ILOILO FOOD TRIP

There could be a thousand and one ways of making LASWA. Or even more as this simple and nutritious Ilonggo vegetable recipe is just a mix and match of all the veggies and seafood available. It has so many variations despite its simplicity and is  mostly dependent on the availability of vegetables. Usually it has kalabasa, talong, okra, hantak (sitaw), tagabang (saluyot), patola and a host of other vegetables. For this recipe puso ng saging (banana heart) was added not only as "extender" but to add some texture. Cooking laswa is simple - just stew the vegetables and subak (usually fresh seafoods like shrimps, crabs, or even snails locals call bango-ngon ) then season with salt or use broth cubes . Others prefer to use dried and salted seafoods like pinakas for it adds more flavour to the dish at the same time makes this vegetable dish more appetizing. Or at times this is solely a vegetable dish (no subak whatsoever) and is perfect partnered with...

Whether grilled, fried, sauced up, ground or in broth, there's one pork recipe that will surely tickle your tummy and fulfill your gastronomic fantasies!  Pork is probably the Pinoys most favored meat as there are as many pork dishes as the 7107 island making up the Philippine archipelago. 

So simple that this dish can be aced by first time cooks and can be whipped by experts even with eyes closed! This savory and delicious combination of pork, potatoes carrots in tomato sauce is alway an extra rice magnet. Much more so if I drizzle hot sauce on it. No need for fancy ingredients to give its Spanish origins a gastronomic salute but just in its simplest form, it could already be a hunger satisfier. Now let's begin...

We usually make Chicken macaroni soup if there are leftover pasta used in making salads. But at times, we just miss the home-made goodness of a hot and creamy macaroni soup that we just make one on the spot. It is very easy to make and the recipe is very versatile that you can make use of what available in the fridge and pantry. Here's a simple recipe on how to make a hearty chicken macaroni soup.

 Whenever there are some left over fried fish at home, chances it will end as either cardillo or sweet-and-sour. While the former is cooked by adding beaten egg to the sauteed fried fish for a savoury dish the latter has the vinegar and sugar combination that creates a flavourful sauce for the fish. And there so many variations to the sweet and sour fish recipe but all point to the delicious mix of " sugared vinegar "!  Here's the recipe for Sweet and Sour Fish

On special occasions at home, these crispy golden brown liempo are always a staple. Aside from being visually appetizing and delicious, it is very easy to prepare - that is if you have the right equipment. Our ever reliable turbo oven (maybe over 20 years?) has been giving us these delicious crispy slabs of liempo ever since I can remember.

What's your favorite native delicacy/ kakanin ?  Is it puto, kutsinta or bibingka ? Or those wrapped ones like suman sa ibos, alupi or but-ong ?  Maybe the sugary ones like bitso-bitso , muasi/palitaw and the likes.  Well, enough of the listing and let's start eating - with our eyes.  But if you really want to eat you can buy or even cook your own  kakanin .