Calandracas

Let me share to you today a famous Caviteñean soup called Kalandrakas or Calandracas


The authentic Caviteñean kalandrakas according to my mom uses not only chicken bones but as well as pork, beef and ham so it’s not surprising the broth is very rich and delicious. I have no idea how the original kalandrakas taste like and the ingredients in it but this is the recipe of the healthier kalandrakas version I grew up with.

Ingredients:
300 grams chicken (chicken breast is best)
5 cups water
1 chicken stock cube (for added flavor)
1 small onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cooking oil
1 cup macaroni
1 carrot, cubed
2 medium potatoes, cubed
1 cup cubed squash
½ cup chopped cabbage
½ cup chopped pechay baguio or pechay
salt and pepper to taste

1 egg
1/2 cup milk(Alpine brand is the most tasty)


Procedure:

Boil the chicken in the water. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Once the chicken is cooked, take it out of the stock and shred or slice. Save the stock and set aside the shredded chicken.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Add the garlic and saute until lightly brown, then add the onions. Add the shredded chicken. When the chicken is slightly brown, add the chicken stock. Add the chicken stock cube, if preferred.

When the stock boils, add the macaroni. As soon as the macaroni is al dente, add carrots, potatoes and squash. Stir. After 3 minutes, add pechay and cabbage. Keep stirring. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Optional:
Stir the beaten egg in the soup. Slowly add the milk and keep stirring. Serve and Enjoy !



I wish I can do time travel and see my ancestor cooking but for now I have to content myself with this recipe. Some also adds fried chorizo for added soup flavor.

Bibingka Samala

Samala Rice Cakes or more popularly called Bibingka Samala is one of the most popular delicacy proudly Cavite City made. It is made of glutinous rice, coconut milk and sugar that comes in two flavors the traditional "malagkit" and this one which is "pinipig." It is sold in half and whole.

Although it is thinner and doesn't taste now as delicious as it was when I was little still it is the most famous "pang-regalo" of the Caviteños when they are visiting friends or for people in the offices where they process their important documents. It is also serve in parties and celebrations.

Up close with the popular Bibingka Samala ^_^

Another famous Samala delicacy is the Sapin-Sapin but I got disappointed with its new look now even it is still in the traditional square box but when you open it what you will find is no longer the round sapin-sapin white on top then violet and yellow but instead bite size pieces like tikoy each wrapped in plastic. Signs of changing times. 

Pansit Puso

Since it's Hearts Day today let me share to you one of my fave authentic Caviteñean snack/merienda.



Pancit puso is a Caviteñean style pansit made of combination of bihon and miki bihon cooked in achuete with small slices of pork and thinly sliced green beans, carrots and cabbage.



Rather than calamansi as paasim, pansit puso is served with thinly sliced puso ng saging (banana blossom) cooked in generous amount of vinegar.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. oil
1/4 lb. pork, sliced into small cubes
1 small onion, diced
1 bundle green beans, thinly sliced
1/4 med. cabbage, thinly sliced
1 small carrot, thinly sliced
2-3 cups chicken stock or broth
salt and pepper or patis to taste
achuete oil
1/4 kilo miki (egg noodles)
1/2 kilo bihon(rice noodles)
crushed chicharon (optional)

For paasim:
1 puso ng saging(banana heart, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups vinegar
3/4 cup water
dash of sugar
salt

Procedure:
Put miki noodles in a strainer and dip in boiling water for 5 minutes or until cooked.

Saute onion in oil. Cook pork until lightly brown. Add the vegetables and cook for 3 minutes. Add the stock and season to taste. Add enough achuete oil to color. Add bihon and when it has absorbed most of the liquid, add the egg noodles. Stir. Top with cooked banana blossoms (depending on how sour and saucy you want it) and chicharon before serving.

For paasim:
Boil the banana blossoms in vinegar, water, sugar and salt until cooked.

I like mine with equal servings of bihon and banana blossom swimming in lots of paasim vinegar ^_^

Malabanos

Malabanos is Cavite-style fish adobo dish made of eel (palos) which is meaty like pork. This is one of my fave viand at home but my father who is an Ilocano doesn’t like this since he finds it matinik and malansa but for one who pure Caviteña you'll simply love this dish.

Malabanos is usually sold in the market in thick slices and already bathed in luyang dilaw (turmeric) thus orangey-yellowish appearance.

Ingredients:


Malabanos (already bathe in turmeric and sliced thickly)
turmeric (luyang dilaw) if not bathe in it
vinegar
garlic
salt and pepper to tasteh

Procedure:
Pour enough vinegar into the malabanos. Add minced/chopped garlic. Add some turmeric. Salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil the way how you normally cooked your adobo. Fry fish until is crispy outside. Add back to the sauce.

Dyaaaaaran...

Serve with rice. Que sabroso !

Tip: Male malabanos is more matinik than female malabanos