The Fast and Delicious: Prince of Persian

In History class, we were taught that civilizations all go through the same cycle: growth, development, and decay. The same goes for food/drink trends, e.g., the once-ubiquitous pearl shake stalls. A few years prior to the whole sago shake craze, there was the shawarma craze, when practically every street corner had a shawarma stall. The shawarma—bits of beef, some onions, and tomatoes rolled up in flat bread—eventually became last season's "It" food, but thankfully, a few Persian cuisine places still remain standing.

Last year alone, I think I went to at least seven different places specializing in shawarma and other Persian food (and ate at a few of them quite regularly), so yeah, you could say I am the shawarma market. One place I keep going back to is Ababu.

Shawarma plate

It used to be a hole-in-the-wall joint in Teacher's Village in QC. I panicked one day when I saw that it was closed, but was relieved to learn that they were just in the process of moving to a more accessible location. Fast forward a couple of months: I was expecting the "new" place to be all spiffed up, but instead found the exact same Monoblock furniture in yet another hole-in-the-wall joint, only this time along Xavierville Avenue! Hilarious. The only major change was the price (no more seven-peso iced tea!).

Still, the prices are reasonable, and since it's the kind of place where people come in for a quick bite then leave (no beer served, so no tambays), service is pretty snappy. I normally get the shawarma plate--it's a P99 meal with a mountain of buttered rice, slivers of roasted beef, chopped-up tomatoes and onions, corn, and a fried egg for good measure--served in two minutes flat. And it comes with bottomless drinks!

When I'm at Ababu for a proper meal (rather than a midnight snack), I normally order a side of keema...

The most evil keema, like, ever

...and the Ababu version is probably the oiliest you could find! Strangely, it doesn't taste as oily as it looks. Really! But if you want to soak up the excess grease, you could always order extra buttered rice...

They weren't kidding when they said "buttered"

And when they say "buttered," they mean BUTTERED. I've actually seen them grate (yes, GRATE) a block of butter over the rice. Mixed emotions: I was aghast and, well, actually kind of thrilled. Everything's better with butter on it!

Sure, there are other more popular—and, I'll admit, better—Persian places (like that huge kebab resto along West Ave.) but I seem to go back to Ababu again and again. B and I even celebrated the day of hearts there! (No overpriced meal in a paper-heart-festooned setting for us. Although the Ababu blackboard did have the words "I crush you" scribbled on it.) I love that it's unpretentious and accessible, and the food always hits the spot. And fast!

Ababu Persian Kitchen
Xavierville Ave., Quezon City
(Beside the old Meat Shop)
Tel. (02) 436-0000

The Fast and Delicious: A Lovely Mess

A Mess of Flavor

It’s an hour after lunch and I’m sitting in the midst of chaos.

Charlie’s Grind and Grill is the newest burger joint in Metro Manila. And like some of the newer establishments, this restaurant suffers from a fortunate conundrum: popularity. Because of certain food writers (no names but you know who you are), there has been a tsunami of guests flocking to this little eatery. Obviously caught flatfooted by this sudden influx, the front-of-the-house staff (who, by my count, were a grand total of two) are simply overwhelmed. Getting an open table is slow. Ordering your meal is even slower.

If you choose to visit Charlie’s, especially on a weekend, be prepared to wait. With that said, let me just say that your patience will be well rewarded.

Their menu is limited, serving what many would consider bar chow. While Charlie’s highlights their Black Angus Burger (P175, with fries), I’m here to indulge in another item, the Philly Cheesesteak.

For the uninitiated, a Philly Cheesesteak is a simple sandwich of thinly sliced beef topped with melted cheese and served in a long warm loaf of Italian bread. Depending upon the purveyor, the ingredients may vary, from the cuts of beef, to the choice of cheese (or cheese substitute) or even whether green peppers, caramelized onions or sautéed mushrooms are added.

Charlie’s Cheesesteak (P220, for the smaller size) is made up of fine cut Batangas triple 'A' sirloin, a mix of green peppers and onions and a topping of cheese sauce. While I usually like my Cheesesteaks on the simpler side (beef, Cheez Whiz and a bun), I decide to keep to the menu and not ask for any alterations to my sandwich. The works, please.

My sandwich arrives in a simple paper-lined basket. What first hits me is the smell. As the steam rises from my freshly made cheesesteak, the aromas of caramelized onion, sautéed green peppers and seared beef fills the air. I’m beginning to drool, anticipating my first taste. A bite is messy, yet scrumptious. The tastes and textures are distinct. But everything from the delicate crunch of capsicums to the brown-sugar sweetness of the onion to the creamy cheesiness of the cheese sauce comes together to underline what is most important–the juicy, fatty flavor of the beef. With every bite, more cheesy beef falls out my warm hardy roll. Luckily I have just enough bread to mop every stray morsel from my basket. This is my idea of finger-licking good.

Charlie’s Philly Cheese is a gloriously delicious mess–a mess that I am more than happy to clean up.

PS. There is a car wash beside Charlie’s. Clean your car while chowing down on a burger followed by an ice-cold beer chaser. That’s my kind of multitasking.

Charlie's Grind and Grill
16 East Capitol Drive
Brgy Kapitolyo
Pasig City, Metro Manila

The Fast and Delicious: Takoyaki at University of the Philippines

Box of Five to Go

When Franco tapped me to once more be their guest, I have to share that I was overwhelmed by two emotions: surprise, because I didn't expect to be asked to once more write for them, and worry because of the topic I was given. It wasn't one I felt capable of writing about since I'm one of those people who tend to shy away from those sorts of food. However, the initial urge to ask if it was possible to write another time about another topic was immediately replaced by another: the urge to step outside my comfort zone and challenge myself.

After a long, slightly frustrating process of trying to find a fast food place or item I'd want to write about, I found myself trying to decide which food place in UPD I most felt like writing about. There are plenty of interesting and yummy things to eat in and around our campus and, that day, I had lunch at Beach House and then trooped to Long Island to try and see which of the two I felt most inclined towards. Enroute to Long Island, however, I was (pleasantly!) surprised to find that, a mere two stalls away from my intended destination, there was a stall that sold takoyaki!

Takoyaki are, basically, small baked (sometimes fried) diced octopus balls, mixed in with a number of other ingredients that serve to give the spheres their characteristic texture, consistency and taste. The takoyaki in UPD was, however, made of squid, which I had no qualms about since I'm a big fan of squid, and while it didn't exactly match the takoyaki I've had in the past, I have to say that it was pretty darn good. The spheres were an enticing golden brown in colour and were perfectly chewy, the flavours dancing on your tongue, making you want more.

In short, I loved them! The best part about them is that, at only Php35 for 5 spheres, they're cheap, making this, to me, the perfect fast food: quick to prepare, easy to eat, delicious, relatively healthier than most other fast food items, and affordable! It was one of those days part of me actually rued the fact that I had absolutely no classes in that side of the campus. (You can tell that I am definitely going to hike back there for more, haha!)

With that, I declare my Mission: Fast Food a success. :)

You can find Takoyaki two stalls to the left of Long Island, at the row of stalls to the left of UP Diliman's Main Library, along the Engineering side of the campus.

Franco Note: Much thanks to Joey of Manila Foodistas.

Table Conversation: Black is the New Black

Big flavor comes in small packages.

During a much-delayed, housewarming dinner, my friend T unexpectedly hands me a small package. T and her husband E had just recently returned from their honeymoon at the current destination du jour, Cambodia. The little wrapped gift I held in my hands is my post-Christmas/pasalubong present rolled into one.

Curious, I eagerly unwrap my gift. Inside is a small clear bottle proudly labelled Whole Black Peppercorns from Kampot. I unscrew the lid and almost immediately a deep, rich, earthy scent wafts from these diminutive black globes of peppercorn. Heavenly.

From professional chefs to home cooks, all would agree: besides salt, peppercorns are an essential, must-have pantry item in any kitchen. I believe that there are very few savory recipes from Asia, Africa, Europe or the Americas that do not use pepper in one form or another. Needless to say, this gift of peppercorns is much appreciated but I have to admit, at that point, I knew little about I actually had in my possession.

Time to Google: Black, Peppercorns, Kampot, Cambodia...

Apparently, what I have is a bottle of peppercorns with a pedigree. From the Cambodia Cooking Class website:

“Kampot is a riverside village in Cambodia, near the former French colonial beach retreat of Kep. It is renowned for producing one of the world's finest peppers. In the years before war took its toll, no self-respecting French restaurant in Paris would do without Kampot pepper on the table. Despite pepper cultivation being adversely affected by events in Cambodia's recent history, small farmers in the region are using their traditional skills and knowledge to once again make Kampot pepper a valuable product.”

These peppercorns are so closely associated with this particular region that there are plans to make Kampot peppercorns the first Cambodian product to have an origin-specific label. Assuming things go as planned, Peppercorns from Kampot will be internationally acknowledged like Champagne in France or Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese in Italy—only peppercorns from Kampot can marketed and sold as such.

Now with my little bottle of precious spice sitting on my kitchen counter, the only question is what recipe is worthy of such a special ingredient. A Beef Steak au Poivre, perhaps? How about a Roasted Pork Belly with a Spicy Peppercorn Sauce? Or maybe a dish more Khmer in origin? The possibilities are endless.

Whatever I ending up doing I’m sure it will be peppery hot. Stay tuned…

Thank you so much to T and E for inspiring this post.

The Travelling Table: Tasting Taal (Part 2 of 2)

Panutsa on the Table

Last November, Erik Lacson and I accepted an assignment from Cebu Pacific's in-flight magazine, Smile. Our job was to document a Kulinarya Tour of the historical town of Taal for their January issue. Enjoy.

Continued from here...

Call it the Filipino version of peanut brittle.

Panutsa is a simple Filipino snack, made with only three ingredients: dark brown sugar, peanuts and a roaring fire. Dindo brings us to a cooperative where it is made.

Cooking up some Nutty Sweetness

The cook first melts down a small hill of brown sugar. As the sugar liquefies into molten caramel, the air thickens so that you can almost taste its sweetness. The cook tests the bubbling caramel with bare fingers. Once he judges it to be the correct consistency, he adds cup after cup of raw peanuts into the dark liquid.

Several minutes of constant stirring and the blistering pot is moved to a long wooden table. Chattering women get to work: laying down thin rings of bamboo and then gingerly pouring the searing hot mixture into these circular molds. The rounds of peanuts and caramel are left to quickly cool. The molds are delicately shaken and the panutsas immediately fall out. Then these discs of sugariness are skillfully tagged, packaged and boxed--all done by hand.

Panutsa Shaping Up

One of the ladies hands me an unwrapped sample. To taste, she says. The flavor is surprisingly sublime--more a dark-amber bitter than a sugary sweet. Still warm to the touch, the brittle is anything but. It is smooth and soft, with a distinct roasted nuttiness.

It’s time for lunch and we are going home, specifically our guide, Dindo’s mother’s home, a colonial house that overlooks the local basilica. As I enter, I find myself drawn towards the kitchen, lured by the aroma of sautéing onions, pungent garlic and grilling seafood.

Adobong Manok sa Dilaw

In the kitchen, I am introduced to Dalisay and Marieta, Dindo’s longtime family cooks. Trained in the ways of Taal cooking by Dindo’s mother, Ka Ely, these jovial women cook in a sparse, traditional kitchen over wood-burning flames. Dindo explains that he wants us to experience a typical Batangueno meal. The smells are so intoxicating that I hear my stomach rumbling. I’m hungry and this meal promises to be absolutely delectable.

Estofadang Batangas

At the dining table, I am immediately drawn towards the local favorite, the Adobong Manok sa Dilaw. I have tasted many versions of this traditional dish but have never seen an adodo colored almost like a curry. The distinct yellow color is created by an ingredient called luyang dilaw, better known as turmeric. Then, I dish myself up a health serving of the Estofadong Batangas. Thick slices of pork belly are quickly sautéed and then braised in a mixture of soy sauce and brown sugar. Once caramelized to rich dark brown, the sugary, soft pork is topped with slices of fried banana. The combination of sweet caramel, the salty soy and the flavorful pork makes me practically swoon with delight.

To cap our meal, we are served barako. We are also offered Matamis na Saging na Saba, topped with the crunch of pinipig sprinkles.

This lunch was easily the highlight of this culinary tour.

The tour is over but how can we leave without taking something home with us?

The Vertucios

It’s called Vertucio’s, a bakery named after the owners, Mang Jamin and Aling Marieta Vertucio. A master baker with 35 years of experience, Mang Jamin is the proud owner of one of the few remaining wood-burning ovens in Batangas.

Afternoon Delights: Snacks from Taal

At the store’s front is a glass case filled with all sorts of traditional Batangueno delights. Aling Marieta offers us a taste. We first try the Pan de Agua, an unusually- shaped bread, fresh out of the oven. Warm, soft and airy, the bread would be perfect with steaming cup of barako coffee. Next, we savor the Lambingan. This sweet, two-toned cookie colored in red and yellow is said to represent to lovers in a deep embrace. Last, we try the Tiping--a crisp thin cookie made with coconut milk, that practically dissolves in your mouth, releasing a coconut essence.

A sweet ending to a lovely day.

Much thanks to Maya Calica, Erik Lacson, Dindo Montenegro and the staff of the Southeast Travel Corporation. For more fun-filled articles and travel suggestions from Smile, please click here.

Southeast Travel Corp.
451 Pedro Gil St., Ermita
Manila, Philippines
Tel: (632) 524-5676 to 83
Fax: (632) 521-2712
E-mail: southeast@skyinet.net , inquiry@southeasttravel.com.ph
Website: www.southeasttravel.com.ph

Rates for the Taal Culinary tour:
Minimum of 6 Php 4,350.00/person
Minimum of 10 Php 2,830.00/person
One-week notice required.
Culinary tours to other destinations are also available.

The Travelling Table: Tasting Taal (Part 1 of 2)

A Can of the Good Stuff, Please

Last November, Erik Lacson and I accepted an assignment from Cebu Pacific's in-flight magazine, Smile. Our job was to document a Kulinarya Tour of the historical town of Taal for their January issue. Enjoy.

I am a foodie, mostly passionate but occasionally obsessed with food. I’ve been lucky to have savored the flavors of the world. But lately, I’ve been feeling the need to explore the country I call home. What better way to learn about the diversity of the Philippines than through its food?

So I’ve booked a trip to Batangas, a kulinarya tour of the heritage town of Taal.

Every food tour should begin or end in a market. Our guide, Dindo Montenegro, takes us to our first stop, the Taal Public Market.

Aling Rowena's Empanadas

After navigating though an unusual mix of shops, we reach the stall of Aling Rowena. Aling Rowena owns a typical turo-turo eatery. She is most famous for her special empanadas, deep-fried, half-moon shaped pastries stuffed with ground pork, root vegetables and vermicelli noodles. She admits that there is nothing amazing about her fillings but what makes her empanadas unique is her pastry dough. Once fried, it forms into a shell so buttery and soft, it delicately dissolves in your mouth.

A Pound of Pork: Tapang Taal

Batangas is famous for its beef. But walking through the market’s meat section, you’ll notice that they are equally enamored of their pork, specifically their Tapang Taal, thin slices of pork, marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, kalamansi and lots of garlic. Every butcher’s table proudly showcases their own version of tapa, presenting the marinated slabs on elevated stainless steel mounts as makeshift fly swatters spin around each display.

Beside the beef, Batangeunos is known for their coffee, barako. A variety of the Liberica coffee, barako was once a major cash crop in the province. But today, the strain is struggling to find to way back to popularity. In the market, barako exudes a memorable aroma of dark chocolate with bitter caramel notes. Barako’s flavor is so strong that natives serve their coffee saccharine sweet.

It’s time for an early-morning snack. So we meet Mang Biko whose name is synonymous with pancit.

Ang Pancit in Mang Biko

Every morning for the last 50 years, Mang Biko wakes up at 4 a.m. to cook one thing: pancit, a simple noodle dish of vermicelli and egg noodles, shrimp and sliced chicken. From the dark basement of an antiquated house, he stir-fries pancit in a large wok over a high flame while his assistants feverishly prepare ingredients and pack his cooked noodles in cone-shaped containers of banana leaf and brown paper.

“Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit sila pumipila,” Mang Biko says in puzzlement. He has no special techniques or secret ingredients. But his customers keep coming back, forming a line that would put many fast food chains to shame. Customers who can’t wait to tuck into his steaming hot noodles are given a wooden skewer which is then ingenuously broken into a makeshift pair of chopsticks.

Mang Biko the Pancit Guy

Just before 9 a.m., all cooking stops. Mang Biko has just cooked nearly 80 kilos of pancit. Late customers have been known to plead with him to cook more. But he respectful apologizes and asks them to come back tomorrow. Mang Biko claims it’s because he getting old. But I think it’s because he knows that the hungry faithful will always come back, wanting more of the pancit only he can make.

To be continued...

Much thanks to Maya Calica, Erik Lacson, Dindo Montenegro and the staff of the Southeast Travel Corporation. For more fun-filled articles and travel suggestions from Smile, please click here.

Southeast Travel Corp.
451 Pedro Gil St., Ermita
Manila, Philippines
Tel: (632) 524-5676 to 83
Fax: (632) 521-2712
E-mail: southeast@skyinet.net , inquiry@southeasttravel.com.ph
Website: www.southeasttravel.com.ph

Rates for the Taal Culinary tour:
Minimum of 6 Php 4,350.00/person
Minimum of 10 Php 2,830.00/person
One-week notice required.
Culinary tours to other destinations are also available.

Table Recipes: Pork Binagoongan

There are two schools of thought when it comes to Pork Binagoongan.

There are those who like their binagoongan succulently soft while there are others who love theirs with little of a crispy bite. I was raised in a household that thought the former was the way to go. In my mother’s house, pork belly was cut into cubes, boiled with dried herbs and spices and then mixed with a lot of shrimp paste. This binagoongan stew was left to simmer until almost dry, plated and immediately served.

But ever since I tried Café Juanita’s version, I’ve decided to jump ship and try the other camp’s version.

This recipe requires cubes of lechon kawali prepared beforehand. I imagine that most households already have their own method of creating this much-loved deep-fried pork dish. But just in case you need a recipe or would like to experiment with your current one, click here and here.

Since bagoong is such an essential ingredient of this recipe, some purists would prefer that they sauté their own shrimp paste. Me? I’m a bit of a lazy cook in that respect. And besides Barrio Fiesta creates such an amazing bottled bagoong, why bother? When it comes to bottled shrimp paste, we consumers do have options: from the sweet to the spicy. I personally like my shrimp paste more on the spicy side. So it is no surprise this recipe has a bit hot kick to it.

Spicy Pork Binagoongan
Adapted from Kulinarya: A Guidebook to Philippine Cuisine

• 500 grams lechon kawali, cut into 1- 1 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium-sized onion, finely diced
• 4 medium-sized tomatoes, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup bottled spicy shrimp paste
• 2 to 3 long red chilis

In a heated pan over medium heat, saute the garlic, onions and tomatoes in the vegetable oil. Cook until the tomatoes are tender and mixture is frangant

Add the shrimp paste and cook for another five minutes

Add the cubed lechon kawali and the red chillis. Carefully toss together, making sure to properly coat each piece of pork.

Serve immediately.

serves 4

Tenderly soft and crunchy crisp. Spicy or sweet . It really doesn’t matter. With the combination of pork and bagoong, the recipe is a definite crowd pleaser that never misses.

Good eats.

Much thanks to Market Man for his very informative Lechon Kawali odyssey.