Cassava Crossing

Cassava Crossing

Nagsimula sa isang pirasong cassava 'tong estorya.
Wala kasing magawa isang araw ng Miyerkoles
maaraw pero malamig din
para sa labas magkape at tumambay
At magmasid sa mga taong nagdaraan.

Kaya binalatan ang cassava o balinghoy
At naghanap ng mga tirang dahon ng saging sa balkon
Ginadgad at nag-google kung paano gumawa ng maruya
Para maalis ang pangungulila.

Kalahating tasang arina ng bigas
Kalahating tasang tubig
Asukal ayon sa gustong tamis
Paghaluhaluin ‘tong mga sangkap
At idagdag ang ginadgad na balinghoy
Magpainit ng mantika
At ilagay ang cassava sa dahon ng saging
Parang bangka.

Ay susmaryosep!
Ang ingay pala nito pagpiniprito
Naeskandalo ang irog na
Nagsusulat ng kanyang mga kwento
Ano yan ginagawa mo?
Ang kanyang commento
Nagtalsikan daw ang mantika
Hanggang duon sa kwarto!

To make the story short,
I made the maruya
And gave three pieces to my dear kapitbahay
Hoping she would eat it later and not too soon
At kung hindi, sunog ang kanyang dila.

Anong gagawin sa natirang cassava?
Naghanap ulit ng recipeng pangmeryenda
Aha…suman naman Ang susubukin
Magandang 'tong pangposting!

2 tasang grated cassava
Kalahating tasang asukal
Kalahating tasang gata ng niyog
Isa at kalahating tasang tubig (talaga?)
Talaga bang isasama yun tubig duon
Sa mga tuyong sangkap
Tanong ko sa aking sarile
Pero yan ang nakasulat sa recipe
Bago to bilutin sa dahon ng saging
At 20 minutong pakukuluin.

Sa madali’t salita
Inabot ng katam
At wala na rin palang mga dahong pangsuman
Kaya’t ang cassava mixture
Ay di binalot sa saging
Kung di sa isang container Ibinuhos
at isang oras at kalahating Naka steam.

May natirang coconut milk
Na ginawa kong latik
O anong tawag ba ninyo duon
Sa ganong concoction
Matamis na bao, Kalamay o tireret
Pangibabaw sa cassava
Na gusto lang maging maruya
Ay naging steamed pudding.

Hindi pa nakontento
At inilagay ko ang steamed pudding
Sa hurno
Baka sakaling maging Bibingka
Ang all-around cassava.

Ay! ang naging itsura
Tikoy gawa sa Alemanya
Tinikman ko ulit
malinamnam, aba, hoy
Hindi nasayang
Ang Odyssey ng humble na balinghoy!

Eh kung iprito ko kaya
At balutin parang lumpia?

Cassava with green bananas

Grated cassava deep-fried with banana leaf

It will make such a noise when frying due to the moist banana leaf.

Cassava fried with banana leaves and the rest normal frying

Deep-fried with leaves smells more delicious

Steamed Cassava

Cassava topped with caramelized coconut milk

Finally, a baked cassava topped with coconut milk

Just experimenting what to do with a piece of cassava one afternoon. Maruya like the German version of Reibekuchen (grated Cassava and deep-fried); Suman Cassava, grated cassava mixed with coconut milk, sugar and then wrapped in banana leaves and cooked or steamed; Bibingka Cassava, grated cassava mixed with coconut milk, topped with caramelized coconut milk and baked.  One doesn't normally cook cassava like I did...but as you may know...am too cute to cook! It works for me this way.

Merienda Pinay Style - Turon

When everybody back home is talking about pork barrel scam and plunder, am blogging about one fatty but delicious Philippine merienda to go with your favorite tea or LatteMacc. The other day, I was Skyping with one BFF (Best Friend Forever) and as usual our topic touched on what else but food. She told me she would like to cook bananacues, and this gave me the idea to save the bought Saba or Kochbananen as the Germans call them which are now yellowing in the kitchen. Want to please (meaning as a friendly revenge)the nice Dutch neighbor who has been pampering me with a Dutch doll wearing traditional Dutch dress, rhubarb compote and Advocaat with cream. So this merienda or snack is called turon. If you want to make it yourself, here are the ingredients: Turon Saba or Kochbanana (choose the yellow ones as the green ones are quite hard and need longer cooking) Red Sugar to roll the cut banana Cooking Oil for deep frying Wrappers for Lumpia (available as frozen wrappers in Asian shops) Just follow the photos and enjoy cooking, as simple as that. Note that either you fold your wrappers or just leave them open at the ends before deep frying. Let the golden fried turon drip a bit before serving otherwise they might swim in hot oil. Then share them with your neighbors bringing the hood to the neighbor as I have read somewhere else. Kain Tayo! Let's Eat!

Bienenstich on One Sunny Sunday

 Caramelized almonds as toppings

German Merienda - Bienenstich or Bee Sting Cake

Bienenstich or Bee sting cake is a German dessert made of a sweet yeast dough with a baked-on topping of caramelized almonds and filled with a  vanilla custard, buttercream or cream.
The cake may have earned its name from its honey topping: according to one legend, a bee was attracted to it, and the baker who invented the cake was stung.
Another source cites a legend of German bakers from the 15th century who lobbed beehives at raiders from a neighboring village, successfully repelling them, and celebrated later by baking a version of this cake named after their efforts.
(Source: wikipedia)