Barali ning Apalit

Dr. Catherine Jane Y. CAYLAO

My mother, Mrs. Catalina Lugue Yap, a native of Apalit, also known as Nene, born on November 25, 1923, was the one who taught me this dish in 1999, when she was 76 and I was 32. Customarily, she cooked it the day after the Apalit town fiesta. She cooked this dish until she reached her nineties. The essence of its preparation is the ingenious way the Apalitenos save leftover dishes and create new ones through the process of fermentation. This is a balanced, healthy dish that can last for days without refrigeration, and weeks when in the refrigerator. Careful, sanitary preparation is a must. Leftover dishes from the fiesta such as adobo, asado, and menudo in equal parts of 2 cups each (with sauce) is mixed with 1 kg of left over cooked rice (marimlang nasi).

APALIT

Suam Mais Barali ning Apalit

PAN 8-10

leftover dishes such as asadung matwa, adobu, menudo and kaldereta ampalaya (bitter melon) balasenas (eggplant) mustasa (mustard) okra tilapia, or bangus olive oil

With clean bare hands, mix the leftovers together. Add 1 tbsp asin (more if you want it to last longer). The mixture is tightly covered and set aside at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, for from 24 to 48 hours, depending on your preference for the degree of sourness brought about by fermentation of the rice.

DIFFICULT 4 HOURS

After this procedure, it is kept in the refrigerator between 4 to 7 degrees Centigrade for another two days.

Finally, in a large pot, sauté 5 cloves of pressed and chopped bawang in ¼ cup of olive oil. Add 1 chopped large red sibuyas. Pour the rice mixture into the pot and cook over medium heat until the natural oils from the dishes separate. Stir frequently, to prevent the rice from burning and sticking to the pan, This should be done for a maximum of 15 minutes.

Let it cool and serve on the side with fresh mustasa, boiled balasenas, okra, apalya and any fried fish available, such as itu, tilapia or bangus.

The combination of sour and umami flavor of barali is a hit with its minty, bitter flavor of mustasa and apalya. Unlike the balobalo (shrimp), or burung asan, barali gives you the distinct flavor of chunky beef, pork and chicken meat. A complete meal in itself!

During my school days, my friends called me “Alice Kamatis” (just rhyming the words).I was usually first in line during assembly for Monday flag ceremony.. I’ll let you figure out why. My ambition was to be a lawyer, to defend and protect others in court But, as it turned out, I became a doctor. It was the same intention, but in a different way, to defend and protect others from illness. I am married to Masantoleno, Dr Ken Caylao. I learned to appreciate this town’s specialty foods, such as kubang bibi, among others. I also learned the heritage cuisine of the town, the native version of rice pudding, through his aunt, Darang Mely. Her version is the renowned Pudding ning Masantol. I value life by balancing love of God, family and my employees in Apalit Doctors Hospital. For me, loyalty and commitment are very important.