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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