Ilocos yam excellent for making haleya

By Sosimo Ma. Pablico

An  indigenous yam growing in the wild in the Ilocos Region, locally known as camangeg or in science as Dioscorea luzonensis Schauer, has been found as an excellent material for making haleya.

Lem Micah E. Pascua, a high school student of the BHC Educational Institution in San Fernando City, La Union, made this discovery in an investigatory project for one of her subjects.

This discovery puts an added value on this wild root crop whose elongated tubers are usually eaten after boiling or as “ginataan”.  The tubers with their fibrous roots are harvested in August to October when a high supply is observed.  One vine can produce as many as 4 tubers. During lean months, it is used as a substitute for rice in remote areas.

Camangeg tubers have been found to be highly nutritious, as it is particularly rich in carbohydrates, protein and vitamins.  The tubers are known as a good source of high quality flour needed in pharmaceutics.  The tuber has its own particular color, taste and aroma that differ greatly from other yam species.

The young Pascua, daughter of MMSU [Mariano Marcos State University] president Dr. Miriam E. Pascua, however, laments that camangeg has low acceptability and is not popular among the younger generation.  In Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur, camangeg tubers are sold at only 15 to 20 a kilo. 

Thus, she explored the possibility of making a new food product out of camangeg considering its benefits as health food and its potential as a main ingredient in making haleya.  Ordinarily, ube [Dioscorea alata Linn.] is used as the main ingredient of haleya.

Micah, who aspires to become a nurse, prepared haleyas with different proportions of camangeg and ube as follows:  100% camangeg; 75% camangeg and 25% ube; 50% camangeg and 50% ube; 25% camangeg and 75% ube; and 100% ube. 

She washed the tubers thoroughly, then boiled, peeled and mashed them.  For every kilogram of camangeg, she added 250 ml condensed milk, 500 ml evaporated milk, 100 grams refined sugar, and 25 grams margarine. 

The mixture was blended for one minute, placed in copper vat, and cooked in low flame with constant stirring until it thickened and formed into balls.  The margarine was added to the mixture to prevent this from sticking to the pan.  The mixture was flattened on a styro plate and allowed to cool. 

A taste panel composed of 30 proprietors and head cooks of food establishments as well as haleya makers in San Fernando City, La Union evaluated Micah’s haleyas.

Results of the taste test indicated that camangeg can be used as the main ingredient in haleya making and can be a substitute for ube.  In terms of taste and appearance, haleya made of 100% camangeg was significantly more preferred than the other combinations, except 100% ube in terms of taste.  No significant difference was observed on texture.

Micah also observed that the cost of making haleya from 100 percent camangeg had the lowest cost [90.50 per kg of camangeg].  This was followed in an increasing order by: 75% camangeg and 25% ube – 94.75; 50% camangeg and 50% ube – 99.00; 25% camangeg and 75% ube – 103.25; 100% ube – 107.50.  In other words, cost of production increased as the percentage of ube used also increased primarily due to the high cost of ube.

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/harvest-time/)

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