Filipino Soup for the Soul - Workshop in Oakland

"Hi, my name is Joanne and I am here because I have been stalking Aileen on the Internets..."

It's true. Aileen Suzara, founder and writer of Kitchen Kwento, is worth stalking. She strives for local, sustainable, healthy cooking while keeping Filipino flavors and recipes alive. Talk about admirable. A couple of months ago, she invited myself and members of kapaMEALya to "her farm" in Santa Cruz. She had been living there for 6 months as she participated in a farm apprenticeship program associated with UC Santa Cruz. We were treated to a glorious veggie potluck and a tour of her farm. It was truly a learning experience.

I literally ate the BEST apple of my life there. Find out more about Aileen and her farm in this fantastic feature on Adobo Nation:

I really met Aileen on Halloween of 2010 at Filipeanut's Halloween Party. From then on, we have "stalked" each other and here we were in December 2011 making soup.

I saw she was holding a workshop called "Filipino Soup for the Soul" at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center (which is amazing in itself, btw), and I jumped on Eventbrite right away to buy a ticket.

Not only were we going to collaborate in creating Filipino soups, we were going to "talk story," reminisce, and in the end, share what we have produced. That's what I would call the "perfect" meal.

- Tinola -
This chicken soup infused with ginger and garlic brings back so many warm memories about my Inang. It is a very low-maintenance soup. All you have to do is saute the aromatics (onion, garlic, ginger), add all the other ingredients, and let cook in liquid. It's super easy one-pot cooking.

You can use several veggies for tinola. I have seen it with spinach, green papaya, and chili leaves. Today we would be using baby bok choy and opo - a tender gourd.

Aileen demonstrating how to chop an onion.

We browned chopped onion and garlic to create some flavor.

We used boneless chicken thighs as well as rice wash water as the liquid base.
The starch from the rice makes a soup with a silky mouthfeel.

We let the onions, garlic, julienned ginger, and chicken cook a bit before
adding the rice wash water. While that cooked, we moved onto the next soup.
- Sinigang -
I love sinigang because of its tang. My mom makes the best sinigang with pork spare ribs and bok choy. This is another soup that makes me feel at home wherever I eat it.


You have to forgive me. I don't quite remember all the leafy greens that Aileen put in the sinigang, but of course I know the tomato, sitaw (long beans), gabi (taro), aaaaaaaaand...

salmon heads!
Hello, lunch!

These are guavas which can also be used to sour sinigang.

We were not going to take any shortcuts today. We used REAL tamarind!

After using hot water to soften the compacted tamarind, we added this to the soup base made with rice wash water as well. The soup had a nice brown color from this.
If we had made the soup with a seasoning packet, the broth would be clearer and thinner...but who wants to use a packet with so many preservatives and salt?

As Chef Dom says, "Think outside the packet."
- Soup's On! -

Chicken Tinola

Salmon Head Sinigang

Everyone was excited to try our finished products!
You're going to have to forgive me again. I didn't take pics of the soup in my bowl! I was so eager to dig in that I forgot! Can you believe that?! All hope is not lost, here is Kitchen Kwento's Facebook album! Check it out!

Photo courtesy of Aileen Suzara
I had an amazing time. Even before the soups finished cooking, we were already asking when the next workshop is! Sadly, Aileen will be leaving the Bay Area again for another farming venture come 2012. I am hoping/wishing/praying that another Filipino cooking workshop will be done before then!

*hint hint nudge nudge*

Maraming salamat to Aileen, the kitchen team Aimee and Toussaint, and all my fellow cooks. It was an honor and a pleasure. It was fun to collaborate and share memories with you all. Until next time!

xoxo,
Jo