And there we have it folks, thanks to our reader Nishat Khan, we have now identified the enigmatic vegetable: It is a Teasle Gourd. I have scoured the internet for pictures of this Teasle gourd, and having seen and tasted it personally, I can definitely identify them as one and the same.
Thanks, Nishat!
As Nishat puts it, it is native to the Indian subcontinent, which is why people in the Philippines were befuddled as to what it was.
Having tasted this vegetable, I know that if introduced to the Pearl of the Orient, it would be a staple in no time. I suspect it will grow well in our similar climate.
Reminds me of some uncanny observations of mine throughout the years. In Cavite, the locals would not touch 'alugbati', which is a staple in the north. They also would not eat the 'kulitis', which they considered nothing more than an annoying weed. It was not until a friend of mine from Iloilo saw the "weed" and started teaching us to eat it (perfect with monggo), that we realized it was edible. Of course, when the Internet proliferated, we were able to find more and more literature on the vegetable, discovering that it was loaded with Iron and other good stuff.
Also in Cavite, however, I have tasted some vegetables I rarely see elsewhere, such as the 'Himbabao', as the locals call it. They say it is a flower from a mature forest tree. I have not seen the tree personally, though. The flower, which looks like long pistils, are aromatic and best eaten mixed with other vegetables in stew.
There are other vegetables I have tried through the years, here and abroad, that in my mind, should be propagated more, not only for their taste, but also to add more variety to our already vast array of locally available fruit and vegetables.
The vegetable we call 'saberdukong', for example, is something I often see in Thailand, used in soups like Tom Yum. Yet, it is so hard to find locally.
I have also tried other vegetables whose names I cannot recall at the moment: one vine which needs to be roasted over a grill in order to easily peel off its tough rind to get to its tender center; the root of the taro plant which to me is one of the best ingredients for gata; The more unique and exotic it gets, the more I want to try them...
Seems like this is becoming quite a fancy of mine. =)
18 March 2009
04 March 2009
Help Me Identify This Vegetable
It is my turn to ask a question.
On a recent trip to Malaysia, I was invited to my host's home for a wonderful asian dinner. Their maid is Sri Lankan and prepared a dish that looked to me like a small bitter gourd or bittermelon cooked in coconut milk and various spices. I liked the dish so much that I had to know what it was made of. You see, rather than being bitter, it was actually sweet and pleasant, yet it was a taste I could not readily recognize. My host did not know what it was either, so she asked her maid to show me the uncooked vegetable. To my surprise, it did not look like at all like a bitter gourd, or Ampalaya. And the maid could not give me a name for it, either, except that she saw it in the wet market and knew from experience that it was edible.
I guess it is... I am unscathed. :-)
Can anyone help me identify this vegetable? I would appreciate it.
This is something I would like to plant in the Philippines. I can think of a dozen ways to prepare that very versatile vegetable.
Go on and hit the comments button if you know what this is!
Salamat!
14 February 2009
Some Filipino Words
No Q&A for this blog post, folks, just a normal blog entry.
The other night, I was driving home from Manila with a good friend and fellow blogger, Ding Reyes. What started out as a conversation about spirituality and society ended up as a game-of-sorts on the origin or etymology of some Filipino slang words. It turned out to be a very interesting exercise, and I would like to share some of these with you. I realized that a lot of these slang words are portions of the same word in reverse:
Yosi (Cigarette) - from the spanish word cigarillo or SI-garil-YO.
Yotits or Yatits (Uncle/Aunt) - from the spanish word tia or tio, TI-YA or TI-YO
Lonta (Trousers) - pan-TA-LON; It seems that this is an original Filipino word, for the literal translation of the word in english is "For Jumping". I guess it was not appropriate to jump in skirts. Hoho.
Toga (Shoes) - We think that this came from an old brand of shoes, probably Saratoga.
Yoyo (Watch) - In the olden days, most timepieces were pocket watches attached to a small chain, resembling a....yoyo
Jeproks (referring to a cool person in the 60s/70s, like a hippie) - A lot of these hip youngsters came from the government housing communities in Manila which were dubbed Project 1, Project 2, etc....hence, PRO-JEK...
And here is something else I learned that night. I actually thought that this word was just slang, and had no deeper meaning. How wrong I was.
The word "utol" (brother/sister, or aptly sibling) is taken from the word "Kaputol", meaning part of a whole. The formal word for sibling, "Kapatid", literally means part of something cut (ka-patid, "patid" meaning "to cut"), like a rope. Essentially, both refer to being a significant part of the other --- both of the same thread, of the same umbilical cord.
Isn't it nice knowing that the informal word for brother, which is "utol", and which we commonly call our biological brothers, fraternity brothers, close friends and relatives, etc. is actually a very intimate term of endearment?
Have a nice day!
The other night, I was driving home from Manila with a good friend and fellow blogger, Ding Reyes. What started out as a conversation about spirituality and society ended up as a game-of-sorts on the origin or etymology of some Filipino slang words. It turned out to be a very interesting exercise, and I would like to share some of these with you. I realized that a lot of these slang words are portions of the same word in reverse:
Yosi (Cigarette) - from the spanish word cigarillo or SI-garil-YO.
Yotits or Yatits (Uncle/Aunt) - from the spanish word tia or tio, TI-YA or TI-YO
Lonta (Trousers) - pan-TA-LON; It seems that this is an original Filipino word, for the literal translation of the word in english is "For Jumping". I guess it was not appropriate to jump in skirts. Hoho.
Toga (Shoes) - We think that this came from an old brand of shoes, probably Saratoga.
Yoyo (Watch) - In the olden days, most timepieces were pocket watches attached to a small chain, resembling a....yoyo
Jeproks (referring to a cool person in the 60s/70s, like a hippie) - A lot of these hip youngsters came from the government housing communities in Manila which were dubbed Project 1, Project 2, etc....hence, PRO-JEK...
And here is something else I learned that night. I actually thought that this word was just slang, and had no deeper meaning. How wrong I was.
The word "utol" (brother/sister, or aptly sibling) is taken from the word "Kaputol", meaning part of a whole. The formal word for sibling, "Kapatid", literally means part of something cut (ka-patid, "patid" meaning "to cut"), like a rope. Essentially, both refer to being a significant part of the other --- both of the same thread, of the same umbilical cord.
Isn't it nice knowing that the informal word for brother, which is "utol", and which we commonly call our biological brothers, fraternity brothers, close friends and relatives, etc. is actually a very intimate term of endearment?
Have a nice day!
10 February 2009
The Definition of 'Vegetarian' in the Philippines
An excerpt from an email I received from "Hayabusa":
"......since you were on the topic anyway, why do vegetarians in the Philippines eat fish?.....
...... Can I be vegetarian and eat fish?.......
......what particular Filipino food/condiments are not vegetarian?........."
=======
Dear Hayabusa,
I have this theory. Some Filipinos think that it is alright for vegetarians to eat fish because of a specific Catholic Church tradition called abstinence, which is mandated upon Catholics during certain times of the year. Abstinence requires that one abstain from animal products, but this practice allows for the consumption of seafood in some cultures, ours being one of them.
I have come across definitions of abstinence that prohibits one from taking even eggs, dairy products and seafood.
I cannot explain why this is so in the Philippines, but I am inclined to believe that the true and original spirit of this doctrine was to exclude all animal products of all kinds, eggs and dairy included.
I surmise that this is why Filipinos often think it is alright for a vegetarian to eat seafood. On all Fridays of Lent, Filipinos avoid all red meat and resort to mostly fish products. I recall, as a boy, expecting to eat munggo, pritong isda, pusit or ukoy on Lenten Fridays.
The term 'Vegetarian' is one coined by a man, particularly one from Europe more than a century ago, and to be true to his definition, you should not be eating beef, chicken, pork and seafood if you are to adhere to his concept. Strictly speaking, you should append the prefix 'pesco' if you eat fish and 'pollo' if you eat chicken to the word 'vegetarian', but then again, these are all just words. Do as you please, as long as you don't harm anyone in the process. :)
Now, vegans are those who avoid even eggs and dairy. So, which one are you? *whew*
If you decide to finally stick to being vegetarian, here are some food items to avoid in the Philippines:
- 'Bagoong' or fish/shrimp paste of all kinds (alamang, balayan, iloko, etc.)
- 'Patis' or fish sauce
- Knorr or Maggi cubes (check the label, some variants contain shrimp)
- Some multivitamins (believe it or not, some contain fish products -- get the box and read the fine print)
To make matters worse, practically ALL Filipino dishes are non-veg!...even the vegetable dishes.
- Chop Suey usually has liver or chicken chunks
- Sinigang usually has fish or fish sauce
- Pakbet usually has fish sauce
- and of course, all the rest such as diniguan, adobo, kare-kare, kaldereta, asado, mechado, etc. all have meat as their primary base ingredient.
Filipinos just can't cook without some sort of meat, so stay away from Filipino restos or food stalls if you can.
Hope this helps!
In the Light,
Ang Kuwago
"......since you were on the topic anyway, why do vegetarians in the Philippines eat fish?.....
...... Can I be vegetarian and eat fish?.......
......what particular Filipino food/condiments are not vegetarian?........."
=======
Dear Hayabusa,
I have this theory. Some Filipinos think that it is alright for vegetarians to eat fish because of a specific Catholic Church tradition called abstinence, which is mandated upon Catholics during certain times of the year. Abstinence requires that one abstain from animal products, but this practice allows for the consumption of seafood in some cultures, ours being one of them.
I have come across definitions of abstinence that prohibits one from taking even eggs, dairy products and seafood.
I cannot explain why this is so in the Philippines, but I am inclined to believe that the true and original spirit of this doctrine was to exclude all animal products of all kinds, eggs and dairy included.
I surmise that this is why Filipinos often think it is alright for a vegetarian to eat seafood. On all Fridays of Lent, Filipinos avoid all red meat and resort to mostly fish products. I recall, as a boy, expecting to eat munggo, pritong isda, pusit or ukoy on Lenten Fridays.
The term 'Vegetarian' is one coined by a man, particularly one from Europe more than a century ago, and to be true to his definition, you should not be eating beef, chicken, pork and seafood if you are to adhere to his concept. Strictly speaking, you should append the prefix 'pesco' if you eat fish and 'pollo' if you eat chicken to the word 'vegetarian', but then again, these are all just words. Do as you please, as long as you don't harm anyone in the process. :)
Now, vegans are those who avoid even eggs and dairy. So, which one are you? *whew*
If you decide to finally stick to being vegetarian, here are some food items to avoid in the Philippines:
- 'Bagoong' or fish/shrimp paste of all kinds (alamang, balayan, iloko, etc.)
- 'Patis' or fish sauce
- Knorr or Maggi cubes (check the label, some variants contain shrimp)
- Some multivitamins (believe it or not, some contain fish products -- get the box and read the fine print)
To make matters worse, practically ALL Filipino dishes are non-veg!...even the vegetable dishes.
- Chop Suey usually has liver or chicken chunks
- Sinigang usually has fish or fish sauce
- Pakbet usually has fish sauce
- and of course, all the rest such as diniguan, adobo, kare-kare, kaldereta, asado, mechado, etc. all have meat as their primary base ingredient.
Filipinos just can't cook without some sort of meat, so stay away from Filipino restos or food stalls if you can.
Hope this helps!
In the Light,
Ang Kuwago
19 January 2009
Natural Remedy for Insomnia
Nhil / Call Center Gal posted this question:
"I got a question for you. Is there a herbal/ alternative medicine that you can recommend to someone who has insommia?"
===========
Dear Nhil,
Insomnia may be caused by many factors such as stress, hormonal imbalance, habit, etc.
I wouldn't go and state flat out that there is a single cure for your ailment, but I can offer a few suggestions to improve your condition without the aid of drugs:
1. Try and sleep earlier than usual. For some reason, this works for me. I get sleepy early in the evening but tend to brush it aside, being too early. This, for me, brings on a point-of-no-return, where I simply find it hard to fall asleep past a later time. During the times that I did give in to the lure to retire early, I found those to be the most restful and most rejuvenating of sleeps I have had.
2. Take something warm, rather than cold before sleeping. Warm calamansi juice, for example, helps. Chamomile tea, if you can find some, is best.
3. Try not to snack too late in the night. They tend to keep you awake after.
4. Try meditation. Lie down, keep your mind blank of all thoughts, focus on your breathing, give in your entire body to gravity, and you're there...
5. Exercise. Try swimming or biking in the early afternoon, for instance, and keep at it for at least an hour, no matter how leisurely your workout.
6. Try acupuncture. Believe me, no matter what the therapy is for, that night's rest is usually one of the most restful. My friendly neighborhood acupunturist is one of the most reasonably priced. Email me if you're interested, and I can send you contact details.
7. Try the Wet socks therapy. It is not clear to me why this helps in sleeping disorders, but many have claimed that it promotes restful sleep. All you have to do is take some cotton socks, wet them thoroughly, wring them well and place in the freezer for 10 minutes. During these 10 minutes, get yourself a hot foot soak. Immediately after the soak, wear the cotton socks from the freezer and wear another layer of nylon or wool socks over that. Go straight to bed. Do not remove until the following morning. As the body tries hard to warm the feet and dry the socks, it is said to aid in blood circulation. I guess that means you'll sleep quicker and better.
Then, of course, if all of the above fails, try Melatonin. You can get this at either Healthy Options or your neighborhood purveyor of natural remedies. It can be quite expensive, but it is the most natural sleep aid available. The human body actually produces melatonin to aid in the sleep process. You may simply want to augment the body's supply. Again, with all medicine, this included, they may pose unique risks to the person. Take at your own risk.
I hope you finally get the sleep you deserve!
In the Light,
Ang Kuwago
"I got a question for you. Is there a herbal/ alternative medicine that you can recommend to someone who has insommia?"
===========
Dear Nhil,
Insomnia may be caused by many factors such as stress, hormonal imbalance, habit, etc.
I wouldn't go and state flat out that there is a single cure for your ailment, but I can offer a few suggestions to improve your condition without the aid of drugs:
1. Try and sleep earlier than usual. For some reason, this works for me. I get sleepy early in the evening but tend to brush it aside, being too early. This, for me, brings on a point-of-no-return, where I simply find it hard to fall asleep past a later time. During the times that I did give in to the lure to retire early, I found those to be the most restful and most rejuvenating of sleeps I have had.
2. Take something warm, rather than cold before sleeping. Warm calamansi juice, for example, helps. Chamomile tea, if you can find some, is best.
3. Try not to snack too late in the night. They tend to keep you awake after.
4. Try meditation. Lie down, keep your mind blank of all thoughts, focus on your breathing, give in your entire body to gravity, and you're there...
5. Exercise. Try swimming or biking in the early afternoon, for instance, and keep at it for at least an hour, no matter how leisurely your workout.
6. Try acupuncture. Believe me, no matter what the therapy is for, that night's rest is usually one of the most restful. My friendly neighborhood acupunturist is one of the most reasonably priced. Email me if you're interested, and I can send you contact details.
7. Try the Wet socks therapy. It is not clear to me why this helps in sleeping disorders, but many have claimed that it promotes restful sleep. All you have to do is take some cotton socks, wet them thoroughly, wring them well and place in the freezer for 10 minutes. During these 10 minutes, get yourself a hot foot soak. Immediately after the soak, wear the cotton socks from the freezer and wear another layer of nylon or wool socks over that. Go straight to bed. Do not remove until the following morning. As the body tries hard to warm the feet and dry the socks, it is said to aid in blood circulation. I guess that means you'll sleep quicker and better.
Then, of course, if all of the above fails, try Melatonin. You can get this at either Healthy Options or your neighborhood purveyor of natural remedies. It can be quite expensive, but it is the most natural sleep aid available. The human body actually produces melatonin to aid in the sleep process. You may simply want to augment the body's supply. Again, with all medicine, this included, they may pose unique risks to the person. Take at your own risk.
I hope you finally get the sleep you deserve!
In the Light,
Ang Kuwago
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