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

Inang is known for her correcting things when they are not in order. She sometimes would even insist on having to follow what she wants though sometimes it is not practical at the moment. She gets into this petty argument which she would make “patol” but at the end, everybody would just say… Sige na nga kayo na masusunod.

Chicken Afritada

Lunch was approaching and I need to prepare. Though I usually cook 2 hours ahead to allow proper food production and yield, this time I fell like it would not be enough since Inang already halted me with my cooking. At the point she was about to give me her version of the classic Afritada. For those who does not know this, it is a chicken dish or sometimes pork stewed on tomato sauce with potatoes and bell peppers. Something common in every Filipino table… a Carenderia favorite as well. So this is what I did. Get any Afritada Recipe which you want to follow. Really no issue in ingredients, chicken or pork will do. What are important are the first few steps…

• Crush garlic and peppercorn and rub it over the meats. 
• Add in soy sauce. About ¼ C per kilogram. 
• Marinate for 1 hour.
• Place pork mixture in a “kawali” or small wok. 
• Turn on the flame and allow boiling. 
• Once boiling add vinegar and do not mix until it boils again… 

After this, WHAT? My mind shouted. This is Adobo not even close to the dish I want to cook. But anyways, let Inang do it. So I continued and she instructed me to simmer it till it dries up and almost frying… not to mention the oil I yielded from this. After, remove the meats and discard the oil. Then using the same pan, proceed with the Afritada you use to do. The only difference is that the meats are pre-cooked. If it is chicken, be careful in handling since it may be a little bit tender at this point.

Upon completing my recipe, I added green peas and the rest was history… That was one of the best, if not, the BEST Aftritada ever. That procedure on pre-cooking the meats in soy sauce and vinegar made the difference. Try it and see how delightful it can be.

Pata Estofado

Another of her well loved dishes is Pork Estofado as we call it. Some calls it Paksiw. Inang likes it using Pork Pata. She asked me to cook this one time and instructed me to place a lot of Banana Blossom. So I did and made sure that the sweetness and sourness is balanced. After simmering for hours and the pork meat falls off the bone… I got my Lola’s approval yet again.

Dulcera

One of the favorite courses in a meal of our family is Desserts. We all have a sweet tooth, and not just sweet… meticulously sweet. Inang has this thing of cooking up gazillion stuff whenever there are parties or town fiesta gatherings at home in Tarlac. She would start concocting her famous ‘dulcera” delights. This would include sweetened kundol and beans including macapuno. This are the treats my mom and my tita’s would look forward too during such occasions. She would even add the classic Leche Flan, but this time would caramelize the top as if it is like French Crème Brulee. She would use a flat still with charcoal and place it over the llaneras until the flan turns golden… very old fashion and rustic.

Leche Flan

Minatamis na Kundol

There is so much about Inang and our family’s culinary legacy. There are so many stories to tell that I could narrate it forever. One thing I am proud of is my talks with my Lola. Without this, I would not fully and completely understand what our cooking values are and how we keep this tradition. It’s not just about our family but how one preserves the integrity and legacy of cooking and the value that comes with it as part of heritage.

Cooking with Inang - Mother's Day 2013, Tarlac

Value your family cooking… It is not a waste of time to talk and ask stories from your Lola or Mom. You would even unearth things that are full of meaning. It is not just about cooking… But it is about how we live through good food and good company.



Photos courtesy of: www.kawalingpinoy.com