sac içi

So about a dozen years ago I had this deliciously memorable chicken dish in Baku called saciçi (sa-jee-chee). I blogged about it (back when I was doing this more regularly and not as a repository of recipes) and added the recipe as recounted by my Azeri colleague. Of course I really had no idea how to make it, so my attempt was an abysmal failure, but at least it was edible.

Today, thanks to killing time on the internet (and with a little help from those intrusive algorithms), I found a YouTube video of how to make sac içi (apparently the dish's name has two words). Maybe it's time to have a second attempt at making the dish. 

El Auténtico Pato Manila, a misnomer

So I came a cross this restaurant from the post of a Mexican colleague. Of course, as a native of Metro Manila I got curious.

El Auténtico Pato Manila (see their IG and FB) is a restaurant in Mexico City that specialises in duck tacos in a casual setting. From this post it seems the duck is done Peking-style and "tasted like China." The restaurant also seems to have a lot of Chinese imagery, including portraits and busts of Mao.

Apart from the name, there seems to be nothing in the restaurant's concept or cuisine that is anywhere close to Manila or the Philippines. While I would love to have Peking duck tacos in Manila, I don't think this dish can be found even in the Chinese-Filipino districts of Binondo or Greenhills (although it should be because Peking duck tacos sound amazing). Moreover, Manila has been associated with many images, some better than others, but Mao has never been one of them.

A few questions ran across my mind with this restaurant. Can't they really distinguish between Manila and Beijing? Are Filipinos and Chinese (and Japanese and Malaysians and Lao and...) one and the same for them? Is this a gross misrepresentation of Filipino cuisine, which itself has Chinese and Mexican influences (Filipino tamales and champorado are already Chinese-Mexican fusion dishes)? As someone who is from Manila, how should I feel about this?

Well, I wasn't offended. If anything I was amused. I found it funny to have so many misnomers on so many levels in a restaurant's name. I thought it was good for Manila to get credit for what looks like an awesome duck taco. But I was also concerned it would give Mexicans an inaccurate picture of what Filipino cuisine is and their contributions to it. I could also imagine some members of the Politburo taking offence at using Mao's name and image in vain.

But, overall, if this restaurant helps increase Mexicans' curiosity about Filipino (and Chinese) cuisine, then more power to them. Hopefully it gets one or a few customers to search how Manileños do their duck tacos, and be bemused with the results. If the restaurant is interested, I'll be happy to give them tips on how to make things more Manila-authentic.

Next in the Galley: La Carlota Rosa

A childhood favourite dessert. Despite the name, it was actually closer to a cathedral window rather than the classic charlotte russe, although for colour we used diced sweetened fruits rather than coloured jelly cubes. The best part was the sweet, milky jelly that brought the dish together. We sometimes even skipped the sweetened fruits that were supposed to be the main part of the dish. This is literally how my mom made it. 

Ingredients
4 small envelopes powdered gelatin (we use Knox)
2 cans evaporated milk
1-2 cups sugar
1 can fruit cocktail or peaches (or any fruit that works well with a milky jelly)

Mix 4 envelopes in 1 cup water. Set aside.
Heat 2 cans of evaporated milk in a pot, medium low heat and don't boil.
Add in the gelatin, stirring until dissolved.
Add 2 cups (I use just a cup OR 1 and a half cup) of sugar, stir until dissolved, too.
Let cool just enough to transfer in a dish.
You can add in drained fruit cocktail or canned peaches or canned pineapple or just nothing which your sisters prefer.
Enjoy!

Next in the Galley: Mechado

MOM'S MECHADO

Literally how my mom used to make it.  

Ingredients: 

1 kilo beef threaded with pork fat
garlic, onions and tomatoes, minced
1 small can of tomato sauce
potatoes and carrots, cubed
2 laurel leaves
1/5 to 1/4 cup soy sauce
ground pepper

Actual email: You can get a 2 lb. (a kilo) slab of beef, insert pork fat in the middle (in Manila, i'd get it from Rustan's or SM supermarkets prepared that way). You can thickly slice it and put in a pot. Mince garlic, onions and tomatoes, then place on top of the meat. Add a small can of tomato sauce. Add water using the same small can. Add pepper and soy sauce, around 1/4 cup. See, am not into measurements so be careful in adding too much soy sauce at once. When beef is almost done, taste.
Better to cook it slowly. Enjoy!


NINANG ETANG'S MECHADO (from Positively Filipino)

Ninang Etang's Mechado leaves required threading of the fat to the cook's imagination.  From "Recipes of the Philippines" by Enriqueta David-Perez, pioneer food editor of Manila.  The book was in its 19th print as of 1973.

Ingredients: 

1 kilo beef, lean
4 big onions, whole
1/2 cup vinegar
Strips of pork fat
1 can tomato sauce (small)
6 potatoes, cut in halves
1/2 laurel leaf
2 tbsps. fat
1 tsp. pimenton
Salt to taste

1. Insert fat strips lengthwise in beef.

2. In a deep pot or pan, place the meat, laurel, tomato sauce, vinegar, salt to taste and water to cover.  Cover and simmer until tender.

3. Add potatoes, onions and pimenton and continue cooking.

4. When most of the broth has evaporated and potatoes are cooked, add the fat and stir well.

Serve meat sliced crosswise.

Next in the Galley: Cemita Poblana

I want to make this sandwich for the Boy. Ok, for myself, but the Boy will surely like it too. Recipe is from here, but modified for my circumstances.

Ingredients

beef, pork, or chicken cutlets (e.g., Taiwanese chicken chop or German Schnitzel)
avocados, halved, pitted, and sliced
cemita buns, sesame-seed buns, or brioche buns, halved
string cheese, divided
raw onion rings (about 1/4 inch thick)
chioptle chiles or pickled jalapeños
fresh cilantro leaves
extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

1. Spread avocado slices on bottom bun halves. Top with fried cutlets. Mound half of the cheese on the cutlets.

2. Arrange onion rings on top of cheese. If using chipotles, tear into pieces and arrange on onion rings; alternatively, arrange pickled jalapeños on top of onion rings. Top with cilantro and mound the remaining cheese on top. Drizzle with olive oil.

3. Close sandwiches and serve right away.

Had to make do with what I could find at the neighbourhood FairPrice. No sesame seed buns or brioche buns, so used whole wheat burger buns instead. Replaced with Oaxaca cheese with Bega Stringers and the nopales with cilantro. The Boy loved it: https://www.instagram.com/p/BrZ6qC6BdnL/

Back in the Galley: Bellychon

I've made this dish twice now, and the second one was better than the first. Still need to find my perfect technique for the skin though.  

Ingredients:

1 kilo pork belly, whole and skin-on
insane amount of minced garlic
smashed lemongrass stalks
laurel leaves
ground pepper
salt
spices, chilies, peppers, other accoutrements (optional)

1. Prepare the pork belly. Ensure that there isn't too much hair on the skin; there's a scorched skin method to get rid of the hairs (see dong po rou recipe below for a video). Also better if the belly is sliced fairly evenly so it can roll up nicely.

2. Generously rub salt and pepper onto the meat and skin. Lay the belly skin-side down and layer garlic, lemongrass, and bay leaves. You can also add other spices here, although I prefer to keep the flavourings simple.

3. Roll up the belly and tie with twine. Cover with aluminium foil.

4. Preheat oven at 180C and roast for 1 hour or so for every kilo of meat. I use a rotisserie oven so I am not too concerned about heat distribution or repositioning of the meat: I set the oven to broil so the heat comes from the top.

5. Raise heat to 200-220C. Remove aluminium foil and continue roasting until skin starts to brown. After about an hour you need to check in more often to make sure the skin is crisping evenly. You may need to regularly reposition the meat to make sure that the skin that needs the most attention is closest to the heat source. Some tips for helping the skin to crisp are to prick the skin pre-cooking, baste with oil, or baste with milk (to make it red). I used the pre-pricking method.

6. When skin is done, or as crisp as it will ever get without burning, take out the roast from the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before you start slicing.

Serve with sinamak (dipping sauce of spiced coconut vinegar), tomato/herb salad, and steamed rice. Goes well with a robust red wine.

A few pictures:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrH9rvphZB2/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrIDVzghuEL/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BlfXj5Fn7x0/ (first attempt)

Next in the galley: Dong Po Rou

From: http://mb.ntd.tv/2018/03/07/braised-pork-belly-dong-po-rou/

Braised Pork Belly (Dong Po Rou)
Ingredient:

1000g (2.2lb) Pork Belly
1000g (35 oz) Cooking Wine
200g (7 oz) Soy Sauce
150g (5 oz) Rock Sugar
300g (10.5 oz) Green Onion
300g (10.5 oz) Ginger
300g (10.5 oz) Garlic
1 Piece Bamboo net

Directions:

1. Removing hair on pork skin. Heat up wok, When it hot, put in pork belly with skin side down and push it against wok bottom to burn hair on it.

2. Add water, let pork piece immersed in water, bring to boil for a few minute, turn it over keep boil for another a few minutes. This is to remove blood in meat. Take it out and drain water.

3. Cut pork into smaller pieces.

4. In a wok, layering bamboo net, green onion, ginger and pork pieces on top with skin side down. Then add in all other ingredients, cover and simmer for 90 minutes.

5. Put meat and sauce in clay bowl, steam for 3 hours.

6. Ready to serve .