MANGAN TANA... Food Talks with Inang (1 of 2)

This is part 1 of 2 stories I would like to share to all in honor of my dearest Inang as she celebrates her Birthday. May it inspire you and may you learn something special yet simple on how food played an important role in our family's history... This is for you INANG. 

Food is always part of family conversations whenever we get a chance to reunite with relatives in one table after a bountiful meal. Kasama sa paguusapan ang mga lumang pamamaraan ng pagluto plus the current trends in the kitchen. The most memorable times are spent with our dear Lola… the Family Matriarch, 

… Our beloved Inang  

She died a celebrated and happy woman. She lived the years with pride in her heart. Imagine, napagtapos nya lahat ng mga anak nya without any burden of paying dues or debts? She was a strong woman during her time and she is admired by many because of her resilience and candor. Eto ang mga namana ng kanyang mga anak at apo.

Her memory is top notch and until her last days would remember all our birth dates – this includes her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She would even memorize the towns and cities in Washington State where she lived for quite a while. She remembers so many things and these she shares with us on the table during meals or during a simple merienda cena.

She narrates that every morning my Mom would assist her in preparing fish for daing to be sold in the nearby market. This is an assortment of fishes from tilapia, galunggong, bangus, all sliced into a butterfly fillet and salted naturally. One recipe would even include sugar - this came from our Lolo. Everyday Inang would sell this and would keep her income to help with family expense. Take note, lahat tapos sa college all because of this humble manner of selling fish. Maybe nga the miracle of the multiplication applied here. God is truly good to our dear Lola. She was never left alone and never left without resources. 

As simple as she is, lagi nya kaming tinuturuang magtipid sa lahat ng bagay. The word pag-iimpok is common. She made sure we know this word kasi eto ang gawain nya nuon pa kaya sya umasenso. Part of her story is her famous hamon. It looks fancy but in all its grandeur and elegance, the words we are talking about are leftover salted pork skin. Yes, leftovers. These are trimmings of pork fat from her sahog whenever she cooks. She would have this small tapayan filled with salt and under the jar are slices of pork skin. It stayed there for months and it never went putrid due to the salt content… one way of our Inang preserving meat.

During the holiday season or in fiesta celebrations, this salted pork skin is always a hero in a dish Inang is known for… her Nilagang Tagalog. This comprises of Pork, Chicken, and Beef. It also has sweet Saba Banana and Garbanzos. The star of this and what would define it to be Inang’s Nilaga is the addition of the salted skin. It makes the broth opaque and very aromatic. Something na lagi naming hinahanap sa Tarlac. This is even elevated to a certain level of beyond gastronomic proportions if the dish is cooked using firewood and would yield the meat falling off the bone. Or the prok and beef that even your pinky finger can smoother it into pieces due to its melting tenderness. This is Inang’s cooking at its finest…

One time I was about to cook lunch and she was at home in our small abode in Makati when she approached me and said, “Hindi ganyan yan. Ganito ang tama…”

And from here a classic dish I’ve mastered she once again elevated to a degree of perfection.

Watch out for more Food Talks with Inang.