samak

samak – /sa-mak/ Ilocano tree /bark /leaf /fermentation agent) [n.] parasol leaf tree (sc.name: Macaranga tanarius, Linn.) \elephant’s ear

binunga in Tagalog and Ilonggo

minunga in Bicolano

A small tree with medicinal bark, leaves, and fruits is used in fermenting and coloring basi (sugarcane wine), sukang Iloko (Ilocano sugarcane vinegar), and tuba (palm wine) in some places of Luzon.

How to tell binunga leaves from binungang-malapad. 

Binunga leaf  (Macaranga tanarius) is very much like that of Macaranga grandifolia (of botanists Fr. Francisco Manuel Blanco and Elmer Drew Merrill) commonly known as binungang-malapad in Tagalog. They are often confused and mistaken to be the same.  The slight variation is the "rounded" shape of tanarius compared to grandifolia's "heart shape" with more pointed and sometimes curvy bottom tip.

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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

tungog

A bundle of tungog, the kind of tanbark used by manangguete to flavor their tuba in Leyte, Bohol, Cebu and other places in Visayas and Mindanao.

 

tungog - /tu-ngòg/ Cebuano and Boholano fermentation agent/tanning agent [n.] tanbark \mangrove tanbark (Bot.name: Ceriops tagal  (Perr.) C.B.Rob.).

Other local common names:

• barok in Tagalog and Waray

The dried bark of a certain kind of mangrove tree is called “marka tungog” or “tangal” in Palawan and Tawi-Tawi provinces. The bark of this tree is used in Visayas and Mindanao as a flavoring for tuba (coconut wine). It gives the Visayan tuba its bitter taste and distinctive maroon color. In Mindanao, their tuba with tungog has a pale orange color as it has lesser tungog compared to how generous the Visayan manangguetes would put too much tungog in their tuba. 

Tungog would cause the natural fermentation of alcohol and prevents the souring of tuba when producing bahal (old tuba) and bahalina (aged tuba). The flavor makes aged tuba compete in taste with any of the western red wines.

Tungog is pounded into bits or even smaller than what is shown in the picture when used as fermentation agent of tuba. 

In Visayas and Mindanao, tungog has the following descriptive names: 

• binukbok - tungog that is pounded into coarse bits and pieces.

• pinulpog - tungog that is pounded further into finer bits or pulverized.

• inigot - when tungog is sliced so thinly using razor sharp blade, like sundang, sanggalab, kutsilyo, etc. and the slices are broken into fine bits and pieces.

Most Asian countries also used this mangrove tanbark in the industrial process of tanning hides of animals to make leather. The bark would also be served as a dye in tanning leather products, giving the leather a brown-orange to light brown color.

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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 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