String Bean Pickles (Sitaw)

Easiest way to enjoy dish of string beans (sitaw) is to pickled this vegetable. Not so hard to make, just with vinegar, onions and pepper, the half-cooked string will become one's favorite. Seasons for string beans comes in the month of September, October and November. And best way to cook this, aside from dinengdeng, ginisa, or ginataan, is to pickled it. When in abundance, the price is so high that you can think just to buy meat, but when its season comes, you will think of different ways of cooking sitaw.

Utong is for Ilocanoes, sitaw for Tagalogs, string beans is favorite for every Filipino

How Longanisa Festival is Celebrated?

The month of January is where Vigan City celebrating their Longanisa Festival. Longasina of Vigan is famous because of its distinctive taste and aroma. The garlic not only suppresses the high fats of this food but also giving the amore of the tongue to taste it. Some pictures below demonstrate how this Vigan's favorite is made... and still being craze for every breakfast.

If you have this for breakfast, of course with tapa and kamatis, who would care for  other  delicacy

After mixing all the ingredients (ground pork meat, pork fat, salt, garlic, pepper and vinegar)-- put them in wax paper or pig's intestines to make/form as sausages.

Kampa (Spiny Lobster)

Called kampa in Ilocano foods, this spiny lobster is hard to resist though some say it has  high cholesterol level.

There are two kinds of lobster, clawed lobster and spiny lobster. Of the two, clawed lobster is abundance in Ilocandia. Only few kind of spiny lobster can be found here in north. Locally known as kampa (and ipes when not yet fully grown-- as big as little finger), this spiny lobster is colored chocolate, and with its name, it has spikes and two long antenna. In seashore, some fishermen can catch this kind of kampa.

Though it is best to grilled or fried and laga. Kampa is also best to cooked as sinigang. Though some says it has a high level of cholesterol, but the smooth meat that can be found in its tail is so irresistible. With just tomato or pias, kamote leaves and seasoning. You'll love eating it with other sea foods.

Ginitaang Palaka

Frog cooked in coconut milk with kamias

Exotic Food? Why not try the different recipes of from (palaka). Except of those bull frogs and poisonous frogs, Filipinos love to eat frog meat, whether it is fried, barbequed, grilled and stewed in coconut milk and even nilaga.

The taste is so delightful that you can compare it to the meat of chicken. What we need is just the coconut milk, then of course the melon grass or ginger, some vegetables leaves, cook in pan and put some chilli. Yes, a hard to resist dish that every one love to taste.

Lechon (Roasted Pig)

When it comes to Pinoy Foods, everybody loves lechon baboy. No festivities, fiesta, weddings and any occasions that this pig with the apple in the mouth cant be found. Forget about cholesterol, high blood... the temptation is so strong that you must taste that crunchy roasted skin dipped in bagguong, sarsa, ketsup, or vinegar.

We, Ilocanoes loves so much also of lechon. Making it special, we have this karimbuaya (a cactus leaves cook in oil) that suppress bad odor and adding aromatic scent. Besides, they said that it also suppress the cholesterol.

Longanisa Stick With Pangas Dressing

(Served and cooked during Longanisa Festival 2011 of Vigan City as one of the competitor in cooking contest)

Ingredients

• 12 pcs Vigan longanisa
• ¼ kilo potatoes (mashed)
• 1 cup quick melt cheese
• 1 tsp msg ajinomoto
• Salt and pepper
• 1-2 cups flour
• 1 pc egg + 60ml milk for the egg wash
• 1-2 cup bread crumbs
• Cooking oil for deep frying

For Pangas Dressing

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp anato oil
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ginger juice
• ¼ tsp anchovy
• ¼ tsp sugar

For Grilled Vegetable

• 1 large tomatoe
• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 large onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Msg ajinomoto
• Salt and pepper

Procedure

For Longanisa Stick

1. In casserole, boil potatoes until its done
2. While waiting for the potatoes, get a bowl, remove the skin of longanisa and break into pieces
3. Mash the potatoes and combine the longanisa with cheese. Mixed well, add ajinomoto, salt and pepper. Then shape like a pointing finger
4. Prepare for breading, dredge first with flour followed with egg wash then breadcrumbs, until all are breaded
5. Deep fry

For the Pangas Dressing

1. Just combine all ingredients

For the Grilled Ingredients (Optional)

2. Cut tomatoes, zucchini and onion in same sizes
3. Get a grilling pan grease with olive oil, seasoned, salt and pepper
4. Wait until the grilling marks are seen on vegetables. Flit up and wait until cooked.

Longa Rosa de ajinomoto in Capsicom Oil

(This dish was cooked and served by University of Northern Philippines during Longanisa Festival 2011 of Vigan City.)

Ingredients

• 20g      green apple
• 20g      jicama fruit
• 680g    vigan longanisa
• 2 tsp    monosodium glutamate
• 2tsp     ginisa mix
• 40g      cornstarch
• 5g        onion
• 10ml    grape juice
• 12g      grape fruit
• 5g        cheese
• 10g      bell pepper
• 2tsp     butter
• 3 eggs
• Squash blossom/flower
• 1ltr       oil
• 15g      banana peel

Procedure

Note: prepare all recipes one at a time

1. Put Vigan longanisa in a bowl and all ingredients together with ajinomoto seasoning
2. After mixing, prepare the squash blossom and put inside of it
3. Deep fried and drain

Wrapper

1. Mix the cornstarch and eggs, put little by little of water and stir
2. In a heavy skillet, pour 3 grams of step 1
3. 30 second to wait to cook the wrapper

Sauce

1. Suate the onions, put the grape juice together with the grape fruit until softens.
2. Use the cornstarch as thickening agent

Begnas Festival 2

Here's more deliciously served menus during Begnas Festival 2010 held at Galimuyod, Ilocos Sur.

Naduma-duma a dasar

Begnas Festival Delicacies

Kalabasa Cake

Biko with Leche Plan Toppings

Kalabasa Cake

Kalabasa Cake

Mga kailangan

• 2 ½ kalabasa
• 3 condensed milk
• 2 margarine

Paraan ng Pagluluto

1. Balatan ang kalabasa at ilaga.
2. Gadgarin ng pino ang kalabasa.
3. Ilagay sa kawali, ilagay ang margarine at condensed milk.
4. Haluin hanggang maging malapot.
5. Ilagay sa bandehada at ihain.

Begnas Festival

Begnas Festival, an annual feast of thanksgiving by different tribes in Ilocos Sur. Tribes that include Bag-o, Kankanaey, Itneg and Tingguian. They gather in an identified upland municipality and dance tadek, dance lablabbaan or played indigenous musical instruments. But of course, different cousine identified with their taste... here's some of dishes well gonna love to taste...

Tinunong Paltat (Grilled Catfish)

Sinursuran

Sabungay Balls (Banana Bud Balls)

Rellenong Kappi (Stuffed Native Crab)

Ginataang Langka

Bagnet Festival 2

Here are some menu that can be cooked and served with bagnet as suggestive by Bagnet Festival of Narvacan, Ilocos Sur.

Ginataang Bagnet

Chili Con Bagnet

Broccoli Con Bagnet

Bagnet Ensalada

Bagnet Con Carra

Kapet-Kapet

KAPET-KAPET

(Side Dish)

Ingredients

• ½ salop malagkit nagiling
• ½ puting asukal
• 3 pieces nakayod niyog
• 10 dahon ng pandan

Procedure

1. Ipakulo ang nakayod na niyog. Haluin ito hanggang maging malagkit.
2. Pakuluan ang pandan leaves.
3. Paghaluin ang malagkit at puting asukal. Gamitin ang tubig na pinagkuluan ng pandan leaves upang ihalo sa malagkat at puting asukal. Haluing mabuti hanggang lumapot.
4. Ibalot ang plastic wrapper sa ibabaw nito. Gamitin ang langis ng latik, ilagay ito sa ibabaw ng plastic at ikalat upang hindi kumapit ang ilalagay na malagkit.
5. Pagkatapos lagyan ng oil, lagyan ang bandehado ng hinalong malagkit.
6. I-steam sa malaking kawali.
7. Pag naluto na ang malagkit, hanguin ito at palamigin.
8. Lagyan ng latik ang ibabaw nito at irolyo ang malagkit (huwag isali ang plastic).
9. Hiwain ang nakarolyong malagkit.
10. Puwede nang i-serve.

Vigan Longanisa With Lady Finger Glossy Sauce

Vigan Longanisa With Lady Finger Glossy Sauce

1 dozen Vigan Longanisa

Ingredients

• ½ bar butter
• 1 cup Nestle cream
• 2 cups cream of mushroom
• 1 clove of garlic
• Okra to garnish

Sauce

1. Boiled Vigan longanisa in pan for 10 minutes
2. Fry the Vigan longanisa in medium heat
3. Set aside the Vigan longanisa

Sauce

1. Melt butter in frying pan
2. Sauté garlic until brown
3. Pour the cream mushroom until boiled
4. Pour Nestle cream until boiled
5. Sprinkle ginisa mix to taste

Garnish

Sauté lady finger in a butter

Bagnet Festival

Bagnet... the deliciously deep-fried pork meat. Its so crispy that you can feel the crackling in your mouth. T

ogether with bagguong ipon or with tomatoes, or sarsa sauce, ketchup, and of course, sugar cane vinegar... the taste of this dish is so irrestable.

Narvacan, Ilocos Sur has their distinction of bagnet... different from chicharon of other places. Thats why, they have their Bagnet Festival.

Some delicious dishes that you could use with bagnet are shown below....

Bagnet Crispy Sandwich

Chunky Bagnet Salad

Bagnet With Prawn and Queso de Bola

Bagnet with Grilled Vegetable

Bagnet With Mushroom in White Sauce

Seducing Tattala

Tattala (shrimp) ay isang pasayan na madalas makuha sa salin na tubig. Parang pasayan pero mas malaki ang ulo at sipit, ngunit ang buntot ay umikot na di tulad sa pasayan na pahaba. Ngunit mas maliit kesa sa sugpo Usually, the color is blue, pink, brown... ngunit pag naluto ay nagiging orange. Mas juicy at mas malinamnama sa sugpo o pasayan.

Masarap na sinigang, lalo pag sampalok o pias a ng ginamit. Lagyan lang ng kaunting dahon ng kangkong o sili... napakasarap na. Ngunit, sa karamihan, lalo na sa mga Ilocano... mas masarap pag kilawen. Hugasan lang, kalamansi juice, iodized salt, pampalasa, pampa-anghang at solve na, ang jumping salad na tattala.

Kapigged

Kappiged... naimas a masigang, nangruna no pias ti maaramat. Ikkam la bassit ti bulong ti sili wenno kangkong. Maala iti salin a paset ti kadanuman, ken igid ti baybay.

Naimas ti lasagna a kasla malaga, ngem kaimasan kaniakon ti nagkunikon a bagisna a no maramanam ti pumait ken juicy ken nasam-it, anian... kas kunadan, malipatan ti katugangan.

Mango Salad

A very Ilocano taste.

The salad is made from grated young mango (native). No need to need. Just top and mixed with ginisang alamang (aramang), usuarry a sweet and sour tast, mixed it well. Put in plate. Then, dyaran... the taste of salad that has never been served in many restuarant.

It usually best paired to grilled tilapia or bangus.

I tasted this salad at Sigay, Ilocos Sur. I tried to make this one, but I can't replicate the one I had in this upland town of Ilocos Sur.

Pasayan

Ummm... masarap na pasayan. Hindi na kailangan ang komplikadong pagluluto nito. Ipakulo lang ang pasayan sa tubig, lagyan ng asin at seasoning. At dyarannn.... heto na ang masarap na pasayan. Actually, ang pasayan na to ay nakuha sa ilog sa Sigay, Ilocos Sur. Native ang dating, mas masarap, mas malinamnam

Kamoteng-Kahoy

Going to Santo Rosario Sigay worth so much, especially when I taste this delicious Ilocano delicacy made from kamoteng-kahoy. Colored orange, this tasteful puto is so malagkit that you will always love being an Ilocano.

Though, many vendors are selling this kind of delicacy, but a distinction of taste can always be found in every locality.

Pias Flower

Sinigang is tasteful and delicious if we used pias. Especially with fishes, we prefer most pias rather than sampalok or suka. Some of us now prefer the ready ti cook sinigang mix, but I tell, it still best to natural. I happen to shoot this flower of pias... amusing and beautiful.

Who Wants Sinigang

This fishes are catch in the 'katangriban. Usually, they are catch through banniit. They have names but i forgot. Anyway, this can be deliciously cooked into sinigang. Try putting some pias, and wow, you gonna love the sabaw.

Saluysoy

Can be considered as exotic food. A type of seaweed fishermen of Ilocos region especially in San Esteban gather in beach area. It taste salty and sour but may enjoy when mix to tomato.

Color green and brown, it usually clings on stones and can be harvested as pukpuklo and ar-aritos. But surely, you will love the tast of saluysoy.