It's gummy and yummy!
Kalamay-hati is a Philippine delicacy made of ground glutinous rice, brown sugar, coconut milk, and a lot of stirring! Yes, it is cooked over low fire and stirred to sweet, sticky perfection!
Most people enjoy this as a snack, but I enjoy kalamay-hati as a dessert and midnight snack! Although one should be careful as it's heavy to the tummy, and you would need to drink a lot of water with this.
(My kalamay-hati clinging on a fork)
My kalamay-hati today is, well, given (again!). And thanks to a kind tita, I'll be enjoying it while everyone in the neighborhood is soundly sleeping tonight! :-)
Unwrapping an 'alupe' is like unwrapping memories of childhood. And biting a slice of an 'alupe' is like reliving it!
(My childhood memories and alupe!)
Alupe is a popular delicacy in the Negros Island in the Philippines. Cassava is grated and pressed to extract the water in it. The grated cassava is then mixed with coconut milk, condensed milk, and sugar. Chunks of cheese and strips of coconut meat are added to make the flavor more interesting. The mixture is then wrapped in banana leaf in a rectangular shape, tied with threads, and then steamed until cooked!
On ordinary days if you crave for alupe, you can just roam the town's market and get your alupe from the delicacy corner. But the flavor and quality may just taste ordinary and very commercial.
But on special occasions, alupe is prepared without worrying about the cost of the ingredients. Since all of these are readily available and abundant in the islands, they won't be as expensive as they are in Manila.
But my stash of alupe was especially made for me! Thanks to the helpful neighbors who know how to make these!
(I am about to relive my childhood!)
Although that day, cassava was sold out at the local market, a friend, who had a neighbor with cassava plants in her backyard, asked to buy all of it! For only two hundred pesos, or about US$4! And it's the main ingredient!
That's why we had a few kilos of raw cassava to turn into yummy alupe! My own stash of alupe made especially for me!
So, if you know how to make your own alupe, you can enjoy your own stash as well! But if you don't, I hope you're as lucky as I am to have neighbors willing to make you some so you can enjoy alupe and relive the memories of your childhood...one bite at a time!
"Ay abaw! Kanamit guid sinâ!"
That would be a normal reaction of someone coming face-to-face with a plateful of bot-ong and a warm cup of tablea tsokolate.
Bot-ong is a Philippine delicacy made of glutinous rice that was cooked by steaming it with coconut milk while wrapped in coconut leaves. Some would sprinkle it with brown sugar, others would use latik, a sweet sauce made of grated coconut meat caramelized in brown sugar and coconut milk.
But for me, dipping a slice of bot-ong in a warm tablea tsokolate would be a yummier option: the chocolate flavor of the drink mixed with the bland, yet creamy bite of the soft, sticky rice in your mouth brings out a harmonious taste of home and culture.
"Ti, maka-on 'ta!"
