Ming of Hei Ming Restaurant demonstrated Xiamen-style spring roll

Itek Tim

By Malcolm Lee Serves 16 DUCK BA LL S:

2 kilos minced duck meat 1 tablespoon white pepper 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar 1/3 cup oyster sauce 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon water 1/3 cup + 1 teaspoon potato starch 1/2 kilo chopped salted vegetables

1/2 kilo chicken liver, chopped 1/4 cup paella seasoning salt and pepper, to taste 3/4 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup liquid seasoning 1/3 cup white vinegar 1 kilo pork belly 1/4 kilo calamansi coriander, for garnish red chili, for garnish pickled onions, optional

cooked and sliced 200 grams oysters, cleaned 1 3/4 cups pork stock 1 cup French beans, julienned thinly 1/2 cup leeks, julienned thinly 5 tablespoons dried sole fish powder 1/4 cup crispy shallots 12 spring roll wrappers G A RNISH E S A N D SAUCE S:

1. To prepare the duck balls, mix all the duck ball ingredients together.

Form into ball shapes. Set aside.

2. To make the soup, boil all the soup ingredients together for 2 hours.

Remove salted vegetables, cut and set aside. Strain the stock. Season to taste.

3. Poach duck balls in stock till cooked.

Add cherry tomatoes and salted vegetables. Garnish with coriander.

1. Boil pork cheeks and ears in water, with bay leaves and red onions until almost cooked. Set aside. Reserve pork stock.

2. Once cold, chop pork cheeks and ears into small bits.

3. In a hot paella pan, sauté white onions in margarine and olive oil, then add minced pork. Let cook for 5 minutes before adding Japanese rice.

4. Add reserved pork stock and mix everything together. Add chicken liver.

Season with paella seasoning, salt, pepper, soy sauce, liquid seasoning and vinegar. Lower heat and cover with aluminum foil. Cook for at least 45 minutes or until rice absorbs all the liquid. Set aside.

5. Meanwhile, roast pork belly until meat is tender and skin is crispy. Dice and place on top of the paella mixture.

6. Garnish with calamansi, coriander, chili and pickled onions, if using.

Sisig Paella

Xiamen-style Spring Rolls

1 kilo pork cheeks 1 kilo pork ears 15 cups water, for boiling 4 bay leaves 1/4 kilo red onions, quartered 1/2 kilo white onions, diced 1/4 kilo margarine 1 cup olive oil 1 kilo Japanese rice, uncooked

200 grams pork belly, sliced into thin strips 600 grams bean curd cake, cut into thin strips 2 tablespoons lard 1 carrot, julienned 3/4 cup julienned bamboo shoots 600 grams cabbage, sliced thinly 400 grams French prawns, shelled,

SOU P:

3 kilos salted vegetables 15 salted plums 3 kilos duck bones 1/2 cup white peppercorns 1/2 cup Assam skin (dried tamarind skin) 1 1/2 kilos pork leg cherry tomatoes coriander, for garnish

By Sau del Rosario Serves 12

By Zhang Cong Ming and David Yip Serves 8 to 12

1/2 cup peanut candy 1/4 cup dried seaweed 3/4 cup omelet, sliced thinly 1/4 cup pork floss 1/4 cup fish floss 1 cup deep-fried rice vermicelli 2 sprigs coriander 1 cup pork crisp chili sauce mustard sauce tomato sauce 1. Stir-fry pork strips and bean curd using lard.

2. Add in sequence carrot, bamboo shoots and cabbage. Continue to stirfry until the vegetables soften.

3. Add prawns and oysters. Then pour in pork stock. Simmer further.

4. Add French beans, leeks, dried sole fish powder and crispy shallots.

5. Place a spring roll wrapper on a plate. Place a spoonful or 2 of vegetable filling onto the center of the wrapper.

6. Top with garnishes and sauces. Roll into a spring roll. Use your hands to experience the joy of eating this traditional snack.

COOK’S NOTE: You can find bean curd cake, dried sole fish powder, crispy shallots, peanut candy, pork and fish floss in most Chinese groceries. If you can’t find pork crisp, use chicharon instead.

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READY, SET, COOK (From top left) FOOD Tastings is always popular for its cooking demos, generous food samplings and guest chefs; Michelle Adrillana shares fun ideas for cooking with Sapporo vermicelli; Deejay Santos uses Tefal cookware to make BBQ Sisig Quesadilla; Asadung matua prepared by Jam Melchor (bottom); and Sharwin Tee of Curiosity Got the Chef, always a crowd pleaser

A Lutong Pinoy cookfest Top chefs share their own special Filipino recipes during FOOD Tastings at MAFBEX Top chefs share their own special Filipino recipes during FOOD Tastings at MAFBEX

he Manila Food and Beverage Expo is a super way to travel around the world via your tastebuds.

The 11th installment, held last June at the World Trade Center, was rightfully dubbed the Ultimate Foodventure, and was the best venue for the second leg of FOOD Tastings, a series of cooking demonstrations hosted by FOOD Magazine With the theme “Lutong Pinoy,” FOOD Tastings featured four respected chefs who demonstrated their own take on Filipino food. Using Sapporo Long Kow Vermicelli, Michelle Adrillana of Flavors on Fire created a sisig-flavored pancit sotanghon. Deejay Santos brought some Filipino flavor to Mexican and Italian classics using the new Tefal Intuition line

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of induction cookware.

Sharwin Tee of Curiosity Got the Chef elevated humble monggo guisado, while Jam Melchor of the Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement revisited his Kapampangan roots with old-school chicken asado.

Attendees also had the chance to explore MAFBEX with its huge showcase of homegrown food brands, plus dishes and product samples from Vietnam, Malaysia, Italy and Spain.

FOOD Tastings was brought to you by FOOD Magazine with MAFBEX, Lifestyle TV, Sapporo and Tefal; with special thanks to Bayani Brew, Chef ’s Classics, Chocovron, Crema, JAM Foods and Southern Folk.

For the schedule of the next FOOD Tastings, follow FoodMag on Facebook

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Munggo Guisado with Tinapa Salad

By Sharwin Tee Serves 4 to 6

4 slices bacon, chopped into small pieces 1 tablespoon cooking oil 1 small onion (sibuyas Tagalog), minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup dried munggo (mung beans) 1 sili labuyo, optional 1 bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 4 cups water or broth salt and pepper, to taste SA L A D:

1/2 cup flaked tinapang bangus (smoked milkfish) 1/4 cup singkamas (jicama), cut into small cubes 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 1/4 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper salt and pepper, to taste 1. In a pot, sauté bacon in cooking oil for 2 minutes.

Add onion and garlic, and cook until fragrant.

2. Add munggo, sili, bay leaf and thyme. Stir well.

3. Pour water into the pot.

Bring to a boil then simmer until munggo is cooked. Add more water if the mixture is too dry.

4. To make the salad, combine all the salad ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Chill.

5. Taste the munggo guisado and adjust seasoning if

necessary. Ladle into bowls and top with the salad.

Creamy Tapa Pasta

By Deejay Santos Serves 4 to 6

1/2 kilo beef, sukiyaki cut 1 pack tapa marinade 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 1/2 cup sliced button mushrooms 1 pack béchamel white sauce 1/2 kilo cooked fettuccine pasta salt and pepper, to taste G A RNISH:

toasted garlic thinly-sliced omelet chopped parsley grated Parmesan cheese 1. Marinate beef in tapa marinade for 30 minutes or more. Set aside.

2. Heat a wok with olive oil and butter, then stirfry marinated beef and mushrooms. Add béchamel sauce and cooked pasta.

3. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate, top with the garnishes.

Serve with garlic bread on the side.

Sisig Sotanghon

By Michelle Adrillana Serves 6 250 grams sotanghon water, enough to cover sotanghon 3 tablespoons cooking oil

1/2 cup diced red onions 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1/4 kilo beef brisket, boiled and chopped 1/2 kilo beef cheeks, boiled and chopped 1/2 kilo oxtail, boiled and chopped 3 red chilies 4 green chili fingers, sliced 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 teaspoon sugar pepper, to taste 2 cups beef stock calamansi halves mayonnaise, for garnish sunny side up eggs, for garnish 1. Soak sotanghon in water until soft. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan. Sauté red onions, then garlic.

3. Stir in the meats and continue sautéing. Add red and green chilies. Season with soy sauce, sugar and pepper.

4. Pour in beef stock. Toss in sotanghon and cook about 8 minutes until all liquids are absorbed.

5. Transfer to a serving plate and top with mayonnaise and eggs. Serve with calamansi on the side.

Asadung Matua

2 tablespoons canola oil 1 tablespoon butter 2 tablespoons chopped white onion 1 1⁄2 tablespoons chopped garlic 1 bay leaf 2 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 teaspoons brown sugar salt, to taste 1 1⁄2 tablespoons achuete (annatto) oil 1. Marinate chicken pieces in calamansi juice and soy sauce. Keep chilled for about 4 hours.

2. Heat oil and butter in a pot over medium high heat.

Sear chicken pieces for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until lightly golden brown.

Remove chicken pieces from pan and set aside.

3. In the same pan, sauté onion, garlic, bay leaf and tomatoes. Allow to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, then add soy sauce and brown sugar and mix well.

4. Return chicken to the pan and simmer for an additional 10 to 12 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Add achuete oil and season to taste.

(Kapampangan Asado)

By Jam Melchor Serves 4

CHEF’S NOTE: You can use pork instead of chicken for this Asadung Matua recipe.

1/2 kilo chicken leg, thigh or wings juice of 4 calamansi 3 tablespoons soy sauce

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Taste Redefined

Chef Josh Boutwood’s The Test Kitchen knows no boundaries

By JACLYN CLEMENTE KOPPE Photography by JAR CONCENGCO

ot too long ago, chefs, like doctors, picked a specialization. The French and the Japanese, especially, are known for their culture of apprenticeship, training protégés from a young age until they reach the level of excellence their mentors expect from them. Their association with their mentors are just as much a badge of honor as the cuisine they represent, and they live their lives perfecting their iconic dishes and fortifying their reputations as masters of a certain cooking style.

However, in this age of constant reinvention and creative freedom, chefs are only too happy to blur the lines between culinary classifications. For instance, the farm-to-table concept allows restaurants to combine cuisines under the same brand for as long as they follow the ideals of sustainable farming and clean cooking. A collective of young chefs can band together, combining their strengths to serve fresh, modern dishes, drawing from the power of their youth and

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fearlessness to continually push boundaries.

Now, with the popularity of pop-ups and supper clubs, these chefs no longer have to adhere to a singular brand or worry about the troublesome upkeep of a brick-andmortar. These days, chef-driven restaurants really do allow the head of the kitchen to bare it all on the plate, reveling in the kind of unbridled freedom that truly permits them to follow no rules but their own. In our thriving local food scene, there is no better personification of a confident and vibrant youth than 30-year-old Josh Boutwood. In the dimly-lit work space of The Test Kitchen, he and his small army of chefs bring to life— through six to eight meticulously prepared courses—his take on “sophisticated dining.”

When he landed on the shores of Boracay seven years ago, Boutwood was already a veteran of acclaimed Danish restaurant Noma, René Redzepi’s temple of modern Scandinavian cuisine. He opened Restaurant Alchemy next to a crêperie along the beachfront of Boracay’s Station 2, and

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there he continued to cook in that avant-garde, free-styling manner which was so fresh back then. Clad in board shorts and working within the confines of his diminutive island kitchen, Boutwood was churning out six to eight courses of world-class dishes which would be right at home in any Michelinstarred dining room.

Between then and now, the young chef was busy winning awards in international trade shows, even while he took on the lucrative position as executive chef of The Bistro Group. “I don’t enjoy reveling in achievements as [much as] I did when I was younger,” Boutwood admits.

These days, he is content to fulfill his corporate duties, although most of his time is really spent formulating the constantly evolving menu of The Test Kitchen.

The Test Kitchen is a reflection of what Boutwood does here: straightforward, simple yet refined. Seating a maximum of 20 persons, the space trains your focus on what matters, which are the well-conceptualized, tastefully-executed dishes that come out of the open kitchen. As promised, Boutwood follows no particular style or traditional school of cooking. He simply describes his food as “produce driven” and lets his imagination and skill do the rest. With this reverence given to ingredients, he fully commits to a sustainably-sound operation. “Sustainability is constantly on our minds at The Test Kitchen where we employ a zero-waste ideology,” Boutwood shares.

“This process challenges us in finding new ways to use what would be considered waste in other restaurants.”

A great example would be the carrot tops which usually find their way to the bin, but in this case, is used to add a

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NATURE ON A PLATE (From top) “Fjord” is squid, eggplant purée, parsley oil, peas and brown butter snow; “Valley” layers lamb prosciutto with roasted potatoes, Brie cream, Parmesan and grated cured egg yolk

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PLAYING WITH TEXTURES (From top) Boutwood cures his own lamb prosciutto, plating it with roasted potatoes in his “Valley” starter; “Farm” is made of crunchy roast pork belly, parsnip purée, tapioca, pickled singkamas and persimmon jam

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EVERYTHIING HOUSEMADE (From top) One corner of The Test Kitchen is for curing fish and meats; whole grain sourdough bread is baked in the kitchen, and served as a separate course with burnt butter

freshly herbaceous twist to the lamb prosciutto starter simply called “Valley.” Cured in-house, the lean, paperthin ham lies on top of a creamy Brie then is showered generously with finely grated Parmesan and cured egg yolk.

All this richness is perfectly complemented by simple roasted potatoes which gently nudge this luxurious dish towards comfort.

Boutwood must have gotten his hands on some fresh squid that day because he opted to use it, instead of salmon, for what is usually his “Fjord” dish. The quickly poached squid is sliced thin and laid out like matchsticks over a rather unconventional pairing of charred eggplant purée.

Green peas and a fragrant oil, possibly parsley, makes up another layer, which is blanketed in a brown butter “snow.” This final component—the dehydrated then powderized form of the actual ingredient—is the only nod to modern gastronomy

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Boutwood makes in this menu. In this case, it’s both pretty and necessary, adding the nutty richness of brown butter minus the grease.

When making his menu, Boutwood shares the most important factor he considers: balance. He claims, “Every little part of making the menu is important on its own, and when all are combined, must create the desired product.”

This balance, he masterfully applies to his “Farm” dish of roasted pork belly over a potato purée, matched with the tang of pickled singkamas and persimmon chutney. On their own, all the components are flavorful and well-executed. The pork is tender and moist encased in crisp skin; the potato smooth and lush; the jammy persimmon is fragrant with just a touch of tarragon.

For dessert, Boutwood chose refinement over indulgence. He called it “Sweet” but it was surely more than that. It was a

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LIGHT AND AIRY Sweet white chocolate gianduja, dehydrated egg white, lemon and sugar, rhubarb jam, with roasted hazelnuts

visually-stunning display of white chocolate gianduja, lemon and sugar, rhubarb sauce, dehydrated egg whites, poached roasted hazelnuts, and wood sorrel for acidity. Aside from the resoundingly balanced layers of acidity, sweet, creamy, smoky, there was also the varying textures of light and heavy—both light and heavy creaminess of the gianduja and mousse, and light and heavy crunch of the dehydrated egg whites and hazelnuts. To accompany the

dessert course, Boutwood likes to serve a wine glass of single-origin Benguet dark roast, cold brewed or steeped for 24 hours, and filtered twice. A bold, heady, yet refreshing salvo to a masterful feast.

Possessing a polish and restraint far beyond his years, Boutwood is an example of someone who understood his talent and then took it further. He truly has earned his stripes the old-fashioned way, through grit and determination and a ton of

hard work. He put in the hours and gets to reap the rewards and accolades, which although he claims to no longer crave, keep crashing down on him in waves.

Now, he relishes family more than anything—his thrills derive from the milestones of his two beautiful children with love Nilla Ström. He happily shares that he now has the luxury of choosing not to take reservations on days when there are more important commitments, such as his youngest son’s

first birthday. After all, The Test Kitchen is built on principle and Boutwood has nothing else to prove in the matter. He stresses, “I think my goals are always to strive and get better each day, keep pushing limits, and enjoy the process as it happens.”

The Test Kitchen 9780 Kamagong Street, San Antonio Village, Makati City, (02) 403-5952, (0917) 3041570, www.thetestkitchen.ph Open Mondays to Saturdays, reservations required

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Entertaining

EAT WELL TO LIVE WELL Get inspired by these two women’s journey towards clean eating

By CEIA YLAGAN Photography by SHEILA JUAN CATILO Recipes and styling by HOLY CARABAO FARM KITCHEN

t was just an hour’s drive from the city, but the vibe was instantly different the moment we got to Holy Carabao Holistic Farms in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. The air seemed fresher, devoid of any pollution, and the surroundings reverberated with positivity and calmness that all the stress we brought with us from the city seemed to fade away. The pebbled path to the farm was lined with greenery that was slowly turning kelly green, a sign that summer had ended and the rains had arrived.

Upon entering The Farm Shed Café right next to the farm, we were greeted warmly by Melanie Teng-Go and Hindy Weber-Tantoco, co-founders of Holy Carabao Holistic Farms.

Both women first embraced a holistic lifestyle when they became mothers, driven by the desire to provide only the best for their family’s health.

But before long, that holistic

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A CLEAN EATING FEAST (Clockwise) Corn Chowder with camote chips; Native Salad with seasonal vegetables such as alugbati and talinum, topped with local mulberries, okra, squash, wild cucumber and adlai, tossed with Holy Carabao Farms Honey Calamansi Dressing mixed with crushed mulberries; Grilled Labong with Holy Carabao Farms Cashew Mayo

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ENTERTAINING lifestyle has led to a growing farm-to-table business with the goal of making it easier for their customers, mostly families, to learn how to cook, eat and live in a clean, healthy and sustainable fashion.

From fashion to farming

“Once I had children, the question of their diet came up,” Hindy, a fashion designer, opens up. “After breastfeeding, what next?”

This prompted her to seek more information on healthier food choices, spending hours in the supermarket reading labels, and trying to understand the various ingredients she encountered. Despite frequenting weekend markets for quality produce, she still wasn’t satisfied.

The challenges Hindy faced in looking for the best available food for her family led her back to her youth when she dreamt of becoming a zoologist and environmentalist. She found the opportunity to finally pursue her passion in caring for nature and animals when she and her husband decided to grow some vegetables and fruits in their own backyard.

As the harvests became plentiful, they started sharing their produce with friends and family.

They began doing home deliveries as far back as 2007, “when there were still very [few] organic food growers” and catered to the needs of a small group of customers who sought organic food which Hindy explains as, “expats accustomed to organic food from their home country or those fighting an illness in which organic food was prescribed as part of their treatment.”

Similarly, Melanie started exploring better food choices for her and her family’s health. She and her husband cultivated their family’s own organic farm, and

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SUSTAINABLE FARMING (Clockwise from top) The Farm Shed is where workshops on biodynamic farming and educational farm tours converge; Melanie and Hindy became friends when they learned that they faced similar challenges as clean eating advocates; The Farm Shed Café serves as a creative hub for the Waldorf School community beside the farm; Melanie had a thriving career in the automotive industry before becoming one of Holy Carabao’s “farmhands”

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Melanie studied Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems at Tufts University.

The two moms discovered they shared the same passion, intentions and vision for their families. They partnered in 2013 to set up Holy Carabao Holistic Farms and, with their professional backgrounds in the fashion and automotive industries, they embarked on creating and developing this dynamic lifestyle brand that embraces clean and healthy eating.

What makes Holy Carabao stand out from among the growing local organic food industry is Hindy and Melanie’s commitment to only sell and promote food that has passed their stringent quality and ethical standards.

Understandable, of course, because who would want to serve anything less to their family, right?

The interconnectedness of life

A farm tour at Holy Carabao illustrates this philosophy

clearly. The farm is carefully watched over by Rommel Rabina, an impassioned farmer who keeps a close eye not only on the crops growing on the land, but also has a keen understanding of how nature unfolds and the interconnectedness of every living thing on the planet.

Chemical fertilizers are never used on the crops; instead, the farm develops its own compost to enrich the soil naturally. Rommel and his team prefer to carefully study which crops are best grown depending on the season and weather, while keeping a watchful eye on pests, as synthetic pesticides are eschewed on the farm.

There are certain crops that thrive at the farm, and there are others that are difficult to grow, but this doesn’t deter Hindy from bringing home seeds from her travels abroad to try to cultivate on the farm.

Walking through the rows and rows of vegetables, herbs and fruits being grown on the farm, I saw not just a diversity in flora

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ENTERTAINING

BACK TO NATURE (Clockwise from top) Over 60 to 70 types of vegetables and between 10 to 15 kinds of herbs have been grown on the Holy Carabao Farm; The nursery is home to a diverse selection of vegetables and herbs that are being cultivated before they are replanted or sold to other local farmers; While Hindy has fully embraced farm life, fashion design still holds a special place in her life; Multicolored organic eggs come from Holy Carabao’s resident free-range hens

but also an assortment of tiny creatures crawling or flying about. These natural pollinators are just some of the farm’s residents, along with free-roaming hens and roosters, a goat, rabbits, a pair of black pigs named Gringo and Beyoncé, and of course, carabaos.

The road to good health—one bite at a time

Hindy and Melanie’s primary objective to provide chemically-untouched food

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for their families has evolved into a commitment towards a holistic lifestyle that goes beyond the food on their table.

“Holistic means we approach every aspect of our work as consciously as possible,” says Hindy. “We think of every aspect. [We] consider the social, environmental, economic, and even the cosmic or universal impact.”

While this may sound intimidating for some, these two ladies believe that anyone can experience a paradigm shift, albeit at one’s own pace.

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FARM-TO-TABLE (Clockwise from top) This Corn Chowder is made of heritage white corn and Holy Carabao Bukid-bred Chicken Stock, topped with Holy Carabao Kesong Puti. It pairs well with camote chips fried in Holy Carabao Grass-fed Carabao Butter; A biodynamic calendar serves as a guide to understanding how the moon’s energy affects a bountiful harvest; At the moment, okra or lady’s fingers are growing abundantly at the farm; A papaya tree heavy with fruit awaits harvest

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ENTERTAINING By making small changes in our daily lives, we can also adopt a clean eating lifestyle.

One way to get started on a healthier, more mindful food philosophy, suggests Melanie, is to eat a meal made of food that comes from a living thing, like a salad.

“We espouse eating at least one serving a day of clean, living food,” they assert.

“We believe in using whole and natural ingredients, as close to the source as possible.” Eating well and pursuing a healthier lifestyle doesn’t require counting calories, but instead requires choosing “quality ingredients that are not adulterated or manipulated in a harmful way.”

Another way to eat healthier is to prepare more meals at home. While this may seem a challenge for some, taking the time to cook at home eliminates the need to eat out and resort to fast food, while also ensuring that you are only putting nutritious food on the table. “Once the habit is established, it is easier to replace the ingredients and learn new techniques,” encourages Hindy.

NATURE’S BOUNTY ON A PLATE (Clockwise from top left) Bamboo shoots take on new life, seasoned with Holy Carabao Grass-fed Carabao Butter and paprika, and served with Holy Carabao Cashew Mayo; An easy way to start eating clean is to make a native salad with locally grown greens like alugbati and talinum. Add some Holy Carabao Marinated Kesong Puti, fried adlai, local mulberries, and wild cucumbers for some interesting texture; Tsokolate gets a healthy makeover with Holy Carabao Pasteurized Carabao’s Milk, virgin coconut oil and cacao, with an added kick from grated nutmeg

Bringing families together and building communities

Not surprisingly, the initial impetus to get into organic farming evolved into a much bigger cause. Points out Hindy, “We want to educate more people, especially children, about growing food and being more mindful about the impact our food choices make on ourselves and the world.” With this, the farm has partnered with Waldorf Schools to include farming in their curriculum, while offering educational farm tours for students.

They also conduct educational workshops on holistic wellness and organic farming for interested groups. “We want to help the

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HOLY CARABAO’S FARM-TO-FAMILY PHILOSOPHY

farmers,” they say. “We want to do our part to regenerate our ecosystem.” With such an impassioned and committed pair of holistic wellness advocates at its helm, the future looks bright and hopeful for sustainable farming.

But for now, the goal is to reach more families and encourage them that

it’s possible to embrace a healthy lifestyle that is also considerate of Mother Nature. Holy Carabao Farms holds a Kitchen/ Pantry Makeover workshop where the two holistic living advocates “share our principles on healthy eating, what we have in our own kitchens and pantries, and how to jump start one’s

IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT GREENS Holy Carabao’s Black Heritage Cochinillo may be ordered online.

It pairs well with the Holy Carabao Wild Salsa Verde, but the Holy Carabao Hot Passion Fruit Sauce won our hearts

journey to health.”

Hindy and Melanie are examples of how one’s desire to provide the best for their family’s health leads to a wealth of knowledge and discovery that can be lifechanging—not only for their families, but also for their community.

FOOD | 2017

Holy Carabao Holistic Farms grows fresh fruits and vegetables without fertilizers and pesticides in their Laguna and Batangas farms. From their partner farms, they also offer grassfed beef, pork, chicken, and dairy products from grass-fed and naturally raised carabaos. Pantry staples for sale include biodynamic black and brown rice varieties, coco and muscovado sugars, palm vinegar, wild honey from Palawan, cacao powder, salt, and our locally-grown adlai or Job’s Tears, a high protein, fiber-rich grain that’s also gluten-free.

Aside from these, Holy Carabao has gift crates containing a selection of the latest harvest coupled with some kitchen basics, the perfect kit for those considering a shift towards clean and healthy eating. A spiralizer and juicer are also available, handy helpers to make your kitchen prep easier and hassle-free.

Hindy and Melanie recently launched the Holy Carabao Farm Kitchen line consisting of salad dressings and vinaigrettes, kale and arugula pesto sauces, readyto-eat salads, and black heritage cochinillo to order.

Watch out for many more products currently being developed for busy urban families who want to eat healthy but might not have the luxury of time to cook all the time.

Holy Carabao products are available for pick-up or delivery in Metro Manila and environs.

For more information, visit holycarabao.com or drop by the Holy Carabao retail shop, ISIP Philippines Building, 6241 Palma corner Mañalac Streets, Poblacion, Makati City

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Corn Chowder Serves 2 to 4

800 grams white corn 1 tablespoon sea salt 2 cups chicken stock 1 teaspoon black pepper kesong puti (carabao milk cheese), for garnish 1. Simmer corn with salt and stock, covered, for 20 minutes, or until tender. Shave the corn.

2. Place all ingredients in a blender and secure lid. Select a low speed (variable 1 if using a Vitamix), turn the machine on and quickly increase speed to variable 10, then to high.

3. With the help of the tamper, push down ingredients close to the blade to incorporate ingredients easily. Blend until creamy and until steam escapes vented lid, about 8 to 12 minutes.

4. Top with crumbled kesong puti. Garnish the Holy Carabao way by adding some malunggay flowers for a delicate look.

Native Salad Serves 4 to 6

400 to 500 grams mixed greens (romaine, lollo rosa) 200 grams local greens like alugbati and talinum leaves 1 cup boiled squash 1/4 cup olive oil, divided 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1 cup sliced okra salt and pepper, to taste 1/4 cup boiled or cooked adlai pansit-pansitan (peperomia), for garnish pipinitos (wild cucumber), for garnish 1/3 cup mulberries (or substitute with blackberries, strawberries or blueberries)

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250 grams marinated kesong puti (feta style) honey calamansi dressing, mixed with crushed mulberries 1. Wash and dry mixed and local greens.

2. Sauté squash in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and paprika. Set aside.

3. Sauté okra in remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.

4. Season boiled adlai with paprika, salt and pepper. Fry or toast in garlic-infused olive oil.

5. Arrange greens, squash, okra, adlai in a bowl.

6. Garnish with pansitpansitan, pipinitos, mulberries and kesong puti.

7. Serve salad dressing on the side, or drizzle on top and toss.

Grilled Labong Serves 2 to 4

200 to 300 grams bamboo shoots rice water, enough for boiling bamboo shoots salt, to taste 2 siling labuyo (bird’s eye chili) 1 to 2 tablespoons grassfed butter or olive oil black pepper, to taste paprika or cayenne powder, for garnish cashew mayonnaise, for dipping 1. Rinse bamboo shoots and rub away dirt. Cut off tough root end. Peel tough outer skin until you see the white part of the shoot.

2. Boil bamboo shoots in rice water, salt and siling labuyo until tender, about 45 minutes to an hour.

Let cool in water and peel remaining outer skin.

3. Slice bamboo shoots lengthwise. Brush some olive oil and/or butter on the sliced shoots. Season

FOOD | 2017 Issue 3

with salt and pepper.

4. Heat grill pan or grill and cook bamboo shoots, turning once until grillmarked. You may also torch the bamboo to finish.

5. Sprinkle with paprika or cayenne pepper. Serve with cashew mayonnaise.

Black Heritage Cochinillo Serves 10 to 12

1 Black Heritage cochinillo coconut water, for basting salsa verde hot passion fruit sauce or chili sauce 1. To thaw the frozen cochinillo, put vacuumsealed cochinillo on a tray inside the refrigerator for 36 hours. After thawing, the pork can be refrigerated safely for another 3 days. If you’re pressed for time, you can also thaw it in cold water. Fill the sink with enough cold water to cover vacuum-sealed cochinillo. Change the water every 30 minutes.

Do not use warm or hot water. Do not refreeze the pork after thawing and it should not be stored for any period of time.

2. Once thawed, open the vacuum-sealed bag and place cochinillo on a cooling rack to drip dry for 20 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 400°F. Pull out the roasting rack from the oven. Put a tray at the bottom of the oven to catch the drippings.

Put a cup of water in the tray to prevent burning.

Replenish when necessary.

4. Wipe the marinade off the skin of cochinillo to prevent burning. Lay it on its back on the roasting rack. Secure the legs flat on the roasting rack with baking twine to

prevent it from curling.

5. Reduce the heat to 300°F and roast cochinillo on its back for 1 hour.

6. Using the knotted lemongrass, baste cochinillo liberally with coconut water or the cooking juices every 15 to 20 minutes.

7. Remove cochinillo from the oven. Remove the baking twine. Place cochinillo on its tummy and put it back in the oven for another hour or until the internal temperature has reached 140°F. 8. Turn up the heat to 400°F for 15 minutes to brown and crisp the skin. Remove from oven.

Let cochinillo rest for 5 minutes before serving.

9. Serve while still hot with salsa verde and hot passion fruit sauce.

Coco-nutty Hot Tsokolate Serves 1

2 cups pasteurized carabao’s milk 3 tablespoons cacao powder 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil 1 tablespoon coconut sugar cocoa powder, for dusting grated nutmeg, for garnish 1. Add all ingredients in a Vitamix and blend on high until liquid feels hot. Or else, heat over the stove and mix with an immersion blender or whisk by hand.

2. Pour into a mug and dust with cocoa powder and nutmeg.

Photography by PAU L DE L ROSA RIO

OUR GUIDE TO CLEAN EATING

how to further improve their health. Jasper Building, 193 Wilson Street, San Juan City, earthoriginsmarketplace.com you’ll find: organic fruits and vegetables; vegan snacks; shirataki noodles; organic meats and meat products; gluten-free baking essentials; condiments; organic grains, seeds, nuts and legumes; powdered superfood supplements

Head over to these shops and restaurants to stock up on products or enjoy delicious meals that are good for the body and kind to the environment SHOPS ECHOStore This retail store carries natural, organic and environment-friendly products carefully selected from local farmers and producers, as well as marginalized cultural minority groups around the country. Most products may be purchased in their kiosks in major malls around the city or online, but fresh produce is only available at ECHOmarket in Serendra, Bonifacio Global City. echostore.ph you’ll find: organic grains such as brown rice and adlai; fair trade coffee and tea; lactose-free dairy products; natural sweeteners and sugar alternatives like coco sugar and coco nectar; salad dressings and dips; natural salts; grass-fed meat and free-range chicken; locally made chocolates; vegetarian products; ready-to-eat bottled products such as tuyo, dulong and crab paste; and healthy snacks like edamame and mushroom chicharon Real Food PH A collaboration among four women who wanted nutritious, organic, and preservative-free food for their families, this one-stop shop in Molito Lifestyle Mall in Alabang makes shopping for healthy ingredients easy and hassle-free. Most products are sourced locally from vendors and producers who have the same values as

the owners. Molito Lifestyle Mall, Madrigal Avenue corner Commerce Avenue, Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Instagram: realfoodph you’ll find: organic eggs; grass-fed beef; glutenfree bread, cookies and pastries; cheeses; hard-tofind heirloom vegetables and fruits; tasty snacks like crunchy granola and root crop chips; unsweetened nut butters; cold-pressed juices; vegan food Down to Earth This family-owned farm in Bukidnon specializes in biodynamic vegetables and herbs. They also raise cattle, pigs, chickens and more, in a loving environment that doesn’t use antibiotics, growth-inducing hormones or GMO feeds, and instead allows them to freely graze around the farm to feed on local grass. Makati Curb Holdings, Unit J, G/F 7433 Yakal Street, San Antonio Village, Makati City, downtoearth.ph you’ll find: fresh cuts of locally-raised, grass-fed cattle and heritage freerange pork, lamb, and poultry; preservative- and nitrate-free cured or smoked meat products; edible flowers; heirloom and miniature vegetables and micro greens; dairy products; ready-made sauces and pickled side dishes; and ready-to-serve, paleo and

ketogenic meat dishes and stews.

Ritual This modern sari-sari store sells not only ecofriendly, organic products for the home, but also carries kitchen staples and other merchandise thoughtfully chosen to help local farmers and producers. Items may be purchased in bulk as well, and may be placed in their reusable glass bottles.

Or bring your own when you come back for a refill (plastics not allowed in the store!). 2/F Languages Internationale Building, 926 Arnaiz Avenue, Makati City, ritualph.myshopify.com you’ll find: flavored vinegars from various regions; muscovado and coconut sugar; coarse, flavored sea salt; nuts and cacao nibs; local coffee beans; baking soda; dried or powdered herbs and spices; coconut-based, chemicalfree home and kitchen cleaning products EarthOrigins Marketplace + Cafe This lifestyle hub in San Juan has a selection of food and home items for healthyeating enthusiasts and the diet-conscious. Formerly Sugarleaf, the shop also has fresh produce, meats, and grains, and conducts workshops and seminars for those seeking information on

Jertie’s Kitchen Gluten-intolerant individuals with a sweet tooth now have an easier time looking for pantry staples, snacks and desserts that are kind to their bodies.

Frozen and ready-to-serve dishes are also available, making it easy to go glutenfree or vegan even for those on-the-go. jertieskitchen. strikingly.com you’ll find: cakes, cookies and brownies; coconut aminos; soy-free longganisa

RESTAURANTS Vegetarian/Vegan Agico A perusal of this San Juanbased restaurant’s menu shows quite a lot of meat dishes, but don’t be fooled.

While they use vegemeat, each dish still retains those familiar Japanese flavors. Also try their raw, freshly pressed juices with detoxifying ingredients such as kale apple and lemon ginger. agicovegetariancafe.com Corner Tree Café A long-time favorite of vegetarians and even nonvegetarians for its delicious yet truly meat-free dishes that don’t use any meatreplacements. Dishes are inspired by cuisines from around the world, and highlight the freshness and natural flavors of vegetables.

Don’t miss the Spanakopita and Veg Nut Roast. 150 Jupiter Street, Bel-AirVillage, Makati City, cornertreecafe.com

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Edgy Veggy Located along one of Kapitolyo’s hip streets, this colorful café belies the “greenness” of its vegan and gluten-free menu.

First timers should try the Black Olive and Basil Pesto Spaghetti. Guests can also opt to take out or take home frozen, ready-to-eat dishes. edgyveggy.ph Susi Who says a deli and boulangerie can’t be vegan and gluten-free? This plantbased restaurant proves that rich and flavorful food can be created from even the greenest sources. Go for The Gaudi or Andalucia soup for a raw vegan option. Bellagio 2 Forbestown Center, Burgos Circle, Bonifacio Global City, Facebook: Susi The Vegetarian Kitchen This family-run restaurant creates deliciously filling, home-cooked vegetarian meals. Each dish resonates with the flavors of home, as only true comfort food can.

Make sure to leave some space for Wasabi Cheesecake and Dark Chocolate Cake.

62B Mother Ignacia Avenue, Barangay Paligsahan, Quezon City, Facebook: TheVegetarianKitchen

Sustainable/Local Earth Kitchen Show your support for over 100 local farmers and indigenous communities while enjoying a healthy meal by Hizon’s Catering using ingredients that don’t use GMOs, synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides. This restaurant helps communities support themselves while also nurturing the environment. earthkitchen.ph Grace Park Chef Margarita Forés is known for Italian comfort food favorites, but here she proves that eating well shouldn’t just be about portion sizes, but that good

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food should always start with 100% quality local ingredients from farmers and producers. G/F One Rockwell, Rockwell Center, Makati City Green Pastures Hearty goes healthy at Chef Robby Goco’s restaurant offering all local and organic dishes. With its lengthy menu and DIY options, there’s sure to be something for even the most finicky eater. Start off with the Farm to Table Tapas or Slides, and don’t miss the D.I.Y Salad Bar for a balanced meal.

Facebook: greenpasturesph The Wholesome Table The husband-and-wife team of Juan and Bianca Elizalde makes it easier for diners to eat well while following a healthy lifestyle.

Their commitment to using only organic ingredients without flavor-enhancers, artificial sweeteners and additives aims to inspire customers to be more conscious and mindful diners. Their extensive menu is also customizable to accommodate diners who follow a gluten-, nut-, dairy, or refined sugar-free diet. thewholesometable.com

easy.” For more options, convert your favorite salad into a wrap or rice bowl for a more filling meal. Our picks: Go Gangnam and Thai Chicken for complex flavors. jujueats.com Salad Stop No time to cook? Take your pick from their global cuisine-inspired menu and you’ll discover a world of flavors in every bowl of greens paired with savory meats. You can even satisfy your sweet tooth with their guilt-free desserts and snacks like the Greek Yogurt Chia Pudding. Facebook: SaladStopPH Sprout Just recently revived (after its Salcedo Village store closed) and available only for delivery via FoodPanda.ph, this healthy fast food still has quite a limited menu. Despite this, the Braised Hoisin Beef and Miso Salmon bowls are fast becoming favorites.

G/F Alveo Corporate Headquarters, 28th Street, BGC, Taguig

Light Gourmet

Detoxify Bar Best known for its juices that detoxify the body after an overindulgence or as a preventive measure. A selection of healthy meals are available to complement the nutritious veggie drinks. detoxifybar.com

Kitchen 1B This “wholesome” counterpart of Apartment 1B ensures that you can indulge in rich, flavorful dishes guilt-free when you use the right ingredients. Enjoy the Whole Wheat Spaghetti & Vegetables or eat light with the Grilled Prawns & Cauliflower-Turmeric Rice.

G/F KL Tower, 117 Gamboa Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City

Juju Eats The first healthy salad bar to open in the metro, it continues to attract many diners because of its evergrowing selection of salads, wraps and bowls inspired by different cuisines. Quality of ingredients is top-notch, and complementary smoothies and juices are also available, which holds true to their motto of “making healthy

Runner’s Kitchen Here, Filipino food is turned into healthier versions by using nutrient-dense ingredients such as organic vegetables, mushrooms and healthy grains and legumes.

Make your own Stir-Fried Veggies & Quinoa Bowl and pair it with a smoothie that’s meant to make you Maliksi (watermelon and coco sugar) or Matipuno

Healthy Fast Food

FOOD | 2017 Issue 3

(bananas, peanut butter, cacao nibs and cashew milk) and running on full speed.

Unit 2 Creekside Square, 74 Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City

DI E T D E LI V E RY S E RV ICE S MEALS ON WHEELS This meal delivery service specifically caters to Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre clients who each have personalized Eating Plan prescriptions. This ensures that Cohen clients who have might not have the time or skill to cook their own healthy meals are able to achieve their weight loss goals with ease. mealsonwheels.com.ph PA L E O M A N I L A If you’re one of those interested in shifting to a Paleolithic diet, this is the best place to start, as they offer a 5-day meal plan up to 120days. Meals are gluten and grain-free, made without preservatives and all natural, using seasonal ingredients that are locally sourced.

Portions may be adjusted upon client’s request.

Best part is their online and phone consultation service for clients who need nutritional advice. paleomanila.com THE SEXY CHEF One of the pioneers in customized meal delivery service, Chef Barni AlejandroRennebeck’s diet food service has grown considerably since it was established in 2004.

Nutritionists tailor each dish to address clients’ dietary requirements and preferences, creating a variety of options available. thesexychef.ph Y E S P L AT E Formerly “Healthy Eats

by Chef Jam Melchor,” this lunchbox delivery service helps clients lose weight the healthy way.

Touted as an “anti-fast food” option, meals are based on daily calorie requirements but are still delicious and satisfying and affordably priced. Facebook: yesplateph

Photography by PAUL DEL ROSARIO | Styling by TINA CONCEPCION DIAZ

The power of kale Kale has become a superfood darling thanks to its powerful mix of vitamins, minerals and fiber. If you don’t like kale in your salad, the next best thing is to juice it with other fresh fruits and vegetables.

You’ll get a truly nutritionpacked glass that happens to taste great, too. Check out Chef Rebecca Disini’s recipe for Kale Juice on page 79.

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HOME BASICS | light & right

BIGgo BOWLS carb free Sworn off carbs to lose weight, but now you’re hungry all the time? Don’t fret! These all-in-one bowls are filling and brimming with nutrients without a carb in sight Recipes by DA H LIA CON DE Photography by PAU L DE L ROSA RIO | Styling by N A NC Y DIZON - E DR A LIN

Salmon Bibimbap Bowl Serves 2

400 grams salmon steak salt and pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon calamansi juice 1/2 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 tablespoons coconut oil salt and pepper, to taste 3 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos 2 cups cauliflower rice (recipe on page 92) 2 tablespoons butter 1/4 kilo spinach, blanched 1 carrot, sliced into strips, blanched 2 free-range eggs, fried sunny-side up 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red chili paste) sesame seeds, for garnish

Carb-free Korean

Chef Dahlia’s Paleo version of a Korean bibimbap retains all the flavors of this traditional rice dish without using any actual rice! Since soy sauce is not part of the Paleo diet, she uses coconut aminos instead. You can buy this at Healthy Options or at Jojiberry on Mother Ignacia Street, Quezon City. If you can’t find it, substitute with tamari or unfermented gluten-free soy sauce, which is readily available in most Japanese or Korean groceries.

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1. Preheat griller. Season salmon with salt, pepper and calamansi juice. Grill salmon about 3 minutes each side. Flake with fork, and set aside.

2. Sauté shiitake mushrooms and garlic in coconut oil until wilted. Season with salt, pepper and soy sauce or coconut aminos. Set aside.

3. Cook cauliflower rice in butter until golden and tender but not mushy.

4. Place cauliflower rice on one side of the bowl, followed by the vegetables, arranging them side by side. Then place the flaked salmon.

5. Add 1 fried egg on top and a bit of gochujang.

Garnish with sesame seeds.

Pulled Pork Burrito Bowl Serves 4

1/2 kilo pork belly 1/2 tablespoon cumin powder 1/2 tablespoon chili powder juice of 1/2 orange salt and pepper, to taste water, enough to cover meat 4 unripe saba bananas, sliced into thick rings, fried 1/4 cup diced tomatoes

1/2 cup diced avocado 1/2 cup salsa (recipe below) chopped spring onions, for garnish 1. In a pot, combine pork belly, cumin powder, chili powder, orange juice, salt and pepper. Cover with enough water and cook for 1 1/2 hours or until pork is tender and easily comes apart with a fork. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, assemble fried

saba on one side, pulled pork, tomatoes and avocado.

Sprinkle with spring onions.

Drizzle salsa before serving or serve on the side.

SA L SA:

300 grams ripe tomatoes, diced 2 red onions, peeled and finely diced 1 tablespoon finely diced jalapeño peppers, or to taste

handful of cilantro leaves, cleaned and torn salt and pepper, to taste juice of 2 limes Combine all ingredients in a glass bowl and mix well. Set aside for about 30 minutes until flavors meld.

Paleo in a bowl

This Mexican-inspired dish perfectly exemplifies the Paleo principle of fresh, unprocessed food free of grains, legumes, dairy, refined sugar, potatoes, processed food and refined vegetable oils. According to Chef Dahlia, the Paleo diet is what cured her of her asthma and helped her lose weight. Instead of rice or tortillas, Chef Dahlia uses saba bananas, but you can also use sweet potato or cassava to fill you up.

A graduate of the Center for Culinary Arts, Chef Dahlia Conde is the founder and owner of Artemis Black Label which provides Paleo meals via subscription in partnership with Crossfit Infinitas.

79 Mother Ignacia Street, Quezon City, (02) 412-9004, Facebook: cafeartemis

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HOME BASICS | light & right Cauliflower Tabbouleh Bowl

chopped finely 1 cucumber, diced

1/4 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup olive oil salt and pepper, to taste 100 grams fresh parsley 2 cups cauliflower rice (recipe below) 4 tomatoes, diced small 4 shallots, diced finely 4 cloves garlic, peeled and

1. To make the dressing, combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Wash and drain parsley.

Dry with paper towel and chop finely.

3. Mix together cauliflower rice (recipe below), parsley, tomatoes, shallots, garlic

Serves 2

Cauliflower power

Instead of rice or pasta, Chef Dahlia prefers grain-free alternatives like cauliflower which, when blitzed in a food processor, mimics the size of rice kernels. If you don’t have a food processor, you can finely chop the cauliflower florets with a knife, although they won’t be as uniform in size. If you don’t have time to make cauliflower rice, you can use quinoa instead, although it’s technically not part of the Paleo diet.

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and cucumber. Gently toss in dressing. Chill in refrigerator to let flavors combine.

C AU LIFLOW E R RICE:

2 cups cauliflower florets 1/4 cup clarified butter or ghee 1. Preheat oven to about 300°F. Wash cauliflower florets and place in a

colander to drain.

2. Process cauliflower florets in a food processor until they resemble rice.

3. Place on a parchmentlined baking sheet and drizzle with butter or ghee.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden in color, then cool.

Bake in batches if needed.

CHEF’S NOTE: Ghee is a type of clarified butter popular with those on the Paleo diet. Since milk fat solids are removed from ghee, it is theoretically “dairy free” and should be well tolerated by those who need to avoid dairy products. You can find it at specialty groceries like Assad Mini Mart. Visit www. assadminimart.com for a list of branches

HOME BASICS | cooking class

ITALIAN LITE

Carpaccio without the beef? Panna cotta without the cream? Yes, it can be done and still be molto delizioso!

Recipes by GIU LIA NO BE RTA of Paparazzi, Edsa Shangri-La Manila | Photography by RICK Y L A DIA

talian cuisine might be considered healthy, thanks to its use of olive oil, fresh vegetables and lots of herbs. It’s part of the much-lauded Mediterranean diet, after all. However, it doesn’t shy away from carbs, whether pasta, pizza or risotto, or for that matter, from meat and dairy products.

So if you happen to be vegan or vegetarian, or are going glutenfree, there might not be too many Italian dishes to choose from.

Thankfully, Italian chef Giuliano Berta of Paparazzi, Edsa Shangri-La Manila’s signature Italian restaurant, is a master of Italian cuisine, knowing how to play with ingredients to recreate these three classic Italian dishes that anyone on a diet can enjoy.

I

Watermelon that looks like beef

Chef Giuliano gives credit to the brilliant Spanish chef Andoni Luis Aduriz of Mugaritz for transforming light, juicy watermelon into beef-like carpaccio. While the process may be tedious—involving grilling, smoking, overnight drying, then freezing—the result is this simply stunning vegetarian masterpiece.

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Paparazzi Salad Serves 2

NO - G A RLIC PE S TO SAUCE:

100 grams fresh basil leaves, no stems 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil SA L A D:

60 grams lollo rossa lettuce 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper, to taste 5 asparagus spears, blanched 6 halves cherry tomatoes 5 cubes rock melon or cantaloupe 5 pieces burrata cheese

Watermelon Carpaccio Serves 2

1 watermelon 5 cinnamon sticks salt and black pepper, to taste 10 rocket salad leaves 1 1/2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan 5 black olives, roughly broken in halves 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil 1. Cut the watermelon in half. Remove the green and white parts of the skin.

2. Grill the red pulp on its flat side for about 20 minutes per side.

3. Place the grilled pulp in a smoker. Burn the cinnamon sticks in the smoker and let smoke for 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Leave the smoked watermelon to dry in a 100°F oven for at least 8 hours or overnight.

5. Cut the pulp into smaller sections, remove the seeds and freeze until ready to use.

6. Right before serving, thinly slice the frozen smoked watermelon.

Arrange the slices on a plate, just like beef carpaccio. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

7. Top with rocket salad, Parmesan cheese and black olives. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Pesto without the carbs If you love pesto sauce but are staying away from pasta, then use it as a salad dressing instead. Chef Giuliano omits the usual garlic since this pesto isn’t cooked.

But if you happen to love that intense raw garlic flavor, then you can certainly add it in. Chef Giuliano suggests sprinkling toasted pine nuts, another traditional pesto ingredient, on the salad for a bit of crunch.

1

In a blender, place basil leaves with grated Parmesan and salt.

3

In a stainless steel bowl, toss the lettuce leaves with olive oil, salt and pepper. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons no-garlic pesto sauce and mix well.

2

Add 2/3 of the olive oil, then blend the mixture. Add more olive oil, as needed, while blending to achieve a smooth pesto sauce. Avoid blending for too long since this heats the sauce, turning it black.

4

Transfer the lettuce leaves to a serving plate. Arrange asparagus, cherry tomatoes and melon on the salad. Top with burrata cheese just before serving.

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HOME BASICS | cooking class Panna cotta made vegan

A traditional Italian panna cotta simply consists of milk, cream and sugar, with a bit of gelatin to hold its shape. Unfortunately, this dessert is strictly off limits for vegans. Thankfully, Chef Giuliano has a solution by using coconut milk instead of cow’s milk and cream, and agar instead of gelatin (which is derived from animal collagen). But if you just want to avoid the dairy, then simply substitute the agar with 12 grams of gelatin (or 3 to 4 gelatin sheets). Just remember to chill the panna cotta in the refrigerator to let it set.

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Coconut and Strawberry Panna Cotta Makes 4

COCON U T PA N N A COT TA:

4 cups coconut milk 2 cups sugar zest of 2 lemons 1 teaspoon agar or unflavored gulaman S TR AW BE RRY PA N N A COT TA:

600 grams sliced strawberries 2 cups sugar 1 1/2 cups + 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut milk 1 teaspoon agar or unflavored gulaman

1

2

3

4

To make the coconut panna cotta, pour coconut milk into a pot and mix in sugar and lemon zest. Heat mixture until temperature reaches 159°F. Soak agar in hot coconut milk and let it melt while stirring.

Pour in individual glass jars or ramekins until half full. Let it set.

To make the strawberry panna cotta, cook the strawberries with sugar until they become soft. In a pot, mix the coconut milk with the cooked strawberries. Heat mixture until the temperature reaches 159ºF. Soak agar in the hot mixture and let it melt while stirring.

CHOCOL ATE SAUCE:

1/2 cup sugar 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 2 teaspoons cornstarch or potato starch 1 1/4 cups cold water 70 grams dark chocolate 1. In a saucepan, mix sugar, cocoa powder and cornstarch with cold water.

2. Heat the mixture until it boils for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and fold in dark chocolate, stirring until it melts.

Cool the mixture then pour on top of the coconut panna cotta. Let it set.

Decorate with biscuits, sliced strawberries and a drizzle of chocolate sauce (recipe this page).

Italian food, Paparazzi style

There is no shortage of Italian restaurants in the country, but few offer as elegant and pleasant a dining experience as Paparazzi, Edsa Shangri-La Manila’s signature Italian restaurant. With its name originating from the 1960 classic Italian film, La Dolce Vita, its walls are decorated with blackand-white posters of old-time screen legends and movie scenes, capturing Italy at its most stylish and captivating. A native of Brescia in northern Italy, Italian executive chef Giuliano Berta has helmed the Paparazzi kitchen since January 2017, introducing his repertoire of authentic, home-cooked Italian dishes, as well as making use of his extensive experience working in hotels and fine dining restaurants in Italy and abroad. The Paparazzi menu, as brought to life by Chef Giuliano, offers classic and modern Italian dishes, with both familiar and new items, like Ossobuco with Saffron Risotto, Vitello Tonnato, Fettuccine Verdi with Parma Ham and Mushroom, Fiorentina and the popular Tiramisu. The extensive menu is complemented by a wide range of wines, including Italian vintages. Paparazzi also has a bar offering cocktails, liqueur, beer and wine throughout the night along with a special bar snack menu.

Edsa Shangri-La Manila, 1 Garden Way, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City, (02) 633-8888 ext. 2922, www.shangri-la.com/manila/edsashangrila

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HOME BASICS | simply desserts

Goodness in a Nutshell Power-packed with flavor, nutrients and unmistakable crunch, nuts are a practical indulgence that deserve to be in your desserts

Text, recipes and styling by TIN A CONCE P CION DIA Z Photography by PAU L DE L ROSA RIO

Nutty Caramel Popcorn Serves 6

6 cups freshly popped corn, about 2/3 cup unpopped 1 cup cashews, toasted 1 cup plain roasted pili nuts 2 cups sugar 1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt 2 tablespoons butter 2/3 cup water 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place popped corn and nuts in a bowl large enough for mixing. Set aside.

2. Place sugar, salt and butter in a large pot, with enough room for the caramel to foam.

Pour water along the sides of the pot to moisten the sugar.

Cover and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is simmering. Uncover, increase heat to medium low and cook without stirring.

3. Tip the pot to swirl the syrup if some spots are getting darker than the rest. Cook until syrup turns deep golden amber. Turn off heat.

4. Add baking soda and start stirring quickly as the caramel foams. Pour over popcorn and nuts, then quickly mix until evenly coated in caramel.

Spread on cookie sheet and allow to cool and harden. Break into pieces.

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Popcorn goes sweet and nutty Who doesn’t love caramel popcorn? It’s a sweet indulgence made even better with the addition of any nuts of your choice. In this recipe, we chose local nuts like cashew and pili, both rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Since plain pili nuts usually come already toasted, avoid toasting them again as doing so releases the nut’s oils and may change the texture of your caramel popcorn.

Dark Chocolate Mousse Tart Serves 8 to 12 CRUS T:

1 recipe nut praline, using slivered almonds, reserve some shards for garnish (recipe below) 1 cup crushed graham crackers 2 tablespoons butter, melted

The secret is in the praline Enrobing nuts in praline or chocolate helps retain their crunchiness longer. A praline gives a richer flavor to this elegant tart, or if chopped into smaller pieces, can be a fun mix-in for ice cream. Almonds are the perfect, nutrition-rich choice, whether incorporated into desserts or eaten on their own. They’re high in protein, fiber, vitamin E, magnesium and are filled with “good” unsaturated fat.

MOUSSE:

1 1/2 cups whipping cream, reserve and chill 1/2 cup 2 egg yolks 2 cups bittersweet chocolate buttons (72% to 75%) 1. Line the removable bottom of a 10-inch tart pan with parchment paper.

Spray the fluted sides with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Chill the mixing bowl and wire whip in the freezer for later use.

2. Break almond praline (recipe below) into coarse pieces and grind in a food processor until it becomes a coarse powder.

3. In a bowl, mix graham crackers and almond praline.

Add melted butter and mix until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press on bottom and sides of tart pan. Chill while making the mousse.

4. For the mousse, heat 1 cup cream in a medium saucepan over low heat until simmering. Using a wire whisk, mix about 2 tablespoons of hot cream to the egg yolks to temper before adding to the rest of the cream. Turn off heat, add chocolate and gently stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Cool to room temperature.

5. Whip remaining cream in a chilled bowl until thick and double in volume. Fold in chocolate mixture in 2 batches, until fully mixed.

Pour into chilled crust.

Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or freeze for 3 hours.

6. Unmold by gently pushing the bottom pan

up to release the crust from the sides of the pan.

Gently release bottom pan and parchment paper and slide tart onto a serving plate. Garnish with reserved praline pieces.

N U T PR A LIN E:

1 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 2 tablespoons butter 1/4 cup water 1 cup toasted nuts of choice like almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashew, etc.

1. Place sugar, salt and butter in a medium pot. Pour water along the sides of the pot to moisten the sugar.

2. Cover and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is simmering.

Uncover, increase heat to medium low and cook without stirring.

3. Tip the pot to swirl the syrup if some spots are getting darker than the rest.

Cook until syrup turns deep golden amber. Turn off heat.

4. Add nuts and mix with a

wooden spoon until caramel starts to thicken. Turn out onto a parchment-lined tray.

Spread thinly with a spatula and allow to harden.

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COOK’S NOTE: If you want a less dense mousse but wish to retain the deep intensity of dark chocolate, use 1 1/2 cups of chocolate instead of 2 cups.

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HOME BASICS | simply desserts Easy Browned Butter and Walnut Brittle Ice Cream Serves 6 to 8

1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 recipe nut praline, using 2 cups toasted walnuts (recipe on page 87) 2 3/4 cups dairy whipping cream 1 390-ml can condensed milk, chilled 1. In a small saucepan, cook

butter over low heat without stirring. Wait until the sizzling stops, and the milk solids turn golden brown.

Transfer to a bowl and cool.

2. After making the walnut praline, cool and break into small pieces. Set aside.

3. Place whipping cream in a chilled bowl. While mixing on low speed, pour in browned butter with all the browned bits.

Increase speed and whip until thick and double in

volume. Using a wire whip, slowly whisk about a cup of cream into the condensed milk to lighten it before adding to the cream. Mix slowly by hand until well incorporated.

4. Fold in walnut praline, then pour into a deep baking tin for faster freezing.

Lightly press a sheet of plastic wrap over the ice cream. Freeze for 6 hours or overnight.

COOK’S NOTE For this no-churn ice cream, do not substitute dairy whipping cream with non-dairy, and butter with margarine as flavor, texture and personal enjoyment will vastly change.

Maximize nuts’ flavor by toasting Toasting nuts to a golden shade unlocks their deep, nutty vibrance. Spread them on a tray and bake in a 300ºF oven for 15 to 20 minutes until light brown. If using an oven toaster, just make sure to stir the nuts at regular intervals to avoid burning. Thin nuts like pine nuts or sliced almonds can be toasted in a pan set over medium low heat.

Just toss or stir often to evenly distribute the heat and avoid burning.

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Crispy Chocolate Hazelnut Clusters Serves 8

3 cups 62% dark chocolate buttons, divided in half 1 cup brown rice crispies 1 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped 1. Line a tray with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Place 1 1/2 cups chocolate in a bowl over a gently simmering pot of water, making sure the bowl is firmly in place and not touching the water.

With a spatula, slowly stir chocolate until it melts, then add remaining half of chocolate. Stir until smooth.

3. Remove from heat, and fold in rice crispies and hazelnuts. Mix until nuts and rice crispies are fully coated in chocolate.

4. Using a small ice cream scoop, arrange mounds of chocolate clusters on parchment-lined tray. Chill or freeze for a few minutes until firm. Peel from paper and serve right away, or keep chilled in a tightly covered container.

COOK’S NOTE: To remove the skin from newly toasted hazelnuts, have ready a large kitchen towel spread out on a table. While hot, transfer hazelnuts to the towel, gather the edges in a bunch, and holding it tightly, start rolling the towel on the table back and forth to release the skin.

Need nuts? Dane International Commodities Inc. offers all kinds—walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, pecans, macadamia, cashews, pine nuts—as well as seeds, dried fruits and U.S. dehydrated potatoes. To order, call (02) 722-9250 or 727-3657, or email order@danecommodities.com. Delivery available.

HOME BASICS | 30 minutes or less

SPEEDY SMOOTHIES

It takes mere minutes to blend your favorite fruits and veggies into a powerpacked smoothie or smoothie bowl. The secret? Prepare the ingredients ahead of time, then pop them in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to blend

Recipes by REBECCA DISINI | Photography by PAUL DEL ROSARIO | Styling by TINA CONCEPCION DIAZ

Hot and Spicy Smoothie Serves 2 to 4

1 ripe mango 1/2 ripe avocado 1 banana 1/4 Thai red chili 5 Thai basil leaves 1 cup coconut water and coconut meat 1/3 cup coconut milk 1 tablespoon shredded coconut

Blend mango, avocado, banana, red chili, basil, coconut water, coconut milk and coconut meat in a blender. Top with shredded coconut and serve cold.

A smoothie cleanse

Smoothies are a great way to detox the system. The added chili and coconut water in this Hot and Spicy Smoothie help the cleansing process along. Make sure to stick to non-dairy substitutes like coconut milk, almond, rice or oat milks.

Chef Rebecca likes to punch up the flavors of this savory smoothie with Take Root Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Snackers made of dried kale, tomatoes, carrots and cashews seasoned with lemon, garlic and balsamic vinegar.

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Dragon Fruit Bowl

Kale Juice

Serves 4 to 6

2 large dragon fruits, fresh or frozen 1 frozen banana 1/3 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen 1/8 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla seeds or vanilla extract 1/2 to 1 cup coconut milk 1/2 pack granola 1 kiwi, sliced 2 tablespoons mixed nuts 3 tablespoons blueberries or grapes, optional

Serves 2 to 4 1. In a blender, blend dragon fruits, banana, strawberries and vanilla.

2. Add coconut milk, little by little, until you achieve your desired consistency. Then pour into a bowl.

3. Top with granola, kiwi, mixed nuts and fresh blueberries or grapes.

2 cups spinach 1/3 cup kale 1/3 cup lettuce 1/2 cup celery 1/3 cup parsley 1/2 cup cucumber 1 lemon 2 green apples 1 red apple, optional sea salt, to taste

Juice all the fruit and vegetables in a juicer. The red apple adds sweetness.

Add a dash of sea salt. Garnish with kale chips.

The thicker the better

The secret to a nice and thick smoothie bowl? Frozen bananas. When blended in, they give that rich, creamy texture. Make sure to use ripe bananas with brown spots, because these are usually sweeter and easier to digest.

To get your desired thickness, blend all the fruit first, then add the milk little by little until the consistency is just right. Don’t forget the toppings, like Take Root Banana Bread Granola with Flaxseed and, when they’re in season, Take Root Pineapple Chewies.

Free from junk When you commit to eating healthy, the hardest challenge can be not snacking between meals.

If you can’t resist the urge, we recommend Take Root, with its line of healthy snacks free of gluten, dairy and sugar, and made with all-natural ingredients.

It’s free of pesticides and additives, plus it’s made with organic ingredients, whenever possible. A 2017 Katha Awardee for Best Product in Snack Food, Take Root products range from savory chips to sweet munchies. Our favorites include Take Root Kale Chips Vegan Cheeze, Banana Bread Granola with Flaxseed, and Dark Chocolate Brownie Bliss Balls, among many other goodies. You can find Take Root products at select supermarkets, health food specialty stores and restaurants.

Visit takeroot.ph to learn more

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HOME BASICS | 30 minutes or less Smoothie bowl or smoothie?

What’s the difference between a smoothie and a smoothie bowl? Not much really, except consistency.

A smoothie bowl is thicker than a regular smoothie, and is meant to be eaten with a spoon, like cereal, not drunk out of a glass. The best part about smoothie bowls are the toppings which can be a mix of fresh, crunchy and sweet—but always healthy.

For topping, Chef Rebecca suggests Take Root Burnt Honey Granola with Cranberries for the Mango Matcha Smoothie Bowl, and Take Root Banana Chewies for the Coconut Chia Bowl.

Coconut Chia Bowl Serves 2 to 4

2 tablespoons chia seeds 1 cup coconut milk 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup mixed fresh fruit slices 2 tablespoons mixed nuts 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup or coconut nectar, optional 1. In a bowl, soak chia seeds in coconut milk and vanilla.

Seal the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit overnight in the refrigerator. If time

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permits, mix chia seeds into the coconut milk every so often.

2. The next day, give the coconut milk-chia seed mixture one good mix before serving. If it is too lumpy, feel free to add more coconut milk until you reach your desired consistency.

3. Toss in fresh sliced fruits, mixed nuts and, if desired, a tablespoon or 2 of maple syrup or coconut nectar to sweeten.

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Mango Matcha Smoothie Bowl Serves 2 to 4

1 to 2 mangoes, fresh or frozen 1 to 2 teaspoons matcha powder 2 frozen bananas 1 teaspoon cacao nibs 1 tablespoon coconut nectar, optional 1/2 to 1 cup almond milk 1/2 pack granola sliced strawberries, for garnish dash of cinnamon powder

1. Combine mangoes, matcha, bananas, cacao nibs and coconut nectar, if using, in a blender. Blend until creamy and smooth.

2. Add almond milk, little by little, until you achieve your desired consistency. Pour into a bowl.

3. Toss in some granola. Place sliced fresh strawberries along with the granola.

4. Add an additional tablespoon of coconut nectar if not sweet enough. Sprinkle with cinnamon powder.

HOME BASICS | D.I.Y.

HAVE VEGGIES? MAKE CHIPS

Cook up your own crunchy, nutritious snacks

Text, recipes and styling by PIXIE RODRIGO SE V ILL A Photography by PAU L DE L ROSA RIO

ive out of 10 women are guilty of snacking, especially when stressed, tired or as a mindless activity—while watching TV, for example. Snacking has always been considered a bad habit because of all the unhealthy processed food we tend to indulge in. My solution?

Make your own, healthier versions of your favorite chips using veggies. There’s no limit to the crunchy assortment you can make—sweet potatoes, squash, carrots and more.

F

Green Tomato Chips Serves 4

1/4 kilo green tomatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup Italian or Japanese breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 1. Thinly slice green tomatoes and place in a bowl. Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes, stir to coat.

2. Add breadcrumbs to the bowl and toss to coat. Spread coated tomato slices onto a baking sheet.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

3. Bake in a preheated 350ºF oven until tomato pieces are tender and cheese is browned, about 15 minutes.

4. Serve with roasted garlic and mayo dip (recipe below).

ROA S TE D G A RLIC A N D M AYO DIP:

1 head roasted garlic, crushed 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 cup mayonnaise salt and pepper, to taste In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Serve with the tomato chips.

Tomatoes as toast

If you love the flavor of sun-dried tomatoes, you’ll enjoy these oven-roasted tomato slices that pack flavor and nutrients. For best results, choose the firmest fresh tomatoes you can find. Slice as thinly as you can, and bake at low temperature to remove the liquid. Serve like you would toast with a dollop of roasted garlic and mayo on top. If you don’t like mayonnaise, serve with cheese pimiento on the side. Or, they’re good on their own.

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French Fried Beans Serves 4

1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 bottle (330 ml) pale ale beer 1/4 kilo French beans vegetable oil, for deep frying

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, pepper and garlic powder. Slowly pour in the beer, whisking constantly until smooth.

2. Fill a pot halfway with vegetable oil. Heat oil to 375°F. 3. Dip French beans quickly in the beer batter. Allow excess batter to drip back into the bowl, and drop the beans directly into the deep fryer.

4. Fry for 2 minutes or until dark golden brown. Remove from fryer with a slotted spoon, then drain on paper towels.

5. Serve with homemade tartar dip (recipe below).

HOM E M A DE TA RTA R DIP:

1 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon pickle relish 2 teaspoons minced onion 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice salt and pepper, to taste

Roasting works, too

Lightly-fried and seasoned, these bean chips are a great way to get a dose of dietary fiber and vitamin A. For an even healthier option, oven-roast the beans—so the only oil you get will be from the fat in the bean. For color and variety, combine the beans with juliennecut carrots and zucchini.

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix well and serve with fried beans.

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HOME BASICS | D.I.Y. Mushroom Chips Serves 4

200 grams oyster mushrooms 1/2 cup cornstarch vegetable oil, for deep frying spiced vinegar, for dipping Slice mushrooms and coat with cornstarch. Deep fry until crisp.

Serve with spiced vinegar.

Frying without oil

For a healthier version, use an air fryer instead of deep frying, but do not coat the mushrooms with cornstarch. If you choose to air fry, make sure to consume the mushroom chips right away because items made crisp with an air fryer get soft after a while.

Get the crispy flavor of deep-fried, without the oil

This nifty little machine cooks by circulating hot air around food at high speed, so you get food that’s crisp and crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside. The Tefal Fry Delight is a low fat fryer that fries, roasts, grills and bakes. Available at Rustan’s

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A TREASURE TROVE OF FLAVORS (Clockwise from top:) Special rice bibingka by the roadside in San Pablo; Chicken binacol served in coconut shell at Kinalimera; In Pila, merienda served on the veranda within view of the town plaza; The Ensaladang Santa Cruz with pako fern, pickled ubod, kesong puti, and salted egg vinaigrette at Aurora Filipino Cuisine; Maja blanca from Pila

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FOOD T OUR

A Slice of

LAGUNA Discovering hidden gastronomic and cultural gems in this southern Tagalog province

By TROY BARRIOS Photography in Santa Cruz, Liliw and Victoria by PAT MATEO Photos in Pila, San Pablo and Sampaloc Lake by JustinVentura courtesy of SAN MIGUEL PUREFOODS CULINARY CENTER

trip to Laguna is like a treasure hunt. Every single visit holds the promise of discovery, and there have been many over the years: picnicking on the slopes of Mount Makiling, scouting the little restaurants that cluster near the University of the Philippines campus in Los BaĂąos, driving to Paete with friends bent on shopping for beautiful woodcarved furniture, waking up at an indecent hour in San Pablo to have coffee on the lake. Laguna is so accessible and familiar, it no longer felt exciting. But I was wrong. A trip curated by the San Miguel Purefoods Culinary Center revealed so many delicious, undiscovered gems that I returned to take a closer look. The result is this story.

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Pila

The charming town of Pila is one of the oldest in the country, already a center of trade before the Spanish arrived. Cora Relova, a founding member of the Pila Historical Society Foundation, says that in the ‘60s, excavations in the area yielded ceramics, scholar’s tools and writing implements dating back to the 12th century. There were even exquisite pieces of Sung and Yuan Chinese pottery, a clue that the Pileños were already avid art collectors.

In the ‘90s, the discovery of the Laguna Copperplate Inscription, the oldest known written document in the Philippines, proved the existence of a sophisticated society with a complex system of laws. The Spaniards were so impressed by the refinement of Pila that they awarded it a special status: La Nobilia Villa de Pila (The Noble Town of Pila) in 1610, an honor granted to

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only four other towns in the Philippines.

Present-day Pila retains the Spanish colonial layout with the town plaza in the center, and the historic San Antonio de Padua Church facing off with the municipal hall. They are surrounded by beautifully-preserved houses in the 1920s American colonial style, in cream and pastel colors with wide open verandas. There are 30 historic structures in Pila,

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A WINDOW BACK IN TIME (From top) The historic Corazon Rivera House in Pila; Sampaloc Lake, the largest of the Seven Lakes of San Pablo, restored to its pristine glory; Cora Relova is a descendant of Don Felizardo Rivera, chief architect of PIla and the man responsible for moving the town to its present site; A roadside bibingka vendor in San Pablo makes this popular local snack with alangan (coconut meat) and rice flour, slathered with Quickmelt cheese and Star margarine

SENTIMENTAL FAVORITE. The Fried Halo Halo at Café Lago is a deconstructed version of a beloved childhood snack. It’s the best reward after a walking tour around Sampalok Lake

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CHICKEN JOY. Café Lago’s buttered chicken (top) is made with margarine, not butter. It’s served with fresh pako salad. At Aurora Filipino Cuisine in Santa Cruz, minanok (bottom) is a dish that has no actual chicken, despite its name.

Instead it’s made with banana heart and burnt coconut, but tastes just like chicken! It was a popular merienda during World War II.

most still inhabited by the original families of Pila, so a strong sense of communiy is palpable. “Life is peaceful here,” says Relova. “There’s a feeling of safety and security.

Our neighbors are still our family and friends.” Town life remains dynamic and convivial.

In her ancestral home, the historic Corazon Rivera House named after her grandmother, Relova hosted a traditional merienda, Pilastyle. This was homemade puto Biñan with kesong puti, maja blanca and fresh buko juice. As we ate, she shared a little of her family’s history and described the fine points of the house which she describes as American chalet-style with Spanish design elements, as evident for example in the woodcarved ventanillas that let in fresh air. Like any grand dame, Pila feels both genteel

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and stately, so that visitors are instinctively on their best behavior almost as if visiting a much-loved great aunt.

Already, we want to live here.

San Pablo

On the road to San Pablo, it is absolutely necessary to stop by a tiny roadside kiosk to buy hot, freshly-made bibingka. Made of ground rice and alangan (coconut meat), with a smoky flavor from the fire of dried coconut husks, it is handed to you still warm and generously slathered with margarine and cheese. Once you taste it, we are very sure you’ll grab a few dozen to bring home to Manila.

The next stop is Café Lago along the banks of Sampaloc Lake, the biggest of the seven lakes of San Pablo. Owner Tony Marino spent 30 years in New York

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working on Broadway (he was once the King in The King and I). He and brother Mandy spearheaded a community project to restore the polluted lake to its old glory. Today, Sampaloc Lake is pristine and its fresh breezes and magnificent view lend atmosphere to the tiny restaurant. Café Lago is the ancestral home of the Marinos, and they will serve you their childhood favorites, like buttered chicken (actually made with Star margarine) served with pako salad, and for dessert halo-halo, but served deconstructed with a fried lumpia casing filled with ube halaya, nata, kaong and beans then topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The real highlight is listening to Tony share anecdotes of his years in Broadway.

Santa Cruz

Aurora Filipino Cuisine in Santa Cruz is a gem of a restaurant. It is the rare place where you can sit down for a vintage Southern Tagalog meal. Coupled with the ambience, and the dishes made following old famly recipes, this is an experience.

We were so impressed that we returned for a second visit. The restaurant was the ancestral home of owners, Chef Theodore ‘Day’ Salonga, his sister Gel Salonga and their partner Chef Mon Urbino. It was built in the 1920s and had been, at one point in its career, a beauty parlor.

Traces remain in the scary, old fashioned electric hair curlers and gizmos that are kept as decor.

The menu, as designed

by Chef Day, is a celebration of local Laguna cuisine.

“Guests get an authentic experience of how it was dining during the time of our great-grandparents.”

You will immediately note local delicacies on the menu, such as the 1920s Chicken

A GLIMPSE INTO PREWAR LIFE IN LAGUNA (From top left); Tiya Auring’s Sinugno is tilapia fillet and vegetables cooked in gata over a charcoal fire; Chefs Day and Gel Salonga in their ancestral home-turned-restaurant; Chef Gel’s Bibingka Cheesecake made with La Pacita Graham Crackers; Aurora Filipino Cuisine was built in the 1920s

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Wings Adobo, an heirloom recipe of Isidra Guevarra, wife of native-born Senator Pedro Guevarra. The quaintly-named minanok has no chicken but is made of banana heart cooked in burnt coconut cream and served with maruya. It was a popular merienda during the war years when meat was scarce. It’s now a local delicacy. I like to think of the resourceful wartime Tagalogs putting a brave face on in spite of food scarcity.

The cuisine reflects the way of life in Santa Cruz, which had been farm country until recently. Coconuts were plentiful, and many

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dishes make use of gata.

But unlike the gata-based dishes in Bicol, Laguna’s gata is subtly flavored with secondary ingredients–like papaya, for example. “It’s a difference in palate, reflecting different influences possibly from pre-Hispanic times that contributed to the flavors of Laguna,” says Chef Day.

Victoria

LAGUNA’S SPECIALS (From top) Salted eggs and roast itik from Itlog ni Kuya–the eggs are never dyed pink; Victoria Dator, owner of the Itlog ni Kuya brand; Aurora Filipino Cuisine’s desserts are created by Gel Salonga and vary depending on what’s available; the 1920s Chicken Wings Adobo; Guinataang Kalabaw at Aurora Filipino Cuisine (recipe on page 107)

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We discovered this inspiring success story driving along the National Highway. Itlog ni Kuya is a business created

by Leo and Josephine Dator, based on a duck farm in Victoria, Laguna. Their specialty is organic salted

A VERY SPECIAL DINING EXPERIENCE awaits at Kinalimera. (From top) The brunch spread with local suman, pako and avocado salad, baboy damo longanisa, tapang kalabaw, crispy pork sinantolan and shrimp aligue with coconut cream sauce.

duck eggs that have the creamy texture of kesong puti, not too salty, and delicate enough to melt on your tongue. They are never dyed pink, because Victoria believes the dye has toxins and this is her way of elevating the delicacy.

The eatery is the perfect pitstop for snacking on duck specialties–from adobong itik to sinampalukan, inihaw and duck tofu. A tray of salted eggs is the perfect pasalubong.

Liliw

If you really want to get away for a day, the perfect destination is Kinalimera, a

private, by-reservation-only venue of Chef Raul Ramos, newly retired director of 9501, the executive restaurant at ABS-CBN. The place itself is idyllic, situated in the middle of farmlands, with fruit trees, coconuts and even a tiny gurgling brook. Chef Raul built a modest home complete with swimming pool and a terraced space with a view of the surrounding fields. Set up with tables draped in white cloth, with crystal and silver cutlery, it transforms into a magical space for the most perfect and intimate of private parties, where FOOD | 2017

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you are surrounded only by nature.

The menu is customizable. On our visit, which was brunch, Chef Raul chose to serve a selection of breakfast specials and lutong probinsya. There was baboy damo chorizo and tapang kalabaw (amazingly tender). To these he added a refreshing pako salad with

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THE SIMPLE LIFE (From top) Shrimp aligue with coconut cream sauce; suman bought from the Liliw market; a corner at Kinalimera with view of the fields; Chef Raul Ramos with his sister Mel Ramos

avocado and tomatoes, and a chicken binacol soup in coconut shells. Crispy pork sinantolan was his mother’s recipe, but also very characteristic of Laguna. And a shrimp aligue with coconut cream sauce. It was the perfect balance of rustic and refined, a beautiful ending to our Laguna adventure.

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Guinataang Kalabaw

Recipe by Theodore Salonga Serves 6 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 kilo carabao meat (tenderloin), cut into small chunks 2 cups green papaya, cut into wedges 1 cup coconut milk 1/2 tablespoon patis (fish sauce) 1 cup coconut cream salt and pepper, to taste 1. Over medium heat, sauté garlic in oil until aromatic.

2. Add carabao meat, green papaya, coconut milk.

Season with patis.

3. Bring to a boil then lower the heat. Simmer for about 2 1/2 hours or until meat is tender.

4. Add coconut cream and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Sinugno sa Bayabas na Kanduli

Recipe by Theodore Salonga Serves 4 to 6 1/2 red onion, sliced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons oil 2 semi ripe guava (bayabas Tagalog), skin and meat only 2 cups coconut cream patis and pepper, to taste banana leaves, for lining 2 medium kanduli or hito (catfish), sliced 1/2 cup kangkong leaves, steamed 1 eggplant, sliced and steamed 3 okra, sliced and steamed 1. To prepare sauce, sauté onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until aromatic.

2. Add bayabas and coconut cream. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Season with patis and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Over charcoal fire, lay 3 layers of banana leaves as lining. Place kanduli fish on top of the leaves.

4. Ladle a small amount of coconut cream sauce over the fish every 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce dries up.

5. Repeat procedure on the other side of the fish.

On a platter, place cooked vegetables and pour a little coconut cream sauce.

6. Place the cooked kanduli on top and pour the remaining sauce over the fish.

Tinagang na Palos

Recipe by Theodore Salonga Serves 4 2 tablespoons oil 5 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon minced fresh luyang dilaw (turmeric) 2 palos (eel) or hito, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks 2 cups coconut milk patis and pepper, to taste

1. In a deep frying pan, heat cooking oil and deep fry pork until golden in color.

Set aside.

2. In a skillet, heat oil and sauté onions, garlic and ginger until fragrant.

3. Add fresh alamang and stir until pinkish in color about 5 minutes.

4. Add santol, coconut milk and siling labuyo, and simmer for about 15 minutes.

5. Add green chilies, then pour in coconut cream.

Season with salt and pepper.

Simmer and stir occasionally until oil comes out of the coconut cream, about 45 minutes.

6. Transfer to a serving dish.

Serve on the side with crispy pork, topped with santol, and hot steamed rice.

Shrimp with Aligue in Coconut Cream Sauce Recipe by Raul H. Ramos Serves 4

1. Over medium heat, sauté garlic in oil until aromatic.

2. Add luyang dilaw, sauté for another minute.

3. Add palos and coconut milk. Season with patis and pepper. Bring to a boil and lower the heat.

4. Adjust seasoning and simmer until reduced and oil starts to come out.

3 tablespoons cooking oil 1/2 cup chopped onions 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/2 kilo medium shrimps, trimmed 1/4 cup aligue (crab fat) 1 teaspoon sugar 1 1/2 cups coconut cream salt and pepper, to taste wansuy (coriander), for garnish siling labuyo, for garnish

Crispy Pork Sinantolan

1. In a pan, heat oil and sauté onions and garlic until fragrant. Add shrimps and cook until color turns pink.

2. Add crab fat and sugar. Stir until crab fat is incorporated with the shrimps. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Pour in coconut cream.

Let simmer for about 5 minutes.

4. Transfer to a serving dish.

Garnish with wansuy and siling labuyo before serving.

Recipe by Raul H. Ramos Serves 4

cooking oil, for deep frying 1/2 kilo whole pork belly, boiled 3 tablespoons cooking oil 1 cup chopped onions 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon grated ginger 1 cup fresh alamang (baby shrimp) 3 cups grated santol 1 1/2 cups coconut milk 2 siling labuyo 3 green chilies 2 1/2 cups coconut cream salt and pepper, to taste

TOUR PI L A H IS T O R I C A L S O CI E T Y FO U N DAT I O N Bayang Pinagpala, Pila, Laguna, (049) 559-0382, lacoring@gmail.com SEVEN LAKES OF S A N PA B L O Hire a local tricycle driver to be your guide from the towns of Lakes Pandin or Yambo

EAT S P ECI A L R I C E BIBINGK A Maharlika Highway, San Pablo, Laguna C A FÉ L AG O Dagatan Boulevard, San Pablo, Laguna, (0917) 501-6694, mandymarino29@ gmail.com AU RO R A FI L I PI N O CU IS I N E 1488 P. Guevara Street, Santa Cruz, Laguna, (049) 5239014, Facebook: AuroraFilipinoCuisine I T L O G N I KU YA National Highway, Victoria, Laguna, (0917) 242-4547.

(0918) 957-5696, itlognikuya@yahoo. com KINALIMER A Ilayang Taikin, Liliw, Laguna, (02) 7582159, (0917) 714-8683

STAY S U LYA P G A L L E RY C A FE Cocoland Compound, Del Remedio, San Pablo, Laguna, (0927) 938-8822, noriel@sulyap.net, www.sulyap.net

Special thanks to San Miguel Purefoods Culinary Center

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EVENTS

FOOD LOVERS CONVERGE AT IFEX

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he country’s biggest international food trade fair took place last May at the World Trade Center and PTTC, Pasay City. The event showcased thousands of products by micro, small and medium businesses from around the country, alongside big corporations from here and abroad, attracting foodies, wholesale buyers, importers and distributors from

all over the world. The Department of Agriculture, in particular, promoted food sustainability and the local Slow Food movement by highlighting products from small-scale farmers and producers committed to grow food that’s good for one’s health, doesn’t harm the environment, and

is reasonably priced, while also providing fair conditions and pay for the producers. Ten companies from the European Union also exhibited their products, alongside 69 companies from Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Romblon and Quezon.

Visit ifexphilippines.com

LEARN TO BE A RESTAURANT ENTREPRENEUR AT ENDERUN COLLEGES

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ith the current restaurant boom, there’s never been a better time to start a restaurant venture. But given the competition, it’s no easy feat. That’s why Enderun Colleges recently debuted its new Restaurant Entrepreneurship Management Program, a six-week boot camp moderated by successful restaurateurs and business gurus. The launch featured a round table discussion by program moderators like Adrian Dimacali of Mary Grace Café, Kevin Te of Frankie’s and Don Bao, Sandy Daza

of Wooden Spoon, Ed Bugia of Backyard Kitchen + Brew and Pi Breakfast & Pies, Cyril Addison of Manila House Private Club, Dodjie Violago of Nikkei and Ba Noi’s, John Cu-Unjieng of JAM Foods

and Dani Aliaga of La Lola. Other scheduled moderators include Robby Goco of Cyma, and Adolf Aran, Jr. of Courage Asia. Call (02) 856-5000 local 525 or visit enderunextension.com

RESTOINVEST2: INSIGHTS ON THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY

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ey leaders in the restaurant industry shared valuable business lessons at RestoInvest2, the Philippine Restaurant Investment Conference held last June 28. Department of Tourism Undersecretary Art Boncato delivered the keynote address. Vic Gregorio, vice president and CEO of Shakey’s Philippines, revealed the challenges faced by a 50-year-old brand and how it has adapted with the times, while Mama Lou’s Italian Kitchen president David Sison recounted how they found their niche amidst big names in the business. Joseph Hizon of Hizon’s Catering explained how to balance eco-sustainability and profitability, as Mercato Centrale’s RJ Ledesma imparted how to sustain a healthy community of food entrepreneurs.

Other topics included the present state of malls by SM Malls’ Regina Katigbak, as well as the casual dining scene

by Eric Teng, CEO of Mango Tree, Genki Sushi and Cocina Peruvia. Eileen Borromeo of the McCann Group discussed the importance of branding and identity to stand out in the business. Discovery Primea’s Director of F&B Rhea Sycip advised on ways to improve a hotel’s F&B market

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share. Pinky Yee of Goldilocks looked ahead on the future of fast food, while Efren Pascual, CEO of Link, expounded on the buying and selling of food businesses.

For more information, call (0917) 639-8089, (0917) 620-8418 or email courageasia.pm@gmail.com

Mida Food’s 20 years of seafood supremacy

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ida Food Distributors recently celebrated its 20th anniversary at an intimate press event at Vask followed by an elegant gala night at Enderun Colleges. Now offering the largest seafood selection in the Philippines, Mida Food started out with tuna, but soon expanded to other premium items like Chilean sea bass, salmon, crab, lobster, octopus and more, supplying fast food chains to fine dining restaurants. Its retail brand Pacific Bay offers freshly-packed frozen seafood items for the home cook, including peeled and deveined shrimp, scallop meat, whole clams, salmon fillet, cream dory fillet, cod, bacalao, soft-shell crab, gindara and halibut.

Pacific Bay products are available at leading supermarkets nationwide. Visit midafood.com

A seafood feast at Vask with, from left, black ink risotto with scallops and lobster; Mida Food’s Enrique Valles and Chef Chele Gonzalez of Vask; pan fried halibut with pork ragout and crispy iberico

MODERN TURKISH CUISINE AT DISCOVERY PRIMEA

Photos by JA R CONCE NGCO for Metro Society

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t’s not every day that one gets a taste of modern Turkish cuisine. But thanks to Cross Cultures

by Cheryl Tiu, Discovery Primea and Turkish Airlines, diners got to discover the “new Anatolian” cuisine of multi-awarded chef Maskut Askar of Neolokal in Istanbul. He served a nine-course degustation for two days last June at Flame, Discovery Primea’s modern European restaurant.

The dinner showcased the sophistication of Turkish cuisine, situated at the crossroads of Europe and the Middle East, with beautiful plates of sour yeast-fried mussels with walnut; double-baked hummus shaped to resemble the Anatolian desert landscape; and slow-cooked wheat with onions and leeks, among other dishes. For dessert,

(From top) Greenland mussel kinilaw; Palm corned beef hash rice croquettes with kaldereta sauce; Chef Leo Fernandez

(From top) Chef Maskut Askar in the Flame kitchen; Katmer & Tirit or duck fat-fried pistachio phyllo with beef slow cooked in duck broth, served with a colorful yogurt sauce; Double baked tahini hummus with quail egg

Chef Askar made magic out of the humble pumpkin, rendered as a purée and gelée, served with molasses cream and tahini parfait.

Proceeds benefited Action Against Hunger. Discovery Primea, 6749 Ayala Avenue, Makati City. Visit discoveryprimea.com and FB: crossculturesbycheryltiu

AN EXCLUSIVE TASTE OF NEW ZEALAND’S PREMIUM FOOD OFFERINGS

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t the recently held Food Connection Manila hosted

by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, top food and beverage professionals got to sample some of New Zealand’s best quality food products, including naturallyharvested Greenshell mussels from Kono, Palm corned beef, Anchor cream and butter, Whittaker’s quality chocolates, New Zealand Natural ice cream, Phoenix organic juices and sodas, Antipodes artesian water, and award-winning wines by Babich, Schubert and Te Pa. Kiwi-Pinoy chef Leo Fernandez, a runner-up on Masterchef New Zealand 2016, whipped up Filipino dishes using New Zealand ingredients, like mussel kinilaw and corned beef hash rice croquettes with kaldereta sauce. New Zealand’s pristine environment, moderate climate and clean air, along with its strong biosecurity controls, make it a world leader in sustainablyproduced food products. Visit newzealandfood.co and FB: NewZealandFood

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EVENTS

JOLLY FOOD CELEBRATES 20 YEARS OF SUCCESS JP Anglo makes waves with the second season of Hungry with Chef JP

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ne year after Chef JP Anglo combined his two passions—cooking and surfing—in a TV show, Hungry With Chef JP, it’s obvious that the result is a resounding hit. Viewers fell in love with the rawness and authenticity of Anglo’s adventures surfing, cooking and charming his way through Siargao and other surfing hotspots. The show’s second season, launched at Yardstick Coffee by Seabiscuit Films, digs even deeper with Anglo hunting out the unique cuisine in each surfing community. “It’s all about belongingness and experiencing community,” he says of his show. We are allowed a glimpse of community life almost as if we were welcomed guests, not tourists. The result is entrancing.

Hungry with Chef JP airs on CNN Philippines every Saturday, 7:30 PM with replays on Tuesday; 12:30 PM, Friday; 4:30 PM Sunday; 1 PM

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fter 20 years, the once humble JOLLY Food Line, Fly Ace Corporation’s first homegrown brand, has risen to become the top-of-mind canned vegetables and fruits brand of choice among Filipino consumers for its top quality and affordability, and recognized as market leader by Kantar in the mushroom and corn categories. At its 20th anniversary gala held in the Solaire ballroom, JOLLY debuted its newest celebrity endorser, actress and TV host Maine Mendoza who represents the positive, unstoppable energy of today’s younger generation. Fly Ace President Lucio “Jun” Cochanco toasted the continued success of the JOLLY brand, promising “to grow bigger, better as we propel for the next 20 years and beyond.”

JOLLY products are available at leading supermarkets nationwide.

Visit jolly.com.ph and Facebook: Jolly Foods for more info

Happy World Meat-Free Day!

(From left) Waldorf salad using Quorn Chunks; Chef Florabel Co-Yatco cooking tortang talong with Quorn Grounds

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iving up meat has become so much easier nowadays because of the alternatives available, as well as the reasons behind going meatless. Lessening, if not totally eliminating, meat from one’s diet helps cut back one’s calorie and fat intake. Going meatless also helps reduce greenhouse gases and carbon emissions that are caused by meat production. To encourage more people to eat less meat and to celebrate the second year of World Meat Free Day in the Philippines last June 8,

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Quorn, a healthy meatfree protein, hosted an event and an exclusive cooking workshop to give guests ideas on delicious recipes without meat, featuring its grounds, nuggets and chunks variants. The cooking demo led by Quorn ambassador Chef Florabel Co-Yatco and Chef LA Cedeno of 25 Mushrooms Kitchen featured wellloved Filipino dishes such as tortang talong, binakol, and inasal. Visit worldmeatfreeday.com or quorn.ph for meat-free recipes

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DAVID CONTANT SERVES CLASSIC FRENCH CUISINE AT THE CHEF’S TABLE OF CCA MAKATI

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n the industrialgrade kitchen at the Makati campus of the Center for Culinary Arts, Manila (CCA), the chef’s table gleaming with glass and silver was the venue of a special French dinner by Chef David Contant. Pass-around canapés of smoked salmon, tapenade and gougères were followed by Potage St. Germain, a delicate pea soup. The second course, a quick-seared smoked salmon in beurre blanc, flavored with tarragon, onions and tomatoes.

A hit was the Veal Blanquette and Risotto St. Jacques with shrimp and scallops drizzled with ginger oil and Parmesan.

Dessert was tarte tatin, chou à la creme and a raspberry Charlotte.

Chef David heads the French cuisine flagship program of the Institut Culinaire Disciples Escoffier (ICDE) and the CCA, which gives students two internationally recognized certifications—the Escoffier Grand Diploma in Culinary Arts from ICDE, the National Diploma in French Cuisine from the French Ministry of Education—and a diploma in French cuisine from CCA. He also provides one-on-one training for six months for non-professional students. cca-manila.edu.ph, (02) 776-1978, IG: @cca.manila.icde

In search of Filipino cultural identity at Power of Pen 7

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s Filipino food gains more popularity—and more fans—around the world, so does the need to strengthen Filipino culinary heritage. The Power of Pen 7 launched an important discussion on this with food writers, authors and researchers last May 20 at the Bayanihan Center in Pasig City. The workshop redefined the uniqueness of Filipino cuisine as an amalgamation of various influences, from the indigenous people who inhabit our lands to colonizers and neighboring nations. Speakers Amy Besa and Cora Alvina agreed that there is no one national dish, but rather, our national cuisine features the distinct flavors and ingredients found in

each region. To illustrate further, Claude Tayag shared distinctive characteristics in each region around the country that he’s visited while writing his two books.

Macario Tiu, an Ateneo de Davao professor and editor of Davao Cuisine: Recipes of Ten Tribes of Davao City, stressed the importance of research to further enrich our culinary culture, which

was supported by Edgie Polistico whose research for a food dictionary began after he noticed the dearth of information on Cebuano ingredients and cooking methods. Doreen G. Fernandez Food Writing Award winner Datu Shariff Pendatun III subscribed to a similar belief, advocating the use of “Moro food” over “Muslim,” as there are

indigenous people in the region who are not Muslim.

Chef Tatung Sarthou urged participants and attendees to keep our food culture alive and vibrant, not only through writing but by practicing and using traditional cooking methods and ingredients. Chef Pixie Sevilla announced that her family is republishing her aunt Mila Enriquez’ book, Kasaysayan ng Kaluto ng Bayan, a wealthy resource on local food history. The only non-Filipino speaker, Xavier Btesh, presented the similarities between French and Filipino cuisine, once again demonstrating how diverse Filipino food is.

For more information on the next Power of Pen event, visit strameventsinc. com

A MONTH OF PATRIOTIC DINING This year’s Independence Day saw a medley of Filipino food festivals all over Manila drawn from heirloom recipes to create fresh new versions of beloved classics.

KAPAMPANGAN SPECIALS AT NOVOTEL MANILA Fresh from his duties at World Street Food Congress, Chef Sau del Rosario found time to deliver this speciallycurated buffet featuring playful reinventions of his beloved childhood dishes. Pampanga, often called the culinary capital of the Philippines, is honored through dishes like the very Instagrammable tamales, a splendidly rich foie gras sisig, duck adobo, lamb shank caldereta and kare-kare made with macadamia nuts. A dessert buffet was presented by Chef Edith Singian, including San Nicolas cookies and tibok-tibok. The month-long festival was so popular it garnered a twoweek extension at the Food Exchange, Novotel Manila Araneta Center.

LUZON, VISAYAS AND MINDANAO CLASSICS AT F1 HOTEL

GOURMET GYPSY X ARAW NG KALAYAAN POP-UP DINNER

For five years now, the month of June sees Filipino food lovers converge at F1 Hotel Manila to enjoy LuzViMinda, the annual food festival marking Independence Day. Luzviminda 5, themed “Gastronomical Fusion,” saw three chefs working together to create dishes representing the three regions of the archipelago: Mikel Zaguirre for Luzon, Dennis Uy for the Visayas and Kalel Chan for Mindanao.

An exciting, exclusive, one-night-only experience was a presented by Chef Jam Melchor, founder of the Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement, on the evening of June 12. The special fourcourse Kapampangan menu celebrated local ingredients and cooking techniques, with the chef’s special touch. The appetizers, for example, made use of pititian, a crispy air-dried native pork similar to chicharon, served with pickled vegetables. The main of rellenong manuk was stuffed with local mushrooms and served with Bukidnon adlai on the side. Each mouthful evinced visceral pleasure and was a fitting tribute to Filipino heritage.

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The Food Explorer Anthony Bourdain collects food experiences like others collect frequent flyer miles. He shares some of his most memorable ones from his travels around the world, Philippines included Photography by PAT MATEO

Sisig “Hot sizzling platter with an egg on top. I had it in the streets, sitting there at a table surrounded by beer bottles.

It was fantastic… In my view, (sisig) is one of the most delicious drinking foods on the planet.”

Tostadas “There’s a woman in Sonora, Mexico. She’s been standing in the street with a little cart selling tostadas of such incredible high quality, mind blowing, I mean absolutely pristine, beautiful, tasty yet simple tostadas and I fell in love with these things.”

Aloha Burger “The appearance of pineapple on a burger didn’t sound like a good idea… My daughter eats (in Jollibee) a lot. She loves it. She grew up with it. I have come to it late. Yes, I like to enjoy my aloha burger. I felt I shouldn’t tell anyone.”

Lechon “I’ve had incredible, incredible whole roasted pig in Bali…

I did recently have a lechon in Puerto Rico. I mean this guy is a fanatic… just really pays extra special care... But I’ll tell you my first truly transcendent great whole roasted pig, one of the best lechon I ever had in my life was that time in Cebu.”

Anthony Bourdain participated in the World Street Food Congress recently held in Manila.

Here, photographed at the Conrad Manila Hotel on June 2. Full story on page 55

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Roman food “Lately, I like humble, everyday Roman food for Romans, trippa alla romana (Roman-style tripe). Simple good things are the ones that I respond to most powerfully.”