Let’s try Pinangat, Shall We?
Jessica Imperial
Pinangat, also known as laing, is one of the finest cuisines that helps boosts the culinary industry of Albay. The delectable native dish is a well-known product of Camalig, where many travellers passing by stop and buy from several stores situated along the main highway of the town.
Although most places in the province cook this dish, tourists are being directed to Camalig if they want to taste the best Pinangat. Actually, the municipality yearly celebrates its Pinangat Festival on the 10th-24th of June, coinciding the town fiesta.
The mouth-watering dish is sold in several food establishments in Camalig including Let’s Pinangat, Dad’s Special Pinangat, and Vic Special Pinangat. Pinangat traders are of two types—those who cook themselves and those who buy from pinangat-makers and sell. It is sold either fresh or frozen, classic or spicy.
According to Rolando Nicerio, owner of Dad’s Special Pinangat, he makes Pinangat that can be enjoyed both by locals and tourists. He emphasized that cooking the dish is a meticulous craft thus he consistently ensures that is prepared tastefully and with distinctiveness. Nicerio added that the dish has been recognized to provide medical benefits since it is made up of herbs and each serving is rich in Vitamin A so many Chinese buyers patronize it.
The main ingredients of Pinangat are gabi leaves (taro) and coconut oil, but it could be added with daing (dried fish), green chili, ginger, garlic, and pepper to flavor. The leaves, along with the ingredients, are wrapped securely with coconut leaf.
People love it as the salty daing inside blends with the smoky, creamy leaves, the coconut oil creates umami tang, and the spice seems to bite their tongue. Besides daing, pinangat can be cooked with chicken, pork, or shrimps.
They say one of the best parts of travelling is tasting the local food! Be sure to come with an appetite, and go ala Bourdain by tasting Pinangat.
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