It's really cold, and worse, pouring rain outside. #2 son wakes up.
"Mama?...I wanna go out." (w/ matching tears and pleading voice.)
"But it's raining, and cold, anak."
"WAH!"
"I'll make you fried rice."
"With fish?"
"And fried egg too."
"Egg white only, okay? and please cut the tuyo."
We used to open up the windows and air out the house when frying the real dried tuyo(herring).
Even then the odor permeated the clothes, curtains, sofas and towels.
Until the bottled Connie's Kitchen Gourmet Tuyo. The older children don't like it as much but our foodie boy is always checking out what's on my plate; as a baby he always grabbed the fork that was en route to my mouth. He is my rival for the precious burong mangga (pickled mangoes)hand-carried from Manila. Last night he tried a chorizo(Spanish sausage) slice from the boiled beef dinner and he said, "I like this! Tastes like pepperoni."
There was a lively discussion going on about manners, or lack of, at Chef Celia's blog regarding a certain visitor, the one whose name rhymes with "uncouth." He has taught us the value of what NOT to teach our children.
These are the rules, for my children with the Filipina mama who is bent on preserving her cuisine:
Don't say no without trying first. Don't say, "Yuk!" or variation thereof, about other people's food. "No, thanks," "I'm not allowed," or "I'm allergic," and you have one proud Mama. Who'll make your sinangag and tuyo any time.
For those who are "in" with the abattoir people:
"Bopes", salamat kay Nanay Mareng ni Eyna:
2 pork lungs w/ heart
1 small can tomato sauce
1 small can pineapple juice
3 cloves of garlic
1 onion
2 bay leaves
2 red bell peppers, sliced
Rinse lungs very well and boil hot water. Chop into fine dice.
Saute garlic and onions, then add meat, juice, tomato sauce, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring up to a simmer, and without stirring, cover. Add red bell peppers when meats are tender. Simmer until sauce is reduced and almost dry.
*I have never seen pork lungs in the Chinese grocers but I have cooked bopiz using another body part labeled "pork melt". It wasn't as good as Nanay Mareng's, which is really tasty (hindi nakakasuya).
