Sinamak: The fiery Ilonggo vinegar dip

Every region in the Philippines has it's own version of a spiced vinegar and a name for it. In most parts of Western Visayas especially in Iloilo, it is known as sinamak.

One can find it almost anywhere for it is a staple dip in almost every household and native restaurants.

Be it chicken inasal or grilled pork chop to seafoods especially talaba, sinamak is the perfect dip to further one's appetite.

The recipe varies from each household and the percentage of the "ingredients" too but always present are siling labuyo (green and red for color variation and makes it more visually appetizing), ginger (locals used langkawas or galangal but regular ginger will do) and garlic.

Usually the vinegar used comes from coconuts but other varieties do as well. Mix everything in a bottle and on the process make it visually appealing too playing with the colors of the chilies.

Just make one that suits your own taste and let it stay for around 2-3 weeks before using it to set fire on your every meal. Namit gid!

Valenciana: An Ilonggo all-time favorite

Mention Valenciana to the Ilonggos and they’ll instantly crave for this special dish. Ilonggos really love valenciana because most if not all have grown accustomed of having it in almost all occasions like fiesta, birthdays, reunions and all other occasions thus I love calling it as the "occasional dish". Basically, " go, grow and glow " dish, it has the carbohydrates, protein and vitamins and minerals in just one spoonful. And it can come in its simplest form with just malagkit rice, pork, chorizo and bell peppers to some fancy with additions like raisins, peas, chicken, hardboiled egg (just garnish though), etc. Here's a simple recipe for Valenciana Ingredients 3 cups Glutinous Rice ( malagkit ) 1 cup plain rice (optional) 2 cups Pork, sliced 1 cup Pork or Beef Liver, sliced 2-3 pieces Chinese sausage, sliced 2-3 large red bell peppers, sliced lengthwise 1 cup Green Peas 3 small boxes Raisins (optional) 1 large ilonion, chopped 6 clo...

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Simple Pochero Ilonggo

POCHERO. The most familiar recipes are the ones stewed with tomatoes (or tomato sauce) or the Cebu variant which is like bulalo or nilaga, but the pochero I grew up with is just very simple. It's just pork cooked with potatoes and/or saba (cooking banana) with kamote tops or pechay. I just love the mild sweetness of the broth brought about by the bananas to the savory broth. Or sometimes, it tends lean more of the tomato based recipe, just without the tomato itself or sauce. The recipe is just very simple - just boil the pork first until tender. Add the "hard" veggies like potatoes, saba, carrots, etc then finally when the leafy veggies when its almost done. Just season it with salt or broth cubes for a savory broth. Here's a recipe guide for a simple Pochero Ilonggo

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Simple Bukayo

Bukayo is a native Filipino delicacy which is made mainly with coconut strips and sugar. There are two popular variants - moist and dry (also called bocarillo). The former is typically made into toppings and fillings for suman latik and inday-inday, among others, though I just love eating it right from the container. The latter is more candy type reminiscent of bandi, which takes a shape of its own and is more convenient to be eaten on the go. Both share almost the same recipe with some more or less tweaks to make the other. Here's a Recipe to make the Dry-type Bukayo. Ingredients 3 cups Young coconut meat, shredded 2 cups Muscovado Sugar, adjust 1/2 cup Coconut juice or plain water Vanilla extract Calamansi rind (optional) How to make Bukayo In a wok, place coconut juice or water and sugar then mix thoroughly. Adjust the amount of liquid so as to dissolve the sugar but not to runny. Bring to boil then add coconut meat gradually to m...

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ILOILO FOOD TRIP

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