Recipes from Central Mindanao - Region XII

Rounding out our parade of recipes so far focused on Mindanao, we take pride in detailing some noted recipes from our inland brothers from Central Mindanao - Region XII, completing our tour of the entire big island.

After this, we shall be visiting the Visayas regions with their equally tantalizing array of recipes born and mastered as only their people could create and concoct.

But for this series, some may find some familiar names such as molo soup, ginat-an manok, or sotanghon, but rest assured these recipes are prepared as only those from this region are noted to do.

NOEL SANDWICH LOAF
1 sandwich loaf, unsliced
1-1/2 cups chopped cooked ham
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup pickle relish
3/4 cup chopped tomatoes
6 tablespoons margarine
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely chopped salted peanuts
- Pickles, cucumber and tomato slices for garnishing

Remove crust from loaf
Slice horizontally into four pieces.
Blend ham separately with crushed pineapple, with pickles, with chopped tomatoes.
Spread pineapple-ham on top layer, tomato-ham on center, pickles-ham on bottom.
Wrap in wax paper and chill overnight.
To make coating, beat margarine and mayonnaise until smooth.
Spread over loaf.
Sprinkle with peanuts.
Garnish with pickles, cucumber and tomato slices.

PIARUN (Piyar-ren)
15 tanglad leaves
1 medium dalag, cut into serving pieces
1/2 cup grated coconut
2 teaspoons crushed tumeric
1 tablespoon onion, sliced
1 cup thin cocomilk
1-1/2 teaspoons salt

Pound together:
1 tablespoon minced onion
2 tablespoons minced ginger
2 tablespoons minced sacorab (shallot bulb)
4 pieces crushed siling labuyo
1 cup cocomilk, thick

Line pan with tanglad leaves and arrange fish.
Put in the rest of the ingredients except the thick coconut milk.
Cook over brisk fire for 5 minutes and continue cooking over low heat for 30 minutes.
Add thick coconut milk and boil 2 minutes.
Serve hot. Serves 6.

MOLO SOUP
Filling:
1/4 kilo ground pork
1/2 cup flaked chicken meat
3 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped white onion
- salt, toyo and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped, shelled shrimp
3"x3" square molo wrappers

Broth:
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped onions
15 cups chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped green onions

Mix all filling ingredients together.
Set aside half for the broth and wrap the rest by teaspoonfuls with molo wrappers.
Sauté garlic and onions.
Add remaining half of stuffing mixture and cook for 3 minutes.
Add chicken broth.
Season with salt and pepper.
Simmer 3 minutes before dropping in molo.
When done, add chopped green onion.

GINAT-AN MANOK WITH DUYAW & SILING LABUYO
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 hear garlic, crushed
1 piece duyaw or yellow ginger, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 spring chicken, cut into serving portions
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups thin cocomilk
2 fresh siling labuyo, crushed
1 cup thick cocomilk

Sauté garlic, ginger, onion and chicken.
Add salt.
Cook for a while then add thin cocomilk and siling labuyo.
Cook until meat in tender and the sauce thickens.
Add thick cocomilk and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Serve hot.

SOTANGHON DE LUXE
1/2 kilo ground pork
1/2 kilo ground shrimp
2 onions, chopped fine
5 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 chicken
1/2 cup ham
1/2 kilo sotanghon
2 heads garlic, crushed
1 onion
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooking oil
- Patis
- Seasoning
- Chicken broth
- Green onions

Mix the pork, shrimps, onion, eggs, flour, salt and pepper until well blended.
Heat cooking oil in a pan and add this mixture.
Steam for 1 hour.
When done, cool and cut into cubes.
Boil the chicken and ham. When tender, flake into small pieces.
Soak the sotanghon first for 1 hour in water.
Dip in boiling water, and then drain.
Cut into desired lengths.
Sauté the garlic. When brown, remove and set aside.
Add the onion, flaked chicken and ham.
Season with patis and seasoning.
Add some chicken broth and then the sotanghon.
Garnish with fried garlic and green onions.

CASSEROLE OF CREAMED LOBSTER AND MACARONI
2 cups lobster meat (2 cans, 6 ounces each)
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup enriched flour
1/3 cup butter/margarine
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2-1/2 teaspoons paprika
3-1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup sherry wine
1/4 kilo elbow macaroni
1/ 2 cup grated cheese
1/4 cup melted butter

Cut lobster meat in small pieces and sauté in 1/4 cup butter.
For sauce, melt 1/3 cup butter or margarine in large saucepan.
Blend in flour, salt, pepper and paprika.
Add milk gradually, stirring constantly; cook until thickened.
Add lobster meat and sherry wine.
Cook macaroni in boiling salted water until tender. Drain.
Add macaroni to lobster mixture.
Turn into lightly greased 2-quart casserole.
Sprinkle top with cheese.
Pour 1/4 cup melted butter over top of casserole.
Bake in moderate oven (350degF) until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted and delicately browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
Serves 6.