Our Foods from Gubat, Sorsogon, my Town II

BISUGO AND BALAGUITAN

DALU-DALO WITH SLICED GREEN PAPAYA

Rustic Gastronomy

I remember my childhood years in my town in Gubat, Sorsogon in the 50s and through the 60s. I was living with my grandmother with fond memories of the many foods that I have grown with and loved to eat. These are prepared from our bucolic kitchen in our ancestral home in Mabini Street. . . . My maternal grandmother, Lola Nila Acuna concocted her culinary skills handed down from her parents. She could have learned also from the traditional way of cooking that we Gubatnons followed for a long time. In my growing years, we simply followed a healthy living by eating a simple flair in our daily meals on our antique Narra table; it may consist mainly of fish, shellfish, chicken and the many vegetables grown in our backyard or bought from the "Maritatasan" (vegetable stalls) in the Market. Coconut was our primary delectable catalyst in preparing most of our dishes. Coconut is endemic to our place and one of the main livelihood of the Gubatnons. Expect a coconut concoction on every meal and dessert prepared on our table. 

In those days pork and beef were only prepared on Saturdays and Sundays. It is a special treat of every family or on special occasions like fiestas or weddings. Everyone can reserve for a piece of meat to their meat vendor in the Market Plaza early in the morning. I usually ordered our beef for our "bistek," (a delicious beef recipe) from Tio Piping Esporlas who was a relative of my dear Lola. She used to make a delicious "Tapa," tied up to a rope at the post near the ceiling. When she liked to cook some, she just cut a piece of meat prepared for our meal. She also prepared an adobo recipe without the vinegar, packed in a bottle with lots of pork fats preserved for a long time. We also had a huge antique "tapayan" (chinese vase) that my Lola preserved her Santol jam or salted "Kuyog" (small Siganid or Danggit fish)

SHRIMP SUAJE

COOKED STEWED MARARA FISH

Our kitchen's design was of a simple construction traditionally seen on every kitchen of Gubatnons in the olden days. It was made from a suspended wooden pit covered with soil plus the accumulated ashes from the countless burnings of firewood from the clay stove at the center. Above the kitchen pit, was a shelf connected to a wall stocked with clay pots and casseroles of different sizes. Underneath was a supply of firewood and dried coconut shells gathered from our farm brought by my cousins or bought from the market. A "bakay" (pandan basket) with half full of pili nuts taken from leftovers of "linanta na pili" placed near the corner of the kitchen. These Pili nuts were a treat on my afternoon snacks. 

Above the stove was a rattan basket tied to a wooden beam at the extended kitchen ceiling where my Lola used to keep our leftovers at lunch or at dinner. It is interesting to note that this idea could be very efficient in those days when refs were still scarce. Food will not spoil for safekeeping that neither rats nor ants troubled us at all. Beside the kitchen, to the right, was our "banggerahan" (kitchen sink) with bamboo grills and water faucet. There was a bowl that we used for cleaning the dishes that we would discard the soiled water down below to the ground. This was also the place where we stored our cutlery, drinking glasses, kitchen accessories and the "Biso" (Water Vase) where we stored our cold fresh drinking water.

TUNA COCIDO

BINUT-ONG, PUTO AND BINAMBAN

Breakfast

Our breakfast consisted mainly of a choice of rice, dried fish, eggs, pan de sal(popular filipino bread) with mantekelya(margarine), coffee with milk or hot chocolate made from tablea(chocolate balls). Sometimes binut-ong, suman, ibus or puto(different foods made from rice) could be prepared from our table brought by relatives or made by my grandmother. My lola would make a delicious garlic fried rice that our neighbors would often smell its delicious aroma. We always stored dried fish of tunsoy or herring that would match the fried rice and coffee. I always bought our pan de sal and mantekelya at Escoto Bakery in the center of our town at the plaza.

I liked my eggs cooked sunny side up or a 4 minute boiled egg (malasado) which my lola would prepare in a boiling pot biding her time carefully. At one time when I was in grade 2, a farmer from Ariman, at the edge of our town would deliver to us a bottle of fresh carabao's milk everyday in the morning just before going to school. It had a sweet taste but I hatedf the smell which made my Lola stopped the supply. She made tablea(chocolate balls) once a while which was my favorite breakfast drink as cacao nuts were readily available in our town. My most unforgettable favorite coffee from my memory was to buy a freshly brewed robusta blend of coffee in the morning from the "karehan" of Tia Biyay Endeno near the Encinares where they also made the famous "tayuba"(stewed fatty pork cooked in soy sauce and vinegar and garlic).

IBUS AND SUMAN

LANTAHON NA PILI

Lunch and Dinner

We are blessed with the produce of the vast resources of the Pacific Ocean to the east. We have exotic specie of fish that thrive on the northern portion of our town in Bagacay. It is called "Angul," a soft scaly brown fish that we loved to eat, fed from a rare sea plant that abound in the bay. My father-in-law, Alex Fajardo regularly brought us this delicious exotic fish. Cooked in a clay pot just before leaving our town and brought the pot as well for us to eat it as soon as he had arrived on an early JB line trip from Gubat together with the many "pasalubongs"

One of my favorite, the Salted "Kuyog" (siganid) packed in a bottle especially made by Tata Rustom Fajardo, where a mild mixture of salt and a generous "sanaw" (rice liquid) to blend with the fish that would be a favorite of my children for a dip with our "Linanta na Pili" (ripe Pili fruit soaked in a lukewarm water.) There was "Dalu-Dalo" (Conches), seashells cooked with sliced green papaya and coconut milk that we loved to suck at dinners with our mouth. The sucking noise would definitely excite everyone of us for a competition for who could be the fastest sucker of all.

RED CRABS

ANGUL AND LINANTA NA PILI

Our foods from Gubat, Sorsogon, my Town I

SIKAD-SIKAD AND DALU-DALO

Occasionally, we have many foods that we always love to eat when relatives or friends come to visit us with their "pasalubongs" or presents. Pasalubongs are usually exotic or indigenous foods that come from our place in our town in Gubat, Sorsogon. These presents could be rare and not available in the city markets and "talipapa". When my father-in-law, Alexander E. Fajardo was still living, he would prepare a great deal of time and effort to bring our favorite foods that he knew. I guessed that he planned it splendidly to bring to us whatever he could prepare for his visit. This would be a favorite of every Gubatnon, a treat that would please Edith, the children and myself. He would bring, Sikad-Sikad, Dalu-Dalo, Binot-ong, Crabs("Kinis"), Lantahon na Pili, Inun-on na Angul, Moledo, Hinagom and Gabi.

One of these presents are Sikad-Sikad and Dalu-Dalo, these are conches or sea shells which are pointed on both ends with edible meat inside cooked with creamy coconut milk with fresh malunggay leaves. These conches are abundant on the shores of our town near the mangroves, especially in Cogon, Tiris, Bagacay or Ariman. Sikad-Sikad are beautiful conches pictured above with brownish glossy color and can be a good use for decoration as well. You will need a pointed stick to reach and to take out the delicious edible meat inside the shell. On the other hand, Dalu-Dalo are conches, smaller than Sikad-Sikad with black color that could be eaten by placing the opening of the conch on your mouth and sucking it out to pull the meat. Before it is cooked, they are washed thoroughly and cut by a bolo by the rear end to let the meat easier to be sucked out . It is cooked mixed with coconut milk and malunggay leaves. Malunggay leaves are very delicious with the taste that could blend well with the creamy coconut sauce and the conch. It is very interesting to suck all the Dalu-Dalo shells at dinners, it could be a competition for who could be the fastest sucker with all these conches.

BINUT-ONG

Binot-ong is a very delicious glutinous (malagkit) rice, cooked and wrapped in banana leaves flavored with salt and mixed with coconut milk then tied by a strip of coconut leaf tightly to seal its coconut milk inside. My father-in-law, Alexander E. Fajardo usually brought this delicious treat for our breakfast just as he had arrived from Bicol from the JB Line Bus very early in the morning. Its flavor and aroma is similar to the popular wrapped "suman", but Binot-ong is more appealing and appetizing because it is creamier and velvety because of the "latik", this is the coconut milk turned into a creamy sauce. It is very delectable and popular to every Gubatnon. I couldn't find any similarity in preparation with the "latik" sauce such as this from any place in the Philippines. I believe this is an original Bicolano food. It is best eaten at breakfast or snack by putting some brown sugar or honey or it can be eaten naturally as it is. Apparently, this is one of our favorite "pasalubong" because they can be practically stored for a number of days in a fridge and if you want it right away when hunger strikes, you only have to steam it before serving to retain its freshness.

KINUNOT

Kinunot is a fish dish very popular in our town.Best for sumsuman (drink appetizer) It is a dish cooked with main ingredients of shark or manta ray sauteed in onions, garlic and malunggay leaves and coconut cream. Its aroma and unique taste is delicious with the mixture of coconut milk "gata", lemon (kalamansi), onions, red chili peppers and malunggay leaves. The meat of shark or manta ray is boiled in water to discard the foul smell, then it is flaked with your hand by disposing the bone cartillage of the fish. My recipe below is spicy and hot. Gubatnons do not eat hot foods with lots of chili peppers. So, please disregard the chili peppers if you do not eat spicy dish.

KINUNOT RECIPE

1 kilo of Shark or Manta Ray
3 Coconuts (grated from the market)10 Lemons (kalamansi)
3 Cups Malunggay Leaves
10 pcs chili peppers (Labuyo)
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tbsp. coconut oil
1 cup chopped onions

DIRECTIONS: Prepare a large pot by placing the shark or manta ray with just enough of water to cover the fish. Bring to a boil and take out the fish and dispose the foul hot water. Let the fish to cool off, meanwhile, cut and press all the kalamaPnsi in a bowl. Flake the fish from its bones and set aside. Prepare the grated coconut by mixing a cup of lukewarm water and pressing it with both hands, pouring the cream to the prepared bowl, then set aside. In a hot pan, put 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, then saute the garlic and onions until golden brown. Place the flaked fish and the lemon juice (kalamansi), then let it cook for another 10 minutes. Add the pressed grated coconut cream, the malunggay leaves and the chilies and let it simmer for another 10 minutes until the dish is almost dry. Serve it hot on a dish with steamed rice.

LINANTA NA PILI

ANGUL, KUYOG AND LINANTA NA PILI

Linanta na Pili is one the favorite dish of the people of Sorsogon where Pili trees abound. 85% of the production of Pili in the Philippines come from Sorsogon. Linanta na Pili is served with steamed rice and is paired in the meal with a dip, like the paga of kuyog (salted small Siganid or Danggit fish sauce), patis, soy sauce or any salty sauce. The taste is nutty and mushy and very delicious. It is also best eaten with some other viands on a dinner table like the Inun-on na Angul, Paksiw na Galunggong, Inihaw na Tamban and many more. To the poor, it can be the main viand for their meal in the barrios where fish or meat are not available. The outer covering of the shell of the Pili nut which is fibrous is dipped on a lukewarm water for about 15 minutes. Take out the Pili from the water and you will find that the hard fibrous meat will turn into a soft pulpy mush. My wife Edith would dip it in sugar and the taste is nutty in flavor and very delicious. It is also a nice dessert. Pili is also popular because the Pili nut is made into candies!

Another food that is gaining popular to the Gubatnons is the Bicol Express. Gubatnons are not really eaters of spicy foods the same way as the bicolanos from the north. Our forebears would really avoid the fiery hot chilies to include or mixed on any dish. My lola, Nila Acuna really hated hot foods when I was young. I never recalled any hot chili dish prepared on our table. When I transferred in Manila I started sampling Laing and Bicol Express from my neighbors' who were bicolanos who lived near the foothills of Mayon and eventually I learned to love it. I guess it is gaining acceptance in Gubat as many are testing for the purpose of assesing these spicy foods. Since we are bicolanos, famous for spicy eaters do we really want to chicken out these fiery lovable and delectable chilies? Try it.

BICOL EXPRESS