ALFONSO'S NATIVE DELICACIES

NATIVE DELICACIES IN ALFONSO,CAVITE
1. PALUTANG
In as far as my own personal evaluation and experiences are concerned, I consider Palutang as the most versatile, symbolic and valuable native food.
Palutang is made out of ground sweet rice. The procedure in making it is almost ceremonial. First a good kind of rice is so chosen and ground in a crude-looking stone rice-grinder. The watery by-product is partially dried by putting it in a cloth bag and allowing the water to drip till it becomes sticky. This is called galapong. It is shaped by taking a piece of the dough and pressing it between the palms of both hands to form an oblong-shaped dough.
Water is boiled in a big pan where the oblong-shaped dough is placed. The floating (palutang) signifies that the dough is cooked already, or lutang na. It is now ready for serving. It is usually eaten with shredded coconut meat and a little sugar. It has a bland taste but is a “must’ in many occasions. It is served during the first ‘home baptism’ or Buhos tubig usually performed by a quack midwife (hilot). The idea is to trigger the “floating future” of the child.
Palutang is again served on the fourth day after the burial of a dead child. This is to help the child on his way to heaven. It is also served after the completion of a “novena” or upon arrival from a pilgrimage whether from Calaca, Batangas; Antipolo, Rizal or Ternate, Cavite.
On New Year’s Eve, at about midnight, it is prepared in order that the coming year will “float” with plenty of graces.
Finally on the first Monday of August, it is again on the table because August is a month of hardships and the family is hoping that the palutang eating will in one way or another, ease life and prevent hunger (kawiting palakol).

2. SUMAN (DAPA, SA LEHIYA OR HABA, SA GATA)
Suman is one of the favorites but not as symbolic and significant as the Palutang, although during All Saint’s Day (Undras), suman is the hero of the table in every house. It is made up of malagkit (sweet rice) wrapped in banana leaves and cooked with coconut milk or gata in case of the sumang haba (the long one), or with lehia (an alkali) in the case of the sumang dapa (the flat one). Suman is generally served with native coffee (kapeng barako) or chocolate and usually with other native delicacies such as kusinta, puto (rice cake), sinaing sa gata, or palipad-hangin.

3. KALANGKANG (STEAMED CASSAVA CAKE)
It is made from grated cassava (Balinghoy or kamoteng kahoy) and steamed. A real delicacy when served hot with salabat (ginger ale) or avocado juice. It became popular during the Japanese occupation due to scarcity of food.

4. MARUYA (FRIED GROUND MALAGKIT)
This delicacy is made out of galapong na malagkit (sticky dough) with little sugar. As a variation they sometimes add banana (saba variety), or jackfruit (langka) or both. The pure one is more commonly used as an offering during a ritual called SANGHIYANG (Ancestral Offering. When used in Sanghiyang, it symbolizes the tablet of the ten commandments.

5. BALIKUTSA
It is a kind of candy or dessert made of sugar. It is prepared by boiling panotsang bao until crystal-sticky, then stretching it back and forth in a very intricate style until it cools. It is finally cut into elongated pieces. It goes very well with sinaing sa gata.

6. PUTO AND KUTSINTA
Both made out of ground rice (galapong) by steaming, they are common table courses. Lately, they are served together with maja blanca with latik, and bibingkang kanin, too. They do not symbolize anything in particular but are commonly offered to visitors due to their special taste that always calls for a second serving.

7. PALAROSDOS
Very similar to Palutang, only this Palarosdos is smaller in size and cooked with gata (coconut milk). Later, innovators added sago or langka and even sotanghon. It is served with ordinary native cookies like camachili, palipad-hangin, biscocho, pritong saging na saba or camote.

8. NATIVE “ACHARA”
Acclaimed the best in the whole province of Cavite, the Alfonso “Achara” (pickled papaya) is made from carefully chosen papayang tagalog, shredded in a medium-sized shredder (yadyaran) then squeezed strongly to remove the liquid portion. A concoction of sugar, vinegar, onion, carrots and bell pepper for color, ginger, garlic and ubod are added. The secret: No boiling done.

9. NATIVE “VALENCIANA”
A variation of the Spanish “arroz valenciana’, it is always a part of all big banquets, just like menudo, puchero, mechado, morcon and others copied from the Spanish recipes. Lechon and tinola are still very popular. Lately, however, even the Filipino table has been westernized. You now see hamburgers, hot dogs, cakes roll, sandwiches, spaghetti, lasagna and what have you.

10. OTHER DELICACIES
Vying easily with modern snacks are Alfonso’s other favorites namely: Kalamay na itim, bibingka (of various flavors and ingredients), sinudsod, okoy, pansit, sotanghon, sinaing kanturis, buchi, dul-dul, champorado, balitaw, lapuke (a variations of sinaing sa gata).

From the boook TINGKORAW: Alfonso,s History and Legend by jett e. avinante, m.d.