Monday, November 21, 2005

Lasang Pinoy 4: Sotanghon--my all time soul food

I have been under a lot of stress lately, a family crisis (not in my family but in my clan); preparing for our trip to the Philippines; hubby undergoing minor surgery; and finishing up a big project at work. The family's food for the past 3 weeks were nothing but food bought from KFC, McDonald's, Wendy's and A & W. There were days I just had to give my son money to buy lunch from school. Yes, it was that bad. Didn't you notice it in my blog? Some did anyway.

This post is but an evidence of what I've gone through. Very timely indeed. I got through one crisis last Thursday and I told my hubby I needed a warm, home-cooked meal (aside from the warm hug I've been looking forward to). I wasn't keen on having rice. I wasn't keen on having soup either. I wanted to cook something that reminded me of home. Afterall, I was closely in contact with my aunts in the Philippines almost every hour that time. I tell you, the time difference was really killing me. Every hour counted.

Out of nowhere, I went to the Filipino store. Browsing, I could have bought stuff easy to cook..hmm like daing na bangus, canned corned beef..haha. But then, I missed my aunt and everytime I remembered her, she reminded me of her sotanghon. When I was young, sotanghon was always part of her "handa". When we had a reunion in New Jersey, she again cooked her sotanghon. When I was talking to her over the phone, she reminded me that when I go home, Christmas Day celebration was going to be at her house because it's been a tradition. At that point, the picture of her sotanghon recipe just flashed in my mind and I guess this is what drove me to go to the Filipino store.

Hibe and Tenga ng Daga was what made her sotanghon different from sotanghon recipes I've tasted. I had to go to another Filipino store to find hibe. Hubby asked me nonchalantly "I thought you don't want to cook?". Well, to cut the chase, I cut the vegetables on my own which I normally ask my kids to do for me on ordinary days. I cooked the sotanghon without any complaint. I ate at my own pace, my own time. Everyone was sensitive to one another's feelings. In my heart and mind, I knew my family was relieved..they had warm home-cooked meal and home felt home again.

18 comments:

Grace Ediza Virlouvet said...

Hi Ting,

I hope everything is back to normal.. :-)

dexiejane said...

hope everything is much better.

sotanghon is one of my favorites too. :)

ChichaJo said...

Hi Ting! I hope thing are better! I know how it feels to be in the middle of a stress-whirlpool and how comforting a good home-cooked meal can be. Glad you were able to enjoy one :) The sotanghon looks delicious! Take care!

Kai said...

Just take it easy, Ting, everything will turn out fine. Pancit is a comfort food for me, too, my husband insists I will eat pancit even if it is already spoiled.

joyce said...

hi ting!
i miss cooking too...for my family...but since there's no family to cook for (for the time being, i hope) nagkakasya ako sa jollibee, mcdo, chowking, hen-lin what have you! haaaay

aleth said...

hi! sotanghon is also a favorite around here and the most requested noodle during occasions... i'll try that with hibe.. if i can find it here!

hope all is well with you and take care... :)

ting-aling said...

Hi Grace..yes, everything is back to normal. Thanks!

Hi Xtine..oo, I'm starting to get back to normal.

Thanks marezone.

Hi Dexie, Joey, Kai Joyce and Aleth. I can't wait 'til I'm to make my sotanghon more authentic.

Thess said...

Hi Ting! uy, paborito ko yan, sotanghon!

hugs from Holland =)

Lani said...

I'm happy that everything's okay now. Take care of yourself, Ting.

Love sotanghon, too.

ting-aling said...

Hi Thess, masarap di ba?

Hi Lani, thanks!

Stef said...

hi ting, sorry to hear about the crisis. isn't it great though, how preparing our comfort foods also bring us a sense of comfort despite the work involved? parang therapy eh! hope you have a safe trip.

celia kusinera said...

Glad the crisis is over. So yeah, put up your feet, rest and relax. For in a few weeks' time lalarga ka na naman. :D
Pancit (of any kind) is also comfort food for me. Nice to gather round the dinner table on a cold night and have some hot pancit.

ces said...

as the song says..i feel for you..but good to know..everything's ok..yum-ee sotanghon!

Unknown said...

ting...this is the ultimate soul food...the one that soothes our soul.
have fun in the Homeland...ikain mo naman ako please....

JMom said...

Another pancit recipe! Oh, I love pancit, especially sotanghon with the mushrooms. Truly one of our comfort foods, isn't it?

Jet said...

Nainggit naman ako bigla sa sotanghon mo Ting. Alam mo kasi, mahilig ako sa pansit talaga, lalo na yang sotanghon. Ang problema, for some reason hindi talaga ako maayos magluto ng pansit. Spaghetti pwede ba. Waterloo ko talaga yang pansit e. Sigh!

Ardythe Santos said...

Why is it that when I eat sotanghon I do not feel full, like I did not eat anything?

Unknown said...

Hi Ting. I was searching sotanghon in the internet. I miss eating sotanghon. When I open your blog oohh!..wow! yummy sotanghon. Kaya lang wala ang recipe hindi ko panaman alam ang ingredients and how to cook them. I hope you can post the recipes of your sotanghon. Godbless you Ting and your family..