Cooking No Nos

Bigger and Better

We fell in love with their pochero, once described in this column as something that could be “easily mistaken for kare-kare, because it uses melt-in-your-mouth beef instead of the usual chicken.” We got addicted to their chicharon bulaklak which comes with their signature suka (vinegar) with kamias. They became that homey little restaurant on Shaw Boulevard where you can go even in your slippers and shorts just to get your fix of Filipino home cooking. No sign warning “bawal ang nakasando dito” (no sandos allowed) out front, no fear of bumping into socialite friends as they just might come in pambahay (house) clothes themselves.

Now they have opened a second branch which has the same homey feel of the first, complete with chef/restaurateur Tanke Tankeko at most times greeting guests as they enter the door. The interiors continue to evoke the feel of a modest Filipino home, just as in the original restaurant. Colored panes on wood serve as “windows”; wood carvings break the monotony of the ceiling; drawings by Yuri Timg and Trisha Uy reflecting Filipino culture make the walls come alive, and a wooden bannister leads to a second floor that is ideal for dinner for groups of six to eight.

Usually when a restaurant expands, the second one pales in comparison to the first. But this version of 1521 is one that is bigger and better. And that includes the menu. Tanke, whose real name we continue to guess to this day – Purification? Conchita? Rosario? – has outdone herself once again.

The star of the new 1521: the Binayabasan na Baka. An ode to sinigang sa bayabas (guava sour stew), this soup is rich from the flavors of the beef and bone marrow that comes with it. And by bone marrow I don’t mean a slither of “utak” or marrow but a giant portion of it. Let me put it this way: If this utak were a person’s, it would be Einstein’s.* Then for more texture in the broth, Tanke purees the guava and mashes gabi to mix with the stock of beef and ligament. Whole guavas are also included in the bowl for those who truly desire a bayabas fix.

Lentil and Mixed Veggie Curry or Sambar ... - Cooking with Thas

Sambar, a true South Indian delicacy…

Onam is around the corner and it is the biggest festival of Kerala. While thinking about Onam too many good memories rushes into my mind. You have to be in Kerala to celebrate and enjoy Onam to the fullest. Though I couldn’t be in Kerala for Onam for the past few years, every year I make sure to celebrate it with Sadya along with my friends.

Sadya or Kerala’s flavorful veggie palate is not the name of one dish, it has more than 20 dishes served on the plantain leaf. It’s a grant feast and all you can have is veggie dishes, each and every dish has an unique and distinct taste. I’ve already posted the recipes for making Sadya dishes, you could find around 17 recipes in just one post.

Sambar or Lentil and Mixed Veggie Curry is one of the main dishes of Sadya. It is served as the second course along with rice. This curry is often made in most of the Kerala houses and is served with South Indian breakfast dishes like Dosa , Idli and Vada . Last weekend, I made a mini Sadya and so made Sambar. There are a few ways of making sambar, I have already posted the recipe for making Sambar in a quick and easy way without using coconut. So this time I made sambar in a traditional way by using ground coconut masala. I adopted this recipe from a Kerala cooking show. This sambar tasted like the ones we get in South Indian restaurants, I guess I am going to stick to this recipe for a very long time. The preparation process might look long, but it’s totally worth trying. After you taste this you’ll appreciate the effort you have put into making this.

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