Recipes From Eastern Visayas - Region VII

For this, we go to the storm-tossed islands of Leyte and Samar, periodically brought into our collective consciousness because of devastation wrought on their many places by typhoons. But Leyte is also home to the hardy Warays, they with their aggressive nature and can-do attitude. And this collection of recipes will also provide testimony to the region's other outstanding qualities.

TAMALUS
1 cup finely ground raw peanuts
3-1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon atsuwete
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup water
1 cup malagkit flour
1/2 kilo pork liempo, cooked and thinly sliced
6 pieces banana leaves, wilted and greased (14"x15")

Cook peanut in water for 40 minutes.
Sauté atsuwete to extract color.
Remove seeds and brown garlic and onion.
Add peanut, vinegar, one teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
Cook until peanut sauce is thick enough to spread.
Add the remaining seasonings to the water and mix flour to form a ball of dough.
Divided equally into two portions.
Put one portion on a banana leaf and roll out with a rolling pin.
For a rectangle 10"x5x1/8.
Steam 5 minutes.

Remove carefully from hot steam with a turner.
When cool, slip dough on another leaf.
On the dough, arrange half of the pork and top with peanut sauce.
Fold dough neatly and spread top with peanut sauce.
Wrap with a piece of banana leaf and tie securely with a string.
Repeat the same procedure with the other half of the dough.
Steam for two hours.
Before serving, divide each tamalus into 5 slices.

LELANG
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon garlic
2 tablespoons sliced onion
1/2 cup fresh shrimps, blanched and shelled
1 cup cubed boiled pork
2 cups shrimp juice from pounded heads of shrimps
1 cup munggo sprouts (togue)
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups sotanghon, soaked and cut 2" long
1 cup water
1/4 cup green onions
Dash of pepper

Sauté garlic, onion, shrimp and pork.
Add shrimp juice.
Cover and allow to boil.
Add togue and cover.
Cook 10 minutes.
Season to taste.
Add sotanghon and cook 5 minutes longer.
Add one cup water and bring to a boil.
Just before removing from fire, add green onions and dash of pepper.
Serve hot. Serves 6.

LAUOT-LAUOT
2 cups coconut milk (second extraction)
1 cup dried dilis
1 tablespoon bagoong alamang
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup cubed squash
2 cups sliced patola
1 cups cut kangkong stems (1" lengths)
1 cup cubed okra
1/4 cup red pepper
2 cups kangkong leaves
2 cups alugbati leaves
1/4 cup sliced tomatoes
1/2 cup pure coconut milk

Heat second extraction of coconut milk with dried dilis and bagoong.
Cook 10 minutes.
Season with salt.
Add squash and cook 3 minutes.
Add patola, kangkong stems, okra, red pepper, leafy greens and tomatoes.
Cook 4 minutes.
Add coconut milk and remove from fire as soon as it boils.
6 servings.

EGGPLANT PAKSIW
1 cup pure coconut milk
1/2 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon peppercorn
2 teaspoons salt
6 pieces medium eggplant, whole

Place all the above ingredients in a saucepan except eggplant.
Bring to a boil and stir to avoid curdling of coconut milk.
Add eggplant and cook 15 minutes.
6 Servings.

BOCARILLO
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 cups grated coconut
1/2 cup evaporated milk (undiluted)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon kalamansi juice

Mix sugar and grated coconut.
Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
Add milk little by little, mixing thoroughly.
Add slightly beaten eggs; continue mixing over moderate. Heat.
Flavor with kalamansi juice.
Remove from fire and drop by teaspoonfuls on wilted banana leaf or wax paper.
Yield: 50 pieces.

BINANGOL
3/4 cup shredded raw gabi
1 cup rich coconut milk (e medium coconuts)
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 clean medium coconut shells (4-1/2" dia., 2" high)
1/2 can (1 oz.) full cream condensed milk
4 egg yolks
Wilted banana leaves
String for tying

Mix first three ingredients and cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes, constantly stirring.
Lower heat and continue cooking for 10 minutes.
Add condensed milk and cook over low heat 20 minutes longer, stirring constantly.
Fill each coconut shell with mixture.
Make a well in center and drop raw egg yolk.
Cover top with tuber mixture and spread until smooth, very close to brim or shell.
Cover whole shell with two layers banana leaves and tie securely with strings.
Steam half an hour.
12 servings.