pickled ampalaya

a good way to enjoy raw ampalaya is by pickling or in Filipino we say ensalada.. this recipe we picked up from Jarz, a colleague and neighbor. Hubby improvised by slicing the ampalaya thinly and soaking it in salt then squeezing out the liquid..this way the bitterness may be reduced..then we added chopped tomatoes, onions and ginger and juice of two lemons..season with salt, pepper and vinegar..the original recipe we tasted had green mangoes in it but i wasn't able to buy some today. the good thing about this ensalada is it can be kept in the fridge, thus i can buy some green mangoes and add it up tomorrow...goes well with fried foods, looking forward to eating this with boneless bangus..

bukayo..

the soft and chewy kind..what a delight!! went to the market this morning and there amongst the display of lowland vegetables sat an old woman with her bilao of freshly cooked bukayo. it was a rare find for me since bukayo varieties nowadays are the already hardened ones formed into balls and sprinkled with sesame seeds..my mom introduced me to this delicacy during my childhood, and since then have always looked forward to it as a treat.. it is such joy to savor the natural goodness of coconut not the dessicated or canned kind..
after enjoying a hearty breakfast, am now munching on this sweet delicacy while typing away..yummy!