Pandan gives new twist to Pangasinan’s cuisine
By Eva C. Visperas

Pandan (screw pine), a tiny plant abundantly grown here which the town’s name Mapandan was also derived from, gave a different twist to Pangasinan cuisine when it was used in cooking exotic foods in the “Hapag Pandan” festival Thursday.

The cooking demonstration using pandan, the first-of-its-kind held here since the Pandan Festival was launched in 2003, showed that this plant can give the aroma even to exotic foods like bats, monitor lizard, quails, snails and wild ducks.

Yolly Fuertes and Ray Zambrano (Inquirer), Ding Micua (Philippine News Agency), Violy Ferrer (DWPR), Liway Yparraguiire (Manila Times), Cesar Ramirez (Philippine STAR), Orland de Vera (USATV) and this reporter tasted the food and enjoyed the street dancing to cut the monotony of the cooking demonstrations.

Mayor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim Jr. said the activity shows Mapandanians’ pride because it showcased “the beauty, the scent and the taste” of the town.

A former barangay of Mangaldan, the town turns 104 years old this year. Calimlim said every year, they present a new concept using pandan. Frompaper to nets, fiber for ropes, baskets, mats, and hats, pandan is very useful to people. Its leaves are used in some food to make them more delectable.

“We want to establish our own identity through pandan,” Calimlim said.

He added the town has already achieved recognition as it is now included in the Department of Tourism’s EZ Map 2005 edition as among the country’s tourism events.

About 10 teams participated in the activity sponsored by Monterey and San Miguel Corporation.

Best Recipe Presentation award went to the Mango Growers and Senior Citizens Group with their Kambing Kaldereta with Pandan, while Best Recipe Demonstrator went to the Women’s Union of Primicias with their Kalderetang Bayawak (monitor lizard) and another award for the same group for their Caimito Melon Pandan con Gelatin beverage.

Best Native Cake award went to Barangay Health Workers and Barangay Service Point Officers. Best Exotic Recipe was won by Women’s Unity for Progress with their Kalderetang Bayawak sa Gata. The demonstrator said the monitor lizard is best for treatment of skin disease. (Kuya Ding told this corner that the recipe “tasted like goat”).

Best Meat Recipe went to the Market Vendors Group with their Pabo Royale.

Other recipes presented for the first time were Roast Chicken Sangre, Squash Pudding Con Sago with Pandan, Seafoods Mix, Suman Pandan in Turon Wrapper, Clam with Hot Chili with Pandan, Pandan Hito AlaCarte, Spicy Paniki, Menudo, Peppered Steak, Sapin Sapin, Adobong Wildduck with Pandan, Adobong Pugo sa Gata, Sweet and spicy Baked Beldat ( a variety of shellfish), Tulya Burger Con Pandan, Pork Ampalaya Con Pandan, Ginataang Palikpik ( called Ibong Bato in Filipino).

I loved best the bibingka and sapin-sapin.

The motorcycle riders’ club also had their Pandan wine fermented in 14 days while other beverages included Tamarind Juice, Fresh Tea with Pandan, Mango Pandan Banana Shake, Eggnog with Pandan Syrup, among others.

To Mayor Ferdie, congrats for the good job.

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