dinengdeng/buridibod nga ube, purple yam stew with veggies

Ube or ubi, the "real" and popularly known ube (purple yam; being different from that of "puraw nga ube"). I was lucky enough to spot huge pieces of ube roots being sold by industrious folks displaying garden produce and wild leafy greens and roots along the national highway in Iguig, Cagayan (exactly on the Tuguegarao-Iguig boundary arch, on that road going to the Saint Clare Monastery, where vendors usually sell vegetables, wild mushrooms, freshwater...

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dinengdeng/buridibod nga ube (puraw), white yam stew with veggies and fried fish

Buridibod/baradibud, still. That unique Ilokano vegetable dish suffused with tubers or roots, specifically yams and that of sweet potato (camote, kamotig, kamotit, or kaong). We've done it with tugi (lesser yam). Now, let's do it with yet another yam, a white yam commonly called "puraw nga ube" in Allacapan, Cagayan (puraw because it's not lavender or violet as in purple yam, which is the popularly known ube [ube itself is the color purple/violet])....

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a hearty ilokano lunch by the seaside in ilocos sur

I've just came from a meeting of minds with some Ilokano writers, but what I can't help thinking about, or should I say craving about is the sumptuous lunch served during the meet up. Of course this is Ilocos Sur, right by the heart of the Ilokano country in the town of San Juan (a.k.a. Lapog) and right by a seaside barangay called Saoang. This is my labay, pardon my gluttony: And this is Saoang beach, the tide is low that time...

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lomi iti banga in laoag

Thick and hot lomi in Laoag city. I love lomi when it's thick, tasty, savory, spicy, creamy... thickened, especially, thick, even when it's getting cold. Of course, lomi is also popular amongst noodle-hungry Ilokanos because we're all Pinoys here obsessed with pancit although we somehow detest real pasta the Italian way (that's why we have sweet spaghetti, for instance, courtesy of the popular fastfood chains, hmmm. Lomi, and/or other noodle...

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imbaliktad soup

Beef imbaliktad with soup. Right, it's imbaliktad. And yes, it is, and it has, soup. Imbaliktad is usually dry--beef (or carabeef, or goat) tender loin, innards, tripe, cut into strips and sautéed in garlic, onions, ginger, peppercorns and then stir-fried briefly and quickly, pour in some pespes/pinespes ("intestine juice") for it's truly Ilokano bitter flavor, stir it a few times more,  and it's done. The meat should be tender,...

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