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Coco loco
To anyone who isn’t from Quezon, the name “kulawo” might not
immediately conjure an image of sumptuous, mouth-watering
food. But to people from the southern province that’s home
to vast tracks of coconut plantations, it might as well be the
national side dish.
Kulawo
is a salad of either grilled eggplant or blanched
banana heart with a dressing of coconut milk extracted from
grated coconut that’s been mixed in with vinegar, a pinch of
salt and sugar, black pepper, along with some chopped garlic
and onions. Pottery artist Ugu Bigyan famously serves up
kulawo in his Tiaong, Quezon restaurant/pottery studio, and
once in a while, he can be persuaded to put on a little cooking
demonstration, the highlight of which is when he tosses burning
wood coal into a bowl of grated coconut for a smoky flavor.
Flavor-wise, kulawo can liven up a simple spread of seafood
and vegetables, despite its rather pasty appearance on a plate.
To make it look as appetizing as it tastes, Ugu Bigyan serves it
in his fashioned pottery plate or bowl, the whitish mixture added
with a bit of electric blue color from the ternate flower.
Chef Luis suggests…
“
Instead of the ternate flower, you
can also use bright pink bougainvillea
blooms, which are actually edible.”
P I N O Y L E A N C U I S I N E
