Back to square one…

Lots of ideas are popping out of my head!  Aside from my Mother’s recipes, I will also share her best-kept secrets in preparing dishes and trivia from marketing to dining.

#1.  What makes a sinigang, “the sinigang?”

Tamang panuka!  Whether it be tamarind, guava, mango, or kamias-based, the best sinigang uses natural panuka and nothing else.  My favourite is tamarind-based sinigang!

#2.  How do you prepare the tamarind-panuka?

Wash the unripe tamarinds together with the ripe tomatoes, place in a pot with a cup or two of water, boil until the juices from the tamarinds and tomatoes are out, mash those using a strainer, and drain the extract for cooking.

This may seem a lot of work, but believe me, it’s all worth it!

#3.  The basics of sautéing.

Staple to most Filipino dishes are sautéed onions, tomatoes, and garlic.  My Mama usually uses a bulb or two of garlic and onion, and about 2 pieces of good-sized tomatoes for a standard dish good for 5 servings.

Peel the garlic and onion skins.  Mince the onions finely while grind the garlic using mortar and pestle, then set aside.  Take off the seeds from the tomatoes before mincing finely.  Contrary to what others do, my mother puts in the garlic first before the onions.  Be careful though, not to burn the garlic as this will render the dish a bitter after taste. Before the garlic turns brown, place the onions to caramelize and put in the tomatoes last. 

The secret to sautéing, she says, is to “crunch” (ligis, in Tagalog) those with the base of the ladle for the juice to come out. 

I will share more of my Mother’s cooking tips in my next entries.