Food Thoughts and Tofu

Growing up under the frugal and health-obsessive eye of a Virgo mother, we never had any of the following on our dining table: salted egg (high risk for bacterial contamination), dried fish (too salty), tilapia (because they're freshwater not saltwater!), and hotdogs (super processed).

Instead, what we always had were things like homemade peanut butter (enough supply for two months, ugh!), wheat bread (from her suki at Carmen), and buko salad (also homemade, frozen, and good for two months).

But there were lapses in our food restrictions that I didn't understand.  For example, we always had longganisa and tocino, and all kinds of cured meats.  Plus, we were never restricted on sweets.

I eventually came to the conclusion that these unhealthful breaks in our diet were actually her favorite junk food.  Just like my unconditional love for Mr. Chips.  I mean, I incorporate it in my lunches as the 'carbohydrate component'.

When I left home for college, I realized that my food knowledge had been limited (damn!) and so my hesitant adventure with food began.

I started with street food like isaw and balut and adidas and taho.  I also took to eating vegetable dishes that I normally wouldn't eat at home like ginisang monggo and pinakbet.  Then came sweetbreads like pig lung, chicken kidneys, and ox brain.  Then I ate a locust (kamaru).  And a frog.  Tilapia.  Salted egg.

But, as daring as my encounters with food had been,  I must say that there are some dishes that I probably will not have an appetite for again, unless they're served at a peace treaty dinner or something.

And then there are surprising discoveries of food favorites that are now staples on my weekly menu.  One of these is tofu.

From Wikipedia:
Tofu or bean curd^[3] is a food made by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks. It is part of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese,^[4] and others.^[5] There are many different varieties of tofu, including fresh tofu and tofu that has been processed in some way. Tofu has a subtle flavor and can be used in savory and sweet dishes. Tofu has a low calorie count, relatively large amounts of protein, and little fat. It is high in iron and, depending on the coagulant used in manufacturing, may also be high in calcium and/or magnesium.

I think tofu is a funny-looking food.  What I mean is, cube-shaped objects are so rare in nature, IF there are any at all.  But it's one of the most healthful foods around and I will always have room in my stomach for a block of tofu.

Last Day 11

A square meal: red rice, fresh cabbage, kimchi, and soy tofu.

Curious coleslaw

Coleslaw, or koolsla as the Dutch say it, means cabbage (kool) salad (sla). 

I've raved about cabbage before but I'll enumerate again some of its awesome qualities: it is rich in vitamin C and selenium (prevents cellular damage), contains hundreds of cancer-fighting compounds, is a natural remedy for ulcers, and has calcium, iron, and folate.  Plus a medium-sized head of cabbage costs less than 30 pesos.  Kool, right?

For the salad, I chopped a third of the cabbage head, a small carrot, and half of a large white onion.  For the dressing, I mixed about two teaspoons of muscovado sugar, about two tablespoons of cane vinegar, and a chopped sili.  Why sili?  Because according to Korean cooking, having all five tastes-- sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy-- makes a 'complete' dish.  Hot!

Last Day 9

Don't forget to season with salt and pepper!

The Attack of the Cabbage Patch

Do you remember the Cabbage Patch Kids?  I heard of those dolls when I was a kid but I never had one.  What I had instead was a paper doll that I never showed to anyone because my mother had drawn breasts and pubic hair on it.  True story.

Anyway, back to veggies.

I didn’t know when I picked up that head of cabbage that I would be holding in my hands one of the most awesome vegetables there is!

Some cabbage facts:
1. Rich in vitamin C and selenium, a chemical element that combines with proteins to prevent cellular damage

2. Contains HUNDREDS of plant compounds that can prevent cancer (read more in this book) 
3. Natural remedy for stomach ulcers 

Cabbage belongs to the cruciferous family which includes cauliflower, cress, bok choy, horse radish, mustard seeds, arugula, wasabi, and broccoli.  These “super veggies” are all good sources of cancer-fighting components like beta-carotene and fiber, as well as supply calcium, iron, and folate.  Whew!

I went on a cabbage holiday and cooked the vegetable three different ways:


DAY 4

Stir-fried cabbage with spicy bagoong, red rice, tomato, and pineapple juice.

DAY 5

Coleslaw with pineapple and carrots.  Dressing is cane vinegar, olive oil, muscovado, and salt.

DAY 6

Cabbage pansit with bell pepper and carrots.  Smeared with chili soybean paste.

Boholiday Blunder, Vegetable Curry & a Black Russian

DAY 13


I wanted C to see Bohol, one of my two favorite places in the country that I've been to so far, and so we planned a trip to one of the most beautiful places in the world.  (By the way, my other favorite destination is Batanes.)

Our vacation did not go off to a good start.  Although the locals warned us that commuting to Alona Beach will take longer than the 20-minute taxi ride, I took a chance at it because the taxi fares were preposterous (500-600 pesos).  My decision did not agree with C.  And I have to admit that he was right this time.

First, we took a tricycle from the airport to the Dau Bus Terminal.  Wallet damage: 40 pesos.  Time elapsed: 5-10 minutes.  Satisfaction: OK.

At the terminal, we boarded a small bus.  Fare to Alona Beach was 25 pesos per head.  The bus was an unbranded, locally-manufactured thing, like our jeepneys.  We watched as the driver and konduktor piled sacks of rice and kartons of groceries on the rooftop.  As a feeling turista, this amused me because it reminded me of the stories my Boholano mother used to tell about provincial life on the island.

Ten minutes after we settled in the bus, it took off.  It wasn't filled to capacity so it felt like all of us ten or so passengers had the bus to ourselves.  A fresh breeze blew in through the windows and I gave myself a pat on the back for being such a smart traveler.

The bus rode through the city streets (which, according to my research, it would) and after making a few turns, it slowed down in what seemed like a bus stop.  Then the driver killed the engine.  What's happening?

In the next 20 minutes, passengers came, taking the empty seats and squeezing in their cargo in between legs, under the seats, and on the already-protesting rooftop.  The konduktor 'added' a few extra seats using wooden planks to form bridges on the aisles.  After all the visible air space in the bus have been occupied, the bus then officially started its route.

To sum it up: we left the airport at around 3:00 and arrived at Alona Beach at 5:20.  Holy head-banging tarsier!

 * * *

After dumping our stuff at the hotel, we went out to look for food.  Alona Beach is like a smaller, quieter, less glamorous (and therefore less dirty) version of Boracay.  The weather at this time is perfect, not too hot and it's not raining.

We went through all the menus of the restaurants on the beach and finally settled at Trudis Place.  C said he had read some good reviews.

We ordered the vegetable curry (mine), chicken curry, calamares, and pineapple fried rice.

One of the reasons I fell in love (obsessed, actually) with Indian cuisine a long time ago.

After dinner, we moved to the bar where C had his fill of San Miguel Pale Pilsen and Jim Beam.  For myself, I got a Black Russian.

Despite the afternoon misadventure, we had an over-all great day.  Food and alcohol can do that.

Vodka and coffee.  Strong and sexy.