Recipes From Cagayan – Region II

The Cagayan Valley region is composed of 5 provinces, namely, Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino. Quite an odd combination to form a region but one of its exquisite gourmet prides is a dish delicacy which comes principally from fish which is seasonally found in Cagayan (Ludong). Another exotic dish is one garnished with Himbabao flowers.

But here goes for your feastful delight.

NILANEG WITH FISH AND LIVER

6 pieces fresh fish, cleaned
½ cup cubed pork liver
1-1/2teaspoons salt
3 cups water
2 tablespoons bagoong sauce
1 cup cubed squash
2 cups cut string beans (2” lengths)
1 cup cut eggplant, (slice diagonally)

Salt fish and liver; broil, and set aside. Boil water and bagoong in a saucepan. Add squash, broiled fish and liver. Cook 3 minutes. Add stringbeans, eggplant and cook 5 minutes longer. Serve hot. Six servings.


LININTA

2 cups fresh dulong
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
2 tablespoons sliced onion
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups water
Banana leaves about 7” x 12”
6 pieces kalamansi

Mix first 4 ingredients together. Place ¼ cup of the mixture on two layers of banana leaf. Wrap in the form of a square and tie with a piece of string. Put wrapped fish in pan and add 2 cups of water. Cover and boil 30 minutes over moderate heat. Serve with kalamansi juice. Six servings.


BEEF STEW

1/3 kilo beef chunks
¼ cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3 pieces medium-sized onion, quartered
5 medium-sized potatoes, quartered
3 medium-sized carrots, quartered
½ cup water
¼ cup tomato sauce
½ cup sweet peas
½ cup celery, sliced.

Coat meat with mixture of flour, salt and pepper. Slowly brown in cooking oil in a large skillet, about 20 minutes. Add water and tomato sauce. Cover. Simmer until almost soft for about 1 hour. Add water, bring to a boil and add all the vegetables. Cover and cook 15 minutes longer until tender. Six servings.


SINIGANG NGA LUDONG (FISH)

4 pieces tamarind
6 cups rice washing
1 small onion, sliced
½ cup sliced tomatoes
6 pieces fresh ludong, cleaned
2 medium eggplants. Sliced
1 cups sliced stringbeans
1 tablespoon salt
3 cups kamote tops

Boil tamarind in 1 cup rice washing. When soft, mash fruit. Strain and add juice to the remaining rice washing. Cover and bring to a boil. Add onion, tomatoes and fish. Cover and cook 3 minutes. Add eggplant, stringbeans and cook for another 3 minutes. Season with salt. Add kamote tops and cook 4 minutes longer. Serve hot. Six servings.


OVED (BANANA HEART) WITH FISH

6 pieces fresh fish, cleaned
1-1/2teaspoons salt
2 cups water
2 cups sliced banana heart
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
½ teaspoons chopped ginger
2 teaspoons sliced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2cups fish and vegetable broth
½ cup sliced tomatoes
Banana leaves, cut 1” wide

Parboil fish with salt in 2 cups water to facilitate flaking. Boil banana blossom in the fish broth for 2 minutes. Drain and chop finely. Reserve broth for cooking fish balls. In a bowl, mix together flaked fish, banana blossoms, garlic, ginger, onion and salt. Form into balls 2” in diameter. Tie with banana leaves. Boil broth and tomatoes in a saucepan. Add fish balls and cook 15 minutes. Serve hot. Six servings.


BLACK-EYED BEANS WITH PORK & HIMBABAO FLOWERS

4 cups water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons sliced onion
½ cup sliced tomatoes
1 cup sliced pork
1 cup dried black-eyed beans, cooked
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups himbabao

Heat water. As soon as it boils, add beans and cook 2 minutes. Set aside for 1 hour. Sauté garlic, onion, tomatoes and pork. Add beans including broth. Boil, then simmer until almost soft. Season with salt, cook 4 minutes. Bring to a boil once more and add himbabao flowers. Cook 7 minutes longer. Serve hot. Six servings.


SINABALO (SUMAN)

2 cups malagkit rice
1-1/4cups thick coconut milk
2 teaspoons salt
2 pieces green bamboo tube, fresh
Banana leaves, wilted

Soak malagkit rice overnight. Wash and drain. Add coconut milk and salt and cook until malagkit is half done, stirring the mixture to avoid sticking at the bottom of the container. Divide the mixture into two and wrap each portion in banana leaves. Insert inside a freshly cut bamboo tube. Broil bamboo tube over hot charcoal, rotating it slowly until bamboo tube gets burned. Eight servings.