A Mother’s Stuff

Alaminos’ Bagoong

Bagoong, like the rest of Northern Luzon, Alaminos cooking wouldn’t be the same without it. It is the uniquely ideal dip for fried fish and fresh fruits like green mangoes. You can also add some chili or garlic to spice it up or blend it with some vinegar for added zing.

It is also a vital ingredient to many recipes, bringing out or complimenting the natural and distinct flavors of many vegetable and meat dishes. You can also let bagoong simmer in garlic and cooking oil. Then, once cooked, pour it over some steamy rice and presto, perfect comfort food, especially during the rainy season.

Basic ingredients:
3 cups fresh alamang, 1-cup salt

1. Wash alamang in running water in a strainer. Drain well.
2. Mix alamang and salt thoroughly in a bowl.
3. Pack mixture in a clean container. Cover with either muslin cloth or thick paper, then seal with a rubber band.
4. Keep it in a clean warm place for a week to hasten fermentation, then refrigerate or transfer to a cooler place until the odor and flavor distinct to bagoong is reached.

Arosep and Potpolo seaweeds

In the Philippines especially in Alaminos, aside from island picnic with sumptuous tropical desserts, it won’t be complete without a bunch of arosep on your picnic mat. Just wash it thoroughly and remove a few stray roots. And you can pair it with fresh, sliced tomatoes and dip in bagoong or garnish it with alamang, either way, it compliments any tropical meal.

AROSEP

This edible, small, grape-like seaweed is a regular at tropical meals. You can toss it into a salad or enjoy it at its raw delectability. Or even try including it in old-time favorite dishes like sinigang.

Fresh Arosep
1. Wash the arosep thoroughly, removing stray roots.
2. Then serve, either with tomatoes or green mangoes, then serve, paired either with fresh, sliced tomatoes or green mangoes, dip in bagoong or garnish it with alamang.

Sinigang na Arosep

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Dila-Dila or Kumukusay

Dila-Dila or Kumukusay is a tasty flesh formed inside a tough shell. If you think you had enough of the regular seafood menu,comb the city market and score on this salty delight. Don’t let its coarse-looking shell and small size fool you; this tiny seafood delight is packed with deliciously salty succulence. Easy to cook and without much fuss, it`s a welcome instant yummy treat for picnics, afternoon snacks or even compliment for a heavy main course.

A classic seafood pulutan, it is the luscious companion of many local brews. Though it is now shadowed by other popular pulutan, it`s delectable charm is still sought by those in the know.

Basic ingredients:
1 kilo dila-dila (kumukusay), salt, garlic, seasoning Wash the dila-dila thoroughly.

1. Place it in a carajay (kawali) or in a saucepan.
2. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pour a small amount of water and let it boil. Lift the dila-dila once it boils.
3. Then, you can start, picking the dila-dila flesh within its shell, with a pin.
4. Sautee dila-dila in garlic and add seasoning (either vetsin or salt).
5. Let it simmer for 1 minute, then lift.

*Or, you can opt to eat it right after picking it from the shell.

Choose your dip – vinegar, bagoong, ketchup etc.

Bangus (Milk Fish)

Bangus or Milk Fish’s head is slightly smaller than most but what it lacks in that area, it more than makes up in body size. Ocean grown and fishpond grown bangus in Alaminos are equally plump and juicy, giving a silent promise of delicious recipes. It’s a delight to sample every dish made with this ocean gem, but its far relaxing to come and taste the home goodness of the usual recipes like sinigang and relleno. Both are perfect treats during a picnic or cuddling at home in rainy season.

SINIGANG NA BANGUS
Basic ingredients:
1 Medium sized Bangus (clean, scaled and sliced into 2), 8 tamarind (sampaloc), 2 pieces okra (cut into 2), 2 pieces eggplant (cut into rings), 1cup kangkong or camote tops (cut into 2″ long), 1 big Onion (diced), 2 medium sized tomatoes (quartered), 3 pieces long green pepper, salt and patis, 5 cups water

1. Boil tamarind either in water or in ½ cup of rice washing until soft. Strain juices and set side.
2. Then, let the water and tamarind juice boil.
3. Add the tomatoes, onion, okra, eggplant, and kangkong or camote. Lower fire.
4. When the vegetables are almost cooked, add the fish.
5. Season with salt and patis to taste.
6. Let it simmer for a few minutes. You can also add 2 or 3 green peppers, then, simmer a bit more.

RELLENONG BANGUS
Basic ingredients:
1 medium sized bangus, 1 onion, 2 tomatoes, 1 clove garlic, 1 egg (beaten), ½ cup peas, 2 calamansi

1. Clean the bangus and slit its back open. Remove its backbone and scrape off its meat. Rid of all spines.
2. Add salt and pepper to the flaked meat. Set aside.
3. Sautee garlic, onion and tomatoes, then, add the fish meat. Cook well for 5 minutes.
4. Add calamansi juice and peas before removing from heat. Then, add the beaten egg.
5. Stuff the fish skin with the mixture and sew up the opening. Fry in deep hot fat until fish is golden brown.
*To give it a little punch, soak the bangus skin in soy, calamansi and some pepper as you cook the fish meat.

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Talaba (Oyster)

This seafood gem, prized for its succulent flesh, is celebrated with a festival here in Alaminos City. It finds its way in gourmet restaurants, usually as oyster sauce, and one of the cream of the crop dishes in the menu. It adds a distinct tropically exotic flavor to Filipino dishes. And this flavor is not exclusive to local and foreign tourists but it also seeps through simple home recipes. Alaminians have found culinary ways for this “pearl of seafood cuisine” to lend its exoticism to their uncomplicated but unique palate.

Sautéed Oyster

Basic ingredients:
1 cup unshelled oysters, garlic, 1 onion, 2 – 3 medium sized tomatoes, salt, vetsin, 1 green pepper.
1. Sautee garlic, onion and tomatoes.
2. Then, add the oysters.
3. Season with salt and vetsin Simmer.
4. For added tangy flavor, add green pepper.
5. Let it simmer a bit more, then serve.

Kilawing Talaba

Basic ingredients:
1 cup unshelled oysters, salt, vetsin, ground black pepper, long green pepper (sliced), and 1 large onion (sliced)
1.Boil 1 cup of water.
2. Pour it over the unshelled oysters. Drain.
3. Season oysters with salt, vetsin, and ground pepper.
4. Add the onion and long green pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Suman of Alaminos

Suman is a delicacy prepared from glutinous rice cooked with either salt or sugar and with or without coconut milk, usually wrapped in buri, coconut or banana leaves and then, boiled or steamed. It is an ideal food for long trips and picnics.

Suman in Buri Leaves

Basic ingredients:
3 cups glutinous rice, 3 tsp salt, 2 cups thick coconut milk

1. Soak glutinous rice in coconut milk until grains are swollen.
2. Wash rice and drain.
3. Add salt and coconut milk.
4. Fill up buri pouches about 2/3 full
5. Pin the ends of the buri pouch together with a piece of bamboo pick.
6. Tie each suman with strips of buri.
7. Set suman in kettle and let it boil for 2 hours or until cooked.

Suman in Banana Leaves

Basic ingredients:
3 cups glutinous/sweet rice, 1 i/2 coconut milk, ¼ teaspoon salt

1. Wash glutinous/sweet rice and let it soak in coconut milk until swollen. Drain, then add salt to taste.
2. Let the mixture boil then let it cool for a while.
3. Prepare slightly wilted banana leaves, put at least 3 tablespoons of the rice mixture in the leaves, then tie each piece in pairs, with the folded ends facing each other.
5. Then, place the suman in the steamer or submerge in boiling water. Let it sit for 30 minutes or until rice is softly cooked.
6. Cool, then serve either with sugar or grated coconut or even milk.

Binungey

Ingenious native delicacy steamed in bamboo. Infused with the richness of coconut extract and heated evenly, the glutinous rive turns into a treat that oozes delectability and leaves you full and satisfied. The use of bamboo tubes adds to this delicacy’s uniquely clean aroma and taste, leaving you with possibilities of your own very flavorful combinations.

You can top it with sugar like everyone else or sprinkle it with your very own combination of sweets or nuts or milk. A fiesta banquet is not the same without a healthy number of this native rice cake.

Basic ingredients:

Glutinous rice (malagkit), coconut milk

1. Soak glutinous rice in coconut extract for a few hours.
2. Then, fill the bamboo tubes with glutinous rice, ¾ full.
3. Top the glutinous rice either with a banana leaf or the coconut shavings that was extracted for the coconut extract.
4. Arrange bamboo tubes in a row in an upright position. Then, lit up a fire on each side, using either wood or coal, just near enough to allow the heat to reach the tubes.
5. Let it steam for a few hours. Then, you can either top it with sugar, nuts or milk upon serving. Bon apetit!

Patupat

Glutinous rice dipped in sugarcane juice wrapped in coco leaves. It’s a sticky, tasty treat often brought home by mothers after a tiring market day, and a delicacy usually shared by the family after attending mass on Sunday.

Basic ingredients:
10 cups glutinous rice, 2 tbsp salt, 2 cups coconut cream, 5 cups coconut milk lift

1. Prepare patupat baskets by weaving young coconut leaves in a rectangular shape. Leave a small opening in one end.
2. Fill patupat basket with uncooked glutinous rice, half full.
3. Close the patupat basket’s opening with a knot. Secure them with a bamboo splice to form clusters.
4. Boil sugarcane juice in a carajay (kawali). Scoop the solid particles that form at the surface of the liquid.
5. Put the clusters into it to boil or until it is cooked (approximately 1 hour).
6. Lift the cooked clusters and drain the excess juice thoroughly.
7. Continue heating the sugarcane juice to densely concentrated, yellowish brown syrup.
8. Dip clusters into the syrup for 30 – 50 minutes.
9. Then, lift and allow to drip for several minutes.

Longanisa of Alaminians

Alaminos City’s local chorizo. Neighboring towns and cities has heard of its salty delectability, making it one of the most requested pasalubong. Alaminians follow their noses towards these appealing chorizo, hung in stalls, and take it home to be enjoyed by the whole family, either good, ol’ fried or quite something more imaginative.

It is most often enjoyed when fried but it can also be mixed with soups. Every different dish you can think of with this Alaminian native yields tasty results, with its unique flavor either blending perfectly or standing out just right.

Basic ingredients:

¾ k ground lean pork, ¼ k pork fat, 4 tbsp. sugar, 2tbsp. coarse salt, 2 tsp. ground black pepper, 2 tbsp. vinegar, ¼ tsp. salitre, ½ tbsp. soy sauce, 2 tsp. garlic (chopped), 1 tbsp. rum, atsuete or food coloring Pork casings

1. Mix all ingredients and refrigerate for 5 days.
2. Stuff mixture in pork casings. Tie with strings to desired length.
3. Hang to dry.

Alaminos Pinakbet

This is Pangasinan’s answer to Baguio’s chopsuey. Various vegetables infuse this steamy concoction with their individual richness. The intermingling of these flavors is the secret to the one-of-a-kind native sumptuousness of this dish, seasoned of course with the equally original bagoong or alamang.

This vegetable mix has two variations, pinakbet Ilokano, which uses bagoong dilis or what they call “inasin” and pinakbet Tagalog, which uses alamang. Whichever you happen to come across, you’re promised a bowlful of delectability, infused with the richness of earth’s bountiful harvest and warm broth filled with hints of salty, spicy goodness.

Basic ingredients:
Garlic, onions, tomatoes, bagoong dilis or alamang, eggplant, amorgoso (ampalaya), okra, squash, pork or shrimp, seasoning

1. Let the shrimp or pork tenderize in boiling water.
2. Sautee shrimp or pork, add the bagoong dilis or alamang. Set aside.
3. Put the sliced vegetables in the pot or pan.
4. Add the sautéed shrimp or pork and pour water. Then add seasoning.
5. Simmer then stir.

Sinanglay Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 pcs. Tilapia
• 4 c. thick coconut cream
• ½ c. tomatoes (sliced)
• 1 tsp. Strips of fresh ginger
• ½ c. onion (sliced)
• 1 tsp. Strips of green hot pepper
• ¼ c. bagoong-optional
• gabi leaves
• salt to taste

Procedure:

Clean fish very well. Mix onion, tomato and ginger and stuff tilapia. Wrap each in gabi leaves. Arrange wrapped fish in deep sauce pan. Add coconut cream and bagoong. Bring to boil then lower heat and allow to simmer. Add pepper and continue simmering until gabi eaves are cooked.

Pili Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo pili (chopped)
• 2 can condensed milk
• 2 cups refined sugar
• 4 pcs. egg yolk

Procedure:

1. Mix ingredients all together.
2. Cook over moderate heat until thick.
3. Mold.
4. Bake until golden brown.
5. Cool.
6. Wrap in colored cellophane.

Pili Brittle Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pilinut 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. margarine 8 tbsp. sugar
• 4 tspb. Water 4 tbsp. corn syrup

Procedure:

1. Dry pilinut under the sun or in a mechanical dryer. Cool and remove seed coats.
2. Combine pilinut, sugar, water and corn syrup in a pan.
3. Cook over medium heat until syrup turns golden brown or when threading occurs. Remove from heat.
4. Add margarine and mix well.
5. Add baking soda and stir thoroughly.
6. Spread on grease wooden board and cut while hot into desired sizes.
7. Wrap in cellophane when cooled..

Mazapan de Pili Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pilinut - roasted ¼ cup water
• 1 tbsp. cheese 1 tsp vanilla
• 1.4 cup skimmilk 1/3 cup suagr
• 1 pc egg

Procedure:

1. Grind pilinut coarsely or chop using mortar and pestle.
2. Mix sugar and skimmilk very well.
3. Add water equal to the weight of skimmilk and stir thoroughly to a smooth consistency.
4. Stir in pilinut and ¾ parts of total amount of beaten egg.
5. Add cheese and vanilla.
6. Cook on medium heat until sticky.
7. Distribute the mixture on greased paper cups place in muffin pans.
8. Brush beaten eggs on top of each mixture in the cup.
9. Bake at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.

Pili Bar Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pilinut
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ tsp. vanilla

Procedure:

1. Blanch pilinut and remove seed coats.
2. Boil pilinut into soft, then drain.
3. Grind the boiled pili finely.
4. Mix pilinut and sugar thoroughly.
5. Cook over moderate heat until boiling.
6. Remove from fire spread on a wooden board. Continue mixing until the mixture stick as one ball.
7. Knead the mixture while hot by using a rolling pin.
8. Cut desired sizes.