martillos

martillos - /mar-til-yos/ (Zamboangueño [Chavacano] wafer) [n.] hammer-molded wafer.

A delicate disc wafer embossed with design and curled into a tube. 

The wafer is made with flattened flour dough that is then pressed on a wooden mold and hammered with a mallet to mold the dough with an embossed decorative design. Thus, it is called martillos from the Spanish martillo, which means “hammer.” The wooden mold is carved with a decorative design that makes the mold look like that of the Capampangan pan de San Nicolas biscuit embossed with a design on its surface. The molded dough is trimmed into circular or disc shape and rolled on a metallic tube and deep-fried until it is browned and became a tubular crisp wafer. The wafer looks closely similar to that of rolled Norwegian krumkake and to Italian pizzelle if unrolled or flat, only that martillos is more like a sweet wafer, and delicately crisp.

Some of the martillos I bought from a stall nearby the Fort Pilar in Zamboanga City

Martillos tastes much like a sugary ice cone wafer and can be eaten as is or used to scoop ice cream or as a wafer for a taco or burrito. 

Most vendors selling martillos across Fort Pilar could hardly tell how this curled wafer was originally produced. Nowadays, they don't know it is called martillos. They simply called it apa (wafer) and mistook it as another version of barquillos (wafer roll). 

The modern process of making martillos no longer requires the tapping of the mallet (wooden hammer), rather the flour dough is pressed repeatedly with a rolling pin forming into a thin sheet, then pressed on a wooden mold with the rolling pin for the embossed design, and cut into discs and then wrapped around on a wooden or metallic tube and deep fried in electric fryer until crisp and golden brown. This explains why martillos are in uniform design, shape, size, and the way it is curled.

 

It is so delicate that it would brittle easily and be difficult to bring as pasalubong (bring home gift) without breaking a few pieces of it along the way.

A pile of martillos on display along with the colored candles for sale to locals, tourists, visitors, and devotees of Fort Pilar in Zamboanga City.

Some of the martillos I bought from a stall nearby the Fort Pilar in Zamboanga City

The embossed design is attributed to the al fresco shrine of Fort Pilar with an altar embossed with sculptures on the massive wall of this unique open space church of Zamboanga City 

The roofless shrine of Fort Pilar in Zamboanga City where the Holy Mass is regularly celebrated everyday.

 

My first visit to the altar of the Shrine of Fort Pilar in Zamboanga City. Behind me is the main altar with embossed sculptures on its massive stone wall.

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Edgie Polistico

daral

daral – /da-rál/ Ta’u-sug snack) [n.] Tausug crêpe; rice crêpe rolled with coconut sweetmeat filling.

Other local names:

• sulabai or dadal in Maguindanaon
• dadal in Iranun 
• balolon or dadal in Maranao

Daral is a traditional Tausug rice crêpe. It is made with rice flour and filled with hinti and rolled into cylindrical form like a small log. Hinti is a coconut sweetmeat similar to Tagalog bukayo but soft, moist, and loose. 

Preparation starts with the grinding of hulled rice grains (not glutinous) into rice flour. The flour is then mixed gradually with enough amount of water to produce a rice batter. Traditionally, the batter is unsweetened, though sugar or any other sweetener may be added if desired.   

A ladle scoop of the batter is poured into a pre-heated pan brushed with oil, and let spread flat and round until it solidifies into a crêpe. The crêpe is done when it holds its shape when the underside is budged and pried. It would look like a fresh lumpia wrapper (spring roll crêpe).

When the bottom side is cooked, the crepe is topped with a spoonful of hinti (grated coconut sweetmeat similar to Tagalog bukayo). The opposite edges of daral are then folded and the crepe is rolled into a small log and would look like a rolled hot face towel with those tiny surface holes on the outer side.

Daral is traditionally served as a snack.

Originally, the crepe is made purely with ground rice, but later on, it is mixed or replaced with flour making the crepe look like closer to a pancake.

A daral in a food stall of Pagadian City public market, made with pure ground rice (rice flour).

Daral on display on a roadside food stall in Maharlika Village in Taguig City, made with ground rice mixed with all-purpose flour. 

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Related posts:

Parirutong

Bibingka royal

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Continue to follow my blogs. You can also follow and learn more by joining us in our Facebook group account of Philippine Food Illustrated (Private) and Philippine Food Illustrated (Public). It is my pleasure rediscovering the known and least known things or the unheard ones and put them here for every one to find, learn, and treasure. 

Thank you for all the encouragement and enthusiasm. I need also moral support, prayers, and what else that can uplift my spirit and keep my good reasons. 

If you are pleased or happy with this blog, please share the PHILIPPINE FOOD ILLUSTRATED. It is energizing that my blog is shared with others. 

Edgie Polistico  

For more about Filipino food, see  this Philippine Food, Cooking, and Dining Dictionary. It is OPEN and FREE.

Continue to follow my blogs. You can also follow and learn more by joining us in our Facebook group. Have more bits and pieces about our kind of food, ingredients, and ways of cooking, dining, and knowing food culture across the 7,641 islands of the Philippines. I will search for more and continue to share my finds. It is my pleasure rediscovering the known and least known things or the unheard ones and putting them here for every one to find, learn, and treasure. 

Encouragement and enthusiasm is not enough. I also need moral support, prayers, and what else that can uplift my spirit and keep my good reasons. Keep them coming. All I know is that I am happy of what I am sharing and giving away. If you are pleased and happy of what I am doing, just smile and please share the happiness. Keep sharing and include to share the PHILIPPINE FOOD ILLUSTRATED. I feel energized when my blog becomes one of the reasons why you are happy and smiling. 

Edgie Polistico

kandis

kandis - /kan-dis/ (Palaweño seasoning) [n.] sun-dried batuan fruit \sun-dried slices of batuan fruit. 

Other local name:

• also spelled as candes in Palaweño [Cuyonon]

The name kandis is derived from the name of a far-flung place called sitio Kandis of Brgy. Bacungan in Puerto Princesa City of Palawan where the process of sun-drying sliced batuan fruits originated. The fruits are sourced from the forest of Palawan, though some are grown now on the farm. However, further research disclosed that the origin of kandis was actually from the Sumatra island of western Indonesia. When batuan fruits are cut into slices and dried, it is called kandis by the locals due to its semblance in appearance and taste of similarly sliced Sumatra's assam kandis (Garcinia xanthochymus). Assam kandis means 'kandis acid' or 'sour kandis' in English. Kandis was an ancient kingdom in Sumatra, Indonesia of the Malay Archipelago.

Pieces of kandis from the public market of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

In Puerto Princesa City, the batuan fruits are sliced lengthwise into long strips, the seeds removed, and have it dried immediately under the intense heat of the sun.

Pieces of kandis from the public market of Roxas, Palawan.

The Cuyonons of Palawan copied the process but had the fruit sliced crosswise thinly making the sliced pieces look circular.

Packs of kandis being sold in the public market of Roxas, Palawan.

Palaweños had the idea of sun-drying the batuan fruit to have a year-round supply of this popular Visayan souring agent, as batuan fruit is seasonal and is abundant only in summer. A stock of kandis has a shelf life of more than a year.

Packs of kandis being sold in the public market of Roxas, Palawan.

 

When mold appears after several months of storage, kandis can be washed clean by rubbing the pieces together in plain freshwater, then rinsed and sun-dried again. 

Like fresh batuan fruit, kandis (or candes) is really good to sour the soup of tinola (boiled fish a la sinigang), laswa, lauya, linaga, kansi, and other soupy meat and vegetable dishes.

Packs of kandis being sold in the public market of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

It is suggested to wash kandis well before using it in cooking. Add it to the dish only when cooking is about to finish as it has the tendency to emit a hint of bitterness when boiled over a long time or when overcooked.

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For more about Filipino food, see  this Philippine Food, Cooking, and Dining Dictionary. It is OPEN and FREE.

Continue to follow my blogs. You can also follow and learn more by joining us in our Facebook group. Have more bits and pieces about our kind of food, ingredients, and ways of cooking, dining, and knowing food culture across the 7,641 islands of the Philippines.  

Encouragement and enthusiasm are not enough. I also need moral support, prayers, and anything else that can uplift my spirit and keep my good reasons. Keep them coming. All I know is that I am happy with what I am sharing and giving away. If you are pleased and happy with what I am doing, just smile and please share the happiness. Keep sharing and include to share the PHILIPPINE FOOD ILLUSTRATED. I feel energized when my blog becomes one of the reasons why you are happy and smiling. 

Edgie Polistico

palapa

You don't have to go to Marawi City in Mindanao to have a taste of palapa. We find these bottled palapa in one of a Muslim stalls we found in a Muslim Community of Quiapo, Manila.

palapa -  /pa-lá-pa/ (Maranao condiment) [n.] a mixture of thinly chopped sakurab (Muslim Mindanao scallion), lots of finely sliced luya tiduk (Philippine bird’s eye chili), pounded luya pagirison (ginger), and some toasted grated niog (coconut). They are combined, pounded, cooked on a big pan, stirred continuously until aromatic, removed from cooking, let cool, and then stored in a garapon (small jar with cap). Palapa can be dry (if cooked over a long time until moisture is reduced, but not totally dry) or moist (when cooked briefly).

When needed in cooking, palapa is sautéed first and added with the optional spoonful of condensed milk before palapa is used as a seasoning to a particular dish.

A small bowl with a serving of sauteed palapa is a centerpiece on our lunch in a Muslim restaurant nearby the Golden Mosque in Quiapo, Manila.

Palapa is an ever-present essential ingredient in Maranao cuisine, it would transform the Muslim dishes to become enticingly reddish in color with much piquancy in taste. If Bicolanos are known for their spicy hot dishes, the Maranaos are far more than that.

Bottled palapa prepared and sold by Maranaos in ubiquitos Muslim stalls nearby the Golden mosque in Quiapo, Manila.

 

If Bicolanos are known for their penchant for chili, wait till you experience how hot also is the Maranao cuisine.


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See Index of Entries here

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Let us know your opinion on the subject. Feel free to comment in the comment section, below. It is important for us to know what you think.

Tell us what other topics you would like us to write, share, and discuss about.

For more about Filipino food, see  this Philippine Food, Cooking, and Dining Dictionary. It is OPEN and FREE.

Continue to follow my blogs. You can also follow and learn more by joining us in our Facebook group. Have more bits and pieces about our kind of food, ingredients, and ways of cooking, dining, and knowing food culture across the 7,641 islands of the Philippines.

Encouragement and enthusiasm are not enough. I also need moral support, prayers, and anything else that can uplift my spirit and keep my good reasons. Keep them coming. All I know is that I am happy with what I am sharing and giving away. If you are pleased and happy with what I am doing, just smile and please share the happiness. Keep sharing and include to share the PHILIPPINE FOOD ILLUSTRATED. I feel energized when my blog becomes one of the reasons why you are happy and smiling. 

Edgie Polistico