Yana Gilbuena gives us permission to dispense with our forks, reach across the table, and engage with diners we’ve never met.
Approaching Cultural Foods Unapologetically
Possessing a cuisine that includes stinky, fermented foods, fertilized duck eggs, and blood stews can make transitions to another culture difficult. But Yana Gilbuena doesn’t shy away from her cultural foods. As a matter for fact, she introduces them to people unapologetically and passionately through her Kamayan Feasts.
Listen as Yana shares some of her favorite childhood food memories, the inspiration behind her pop-up Kamayan Feasts, and her call to honor and celebrate heritage and culture.
Episode Transcript
🎧 Click here for the full, interactive transcript of this episode 🎧
No Forks Given by Yana Gilbeuna
Connect with Yana on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. And make sure to check out Yana’s website, SALO Series.
Thank you to our Sponsor Bob’s Red Mill for keeping my pantry full of fabulous flours and baking products!
EP 3: Medicated Spicy Sichuan Wontons and Heritage Preservation
EP 13: Spanish-style Filipino Cocido and The Comfort of Home Cooking
Sinigang Poke
Ingredients
1 ½ pound salmon filleted and cubed ½” x ½”
½ bottle tamarind concentrate 7 oz total
1 tablespoon citric acid or 1⁄2 of the sinigang mix pack
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon calamansi juice
3 Thai chilies
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon coarse ground black pepper
1 medium red onion brunoise
1 medium ginger knob finely diced
3 pieces kaffir lime leaves chiffonade (optional)
3 long green peppers roasted and diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
2 tablespoons chili oil
1 teaspoon salt
Finishing salt
Garnish
1 scallion stalk sliced on a bias, chop bottoms for poke
2 teaspoons toasted black sesame seeds
1 pack rice vermicelli 8 pieces
3 cups canola oil
1 tablespoon toasted pinipig or toasted rice
Instructions
In a bowl, mix the cherry tomatoes, chili oil and salt. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix tamarind concentrate, citric acid (or sinigang mix), fish sauce, calamansi juice, Thai chilies and ground black pepper. Set aside.
In a separate non-reactive bowl, combine salmon and toasted sesame oil. Add ginger and kaffir lime leaves. Mix well and wet aside in fridge for 20 to 30 mins to chill.
In a small pot, heat oil until 350°F-375°F (using your thermometer). Add the rice vermicelli and let bloom. As soon as it expands, fish out and set aside on a pan lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
Remove the chilled salmon from the fridge and massage in the tamarind mixture. Let sit for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the liquid and add scallion bottoms, onions and green peppers. Add the cherry tomatoes. Fold in well.
Serve sinigang poke in the rice vermicelli nest and dust with finishing salt, black sesame seeds, pinipig and scallions.
Notes
PRO TIP: You can add roasted beets or mangoes/dragon fruit into your poke, depending on their seasonality. You can also use tuna or a hearty white fish, like halibut. If you want to make it vegan, substitute fish sauce for coconut aminos, and use beefsteak tomatoes, beets, mushrooms or roasted eggplants.Let’s Connect!
Let’s Connect!
Find me on Instagram @leigh_olson, join the Family Recipes, Traditions, and Food Lore community on Facebook, or subscribe to The Heritage Cookbook Project.Do you have a recipe, tradition, or story to share? Send me an email at connect@theheritagecookbookproject.com.
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