Ginataan (aka Binignit or Tabirak)

Chef Ed Dychauco, RN

Served hot, warm or cold, this particular dessert or snack item (depends on how and when this is served) is sure to please everyone’s palate, young and old alike.

I cannot remember when i first tasted this, but I know for sure I love this ever since I was a kid. Remember I did mention in my previous articles how much I love anything made with coconuts? Clearly, this is one of them!

In the Northern part of the Philippines, it is known as Ginataan/Guinataan (made with gata)or minatamis na ginataan(sweetened). From the word gata (coconut cream/milk).

Ginataan can be a dessert (ginataang mais, ginataang malagkit) or a dish (ginataang hipon or alimango, ginataang gulay, ginataang adobo, etc.)

In the Visayas & Mindanao, it more popularly called Binignit and interchangeably as Tabirak (or is it Tabi Rock?). Although, I know some would say it is called this and not that because of the addition of malagkit rice. Whatever!

So, with the Tagalog name alone, we can already conclude it is made of coconut, what else? However, it is actually more than the coconut because this delish sweet item is a blend of the many different root crops and tropical fruits that is abundant in the islands.

Just like most of the dish being prepared, there would be 2 extractions from the mature coconut meat. The first is called the “thick” milk (with a little or no addition of water) and the “thin” milk, which is technically the 2^nd extraction with water added.

The thin milk is used in the “cooking” or “boiling” of the cubed, sliced or chopped root crops like kamote, ube, and gabi. It is also used in cooking ripe saba and tapioca, although I feel that buying pre-cooked tapioca or sago is more economical.

Tapioca can be the large ones or the tiny ones. It is a matter of preference. And as i mentioned earlier, malagkit rice can also be added that helps “thicken” the yummy “sauce”!

I prefer the sweet langka (jackfruit) to be firm to add crunch, although over-riped langka gives more aroma & flavor when cooked together.  Some would also include young coconut meat (which I would recommend!) in the mixture.

In lieu of the langka, I would add sweet, fresh mangoes (and if one favor), canned peaches to make it more “westernized”! How about that?

For even cooking of the root crops, make sure they are cut in uniform sizes. Let it cook in moderate heat till almost soft, then add the bananas, jackfruit (or other preferred fruits) & cooked tapioca pearls. Add sugar, adjust sweetness.

Then lastly, add the coconut cream or thick coconut milk. Serve hot or cold.

To recap, ingredients include:

Sweet potato (kamote), Purple Yam (Ube), Taro (gabi), Jackfruit (langka), Banana (saba), Tapioca (sago), Thick & Thin Coconut milk, & Sugar.

Pandan flavor or vanilla is optional for added flavor.

This is also served iced cold, like ice cream, scooped or served frozen in individual containers.  Enjoy & reminisce the good old times!

Website:  www.potsnpans1976.weebly.com    Email:  potsnpans1976@yahoo.com

 Published on Sunstar Cdo August 8, 2013

Maja Blanca, a creamy coconut pudding dessert

By Chef Ed Dychauco

Pots and Pans

Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on August 01, 2013Thursday, August 1, 2013

BEING in a land with so much coconut trees, it is expected that we have many dishes and desserts made of or from coconuts, be it the wonderful fruit or meat, the clear and refreshing juice or squeezed milk (‘gata’) from the matured coconut.

A very modest yet filling ‘kakanin’ or dessert Pinoys love for decades and also a party favorite, ‘maja blanca,’ is basically made of 3 simple ingredients namely: coconut milk, cornstarch and sugar.

Also known as “coconut pudding,” this particular dessert has reached new heights in the last decade or so in terms of ingenuity, flavors and presentation.

But I am pretty sure everyone remembers maja blanca with corn kernels as the best, which of course, makes it undeniably luscious and better. Then we can call this corn-coconut pudding.

I always remember this particular delightful item ever present in almost all functions I have attended in my younger years, be it christenings, birthdays, fiestas, weddings, and whatnot. And even until this time!

Soft, smooth, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth feel that is almost heavenly, then one gets to bite on those sweet corn kernels. Tastes good whether served warm or cold, anytime of the day or night, right?

Most often, this is made in a round, square or rectangular mold, about an inch in thickness and inverted in a serving platter.

Sometimes, they are cut into squares, diamond-shaped or even made in small one-serving molds to provide uniform and identical sizes, which is helpful in serving guests in a formal affair.

For additional presentation, some dark “latik” can be sprinkled on top which gives a colorful contrast to the white-with-yellow-dots piece of dessert.

Some prefer to add some toasted coconut for that tropical flair while chopped toasted nuts (peanuts or cashew) definitely give that wonderful crunch.

But because of the ever-evolving trends in the culinary world, this humble and ingenious sweet has developed into various and numerous variants such as durian maja (just divine!), pineapple maja (instead of corn), coconut strings (be it fresh or preserved macapuno), ube maja (purple-ly blissful!), and mango maja (truly lip-smacking!)

I wouldn’t be surprised to see and taste a “halo-halo” maja one of these days. Or “fruit salad” maja.

This delicacy is being sold in stores, shops, school canteens and stalls in the market packed in small clear plastic bags, usually besides other native kakanins like puto, kutchinta, biko, suman, torta, etc.

Personally, I like the newly made maja because it tends to dry up and the consistency of the smoothness of this kakanin is lost after a day or two.

Making this is really easy, and won’t take much of your time. Serve this anytime of the day as a snack, or as an after dinner dessert. Having this in the morning is also a good idea!

Here’s the basic recipe for maja blanca.
2 cups coconut milk, thin
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar

Mix all together and cook, stirring constantly till thick.

Pour mixture into an oiled mold and let cool. Chill.

1/2 cup rice flour can also be added to above mixture.

Variations:

Corn kernels, drained crushed pineapple, ube halaya, coconut strings, etc.

Brown sugar can also be used but would definitely alter the appearance & flavor.

(Website: www.potsnpans1976.weebly.com/Email: potsnpans1976@yahoo.com)

Brazo de Mercedez

Chef Ed Dychauco, RN

A very simple, yet elegant dessert that graces the tables of everyone in almost all special occasions, Brazo de Mercedez is totally unforgettable.

Very Spanish in title, we know very little as to where this originated and who is responsible for this heavenly & extravagant dessert. But one thing is sure. This is a truly Pinoy dessert!

But as far as I know, anyone who tasted this will forever love this particular sweet, served whether hot from the oven or cold, from the chiller!

Soft, melt-in-your-mouth feel, the white vanilla-scented meringue roll is almost airy in texture while it balances with the rich, yellow-colored lemony custardy filling. A match made in heaven, indeed!

When I was starting to bake, I always felt that it was hard to come up with a very good meringue roll. As a self-learned baker in my earlier childhood, it was always a trial & error method which I definitely don’t mind because I always ended up, together with my other siblings, consuming the “collapse” but still terrific roll!

After several unsuccessful but delicious attempts, I finally made my gorgeous and delectable Brazo!

In making this, we need a mixer (this being said, one can use any hand held or heavy duty mixers since this does not affect anything, per experience), a “jelly-roll” pan, a few sheets of parchment papers and/or a piece of towel will do well, too (for rolling).

Lately, this has evolved into a more sophisticated dessert by layering it, adding ice cream, a pie crust on the bottom. And voila! We have what we call Frozen Brazo!

I also liked layering this with the custard filling in-between 2 layers of meringue and call it, layered brazo de mercedez. What else? And I would just divide the meringue into 2 equal parts in a 8” or 9” round or square pan.

What I love about this dessert is that nothing goes to waste in terms of the ingredients. And they are readily available in any pantries & refrigerators of almost everyone.

Whole eggs, condensed milk, a little vanilla and lemon, butter and some powdered sugar is all we need to make this fabulous & wonderful dessert. Adding some butter will give it a beautiful aroma & taste.

For the egg yolk mixture, do not over-cook. Remember, after a certain period of time over heat, there is still residual heat in the pan that will continue cooking. So, make sure to stop when the custard beings to curdle.

Cooking it over a “bain-marie” is safer that cooking directly over heat.

As for the meringue, be sure that the egg whites are at room temperature to give more volume. Adding the sugar slowly till just soft peak are formed is enough. Do not overbeat.

I have made this with ube as filling, ube-macapuno, custard-macapuno, with chopped nuts, fresh fruits, and many others. It comes out differently yet still always a hit with everyone!

Serving it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream brings this dessert to greater heights!

Brazo de Mercedez Recipe

8-10       pcs         egg yolks

1              can         condensed milk

1              tbsp       lemon (or orange) extract

8-10       pcs         egg whites

¼             tsp          cream of tartar

¾             cup         sugar

1              tbsp       pure vanilla

Mix all egg yolks ingredients & cook over low fire, stirring continuously till done.

Add the lemon extract. Set aside.

Beat egg whites till very soft peaks are formed and gradually add sugar.

Add vanilla.

Transfer meringue unto a butter-lined parchment paper, which is also buttered and spread evenly with a spatula or icing comb.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes or till golden brown.

Sprinkle towel with powdered sugar. Invert the baked meringue.

Peel off the parchment paper and fill with custard.

Roll. Chill (if you can!). Serve.

Website: www.potsnpans1976.weebly.com       Email:  potsnpans1976@yahoo.com  

Published on July 18,2013, Sunstar CdO

Pork with spicy shrimp paste (binagoongang baboy)

By Chef Ed Dychauco

Pots and Pans

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

DURING one of my out-of-town trips from New York in the late ‘80s, I went to Chicago to attend a nursing conference, which of course included sight-seeing and a little shopping (more of window-shopping).

It was supposed to be a one-week off from work where the conference was to last only for 3 days, if my memory serves me right.

And naturally, I have to schedule the learning activities in the early part of the trip so I don’t have to be bothered later.

But since it was in the winter months of February, the weather was chilly and frigidly cold. The windy city I should have remembered!

So the first three days was spent in a conference hall with the sun shining but still cold & windy.

Then came the fourth day—snow storm! Oh no!

Though the trains were running, it was practically hard to get around the city by foot.

I had the privilege of staying in the lovely residence of Tony & Pamela Mendoza in Woodridge, Illinois with their very charming only child, Megan.

This was because Pamela (or Gingging) was one of the daughters of my mom’s high school classmate, Daniel Sacupayo, at the Camiguin Institute (now Fatima College of Camiguin) way back in the ‘30s.

So, what else can I do for the next couple of day? Not much I should say.

But I remember Wilton Company was around the corner.

So during one of those days, I braved the snow and was so thrilled to see the huge store.

But alas! It was closed because of the winter storm. Poor me. All I can do was drool over their displays.

But upon coming home, I was surprised to recognize the sweet and delicious pungent smell of a dish that I eventually fell in love with, till this day.

Tony, who is also a great cook, made some Binagoongang Baboy!

I can still vividly remember the salty, garlicky taste of the dish incorporated with lots of onions and tomatoes that really complemented the aroma and taste of the very Pinoy dish.

I can say this became a comfort dish for me.

Since I tasted it in a wintery white wonderland, I always wanted to eat this in a very “cold” environment, so as to recreate the ambiance that lingers in my mind.

It was that good because it also reminded me of home at that time. Depending on the type of bagoong (shrimp paste) one uses, the taste might be different.

I prefer to use the sauteed sweet and spicy type which really brings out the best of this dish.

But because this is on the salty side, take extra care not to over eat! Especially for those with hypertension.

With green mangoes (or even ripe mangoes), this delightful dish can be made a notch higher by sprinkling a few slices of mangoes.

Gourmet binagoongang baboy at its best!

Here’s a simple recipe of the dish:

2-3 tbsps oil
2-3 tbsps garlic, minced
1 pc onion, chopped
1 pc bell pepper, cubed
1 pc tomato, chopped coarsely
¾ kilo pork (with a little fat or skin), cut into cubes
1 cup water
1 tsp sugar
5-6 tbsps shrimp paste (preferably sweet & spicy)
1 pc mango, sliced thinly (or cubed)

Sauté garlic, onion and bell pepper. Add the tomato.

Put in the pork and cook till brown. Pour in the water and simmer till meat is quite tender.

Add sugar (if preferred) and the shrimp paste and let simmer for another 10-15 minutes until pork is tender. Garnish with mango slices.

Great dish over steaming hot rice! Enjoy with family and friends!

Website: www.potsnpans1976.weebly.com
Email: potsnpans1976@yahoo.com

 Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on July 11, 2013

‘Binaki’: A Kagayanon’s favorite

By Chef Ed Dychauco

Thursday, July 4, 2013

WHEN I was a kid, I was always fascinated by those cornhusk-covered “snacks” being sold by vendors screaming at the top of their lungs, “binaki…binaki…init pa…binaki!”

And as kids, as long as it tasted good, it didn’t matter what it’s made of when it got into our mouths. As long as it’s pleasant and edible, it’s a sure hit.

I have mentioned some other ‘kakanin’ in the past and I am sure we still have so much that is left to be explored and enjoyed.

Blessed with so many natural resources, we are also lucky and fortunate to have so much cultural diversity that influenced our culinary lives.

Spanish, American, Chinese, Japanese, Malay, Thai, Korean and many others have made their mark in some of our better tasting dishes and foods.

‘Binaki,’ as we call it, is, if I may say, a spin-off of the South American ‘Tamale.’

A very popular comfort food in that part of the world, it is also made of corn, but more of what they call ‘masa’ (a corn-based, starchy dough), filled with either fruits, meats, cheese, vegetables and chilis, wrapped in corn husks, then steamed or boiled.

Since we were under the Spanish rule for so long, it is but natural to be influenced by their culinary treasures which also became part of our culture and heritage.

‘Tamale,’ on the other hand, also became popular in our country, specially the northern region, which is basically similar to what the South Americans have.

But instead of corn husks, banana leaves are used instead which impart a different and distinct flavor.

I can’t really say where this particular item started or evolved, but this is more popular in the Visayas and Mindanao areas.

In fact, may places have claimed to have the best, or the original, or the first.

However, I am sure each place has its own style, uniqueness and touch to it.

In a land where there are so much corn being grown, like Bukidnon, I would not be surprised to know that Bukidnon would have its fair share of this delicious, high-fiber binaki!

But, Cagayan de Oro (or should I include Northern Mindanao as a whole) also has been known for its binaki for so long that it has been kind of a “regular” item in the market stalls.

There was a time when it became so scarce that it practically became non-existent and then a couple of years back it saw a resurgence of this well-loved delicacy. Hurray!

But instead of buying them from peddlers that goes around the city shouting “binaki, binaki!” one has to buy them in the market or from your ‘suking binaki maker.’

From a few centavos, it now costs from between P5.00 and up depending on the size and the maker of this wonderful treat.

Below is a simplified recipe of binaki:

10 ears regular size sweet corn, grated
1 can evaporated milk
1/3 cup butter
1 tbsp baking powder
2 cups sugar
Corn husks (as wrappers)

Place the grated corn in a large bowl.

Add the evaporated milk, butter, baking powder and sugar. Mix well.

Scoop enough mixture and place in the coconut husk.

Wrap well. Tie if needed.

Steam for 15 to 20 minutes or until set.

Addendum: grated cheese can also be added for better tasting binaki.

For a darker color, brown sugar can be used in lieu of granulated sugar.

*****

Website: www.potsnpans1976.weebly.com
Email: potsnpans1976@yahoo.com

Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on July 04, 2013