Philippine Food Illustrated

September 24, 2017

buteteng laot

buteteng laot - /bu-te-teng la-ot/ Tagalog sea fish /seafood) 1. [n.] porcupine fish \spot-fin porcupinefish (sc.name: Diodon hystrix); 2. [n.] oceanic puffer (sc.name: Lagocephalus lagocephalus). Another species of buteteng laot known plainly as the butete has been banned permanently by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) from gathering, marketing, and consumption, because it naturally contains a toxin called tetrodotoxin which renders the fish unfit for consumption.

Other local common names:

also spelled as boteteng laot in Tagalog

a.k.a. buktit in Tagalog

butete tunokon, tagutong, or tagutungan in Cebuano

tagutungan in Boholano and Leyteño [western Leyte]

otit in Waray-waray (eastern Samar)

mosi in Bicolano

tagutongan in Davaoeño

busisi in Ilokano

butbutan in Zambaleño

lukoh itingan or tagutugan in Chavacano (Zamboanga)

dautdotan in Maranao, Tausug, and Samal

buntal in Sinama (Bahasa Bajau of Sulu archipelago)

A species of puffer fish considered edible and safe for consumption but has to avoid the internal organs, particularly the liver where a tiny sac of highly deadly poison can be found. As much as possible, only the meat is used in cooking.

Maypay is a Cebuano name for that tiny sac of highly poisonous glands. It's attached to the liver and would require an expert to safely remove it because even a slightest leak could be very fatal. It's far more lethal than cyanide.

The big-sized liver though is the most sought part of the fish in making the Cebuano linarang with coconut milk. It needs to be an expert to safely remove the tiny monggo-size sac of poison called maypay in Cebuano. It has to be taken out intact because a slightest leakage can be fatal when it contacts the flesh or contaminates the water used in washing the fish.

A slight contact on flesh or contamination of the water used in washing the fish could be fatal. Yes, because maypay is far more lethal than cyanide. It could no longer be removed or rinsed off.
BE EXTRA CAREFUL WHEN YOU PREPARE TO COOK THIS FISH.

In my hometown's small fishing village, maypay was used to poison cats that stole food in the kitchen (I felt sorry for the naughty pussy cat).

Porcupine fish can be prepared as tinola (boiled), nilarang tinunoan (boiled with coconut milk and spices), inadobo (adobo-style), pinirito (fried), ginataan (cooked in coconut milk with malunggay or dahon ng sili, and sauteeing first in garlic and other spices the flaked parboiled fish), nilubihan (cooked with grated meat of not-so-matured green coconut fruit), or into Bicolano kinunot (braised shredded fish fillet).

The fish has to be gutted completely and carefully so as not to burst open any of its internal organs to avoid possibly getting poisoned, and the sturdy spikes around the skin have to be removed by parboiling first the whole fish and then pulling out the spikes using pliers.

Vegetables commonly used as suitable optional ingredients when cooking this fish into a soupy ginataan or tinola dish are malunggay or dahon ng sili, talong, okra, kalabasa, sitaw, alugbati, pichay, and/or pako.

The big-sized liver though is the most sought part of the fish when cooking a linarang dish with coconut milk (linarang is boiled fish with different spices and salt to taste). You can have this linarang from some eateries in Cebu City and other towns in Visayas.

While in the Tabuh of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi

"Yong mga nagsabi na di daw to nakakalason at nakakatikim na sila, nakaswerte lang sila at magaling yong gumawa ng ulam. Di naman kasi madaling puputok yong maypay pagka fresh pa yong isda. Baka sa susunod kapag masyadong kampante na sila, mamalasin na. Wag naman po. Ingat lang. And I share it here para alam nyo na ano yong isang maliit na bagay na nakakamatay. Yong sa butete iba pa yon. Mas matindi yon. Mas delicate. Pati balat nakakalason."

"It's safer to slice na lang a portion of the liver around the "maypay" at least, 1-inch diameter or more! Wag nang manghinayang sa matatapong kapirasong atay, manghinayang sa buhay!"

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August 26, 2017

lipote

Philippine Food Illustrated

lipote – /li-pó-te/ Bicolano, Quezonian [Quezon province], and southern Luzon [including Tagalog] fruit [n.] lipote tree and its fruit (sc.name: Sysygium polycephaloides or Syzygium curranii).

Other local common names:

a.k.a. igot or bahag in Tagalog and Bicolano

baligang in Bicolano [Albayano]

malig-ang in Bicolano [Camarines Norte]

amhi in Bicolano [Camarines sur]

igot in Waray [Samareño]

A species of Java plum. Lipote is a fruit tree that is indigenous to the Philippines and can be found growing in the Bicol region and in some places in the southern part of Luzon that includes Metro Manila, Batangas, Laguna, Marinduque, and Eastern Visayas that includes Samar.

The tree grows up to 9 meters or more and bears round, dark red to black fruits that look like that of duhat, but is rounder and has no seeds. Hence, it is often called a seedless duhat by those who do not know its local name.

The fruits are borne in compact clusters, each fruit is about 20mm in diameter and would become darker as it ripens. The ripest is black or very dark in color and has a rather dry but pleasant acid flavor. It is eaten ripe and raw.

When grown outside the Bicolandia, the fruits have the tendency to be more acidic or a bit sour in taste.

Locals would collect the ripe fruits, mash and put them in a sealed container with some salt and sugar added inside. The container is juggled hard enough to squeeze the juice from the fruits. The extracted blood-red juice is collected and taken as a refreshing juice drink. The pure extract can be stored in a jar and will keep for weeks. It can be served cold by adding lots of ice. Some say that it tastes the hint of duhat but more like that of a mangosteen, with a peculiar tart-sweet and tannin taste.

The pure juice extract can be fermented to make wine, or mixed as a flavoring with lambanog (coconut arrack) and other beverages.

Be careful not to stain the dress or cloth with the dark red juice as it is very tough to remove. It could even stain the fingers and tongue.

The fruits can also be preserved in the form of candies, compote, jelly, or jam.

It can also be used in making pickles and fruit pies.

The fruit is believed to have a high antioxidant content and is also good for treating hypertension, diabetes, or high sugar level in the blood.

Related posts:

Alugbati sauce

Dugyan (Philippine red durian)

Sawa

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August 25, 2017

angkak

angkak – /ang-kàk/ (Tagalog and Capampangan food coloring and fermentation agent; dw Chin. Hokkien an khak [reddish leaves used in fermentation] < an [red] + khak [shell or husk]) [n.] red yeast rice (sc.name: Monascus purpureus)

I found this angkak rice in the public market of Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija in July 2017.

Angkak is a Mandarin orange food coloring. A Chinese tangerine food coloring obtained from a plant with reddish leaves, or rice treated with species of red mold.

This angkak rice is priced at PHP320.00 a kilo when I found it in the public market of Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija in July 2017.

Angkak rice is not for cooking into kanin (boiled or steamed rice), but can be added to cooking rice as a food color.

The Capampangans, Bulaqueños, Novo Ecijanos, and Tagalogs are fond of using angkak in coloring and as a fermentation agent for burong isda (fermented cooked rice with fresh fillet of freshwater fish, i.e. tilapia, bangus, ayungin, etc.), and in bagoong alamang (shrimp paste, a.k.a. balaw-balaw).

Angkak rice

Angkak produces bright pastel pink color, a classic food coloring that is now fast disappearing because of artificial instant food colorings.

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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

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

August 13, 2017

balot itlog manok

balot itlog manok - (ba-lót it-log ma-nòk; Cebuano delicacy) [n.] boiled fertilized chicken egg.

a.k.a. balot in Cebuano
balut itlog manok in Tagalog and other local languages

This Visayan delicacy is a new variation of Filipino balut egg that is made with brownish Caber chicken egg. It became popular in Cebu City a few years ago.

This 16-day-old balot itlog manok looks more gruesome than its predecessor duck egg balut. It has more feathers with fully developed legs, head, and beak.

It started to appear in Cebu City sometime in 2012.

Along with the penoy itlog manok or pinoy, this Visayan balot is now gaining fast popularity in Visayas and in some places in Mindanao. It even reached Lucena City in Quezon province and in Bambang, Manila, probably brought and introduced by the Visayans who moved to settle in Quezon province and in Metro Manila.

Recently, I found it on the sidewalk of the Alabang viaduct and on Montillano Street in Muntinlupa City.

This Visayan "balot" is more gruesome compared to its predecessor duck egg balut. It has more hairs (feathers) and the legs, head, and beak of the chick appear to be prominently developed already.

It tastes quite similar to duck egg balut, but the bones are a bit tougher and the hairs are nasty. Next time you dare a foreigner to eat balut, offer this Visayan BALOT instead. Let's see how far we can scare them. hahaha!

By the way, do not dare to offer this to our Muslim brethren because a nasty and gruesome food like this is considered unclean (Haram) according to Islamic laws. Besides, living animals have to be slaughtered in a manner that it has to bleed. Otherwise, you are insulting them.