Why do I say this? Beacause we are too westernized in our ways. Someone told me that there are many Paris Hiltons in the Philippines, carrying their own dogs; and that wearing leather boots until the knees in the heat of the tropical weather is justifyable. But let's not stray from the topic.
In the next couple of weeks, my goal would be to innovate filipino dishes into the global arena, wherein I can introduce a new way of presentation without compromising culture and taste. After all, I once read that “Taste is relative. Everyone has taste, but not everyone has experience.”
Fried spring rolls can either be a dessert or an appetizer depending on what's inside the rolls. My sisters in law, after visiting the Philippines, would come home with frozen ngohiong rolls and storing them in their freezers then reheating them when the craving for Cebuano ngo hiong creeps in.
I have read that there are many 'best' ngohiongs in Cebu. Either its in Guadalupe, or Plaridel in Chinatown, Mabolo Atik's or near the vicinity of San Jose Recolletos, ngo hiong is all over. And have you ever heard of “Ngo Hiong House, home of the best barbecue? (What the?....) Let's face it, everyone has a story to tell about their own experiences. As for me, I will replicate what is best for my needs...and am sure it's you'll agree.
Ngo Hiong in America
1 pc. Turnip (the white kind) , shredded
1 pc. Jicama (try to get same size of turnip), shredded
1 clove garlic
1 small onion
1 T. oil
½ cup ground meat
soy to taste
4 Tbsp. Ngo hiong or 5 spice powder
1 cup broth
square spring roll pastry wrapper (5”x5”)
oil for frying
Saute onion and garlice. Add meat, when cooked, place in the rest of the ingredients until
the turnips and jicama are cooked but still a little crunchy.
Strain and cool. Place a teaspoon of filling on a 5 X 5 wrapper, and wrap.
Meanwhile, in another pan heat the oil for frying and the batter for dipping the wrapped rolls.
Batter:
1 cups cornstarch
3 tsp paprika/white pepper
350 g water
Dip roll in batter before frying.
Ngohiong Sauce:
strained sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp castor sugar
1/8 tsp Chinese five spice powder (ng heong fun) or ngo hiong hun
1 T cornstarch
1 T. red chili garlic pepper (depends also on your taste. Add more for heat, or lessen)
ngohiong sauce:
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.
Bring to a low simmering boil over a gentle heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir occasionally until sauce turns smooth.
Set aside to cool then use. Garnish and plate
Mike said that the secret of ngohiong is it's thick crust. More on the wrapper and batter, rather than the filling. In my opinion, the reason why ngohiong was so very well remembered because it was a meal that was affordable for a students limited allowance. But best of all, I think we remembered the moment when ngohiong satiated our hunger, the taste was just incidental.
So that was the appetizer part, here is the dessert part!
Turon with Latik:
I made latik earlier with 1 can coconut milk and a half round panela sugar
I placed it in my slow cooker and left it to took. Every now and then (at least
every ½ hours I would stir it) At the end of the day, I had latik without constantly
stirring.
The other ingredients can be bought at any grocery store.
12 pcs. Wrapper
1 pc. Banana plantain
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
oil for frying
cut banana three ways crosswise
from one crosswise portion cut again cut into 4 pcs.
(so you will now have 12 small pieces altogether)
coat the banana pcs. In 2 Tbsp. Brown sugar
wrap banana pcs. In wonton wrapers sealing in water
in another bowl, place brown sugar and sprinkle with little water
quick soak your turon then fry in hot oil
(to know when your oil is ready, dip a wooden stick in the oil, if the sides bublle up
then the oil is hot enough)
fry till brown..then serve.
No comments:
Post a Comment