That was yesterday, today I'm hanging around at home and I'm gonna update you on the food situation and my supper plans.
Below is a picture of some of the things I pulled out of my fridge and off the shelves at my apt today. Starting with the fruits and veggies on the right, there's some Ampalaya (Bitter Gourd), Talong (Eggplant), two Balagay pods (Winged Bean) resting on top of Petchai (Bokchoy). Still on the countertop, are a few pieces of okra (from my garden), papaya, calamansi (a sour citrus fruit) and some fresh chilies. Behind the gas stove, is the milk (here we call powdered milk simply "milk", and milk we call "fresh milk"). To the right of the milk is a loaf of the only brown bread purchasable in Roxas, and Kamorose, the only rice that is'nt completely de-hulled (fibre is an issue). Monggo beans, red sugar (unprocessed sugar with big yummy chunks of molasses), and, not to be forgotten, the assin (rock salt). Some tea, a bottle of San Miguel oyster sauce and langaw makahang (spicy vinegar).
There's a huge variety of fruits, veggies and fish available at the market at rock-bottom prices. Food for a family of three for a day costs as little as 100 pesos (2.50 cdn). Veggies are especially cheap because they grow so easily and yet nobody seems to actually eat them (except the farmers themselves). A typical meal for a small family consists of a at least two cups of rice, along with a fairly small quantity of fish, usually fried, or boiled in a thin sour soup with chilies, ginger and some tamarind sour base. If the fish is fried or barbacued, then it is generally dipped in a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce and calamansi.
Unfortunately for my taste buds, the favorite spices here are salt and sugar. My upstairs neighbour is Indian and he dropped by with some awesome goat-curry last weekend. Anyhow, so here's what I'm planning to make for supper tonight:
Mung Bean Soup: Begin by boiling the beans for about 20 min, until they begin to soften, but are not quite done. Drain the excess water (save it), and then fry some garlic (like 3 cloves) and return the beans into the fried garlic, and fry this for a few minutes, then return the water. Add some squash, chillies, salt and pepper and simmer until the squash is tender. Adding some slices of red bell pepper towards the end gives the soup a really good flavor. Serve it hot.
Talong Salad: This salad is really spicy and tasty. Begin by toasting some asian eggplant (the long skinny ones). You can do this by popping the eggplant directly on your gas burner and rotating them until the outside is charred all around. Let them cool (I dunk 'em in cold water) then peel off the skin. Add some cane or coconut vinegar that has been soaking with garlic, ginger and hot peppers (you can make this yourself). Also, add lime, and salt, then top with your choice of red or green onion, tomato or sweet peppers.
¶ 3:09 p.m.
