The Adobo Road Cookbook. Marvin Gapultos
tend to be easier to prep and slice.
KABOCHA SQUASH (KALABASA): A sweetish winter squash from Japan, kabocha are shaped like small pumpkins and have a dark green knobby skin with orange or yellow flesh. Commonly sold in 2–3 pound (1–1.5 kg) sizes in the supermarket, this squash is often used in soups and stews in the Philippines.
LEMONGRASS (TANGLAD): Lemongrass is an aromatic and edible species of grass that lends a beautiful lemon flavor and aroma without any acid. The whole length of a lemongrass stalk provides aroma, but only the tender bottom portion of the stalk is edible.
LONG BEANS (SITAO): Also called Chinese long beans, snake beans, or yard-long beans, long beans are indeed long green beans that usually measure 2–3 feet in length. Long beans are easy to find in the produce section in many Asian markets and are usually bundled together in bunches. Look for bright green specimens without any blemishes. Tender green beans are a suitable substitute for long beans.
MACAPUNO: Because of a natural occurring mutation, macapuno coconuts lack the water usually found at the center of regular coconuts. Instead, macapuno coconuts are solid throughout with a sweet jellylike flesh. Macapuno flesh is usually shredded, preserved in sugar syrup and packed in glass jars. Jars of macapuno can be found at Asian markets and labeled as “Macapuno Strings” or “Coconut Sport.” And because of the natural mutation of the coconut, don’t be alarmed if the label on a macapuno jar also reads “Mutant Coconut.”
MANGO: Ask any Filipino what their favorite fruit is and they are likely to say, “mangoes.” Although unripe green mangoes (page 16) are prized for their sourness in the Philippines, soft ripe mangoes are beloved and even lusted for in the Philippines. I’ve heard many arguments from Filipinos that ripe Philippine-grown mangoes are superior to any other mangoes from around the world. After having tasted a sweet, custardy mango in the Philippines myself, I have to agree. Philippine mangoes are incredibly smooth and are nearly devoid of any stringy fibers so prevalent in other mango varieties. Unfortunately, the mangoes labeled as “Manila Mangoes” sold here in the States are often actually grown in Mexico. Despite this misleading nomenclature, you can still find a great variety of mangoes in many grocery stores. When choosing mangoes, look for fruits with smooth taut skin. When ripe, the mango should feel heavy for its size, and it should smell sweet and deeply fruity. Lastly, give the mango a squeeze—it should be slightly soft and yield a bit to your fingertips.
MISO: A Japanese ingredient made of fermented soybeans, miso is often used to add flavor and savoriness to Filipino soups. Miso paste comes in a variety of shades and colors, with lighter shades being mild in flavor and darker shades being more robust. Miso can be found in the refrigerated section (usually right next to the tofu) at Asian markets and most large supermarkets.
MUNG BEANS (MONGGO) : Dried mung beans are used in a variety of ways in Filipino cooking. They are often ground and made into mung bean noodles (sotanghon), or cooked and sweetened for use in desserts, and also simmered to make hearty stews (page 55).
PANCIT NOODLES: There are as many types of pancit noodles as there are ways to prepare them. Here are the pancit noodles used in this cookbook:
Chinese-Style Wheat Noodles (Pancit Canton): Pancit canton are dried yellow noodles made from wheat flour, oil, and salt. They cook quickly, and are great in stir-fries.
Fresh Wheat Noodles (Pancit Miki): Unlike many other types of pancit noodles, pancit miki are often sold fresh in the refrigerated section of Asian markets. They are made simply from wheat, water and artificial colors, though I do provide a homemade version in this cookbook (page 58).
Mung Bean Thread Noodles (Pancit Sotanghon): Pancit sotanghon, also known as bean thread, or vermicelli noodles are dried noodles made from mung bean starch and water. Before cooking with them, these noodles must be soaked in very hot water until they become soft and translucent.
RICE FLOUR AND GLUTINOUS RICE FLOUR: Regular rice flour is made from milled long-grain rice and is very fine and light in texture. Rice flour is used to make a variety of desserts and dumplings in Filipino cuisine. My grandmother uses a Thai brand of rice flour called Erawan that can be found in Asian markets. I prefer this brand as well. Glutinous rice flour (also labeled as “sweet rice flour”) is milled from short-grain glutinous rice. Glutinous rice flour is also very fine and light and used in many desserts and dumplings. Again, the Erawan brand is preferred, but the Mochiko brand of sweet rice flour can also be used, though it is not as finely textured as the Erawan brand. For certain recipes, both rice flour and glutinous rice flour are used in tandem to affect the final texture of the dish.
SALT: The Philippines has its own variety of artisanal and locally harvested sea salts that rival those produced in other parts of the world. You can find gourmet Philippine sea salts in many upscale markets and from online retailers. Though I do love to use a fine-grained Philippine sea salt in my cooking, I often use kosher salt interchangeably with my Filipino sea salt.
SAMBAL OELEK: Though not a traditional ingredient in Filipino cuisine, I do love using this spicy chili paste in marinades because it easily mixes into liquids and provides a convenient form of heat and spice. Sambal oelek chili paste can be found in small plastic jars in Asian markets, as well as in some supermarkets—either in the Ethnic aisle or right next to other commercially prepared hot sauces.
SHALLOTS: An aromatic bulb that is similar to an onion, but smaller in size and milder in flavor, shallots are used raw or sautéed along with garlic and ginger in many Filipino recipes.
SMOKED SPANISH PAPRIKA (PIMENTÓN) : Made from ground chili peppers that are first dried and smoked over oak fires, smoked Spanish paprika lends a wonderfully rich and smoky flavor and aroma when sprinkled onto meats, poultry, and fish. It can be found in the spice aisle of most grocery stores, and it can also be ordered online.
STICKY RICE (MALAGKIT): Not to be confused with everyday long or short-grained rice, sticky rice is primarily used in desserts and snacks in the Philippines. Also known as glutinous rice or sweet rice, sticky rice has a higher starch content than regular rice and therefore becomes more sticky and chewy when cooked—hence its name. Regular white sticky rice can be found in Asian markets right next to other rice varieties, so be careful when reading the labels. In addition, a number of heirloom rice varieties grown in the Philippines are now becoming available in gourmet markets and from online retailers, so these are worth seeking out as well.
SOY SAUCE (TOYO): Introduced to the Philippines by Chinese traders, soy sauce is used as a dipping sauce as well as a seasoning to cooked dishes. I prefer to use the low sodium variety of the Kikkoman brand in my everyday cooking.
TARO (GABI): A tropical root vegetable valued for its starchy tuber, taro must be cooked to reduce its inherent toxicity prior to consumption. Taro root imparts a nutty-sweet flavor to dishes, and is used in soups such as sinigang (page 62). Taro leaves provide the greens for laing (page 46).
TAMARIND: The green unripe variety of tamarind pods is primarily used as a souring agent in Filipino cuisine—especially in the sour soup known as Sinigang. The most accessible forms of tamarind, though, can be found in Asian markets either in blocks of pulp, jarred as concentrate, or in packets of artificially flavored powder. Because of its artificial flavors and preservatives, I tend to stay away from the powdered tamarind (though many Filipino home cooks use them in a pinch). The jarred tamarind concentrate consists of only water and tamarind and is the easiest to use—just pour the contents out. To use the blocks of tamarind, soak 3 oz (75 g) of the tamarind pulp in 1 cup (250 ml) of hot water for a few minutes, and then strain out the seeds and pulp and use the tamarind water in the recipe.