LASWA TAMBO

Tambo is also an Ilonggo favorite ingredient when making laswa. The firm texture of the tambo gets defined by the gooey goodness of okra, takway, tugabang and gata. Wickedly delicious!

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 25 mins Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 cups, fresh tambo (bamboo shoots)
• 1 cup, gata or coconut milk (2nd press)
• 6 pcs fresh shrimps
• salt to taste
• 1 cup, sliced okra (lady fingers)
• 1 cup, takway (taro root tendrils)
• 2 cups, tugabang/saluyot leaves (jute mallow)
• 1 cup, kakang gata (1st press)

Directions: Blanch tambo in boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, squeeze out excess water from tambo. Set aside. Boil the 2nd pressed gata in a soup pot. Add the blanched tambo and shrimp. Salt to taste. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the remaining vegetables. Let it simmer for 2 minutes. Once the tugabang leaves have softened, stir in the kakang gata and simmer for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

My Notes: Shrimps can be substituted with guinamos (bagoong or shrimp paste), bagongon or igi. You can also use kasag or alimango (crabs) or lucon (prawns). You can even use the bigger variety of uga (dried salted fish). Whatever tickles your taste buds.

DIWAL Linusgusan

Diwal or angel wings clam is indigenous to the Western Visayas area. It's a very succulent and tasty shellfish, more sweet than salty. A must try for Ilonggo food lovers.

Prep time: 15 mins     Cook time: 15 mins     Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo Diwal
• 1 cup water

Directions: Immerse shellfish in fresh water so it can spit sand. Rinse to remove remaining sand inside the shell. Place in shallow pan with water. Medium heat. Cover so that the steam can cook the diwal. Serve with the juice or dripping from the shellfish.

My Notes: Diwal is seasonal. Currently, it sells at 200/kilo in Central Market and 280/kilo at the supermarkets. Linusgusan is an Ilonggo term for steaming, a no-frills style of cooking usually done with shells, shrimps and crabs.

APAN-APAN

An appetizer or side-dish that can add zest to your meal. Just be careful with the rice intake!

Prep time: 10 mins     Cook time: 15 mins     Serves: 4
Ingredients:

• 1 bunch kangkong, stems cut into 3", separate leaves
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 medium red onion, sliced
• 2 tsp guinamos dissolved in 1 Tbsp water (optional)
• 1 bunch kangkong, stems cut into 3", separate leaves
• salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1/2 cup water

Directions: In a shallow pan, simmer kangkong stems until tender. Drain and set aside. Saute garlic and onions in oil. Add the blanched kangkong stems AND uncooked leaves. Season with salt. Add vinegar and water. Simmer for 3 minutes Remove from heat and serve.

My Notes:  After the onions, you can add the guinamos paste before the kangkong stems. In this case, I left out the guinamos as requested by the oldies at home. :-)

LASWA ALUGBATI

A regular fare in most Ilonggo home-cooked lunch, this vegetable soup is very nutritious and simple to make.
Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 15 mins Serves: 4
Ingredients:

• 3 cups, water
• 1 onion sliced
• 1 tomato quartered
• 1 cup, peeled & diced kalabasa (squash)
• 6 pcs shrimps (optional)
• salt to taste
• 1 cup, talong (eggplant) sliced 1" thick
• 1 cup, sitaw (stringbeans) cut to 2" long
• 2 cups, alugbati leaves (removed from stalk)

Directions: Boil water in soup pot. Add the onion, tomato, kalabasa and shrimp if you have it. Salt to taste. Cover and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the remaining vegetables. Let it simmer for 2 minutes. Once the alugbati leaves have softened, remove from heat and serve immediately.

My Notes: There are several versions of the Ilonggo Laswa. If using alugbati, I don't usually include okra or tugabang as the 'slime' from these vegetables tend to overpower the crispness of alugbati.

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