kilawen a bilis redux, sardine/herring ceviche

Bilis ceviche. Bilis, the local sardine (or is it really herring?). It's always abundant and whenever it's freshly available, I always buy a kilo or a half for kilawen (as a ceviche). This fish is prized as a kilawen in most parts of the globe, anyway. Perfect as an appetizer, and great for pulutan (to go with drinks). Freshly caught bilis for sale in Santa Ana, Cagayan. Bilis. Kilawen a bilis ready for a sumptous consumption.  [See...

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more pinakbet... from ilokanos around the web

Pinakbet once more, because we can't just get enough of pinakbet, we always want for more, and more. So here are some from Ilokanos around and on the web. These are various pinakbets but authentic Ilokano pinakbet because these were prepared by Ilokano (except the last photo, which can be conveniently labeled as "pakbet-tagalog" because it has karabasa and bugguong-aramang is used instead of bugguong a lames). Enjoy! Pinakbet with...

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bunog/birut/bukto/palileng, mullet/goby fish

Here's more on bunog (in general, called talimusak in Tagalog, variably called birut, bukto, even palileng, or mori, and udingan, ipusan, etc.; it's actually mullet or goby fish.), smallish freshwater/river fish best stewed in lots of tomatoes, onions, garlic, ginger and some vinegar. Or wrapped in banana leaves and steamed/cooked as a tamales. Or dipped in spiced flour and deep fried to a crunchy treat. ...

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sabunganay/susop, banana blossom

Sabunganay. Or susop (as is called in some areas in the Ilocos region). Banana blossom. It's a preferred vegetable for sinigang (sour soup), dinengdeng (sabunganay with saluyot is just so good, with or without a sagpaw of say grilled bangus or paltat or tilapia) and as well, prepared as sauteed or made into adobo, with lots of...

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labay, plateful, various plates of ilokano dishes

Labay means plate, the plate where you are eating right at the moment, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Or the act of mixing broth or soup of your sida (viand) into you rice. Whatever, here are several instances of my own labays, showcasing various Ilokano dishes I consumed the passed days or months in different places (if my memory won't fail me): This is lunch time in my residence in Iguig, Cagayan. I've got here boiled balatong with paria leaves, boiled...

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panagburak iti rama, harvesting fish in "portable" fish traps

Rama. Puluan. "Mini" and "portable" fish dwellings/trap in rivers. Made of cut small tree branches or tiny twigs, especially that of the thorny damortis (or kamantiris, lulukisen, camachile) and salamagi (tamarind) trees. Bound and placed on strategic parts of the river. When summer comes, it's the perfect time of the year to harvest the rama. Panagburak-rama. Literally to break open the traps. When the family, friends, especially when...

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baradibud a tugi, lesser yam vegetable stew

Buridibod a tugi (click photo to enlarge) Yet another buridibod or root vegetable stew, and this time we'll use tugi (lesser yam, Dioscorea esculenta Lour.). Tugi may not be usually used as a buridibod root ingredient as common as the usual camote or taro or ube. But it's equally good, I always make one when I chance upon some tugi in the local market. Tugi, for some, is only meant to be boiled or magettaan (cooked in coconut milk) and eaten...

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jumping salad

Live "salad" of shrimps literally jumping out. Holy week. Lent. And yes, if we have to be faithful to our faith, we shun meat this week of the year. Which is just good because it's a healthy thing. So let's have some veggies and fish (like the taburkit [monamon] the other day). Or shrimps. And why not "jumping salad," the live shrimp dish preferred by many Pinoys, especially Ilokanos, specifically for pulotan with drinks....

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kilawen a taburkit, raw anchovy ceviche

It's Lenten season and so time for some fish. No meat for the week. Fish be with you, fish be with us! And so why not try a fish kilawen? Like taburkit. Or taburtit. Not really exotic because this is not rare fish. It's always available. It's monamon or dilis. Our local anchovy. But taburkit is a different fish from the same anchovy family. It's smaller and more tender which is just suitable and perfect for kilawen or ceviche. Taburkit...

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