Kabuteng Mamarang (Tasty Wild Mushroom Soup)

With the coming of the storm or rainy season in the Philippines, the brief period of wild mushroom germination also arrives. The severe lightning that usually occurs during the rainy season causes high accumulation of nitrate compound in the atmosphere which then triggers the sprouting of wild mushrooms along farms and forests particularly on the decaying anthills, termite hills and other natural areas where there are disintegrating organic matters such as leaves, wood and animal manure.

Whilst the wild mushroom that grows on our lawn and backyard in Sri Lanka which I have featured here before tastes good already, the Philippine variety called “kabuteng mamarang” that sprouts during the rainy season is way better in both taste and texture. This is a family favorite vegetables and mushroom hunters and farmers in our community and nearby villages regularly bring their harvests on our doorstep knowing that my parents will buy them all, no matter how plenty they may be.

“Mamarang” is the wild mushroom that is scientifically called “Termitomyces cartilaginous”. This is a popular vegetable ingredient widely used in the Japanese, Chinese and of course Philippine cuisines. It is considered as among the tastiest wild mushrooms which only sprout during the rainy months of late July to late September in the Philippines. Studies show that the “mamarang” variety is very difficult to cultivate thus supply is quite limited and available only during its natural sprouting season.

Enter the Dragon Fruits

I have discovered several new fruits since I worked here in Sri Lanka. Among those which I have already featured are the juicy citrus “ambul dodang” and another variety of naturally sour citrus called “jama naran”, both of which make very refreshing lemonades. Here, I was also exposed to new varieties of banana such as the rather tiny but sweet “seeni kesel” which I cooked into “minatamis na saging” and the quite rare and heavy, in both weight and nutritional contents, called “nethrampalam” or “nendran” banana.

I also found here but have not yet posted the island-wide popular wood apple or elephant apple locally known as “divul” which they make into healthful drinks. We have tried this before but not quite impressed.

In addition, occasionally visiting the fruit sections of supermarkets provided us with opportunity to see some uncommon, sometimes unfamiliar but delightfully colorful and seemingly luscious exotic fruits. Among them is the interestingly pretty dragon fruit. I remember the first time I encountered the fruit; my eyes were immediately caught by its vibrant color and beautiful appearance. Later on, I discovered that the fruit has been commonly available as well in the Philippine markets. But it is only here that I fully enjoyed its thirst quenching flesh.

Bhut Jolokia Chili Garlic Sauce - The Hottest Chili

You might have known it already from the news, but let me once again present “bhut jolokia”, the 2007 Guinness World Record certified Hottest Chili of the World. Why am I excited? Well, I have tasted this chili some 3 years ago when an old tea woman of our office gave me some harvested from her backyard. I could vividly remember that ignorantly tasting it was one tragic incident which immediately resulted to profusely watering eyes and running nose. The bad experience prompted me to throw away the rest of the chilies and never to consider the vegetable in any of my kitchen adventures.

But after having read many informative articles about the regarded “king of chilies” with more than a million Scoville units (SHU), the scientific measurement of a chili's spiciness or pungency, and its perceived tremendous potentials not only as a culinary item but in other fields as well like in medicine, food manufacturing and self-defense and military weaponry, I decided to make a second scrutiny of the thumb-sized but very lethal vegetable.

Calamansi Juice & other Uses of Calamondin or Philippine Lemon

It there is one citrus fruit that was used in cookery and mentioned with the most number of times in this blog; it is the internationally underrated fruit and cooking ingredients called “calamansi” or “calamondin” and sometimes “lemoncito” in the Philippines. It is usually referred to by many Filipinos living abroad as Philippine lemon, probably since a lemon is its next best substitute in preparing Filipino dishes that particularly requires the juice of the said citrus.

“Calamansi” is a small, about 3-4 cm diameter, round fruit with a striking greenish to orange color peel which although quite popular in Southeast Asia is less known and under utilized in many parts of the world. In the west it is variously known as acid orange, “calamondin” orange or Panama orange.

Nethrampalam or Kochchi Kesel or Nendran Banana, The Big One

Banana is among the most important fruits of the world. In terms of production tonnage and trade volume, fresh banana remains in the top slot and probably will continue to lead over other fruits in many more years to come. While banana is native to tropical Southeast and South Asia, its introduction to other tropical and subtropical regions all over the world resulted to its gaining immense importance and extreme popularity worldwide. They are now extensively cultivated throughout the tropics and are successfully grown in no less than 107 countries.

Here in Sri Lanka, there are about 29 cultivar varieties and 2 wild varieties of bananas with 5 of the cultivars being green cooking types and the rest being dessert types which are yellow and fully ripe when eaten. They are grown all over the island except in higher elevation. Banana is so common here that you will find several bunches hanging in every store in the countryside. Whilst I have eaten several varieties such as the one similar in taste with “Musa Saba” locally called “Seeni Kesel” which apart from eating as dessert I also cooked into “Minatamis na Saging” (Sweetened Bananas) and “Banana Que”, a lot more varieties are yet to be tried and tasted, especially those not found and I have not yet eaten in the Philippines or elsewhere.

One variety that really caught my attention though, is the horn plantain cultivar locally called “Nethrampalam” or “Kochchi Kesel”. This unusual and considered very rare banana, also called Nendran” in India, is particularly big and I mean really BIG. Much bigger the biggest Cavendish I have seen in the Philippines, a top banana producer and exporter. The photos above will show what I mean when I say big. A comparison with the regular-sized bananas and with a papaya below will speak for itself.

“Nethrampalam” fetches a quite high price in the limited market at about 1.30 USD a piece or finger. However, it has a reputation as composing a very high nutritive value and especially good for the eyesight. So I did not think twice in buying 2 fingers to try it for myself along with our group of course as I did not think I can consume 1 whole banana this size by myself. :-) From the date of purchase, we waited for about 3 more days before the fruit has fully ripen and upon peeling, this delicate flesh has emerged:

It’s one delicious banana. I’m kidding you not. From the looks of the fruit alone, I never thought it would taste that way it tasted. It has a slight resemblance to the taste of the top Philippine banana called “lakatan” or “lacatan”. The flesh is slightly firmed, very tasty, not overly sweet and not watery. It is likely a candidate for salad ingredient which, unlike many other types of banana, will not render too much liquid which often make the salad soggy. But of course, this is still a presumption and I need to verify this in actual usage. :-)

“Nethrampalam”, the big one when it comes to banana, with its reported high nutritive values, deserves better attention as far as study and cultivation is concerned. While being rare makes it exotic, interesting and exciting, the fruit could potentially provide source of livelihood and bigger trade opportunities to many agricultural communities, if could be widely grown and produced. c“,)

Mixed Bag of Fish from Sri Lankan Waters 2

As I have posted earlier, a mixed bag of fresh fish from the rich waters of the tiny but beautiful island of Sri Lanka is what I will find every time I’ll make a short trip to the coastal road of the southwestern region where numerous roadside stalls selling newly caught fish are lining up. Just like what I said in my first post about this subject matter here, fresh catch from local fishermen is my usual focus of attention rather than those caught by commercial fishing vessels. Obviously because the fish were taken using hook and line which happen to be the same concept of Angling or Sportfishing, one of my favorite outdoor sports.

This time, my find includes a gorgeous grouper locally known as “garupa” and popularly called “lapu-lapu” in the Philippines, a striking pink king soldier bream locally known as “thiraliya” and known as “bitilya” or “malakapas” in Filipino and a silvery shining bullet tuna locally called “eli-choorai” and called “aloy” and sometimes “tulingan” (though there is a really different "tulingan" variety) in the Philippines. These fish all taste great and can be made into sumptuous dishes.

Bullet tuna is a comparatively small and slender tuna that belongs to the subspecies of tuna in the family “Scombridae”. It is found globally in open surface waters of tropical oceans to depths of about 50 meters. It can grow to a maximum length of about 50 cm and colored blue-black on the back with a pattern of zig-zag dark markings on the upper hind body and silver below. They feed on small fish, squid, mantis shrimp larvae and planktonic crustaceans.

King soldier bream or picnic sea bream are fish belonging to Sparidae family. I had featured this fish before in my pot about “Steamed Fish in Soy Sauce”. Sea breams generally live in shallow temperate waters and are bottom-dwelling carnivores. They like coastal sandy or muddy areas and usually feeds on benthic invertebrates. Most species possess grinding, molar-like teeth and they can grow up to 75 cm.

Grouper is an important fish in many Southeast Asian countries and China. In the Philippines and other parts of Southeast Asia, several varieties of grouper are now being cultivated for commercial distribution. It is considered a first class fish in Hong Kong and Macau and is usually kept in aerated aquarium and solve alive.

The word "grouper" is widely believed to have come from the Portuguese name “garoupa”. In Australia, the name "groper" is used instead of "grouper" for several species, such as the Queensland groper. In the Middle East, the fish is known as “hammour” and is widely eaten, especially in the Persian Gulf region. In the United States, grouper are often found in waters off Florida.

Since I will be posting an important and quite valued dish in Southeast Asia and China called “Steamed Grouper in Soy Sauce” very soon, with an intension to provide details and important information about the fish, I will not provide further details here. Let me just mention that this fish though not quite popular in many countries, including Sri Lanka where it is cheaper than other ordinary fish is among the most delicious fish for me.

You can cook it sweet and sour style, fillet and fried, stewed with vegetable like in “pesa” or cooked in tamarind like in “sinigang” and of course, steamed, in many variations, all delicious but my favorite of which is in soy sauce. c",)

Mixed Bag of Fish from Sri Lanka Waters

Sri Lanka, having surrounded by a rich ocean, is blessed with numerous variety of aquatic life. With a shoreline of more than 1,100 miles and a continental shelf of about 10,000 square miles, the seas around Sri Lanka have an unlimited and relatively unexploited fishing potential. With lush land vegetation, more than a hundred major river basins, about a hundred other estuaries and natural waterways, lagoons and coastal lakes, all with food abundant-waters terminating to the sea, marine life is expected to be quite close to the coastline.

Even with a population of more than 20 million, the sea and major rivers of the island nation remain within the safe level of sustainability.

Popular varieties of food fish found are skipjack and yellow fin tunas, gilthead, seer fish, herrings, sprat, anchovies, red and white mullets, snapper, grouper, trevally, yellow lip emperor, shad, barracuda, barramundi and bream to name a few. The coral world offers beautiful species such as rays, eels, clown fish, porcupine, angel fish, unicorn, trigger fish, wrasse and parrot fish. Gorgeous images of such magnificent marine life were already featured here under the White Sandy Beaches and Coral Reefs of Sri Lanka post.

With a short early morning visit to the coastal road, I can easily find fresh catch from local fishermen. I prefer to buy from them as the fish are really fresh usually caught not far from the shoreline. The fish in the photos above and below are just sample of my recent purchases from a roadside vendor. A mixed bag of fresh fish which could provide numerous culinary possibilities.

Another essential catch are the small size trevally which I intend to cook “sinigang” style (stew in tamarind) to take make use of its freshness and create a delicately tasty sourly-soupy dish loved by most Filipinos.

Even more important to me are the highly sought-after pompano and another variety of trevally which I thought should be perfect for “pangat” or “pinangat”, another Filipino dish where fresh fish is cook in lemon juice, ginger and other spices. This will be posted later for you to enjoy.

These are just sample of the sea bounty from Sri Lanka waters. If you like fish and desires the omega 3 and other essential minerals of a fish, then head right away to the nearest market and secure some of the freshest catch of the day. c“,)

Ginisang Bagoong (Fish Paste Saute in Tomato)

“Bagoong” is a Filipino fish paste made from small fresh fish or shrimps that is salted by mixing in brine then cured and fermented for several months until it breakdowns into bubbly and smelly thick paste with salty liquid on the top. The resulting thick brown paste is the “bagoong” while the salty liquid is the fish sauce called in the Philippines as “patis”. Both “bagoong” and “patis” are serve as condiments and use as flavorings in many Filipino dishes. They are excellent natural MSG and good sources of important nutrition, containing Omega-3.

“Bagoong” is also popular in Hawaii and throughout the Pacific. In the Ancient Rome, they had a similar product called “garum”. The difference is that, they used mainly fish intestines to make them while in the Philippines they use the whole fish. “Bagoong” was made originally from several types of fish, the most common of which is anchovies about two inches long. Sardines, “padas” and goby are also sometimes used.

In the Philippines, people use it to complement vegetables, fish, meats and even fruits. Filipino dishes such as “kare-kare” (stew in peanut sauce), “pinakbet” (a vegetable dish) and of course “binagoongan” (pork in fish paste) is totally incomplete without “bagoong”. Filipinos learned to eat green mangoes and sometimes “singkamas” (jicama or Mexican turnip) with “bagoong” just like butter to bread. Some people, like me, even appreciate “bagoong” with plain steamed rice. :-)

Many Westerners may be appalled by the murky look and pungent smell of “bagoong”. But for the Filipinos, the concoction is fragrant and really makes food taste even better.

To make the “Ginisang Bagoong” we only need about 2~3 tbsp of the fish paste. The other ingredients are: 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 2 tbsp minced garlic, 1 large onion, peeled and chopped, 5 pcs ripe tomatoes and about 2 tbsp chili pepper (optional).

With such very basic ingredients, expect to have very basic procedures. In a small pan on medium flame, heat the oil and sauté the garlic, add the onion and continue cooking until onion is translucent. Add the tomatoes and continue sautéing until mushy and liquid is rendered. Add the chili pepper. You can add a little amount of hot water if it’s drying up.

When the vegetables are almost dissolved pour the “bagoong”, stir and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Stir once more to evenly mix. Transfer to a bowl and serve in a meal.

It is so good with a plateful of steaming plain rice and a simple vegetable dish like grilled eggplant.

And even better if serve along with freshly grilled fish.

And even more fish. No salivating please. And give me more rice. c“,)

Simple foods are sometimes just what we need to feel good. Really good! :)

King Coconut (Thambili)

The gorgeous Sri Lankan coconut above is called King Coconut or “Thambili” in the local language (Sinhala). This coconut variety is indigenous to the country and a common sight in most Sri Lankan home garden and backyards. While coconut cream or milk is a common and very essential ingredient in the Sri Lankan cuisine, it is not what makes this coconut extremely popular. It is the sweet and refreshing water of its fresh tender fruit which is a hot favourite among residents and tourists or visitors.

The young coconut water is probably the most nutritious wholesome drinks that the nature has provided for the people of tropical countries like Sri Lanka. It is the natural isotonic beverage with almost the same level of electrolyte balance as we have in our blood. It is considered by many as a “Fluid of Life” and its nut a “Living Pharmacy”. It could be. Tender coconut water promotes digestion, acts as urinary antiseptic, contains organic compounds with growth promoting properties and helps in the quick absorption of drugs by its electrolyte effect in the blood.

With the many benefits one can get from drinking the tender King Coconut water; it is consumed by the thousands every day. The presence of sugars in the form of glucose and fructose form an important constituent of the natural drinks. No wonder, bunches of the fruits can be seen on many wayside kiosks throughout the country. A short pull over by the road is all you need to avail of the very delicious beverage during hot season. Just a few quick chops of the skilled vendor and you’re in for a very invigorating experience.

And sometimes the drink isn’t all. Depending on the age of the young coconut, but if you're lucky you get to enjoy the young flesh as well. Its soft, spongy, milky, tasty and nutritious kernel called the “londha” is an additional treat. It can be eaten straight off the split coconut by scooping it with a sort of scraper shaved off from the nut shell which most people do, or by scooping it with a spoon. I prefer the former. It’s more natural and cool.

Other countries like India, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia and our beloved Philippines also have King Coconut. Back home, I believe it is called Golden Coconut. c”,)

Another Interesting Citrus of Sri Lanka

Our security guard regularly gives me some citrus fruits harvested from his own backyard. One type is the “Ambul Dodang” which I make into very refreshing lemonade that I posted before. The other one is the Calamondin or Calamansi (also known as Philippine lemon) which all Filipinos are very familiar with and like so much as a juice drink or as marinating ingredients for meat or souring agent for various Filipino dishes such as “sinigang”, “kinilaw”, etc. But the other day, he brought me a new variety locally called “jama naran” which is quite interesting. It looks like the Philippine “dalandan” or sweet orange (Citrus aurantium) only it’s very sour and with just a very small hint of sweetness.

Though I have not eaten this type of citrus in the Philippines, our friends from Bohol confirms that they have the same kind of fruits in their province. They said they eat it with salt and they like it a lot. According to them it is called “ukban” in their place and not really very abundant, can only be found in the farms/private lands and are not sold in the market. The fruits are sparkling green with shades of yellow and the skin is smooth and shining. It is such a pretty fruit but really pretty sour. :-)

While it‘s ok to eat as it is with the addition of small amount of salt, I find it very difficult. Maybe because we are used to eating a really sweet “dalandan” back home and eating one as sour as the variety that was given to me is really a feat to carry out.

But it’s not all bad. Like Calamondin, “jama naran” has its own advantages. By just the simple addition of some sugar and cold water to its juice, you’ll be in for a truly tangy, tasty and refreshing juice experience.

To do it, first wash the fruits well. It sure may look gorgeous and clean but the skin might be home to some dirt (or worst minute insects or its eggs) which you don’t want to be incorporated into your drinks. Slice the fruit in half, using a strainer squeeze the juice into a pitcher.

The rule of thumb is to add two parts of water for every part of juice and of course, some sugar to balance the sourness. You are at liberty to adjust the amount of water and sugar according to your personal preference and taste.

The secret to a superb lemonade or citrus juice like this is, in the sugar. Using sugar syrup will give the best result. But since most of us don’t have sugar syrup all the time, let me share with you what I do. In about half a cup to 1 cup of very hot water, dissolve the sugar by stirring. Once the water is clear and you cannot see any suspended sugar particle anymore, add enough cold water to attain the right quantity. Slowly add this to your juice and continue stirring. Pour into tall glasses, add some ice cube and serve.

Enjoy! It’s a drink not just refreshing but packed with energy boosting vitamins and minerals. c“,)

Fruits In Season

One Sunday morning on our way to Galle City, we passed by a make-shift street market selling fresh harvests from backyard gardens and farms of the local residents. The produce includes several types of fruits and a lot of vegetables. We pulled over to check around to see what would stir our interest and hopefully the appetite. We were fascinated by the available fruits that are in season and end up with a basket full of several kinds which are all very reasonably priced (a.k.a. cheap).

Our fruit basket included about 2 dozens of fantastic mangosteen. A big slice of jackfruit, some avocado, a medium sized of “guyabano” (soursop), some “santol” (wild mangosteen) and several pieces of “dayap” (lime). I mentioned above that the price is cheap. That is so true, the mangosteen for example was purchased at, hold your breath, roughly 4 pesos (Philippine) or about 8.3 cents (US$) each. Do you think it’s a good deal? Wait till I tell you that the slice of jackfruit is only 8 pesos (Philippine) or about 16.6 cents (US$). And the one shown on the photo below is only half of the slice. :-)

Everyone should eat a lot of fruits to stay healthy. Fruit is a good source of natural fibres which helps against corpulence, high blood pressure, and other factors that increase the chance for a heart disease. Unlike animal products, fruit does not contain much cholesterol which is not good for our bodies. Fruit is the ultimate brain fuel. Eating fruits has a positive effect on our brains and makes you recall information easier and faster.

The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and is not synonymous in food preparation and biology. Many true fruits, in a botanical sense, are treated as vegetables in cooking and food preparation because they are not sweet. These culinary vegetables include cucurbits (e.g., squash, pumpkin, and cucumber), tomatoes, peas, beans, corn, eggplant, and sweet pepper. Some spices, such as allspice and chillies, are botanical fruits. In the culinary sense, a fruit is usually any sweet tasting plant product associated with seed(s) while a vegetable is any savoury or less sweet plant product.

While we are about to indulge into the sweetness of these wonderful harvest, our security guard knocked and gave us another interesting addition to our basket. Some pretty little wild guavas which he picked from a hidden tree somewhere in our own backyard.

We were amazed by the colour and size of the guavas. The red shade on the skin makes the fruits very appealing. Though they are so small that some are barely bigger than marbles, they tasted good and as we all know they are full of Vitamin C. c“,)