Recipes for peace.

Few people know that meat-eating in Europe has played a crucial role in the European colonial expansion of the middle ages. Our teachers have told us that the Europeans, on the pretext of spreading the Word of God, came to Asia and established colonies and centuries of oppression. What the Europeans really came here for were the spice--of which Asians had a lot of. People have failed however to connect the importance of spice to the political, economic and spiritual situation of the time, or why it is important to consider this right now.

Europeans survived on a diet of meat preserved with salt, which had a monotonous and unpleasant taste. When they discovered how to vary the taste with the help of spices gleaned from the East, the spice trade was born and many a merchant made a fortune through this very lucrative trade. As the trade burgeoned, so did the governments and merchants' need to use arms to secure resources. Thus, one can safely say that meat-eating has led to violence, and at times, even to war. Meat-eating has, since then, proven to be not only bad for political stability and cultural integrity, but also bad for the health and the environment. Meat-eating has thus been a practice rejected by the great thinkers of our time, from Pythagoras, to St. Francis of Assisi to the Red Indian Chief, who have, instead, turned to vegetarianism. Vegetarianism is a rejection of the violence manifested in killing animals and the destruction of nature.

And so we give you simple recipes which will help in the cause for peace.

Bulanglang

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Malunggay leaves
1 cup Squash, cubed
1 cup Upo (gourd), sliced
1 cup Tokwa (tofu), cubed, fried
1/2 Onion
1 cup Water
Tomatoes

DIRECTIONS

Mix tomatoes, onion, and squash in a
deep sauce pan or put. Add
water and boil.

After 5 minutes cooking, add tokwa
and upo. When the upo is almost
tender, add malunggay and cook
2 minutes longer or until
malunggay leaves are wilted.
Remove front heat. Add salt and
pepper to taste (or instead of salt,
use patis, it will give a better
flavour).

Garnish with fresh tomatoes and
cilantro or kinchay (Chinese
celery).

Adobong Gulay

INGREDIENTS

1 onion
3 cl. Garlic (adjust to taste)
      Peppercorn, to taste
2 pcs. Bay leaf
Vegetable oil
1 lb  Potatoes or eggplant
1/4 c Soya sauce
1/4 c Sukang Paombong or your
      favourite vinegar

Pepper and sugar to taste (use a
generous dash of pepper and
a tiny amount of sugar, to
bring nut the taste of the rest)

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil then add peppercorn and
bay leaves. When the bay leaves
start to turn brown, add the
garlic. Saute until brown. Then
add the onion and fry until
translucent. Add the pepper and the
sugar, stir briefly to mix, then
add the soya sauce and vinegar.
Lower heat to medium then add
the potatoes or eggplant.

Stir briefly then simmer, covered,
around 25-30 minutes for the
potatoes or around 35-40
minutes for the eggplant. They
should be soft but not mushy.
Add water if liquid level drops
too low.

Serve over rice.

Ginataang Saba

INGREDIENTS

4-5pcs Unripe bananas
1      tsp Salt
14 c   Oil
2 c    Coconut milk
3-5 cl Garlic (to your taste).
       chopped finely
1 pc   Small onion, finely sliced
2 pcs Chillis, flesh, sliced (optional)
2 tsp Dried shrimp, soak iii 2 tsp hot
        water
1/2 c Sili leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Peel the bananas or plaintains, cut
them in half cross ways, and
then in slices or quarters
lengthwise ltd whatever size you
wish). Rub them with the salt.

Heat the oil in a flying pan and then
fry the slices a few at a time, until
they are golden brown. Drain on
paper towels (or in a collander)
and set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil, then fry the garlic,
onion (and chilli if using) for
about a minute or so, then add
the coconut milk (and dried
shrimp in it's soaking water).
Simmer fur around 5-10 minutes.

Add the fried bananas and the leaves
and simmer until the gravy is
thick. Adjust the saltiness and
pepper levels to your taste.

Serve over rice

For an interesting taste, try
using coconut oil as a medium of
cooking (not for frying the bananas
though) Even though it might be
more unhealthy, it does give a nice
flavour to the food.

Banana Blossom
Ginataan

INGREDIENTS

2 heads Banana blossoms (or 10 oz
        can, drained)
1 cup  Pure coconut milk
2 tbsp Vinegar (if using 5% acidity
        vinegar, try 1:1 vinegar/
        water)
1/4 c  Tomatoes, sliced
1/4 c  Onion, sliced
2 cl   Garlic, crushed
1 tbsp Vegetable oil
2 pcs Dried red chillies, optional
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

If using fresh puso ng saging (banana
blossoms): remove the tough
covering of the blossoms. Slice
thin crosswise. Add 2 tbsp salt
and squeeze off bitter juice.
Rinse in water and squeeze dry.
Set aside.

If using canned puso ng saging:
drain, rinse then drain again.
Slice thin crosswise. Set aside.

Heat oil in skillet, if using dried red
chillies, add them when the oil is
hot but not smoking and let the
skins darken somewhat before
you add the garlic.

Saute garlic until light brown. Add
onion, fry till translucent, then
add tomatoes. Cook for 3 mins.

Add banana blossoms and vinegar/
water mixture and then bring to
boil without stirring. Simmer for
3 mins.

Add salt and pepper to taste and stir.
Continue to cook until banana
blossom is tender.

Add pure coconut cream and remove
from heat. Let stand for a few
minutes to help develop the
flavours.