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 onions and some garlic, some cracked pepper, with some vinegar to taste. Or boiled and made as a salad with KBL (kamatis, bugguong, lasona). It even be made into a spicy kilawen. And it can be roasted and prepared as a salad. And as "meat balls", too, as well as an omelette.

Inggisa a sabunganay. Prepare the sabunganay by removing or separating its hard parts. Remove the palito or the pistil part. Dice. Wash and rinse until the sap is gone. The saute it in oil with onions, garlic and other spices or condiment (click photo to enlarge).

Sabunganay salad with KBL. Just boil the more tender, the inner, parts. When it's cooked, drain and rinse a little to remove its tartness or hint of bitternes. Dress with bugguong and garnish with sliced tomatoes and onions (click photo to enlarge).

.....