Recipe: Humba (Hong Ma or Chinese Soy Sauce Braised Pork)

Humba.  Hong-Ma.  It's a deadly concoction -- my former brother in law, loves it and having diabetes with an uncontrollable appetite, he even drinks the sauce!  Now his blood sugars are sky rocketting that soon his legs may become Pata Tim which is somewhat related to the Humba, but that I reserve for another discussion.

The Deadly Concoction known as "Humba"!

Whatever the pronunciation, this dish brings back memories of the traditional Chinese home-cooked meals that the Philippines is known for.  More Chinese than Filipino, this refers to a braising of a fatty piece of pork, usually bellies or shoulder with soy sauce, sugar, rice wine and five spices.  In Filipino cuisine, with the somewhat alien attitude to the five spice, peppercorns, vinegar and bay leaves have taken its place.  Reading Nora Daza's original cookbook from 1965, Let's Cook with Nora, her version has the latter recipe.  But coming from Chinese-Filipino ancestry, I use the original five spice powder.  But back in Manila in the 1970's when five spices used to be available only in Chinese medicinal stores where one can also get ginseng and soup herbs like "siok te" along with dried seahorse (I often wondered what ailment could a dried seahorse cure -- Everson Go Tian, any idea?); I also resort to making Humba with the vinegar and bay leaves.  In both versions, the final product should yield a fork-tender pork dish that is so succulent that leaves one wanting for more.

I was curious in knowing what actually makes the five spices?  Like masalas (basically Indian for a “spice mixture”), the five spices are a group of, what else (?), five spices put together. I read somewhere that the five spices are cinnamon, star anise, cumin, pepper and turmeric.  But according to Wikipedia, aside from the star anise, cinnamon and probably pepper, the last two seem to change with another form of spice.  In fact, Wikipedia defined five spice as:

• "Star anise (bajiao, 八角)
• Cloves (dingxiang, 丁香)
• Chinese Cinnamon (rougui, 肉桂)
• Sichuan pepper (huajiao, 花椒)
• Fennel seeds (xiaohuixiang, 小茴香)

Other recipes may contain anise seed or ginger root, nutmeg, turmeric, Amomum villosum pods (砂仁), Amomum cardamomum pods (白豆蔻), licorice, black pepper, Mandarin orange peel or galangal. In South China Cinnamomum loureiroi and Mandarin orange peel is commonly used as a substitute for Cinnamomum cassia and cloves, respectively, producing a different flavour for southern five-spice powders."

Therefore, like the Indian "Curry Powder" which actually is a short cut of a cook making his or her own masala for a stew (in fact, Curry came from the word Kari which means, "sauce") and contains a range of spices depending on the manufacturer, five spice powder does not have a set ratio or even name of spices.

In Mandarin this is called, “Wu Xiang”, in Hokkien “Ngo Hiyong” and Cantonese “Ngo Hong”.  Incidentally, the second character, meaning “spice” or “fragrant” is the same Chinese character in the Cantonese “Hong Kong” or the Mandarin “Xiang Kang” or the Hokkien “Hiyong Kang”; meaning “Fragrant Harbor”.  Five spices are found not just in Chinese cuisine but also in Indonesian, Malaysian and Singaporean Cuisine.  Running out of five spice once, I decided to procure some by going to Wegmans and realized that the stock they have was made in Thailand.  But having a different Asian palate on the manufacturer brought about a different take on this Chinese kitchen essential for I noted that it had a more cumin side rather than star anise and cinnamon side. giving it a South American and Indian flavor.

The book of the American Culinary Institute teaches that the regional cuisines of China are very distinct and Hokkien/Fujian cuisine is no exception for it is only in this region where one can find this braising method of soy sauce, sugar, rice wine in five spices.  It is called "Red Cooked Pork" and therefore easily translates to the Hokkien "Hong-Ma" which became the Filipino "Hum-ba".  The funny thing is that looking at this webspage http://culinarywineandfoodmatching.blogspot.com/2010/03/pinot-noir-chinese-red-cooked-pork.html; they have paired this with pinot noir and serving them in itsy-bitsy pieces with a piece of star anise and a cinnamon stick as garnish to boot.  (Or probably they thought that they should chew these things.)  I think these people miss the point of this dish -- though pinot noir is a lovely wine and I could imagine its complexities mixing with the creaminess of the pork fat with the tenderness of its lean meat mixing with the sweet saltiness of the aromatic soy sauce braising liquid, let's face it: the Humba is for pigging out.  And besides, although Bok Choy is a perfect addition to this, where are the dried shitake mushrooms?  Where are the dried lotus blossoms?!  And where the heck is the steamed white rice?!

If the Culinary Instititute of America think THIS is Humba,
they have to set the next appointment to see the
Psychiatrist.

Tightasses waiting for the Pinot Noir rather
than the star of the show, Humba.

A classmate in Xavier, Everson Go Tian invited me once to his house where I met his mother, a rather small lady who made this dish for lunch.  She was not expecting company that day from her son who brought his classmate along (meaning, me) to partake in this meal.  But I got to taste her version which is rather on the sweeter than the saltier side and somewhat thicker and darker too.  My mother's version, because she has a tendency to skimp on meat, being a rather pricey commodity, has it light, sweet and thinner.  But being a resident of America for almost past twenty years, I have been spoiled rotten, being able to procure cuts of meat that are reserved for the elite and large quantities of “poor man’s cuts” that I can splurge on this delicacy and perfect the recipe.

So, in this version, I chose to stick to my mother’s original methods which she claimed were taught to her by my grandmother, Co Bit vda. de Siy (1906-1987) with a bit more darker on the soy sauce and sweet on the sugar.  Also, by sticking to the continuous braising method rather than the faster “pressure cooker” method, not only does the meat become fork tender but the sauce is thicker with the collagen of the skins releasing into the sauce, resulting in a heartier more “enveloping” flavor.  I think Chinese mothers and grandmothers choose to caramelize the garlic and sugar with the meats first as a prelude to the braising.  Unlike the Culinary Institute of America’s and the Frugal Chef’s (remember him?) technique of plainly concocting the braising liquid as a straight mixture with the meats to be added once it starts to boil; caramelizing the sugar first and stir frying meats next prior to adding the different liquids that make up the braising mixture provides drama and a therefore a more intense sauce.

My grandmother, Co Bit vda. de Siy (1906-1987)
whose culinary secrets I would trust to make
perfect Humba than the snots above.

Just to show you how versatile this braising technique is, it could be used with different meats such as pork (Humba), pork leg and hocks (Pata Tim or “O Ti Kha”) or beef brisket (for Beef Brisket Rice or Noodle Soup).  In this recipe, we are doing the straightforward Humba with Pork.

Ingredients:

• 2 kilos pork with skin (preferable cuts: pork belly or pork shoulder) cut in large pieces of approximately 2x2 inches
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup dark mushroom or light soy sauce
• 1 head garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon five spice powder
• 3-4 pieces star anise
• 1-2 sticks cinnamon bark
• ½ cup rice wine
• 12 – 15 pieces dried shitake mushrooms
• 1/4-1/3 package dried lotus blossoms, washed and rehydrated with water for thirty minutes
• 6 hard boiled eggs

Procedure.

1. In a braising pot when hot, using about 1/8 cup of oil, saute the garlic and brown sugar until the sugar melts and begins to caramelize.  Be careful not to burn the sugar.
2. Add and pork and stir fry until the pieces are evenly half-cooked.
3. Add the soy sauce and rice wine.  Also, add some water to cover the meat pieces.
4. Add the five spice powder, star anise and cinnamon.
5. Cover and gently skim the foam as the stew heats up.  Once it begins to boil, lower the heat to allow the meats to braise and the liquid evaporates to about half or a third depending on the thickness of the sauce desired.
6. Once the sauce is thicker, add the hard boiled eggs.  Simmer some more until the meat is tender and the sauce event thicker.  Add the mushrooms and lotus blossoms to braise and cook in the simmering sauce.  The eggs turn into a caramel color while the vegetables steam.
7. Serve with hot steamed rice or plain white steamed buns.

Tips. 

• Use a braising pot if possible.  A braising pot is heavier than a stock pot and is great for keeping in moisture during the braising process.  Also, the pointed structures on the top of the braising pot, allow condensation of stem to slowly drip back into the braising liquids and meat to be used over again during cooking.  This accounts for the fork tender meat.  If no braising pot is available, any heavy pot will do such as a French or Dutch oven.
• A thick pot is preferable over a thin one for the reasons sited above.  It keeps heat well and its thick structure prevents the meat from burning underneath.
• Take care not to burn the sugar, if it does, throw it away and start over.  Burnt sugar destroys the flavor but not caramelizing it makes a bland sauce.
• Want a sweeter sauce? Use more sugar.  If you want a saltier sauce, use more soy sauce or add salt; though the former is better than the latter as the fermented soy increases the hearty quality.
• Pork Hocks! Yes, using pork hocks instead of cuts of pork turns this dish in Pata Tim (a.k.a. Filipino for “Patang Itim”)  Now, where did this term come from? The Hokkien word is, “O Ti Kha” which literally translated as “Black Pork Legs”.
• This dish is versatile!  Without the addition of mushrooms and rehydrated dried lotus blossoms, it can be served with lightly sauteed brine pickled or fresh mustard greens, a teaspoon or two of ground peanuts, dash of hot sauce and a bit of sugar on newly steamed hot white buns.  This is the “Cua-Pao” which is a snack popular in Chinese restaurants in Manila.
• Leftovers? Get some noodles – Chinese egg noodles, that is.  Lightly boiled al dente, the noodles are first sauteed in a wok with hot oil, tossing it against the hot metal surface as it becomes lightly crispy, pour some of the sauce and toss in some Shanghai Bok Choy, serve on a plate with some meat on top – now it’s the “Humba Noodle”.  Using Pata Tim as base, it’s the Pancit Pata.
• If using beef brisket, this can be topped on steamed white rice and it’s the Beef Brisket toppings!  So, move over, Ling Nam!  But in beef brisket, the soy sauce used is lighter and probably in even lesser quantities than in pork.

Recipe: Pancit Bihon Guisado

Pancit Bihon.

Pancit Bihon Guisado.  The staple of birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, get togethers and almost any celebration is, aside from adobo (and probably lumpia), what makes Filipino identity.  Here in the US, almost anyone I meet and knows that originate from the Philippines will ask, “Hey! Do you know how to make Pancit?”  (Accent please, the American pronunciation is “PHANN-seet”.)  Of course, I reply in the affirmative but I rarely make one.  Aside from the complicated process, it is quite a personal thing from me.  Why this is is again based on the historical origins of this delightful noodle.

Binondo in the 1950's.

The pasta used for this dish is usually Bihon which is Hokkien for “Rice Noodle”; in Mandarin, which is the official dialect of Chinese, it is referred to as “Mi-Fen”.  Then, how did “Pancit” the Filipino term came to be?  The word is “Pien-e-Sit” which meant “Convenience food”; referred in official Mandarin as “Phiyen-Sher”; through Romanization and easy Tagalog pronunciation, this became the Pancit we now commonly use.  The original Pancit can only be imagined; but from readings, it seems that this is just plain sautéed noodle with minimum of flavorings such as sliced Chinese sausage (referred to as the Cantonese Sausage or “Lap Chong” in the US).  Now, looking at the real Cantonese noodles which are imported from GuangDong/Hong Kong; these come already flavored such as “Egg Noodles – Tsi Tan Mien”, “Chicken Noodles – Tsi Mien”, “Shrimp Noodles – Siya Mien” and others.  They are meant to be boiled until done then sautéed or served in soup.

Because they are already flavored to begin with, it does not take much to make them palatable.  In fact, if one orders “Chow Mien” (Sauteed/Pan Fried Noodle) in a Chinese restaurant, one gets just that and the hot wok provides additional flavor from the smoke that is imparted during the stir-frying process.   If one wants “Shrimp Chow Mien” one has to specify the inclusion of shrimp and therefore has to be ordered as “Siya Cho Mien” (Mandarin).

Enter the Chinese immigrant in the Philippines whose innovation in using whatever is available provided the dish and the taste we come to know today.  Using the available meat and vegetables, the pancit we know is unique while retaining some of the basic ingredients such as the tenga ng daga (wood fungus), Chinese sausages and Pechay (Bok Choy or Pai-Tsai).  But the unique included the use of cabbage, carrots, chicken livers, pork, shrimp and patis (Nuoc Nam or Fish Sauce).  To add complexity and contrast with counterpoint to this dish, a dash of kalamansi (Calamondin) juice provides the sour “wake up call” to an otherwise salty dish and makes the palate fresh anew for the next bite  To add, the use of more unique spices in the sautéing process is also quite different.  The use of onions with garlic and pepper is reminiscent of the Spanish recado.  The combination of carrots, onions and some add a few stalks of celery, is reminiscent of the French mirapoix and yet imparts a European flavor.  Where in the world could a dish be this unique?  Isn’t that wonderful?

With the popularity of the “Convenience Food” the Panciteria (a weird term, if one thinks of it – “Pancit” which is Chinese Tagalog and “-eria” which is a Hispanization of the term meaning “establishment”) started and grew and some made their fortunes out of this – talk to the descendants of Mr. Ma Mon Luk.  Mr. Jerry Tin, a Xavier classmate (1983) is inviting me, once I get back to Manila to try Panciteria Toho which is claimed to be the oldest Panciteria in existence in Manila, having its roots since 1888.  (incidentally, To-Ho is actually the Mandarin word, “Tow-How” or “everything is good!” although the Chinese name is not that...).  And I cannot wait for I still have fond memories of these establishments though some have moved to “cleaner sections” of the city – Panciteria San Jacinto, Ma Mon Luk in Quezon Avenue, The Rose Bowl, Panciteria China (pronounced as “Tsina” as in “Baby Tsina”) and Lido Restaurant (which now is in the Quezon Circle/Tomas Morato area) among others.

Old Binondo.  Note the background building
with the "Pansiteria" advertising.

The same section of Old Binondo.
Closer view - see "Pansiteria"?

The Holy Grail of Panciteria? Oldest in the
Philippines, folks! And Pareng Jerry,
remember, we have to go!

The former Ms. Justina Co Siy
who became Mrs. Lukban
and my Mom.

In doing this dish, I researched, found and went back to the more original components of Pancit Bihon Guisado.  I also put in the suggestions from my mom, Justina who used to make this during birthdays and remember that she puts in some liver, which is an ingredient some may find odd to add in this dish but this is something she learned from her mother, my grandmother, who lived in the golden age of the Panciteria.  I find the flavor unique, tasty, and most of all resonant the days gone by.  I hope you try and like it.

Ingredients.

• 1 whole garlic peeled and chopped
• 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
• ½ tablespoon ground black pepper
• ½ kilo pork, sliced into very small pieces.
• ¼ kilo shrimp, sliced into small pieces (save the heads and shells)
• ¼ kilo chicken livers, sliced into small pieces
• 2 Chinese sausages, sliced.
• 1 cup of rehydrated wood fungus (“Tenga ng Daga”), sliced thinly
• 2 medium sized carrots (4 if the thin American carrots) peeled and sliced thinly
• 2-3 Bok Choy (Shanghai variety is best) sliced into small stems
• ½ head large or 1 small green cabbage sliced into pieces
• ¼ cup fish sauce (Nuoc Nam)
• ¼ cup light soy sauce
• ½ kilo (1 pound package) Rice Noodle (Mei Fun), soaked and softened in tap water for about twenty minutes
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup spring onions, sliced into small garnishing topping pieces

Procedure.

1. Putting all shrimp heads and shells in a small pot, add about ¾ to 1 cup water and let it boil under medium heat to make a shrimp broth.  Once done, turn off the heat and crush the heads and shells with a food mallet to release their flavors.  Save the broth using a colander.
2. Under low heat, scramble the eggs into a light, thin pancake.  Once done, slice into pieces and set aside along with the spring onions.
3. Under very high heat and using about ¼ cup of oil in a wok, sauté the garlic until almost brown.
4. Add the onions and ground black pepper and sauté further until the onions are beginning to caramelize and the pepper is fragrant.  Care is taken not to burn the garlic.
5. Add the pork and sauté further.  Turn the wok to its side if intense heat is desired.  The wok should smoke and not at any point should the wok become cold that meat juices start to overtake the items being sautéed.  The smoking wok is a must to provide flavor to the final dish.
6. Once almost done, add the rest of the meats which are sausages, shrimp and chicken livers.  You may also add the carrots as this is the toughest vegetable to cook.
7. Once incorporated, add the noodle.  The stirring process should be done occasionally to prevent the noodles from burning and sticking at the bottom of the wok and this should be done by lifting pat of the noodle from below and placing it at the top.  At this point, the juices of the stir fry are already absorbed by the noodle; pour in small batches, the shrimp broth while further sautéing the noodle by occasionally giving a good stir.
8. Add the vegetables – cabbage, bok choy and wood fungus – stir to incorporate these with the noodle and lower the heat letting them steam though the intrinsic juices of the vegetables and the broth.  Add the fish and soy sauces, further stir frying the noodle mixture.  You may turn off the heat once the noodle and vegetables achieve their desired doneness.
9. Serve with the scrambled egg pieces and spring onions on top with Kalamansi (or lemon/lime) on the side.

Tips.

• I cannot emphasize the use of high heat especially in the initial stir frying of the spices and meats.
• Do not add water unless absolutely necessary.  Too much water can make a very soft and mushy noodle.
• Some other vegetables that can be used include: mushroom pieces and stems (from can), snow peas (sitsaro), rehydrated and sliced black shitake mushrooms and water chestnuts.  A little bit of kick can be tasted using green or red bell pepper.  Also, some would add sliced boiled eggs as toppings rather than pieces of scrambled eggs.  Some, although more of a staple in Pancit Canton, would use boiled quail eggs incorporated in the noodle dish.  If one wants a heartier flavor, pour some sesame seed oil in the final dish prior to serving.

Recipe Update: Pinaupong Manok (Filipino Chicken Pot Roast)

So, the day after I made my Pinaupong Manok (Filipino Chicken Pot Roast) and savoring the final product, I wondered how the chicken would appear underneath and what became of the salt.  What about clean-up?

I am very happy about the results.  The chicken underneath is roasted well as one could see in the pictures.

Isn't that a nice brownish color?

 The pot is left with salt and burnt banana leaves.

Throwing the leaves away, we are left with this mix of grease and charred salt, which is about tan.  It is very greasy, but easily removed with water though I have to use plenty of dish detergent (about half a cup) easily penetrate the grease.

The bed of salt and grease.

Now cleaning with detergent and water.
Give it a good scrubbing.

A little more scrubbing now we are left
just with mostly the grease.

And voila!  Good as new!  Now, off
to the next dish!

The cleaning is like what one does to the roasting pan after a meat roast.  But because there were no sugars in the marinade like ham or ribs, cleaning was relatively easy as the charred salt could be removed in clumps!

This experience taught me a lot about cooking in the olden days of rare conveniences such as during Spanish Era Philippines.  Since firewood temperature is very high and erratic, one has to compensate  by other means to control heat.  If one recalls, we used to put a lining of banana leaves in the bottom of the pot to prevent charring the rice during the final steaming (a.k.a. "tutong").  In the same way, the use of salt which was relatively cheap and in abundant supply, prevents burning the chicken and accomplishes easy clean-up too.

I end my affair with Pinaupong Manok with this suggestion.  Next time, I would probably line the pan first with aluminum foil at the bottom before adding the bed of salt and banana leaves.  And cover all sides, in this way, after roasting, one can remove the cake of salt with its mess as one block and into the garbage it goes -- thus, an even easier cleaning!

The final word.  Would I be able to achieve the same in the oven?  I think I could and it's worth a try.  I would have to use a higher temperature of 500 to 600 Fahrenheit or even higher to achieve equal baking at all sides.  There would be less charring and thus and even easier clean up.  Also, if I want a browner chicken at the end of the roasting, I could just lift the cover and broil under direct heat.

Recipe: Pinaupong Manok (Filipino Chicken Pot Roast)



What a large oven!

A classmate of mine from medical school (Dr. Ramos of UP, Class 1992) saw my blog and requested that I demonstrate making Pinaupong Manok online.  So, going ahead with the challenge, I did some research and came up with the following thoughts.

What?! I have to build this just to get a decent pizza?!

Now a smaller oven with gas range - convenience
of the modern kitchen.

First of all, Pinaupong Manok is actually nothing short of baked chicken.  However, a caveat to this is that it is actually pot roast chicken.  The reason is this, ovens in the olden days were, of course, firewood driven; therefore, they have to be huge.  They have to accommodate both the wood fuel not to mention the oven itself where the food is to be roasted.  Therefore, it is virtually impossible for the common pueblo to have an oven and have roasted dinners.  However, in today’s kitchen of electric and gas ranges, these now occupy minimal space.  In fact, the early ads of the twentieth century for stoves and ranges, both electric and gas, boast of the convenience as well as the minimalist designs of these appliances in relation to the traditional kitchens of the late nineteenth century.  So, traditionally speaking, only large houses with large kitchens which are usually situated OUTSIDE of the house (to prevent the main house from accidentally catching fire, God forbid) can accommodate luxurious oven roasted foods.  So imagine the lowly 19^th Century Indio in Spanish Philippines, not having a large house and kitchen.  How could he enjoy such a treat?

Palayoks come in different sizes.

So, in comes the earthenware pot, usually the cooking implement of the poor in those days.  Of course, because they were common prior to the entry of steel and can be produced using the most common of materials, clay; they came in various sizes similar to today’s set of Le Creuset, Anulon, Calphalon and Circulon.  They can come as small as  condiment containers or as large to make the humungous stew that could feed the whole baranggay during the town fiesta.  The middle size, accommodating a medium chicken is what is used to make Pinaupong Manok.

Ayan! Magpapakain si Mayor! (Just in time
for the new election cycle.)

Secondly, and therefore, Pinaupong Manok is very much a misnomer.  It is not really Pinaupo or “sitting” as the name implies, rather it is placed with cavity down on a bed of salt.  A variation of this bed is the placement of a piece of banana leaf on top of the salt.  Now, if one thinks about it, there is a variation of this with the pressure cooker and one can find the recipe of Pot Roast Beef in old recipe books that come with these things.  The flat plate with holes that are sold with the pressure cooker is the guard that prevents the meat from burning when the meat’s underside touches the bottom of the pan.  Because earthenware pots sold in the olden days do not come with such things, improvisation with the use of salt is best.

Now, why salt?  Salt dehydrates.  Even with the meat’s juices, as long as there is salt at the bottom supporting it and with the heat, it will remain relatively dry.  This is the reason why the recipe calls for a lot of salt as in handfuls of it.

Banana leaves?  Yes, if anyone cares to remember the olden days of the charcoal driven iron, the househelp usually places the heated side on a bed of folded banana leaves.  It’s moisture, underneath the fine meshwork of though banana leaf fibers is enough to keep the iron’s steel clean for a smooth gliding surface touching the clothing being ironed.  The same principle is true of the Pinaupong Manok.  It is there to further prevent the chicken from charring by preventing its direct contact to the pot’s hot surface.

There are some who have tried making Pinaupong Manok at home complaining that the final product is pale and not appetizing to look at and are therefore wondering what could have gone wrong.  The answer lies in the temperature.  One has to remember that this is actually a “pseudo-baking” process – baking while making do with the fact that one does not have an oven.  Therefore, to achieve that lovely color of a roast even without an oven, a higher temperature is needed probably mimicking the oven conditions of approximately 350 to 375 Fahrenheit, but even so, there is a disadvantage to this with the fact that pot roasting does not contain a direct fire source, therefore, broiling is difficult not to mention that the moisture inside the pot is high.  In fact, if one studies the method of making pot roast, they advise that the meats are browned first in direct contact with the pot’s hot surface with some fat and spices, then applying the steel guard, pouring in the pot a bit of liquid to create steam as one covers the pot leaving it to steam further and “bake” for the next hour or two.  One finds as well that the pot would be charred at the bottom and quite difficult to clean afterwards.

Because Pinaupong Manok does not have the browning process prior to its “baking” as in the traditional pot roast, I think the temperature should even be higher probably even 400 or 500.  Will it burn the chicken?  I don’t think so, as long as one has a good amount of salt and banana leaves as bedding.  Will it dry up?  No, as long as the pot is tightly covered and the meats moisture is contained during the cooking process.  Remember that during this time of “baking” the intense heat creates a crusting in the meat that contains the juices within as the insides begin to steam and cook.  When the dish is done and letting the meat “rest” before serving (this is done with all meats cooked in the oven and steaks as well), the juices come the inside creep to the outside, rehydrating it.  This is the secret of a good roast.

Next, I could not emphasize that the pot should be large enough to “enclose” the chicken; this means that the distance between the chicken and the salt/banana leaves barrier should probably be the same as that of the cover and the top of the chicken.  The reason for this is the banana leaves/salt layer act as a “guard” from the direct heat of the fire beneath thus preventing burning the chicken, yet it is the same high intense heat needed to equally cook the top of the chicken and browning it as the bottom of the bird.

Spices.  Traditionally, they are very Filipino Asian.  The use of pungent spices to remove the gaminess of the meat is a must.  Since ginger and lemongrass (“tanglad”) were common, these two are usually combined with garlic and pepper to favor the dish.  These can be bought in Asian stores if anyone in the United States is interested in making this dish.

Ingredients.

• 1 whole (as much as possible fatty) chicken.  In this case, I used approximately a 3 pound chicken.
• 1 tablespoon of salt for seasoning.
• 1 tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper.
• 1 stalk of lemongrass.
• 1 large root (approximately the size of three thumbs) of ginger.
• 1 medium head of onion, peeled and quartered.
• 1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped.
• Two or three cups of rock salt, more or less, depending on the size of the pot.
• Three sheets of banana leaves.

Procedure.

1. Prepare the spices well.  The lemongrass is folded into a third that would fit the inside of the chicken and pounded well to release its essence.
2. Season the chicken, inside and out, with the salt and pepper.  After applying salt, one may want to prick the chicken multiple times to let the salt penetrate and wipe with a towel as the bird gets wet since the salt attracts the water from beneath the meat.  Then, as with the salt, apply pepper inside and out.
3. Once the bird is seasoned well, stuff the inner cavity with garlic, onion and lemongrass.
4. In a pot that can accommodate the bird equally on all sides (see explanation above), put a thick layer of approximately an inch of salt and top eith banana leaves.  Place the chicken in the pot (traditionally with the cavity facing down thus having the bird sit) resting on the banana leaves, cover and put the pot on high heat.
5. Steaming the chicken first with its intrinsic moisture and later on baking as it dehydrates, with the heat of the pot less moisture, cook the chicken for probably 20 minutes per pound. (Intense heat may cook the chicken with probably 15 minutes per pound.)
6. Turn off the heat and let the chicken rest.  At this point, the juices will escape permitting the dryer portions of the meat to rehydrate back its moisture.

Dipping sauce.

Ingredients.

• 1/8 cup light soy sauce
• 1/8 cup honey
• 1/8 cup calamansi or lime juice

Procedure.

1. Mix the three components together.  You may choose to add slivers of garlic and ginger or onions.
2. Serve with slices of chicken meat above.  Chopped spring onions may be added as garnish.

   

   The final product with dipping sauce and
   garnish of spring onions.  Success!!

Tips.

• Because of the intense heat achieved by the smaller surface area of the pot vis chicken, it may take lower than twenty minutes per pound (roughly forty minutes per kilo) of chicken to cook.
• Intense heat is necessary to “roast” the chicken although the initial process involves steaming with the meat’s intrinsic juices.  The browning of the chicken is later as the heat evaporates all of the juices during the cooking process.
• The bird is allowed to rest after cooking for easier handling and slicing later. 
• You are not faulted, if possible – I’m sure the ladies of Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio’s time would do also – if you choose to “turn the bird” during the roasting process with a long fork to brown the other side.  This is actually a “trick” that one can use doing traditional pot roast in Western cuisine that otherwise can also be used in making this dish.