HALABOS NA SUGPO
IN OLIVE OIL
If you live in an archipelago and you
have an allergic reaction to seafood, that maybe the saddest act for you. I
have a first-hand experience with someone who is allergic to seafood and
mostly shrimp. His lips would turn extremely red and the outer lip area would
swell. For a seafood lover, more so a Shrimp and Prawn lover myself, his pain
is heaven for me! (wink)
I am not being heartless. It just
happens that when I am with him, I get to devour more of the bounties of the
seas. Surrounded with water, I get to taste a variety of seafood dishes
whenever we travel across the country. When we visit other parts of the
archipelago, the freshest of seafood abound and these are mostly prepared in a
simple way.
Allow me to share with you a simple
Shrimp & Prawns recipe, using two techniques - Prawns
and Dill : Halabos na Sugpo in Olive
Oil.
I am not a vegetarian – I love too
much meat to be one (anyone in the same boat with me?). BUT (yes, it’s a BIG
but), I do LOVE tofu!
Growing up, I only know two ways on
how tofu is served. One, Taho – this
delicious soy creation served with caramelized sugar and sago (much like tapioca) and the other, fried tofu with a
soy-vinegar dipping sauce. The latter is what my mom used to make while the
former is usually bought at a local street vendor who shouts “taho” in the
morning. Oh my, this surely brings warm memories when I was a kid!
This dish is a combination of two
inspirations. The first inspiration is a popular Chinese dish from Sichuan
province known as Mapo Tofu (Mapo Doufu). The other is from a local restaurant
I visited on a writing assignment in Laguna back in 2010. I had dinner at Chef
Mau Luto ni Tatay sa Bungkol and happen to order a tofu dish that was not only
so affordable (Php 50 or a little over US1 per order) and it was truly
satisfyingly delicious. More on my gastronomic visit at Chef
Mau Luto ni Tatay sa Bungkol here.
With these two inspirations, allow me
to share with you a Tofu dish – Mapo
Inspired Breaded Tofu in Pasta Sauce.
For seafood lovers, squid is one of
the most delicious and easy to cook ingredients available in the market. Squid
is also quite affordable – where a kilo would only cost a fraction of a kilo of
medium black prawns.
Before I even tasted Calamari (also known
as Calamares, an appetizer in which Squid is dredged in flour then deep-fried
to a crisp) there was only one squid dish I have been accustomed to eating –
Adobong Pusit.
Adobong Pusit is the only squid dish
my mom makes when I was a kid. She makes this Pinoy Food dish with the freshest
of squid, cooked in its ink and seasoned with three main ingredients. This is called
adobo since it uses the main ingredients when cooking Pork & Chicken Adobo,
an iconic Philippine dish loved by many.
Inspired by my mom’s recipe but with a
few tweaks I have added, allow me to share with you this easy to whip up Pinoy
Food Recipe, Adobong Pusit (Squid Adobo).
SOME GOOD OL’ RESTAURANTS IN A BUCOLIC RIDGE
Tagaytay
City is known as the 2nd Summer Capital of the Philippines. Over the
years, Tagaytay City has been the go-to place for a quick getaway from the
concrete jungle. Being an hour and a half away from the metropolis, Tagaytay
City has been a haven for anyone who needs a rejuvenating day or weekend.
Over the
years, Tagaytay City’s landmark and pride is the stunning view of Taal Lake and
Volcano. Being in a bucolic ridge, the air is crisp and chilly. With a
panoramic sight and a relaxing environment, one thing made this vacation spot a
hit – good food!
Today,
numerous restaurants and dining-by-reservation have sprouted in Tagaytay City
but there are some good ol’ Tagaytay
City Dining Favorites that should not be missed.
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