Though the memory of my last cooking disaster with hotdogs is still a bit fresh, I decided to give it another shot. This time, I had a support group – Charwill and Glee with the special participation of Adi – chums who are much more experienced cooks than I am. They prepared their own dish – chicken something, bangus balls and pasta with ranch dressing. I get to prepare the dessert (with Charwill’s help) - which wasn’t really part of the plan. Initially, we just decided in having a get-together cooking day so we can try Glee’s chicken something which she learned to make from this cooking show – Quick Fire. However, when we went to the grocery and I saw these huge, intriguing, green plantain (saba which most of us locals call it) , I went ahead and bought it. It was really scandalously huge, I just couldn’t leave it alone. In fact, before buying it, me, Charwill and a foreigner guy were both just staring at it in amazement. It was the first time I’ve seen plantains that long and huge – it was a little less than 12 inches long. I thought we can cook it somehow and it’ll taste good. Charwill and Glee both laughed at me when I bought it. The plantain does seem a little out of place from our agreed menu – pasta and chicken. Anyway, I stood by my choice. By hook or by crook, it was going down our throats and stomachs. I just had to figure out how to make it edible.
We went to Glee’s house after doing the grocery and prepared our meal for the day. After an hour of sweating, cooking while dancing to Shakira’s music, Glee and Charwill laughing at my plantain, Adi unusually quiet… tadaaaaaaaaaa!….our dishes for the day…
Glee's pasta with all-purpose flour and ranch dressing
Adi's fried bangus balls
And the best dish of all ..well..I'm a bit biased because I prepared this with my sweaty hands, (love your own right?!) ...hehehehe
This is sliced plantain sauteed in strawberry daiquiri served with striped chocolate chip cookies...You know that local Chips Delight cookie brand? That's it right there on the side. It's really good! You can buy it in most local groceries
Needless to say, after a few minutes of eating, we all had smile to our faces and bigger stomachs. It would have been a successful cooking affair –if only I had not burned Glee’s boyfriend’s pot. I felt bad about it that I did all the dishes after eating.