Friday Food Madness: Cooking Mongo is more fun in the Philippines

Food & Places Recipes

Mongo Beans

Hello everyone,

Today I am sharing my curiosity for the famous Friday viand in the Philippines and how to prepare it my way.

I got the picture from Google by the way (photo linked to the original source).

Ever since I knew how to eat alone, Mongo has always been the Friday food. I do not why, and today I ate Mongo for lunch.

What I am only aware of is that Friday is a “fasting” day, meaning no meat for us Catholics as Jesus died on a Friday. It’d become a tradition through the years.

It is best paired with fried fish (but I combine this with breaded pork chop Thumbs up).

Anyway, if you are curious to try it and do not know how, here are the ingredients you need.

  • Mongo Beans
  • Chopped garlic, onion, and tomato
  • Shredded Tinapa (smoked fish)
  • Crushed Chicharon (Fried Pork Fat)
  • Ampalaya Leaves (bitter gourd leaves)

To cook:

  1. Soak Mongo Beans in water and wait for some beans to float, remove the floating beans and rinse the beans again and soak it for at least 15 minutes. By doing so, you reduce your cooking time.
  2. Boil mongo beans until tender.
  3. On a separate pan, sauté the onion, garlic, and tomato. Add Fish Sauce to taste.
  4. If the mongo is ready add the sautéed onion, garlic, and tomato. Stir.
  5. Add shredded tinapa and chicharon. Taste. Add salt if desired.
  6. Turn off the heat.
  7. HOLD YOUR BREATH.
  8. Put the ampalaya leaves and cover the pan.
  9. RELEASE YOUR BREATH.
  10. After 2 minutes uncover the lid slightly to prevent the leaves from over cooking. You can wish to separate the leaves.

I know you’re raising your brows for steps 7 & 8, it’s my dad’s technique not to breathe while putting the leaves. It makes the leaves less bitter. It’s superstitious but there is nothing wrong in trying. Open-mouthed smile It works for me. I swear.

It’s funny but you’ll have fun cooking your Friday food. 

I hope you will find mongo beans in the supermarket for those who are not in the Philippines.

Let me know your thoughts about this silly post.

Sammy

15 Comments

  1. Ruth July 22, 2012
  2. Ruth July 22, 2012
  3. Itsberyllicious July 21, 2012
  4. Dems July 20, 2012
  5. franckxethee July 20, 2012
  6. Franc Ramon July 20, 2012
  7. Gigi Beleno July 20, 2012
    • Sam Lanuza July 20, 2012
  8. JP July 20, 2012
    • Sam Lanuza July 20, 2012

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