home food

Last week i tried cooking my first laswa. I didn't realize it was that easy. Why was i reviled by the taste of okra in my youth? My husband can concoct a mean adobo, afritada, etc, for which I’m truly grateful. That despite being English and not used to the stock flavors of my Filipino palate. Him making the very simple pechay with minced meat broth, my favorite of my mom’s speculative brew, one soggy night, was a sweet marvel. His broiled chicken (above) is a revelation, reminds me of Bacolod Chicken Inasal. Now I have to look for unripe jackfruit somewhere in Chinatown to try my hand making the KBL and e-mail one of my aunts for my lolas’ fabled Breaded, a dish made of grated kinihad (hard sliced bread) and dressed duck, if there's ever such a thing.

Of course the desserts of home have their magical thrill. I really need to control my eating (the burgeoning weight is damaging to my psyche) but all I can think of are my Western Visayan (i'll check with my Iloilo friends) desserts; kwakoy, sundol, suman latik, inday-inday (what do they call that special sugar on top?), puto lanson, even but-ong. I can’t translate them in Tagalog. What is pinutos na ibos in Tagalog? They’re mostly made from rice granules, gelatinous rice, coconut, coconut milk, lots and lots of sugar. Pinasug-bo which is dried bananas coated with sugar is too sweet for me. I have to check these videos again on how they make piaya and chicken inasal. If you’re in Bacolod, inasal is sold anywhere in the alley ways, especially after dark.