Filipino Recipes: Ang Istorya ng Gayuma

Chef Mico Galligues share filipino recipes using ingredients known to stimulate desire. Read on as he spills his top culinary secrets.

Beyond the month of love, there’s always room for that mystic exotic potion we Filipinos know as ‘gayuma.’  Apparently, if you want to snatch someone else’s lover, or to cast a spell on your beloved, gayuma is what you need – nakakapraning! These mixtures are commonly sold around Quiapo and Baclaran. But be careful!  They are not BFAD approved and maybe harmful to your health.  So if you are not willing to risk ending up in a hospital bed, I suggest you might as well look into aphrodisiac foods instead.

According to ‘my friend’ Webster an aphrodisiac is a “food or drink that stimulates desire, derived from the name of Aphrodite (Aphrodite the Greek goddess of love, rose from the sea on an oyster and then gave birth to my best friend Eros – you know, the fashion designer/photographer?). Here is a list of common aphrodisiac foods which you might already have in your kitchen – aniseed, almond, avocado, asparagus, banana, carrots, chili peppers, basil, chocolate, coffee, oyster, ginger, garlic, cilantro, rosemary, balut (duck embryo), edible snails, oregano, saffron, thyme, caviar, tuna, salmon,  cherry, dates, strawberries, peaches, etc.

Many articles and books have been written about these ‘hot’ foods and even Dr. Margie Holmes will tell you to eat some of these foods to spice up your relationship.  Trust her, she is a clinical psychologist, and trust me I’m a chef. So, I prepared some Filipino recipes with our aphrodisiac ingredients for a unique Pinoy menu na siguradong nakaka-in love! Una siempre ang number one sa mga barako – ang  pang  malakasan nating  ‘Soup Number Five,’ then ang pambato ng mga taga Cavite, Navotas at Malabon ang ‘talaba,’ ang ‘beef trio’ na sigradong makakataba ng puso, and a sinful dessert to cap it all.

Soup Number Five

*Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 pcs onions, chopped

1 pack Tamarind Mix

2 liters water

1 whole cow’s organs

1 tbsp whole black peppercorn

1tbsp sibot similar to 5 spices

15 grams of black fungus (tengang daga)

4 pcs Chinese cabbage leaf

2 stalks of spring onion, chopped

Patis (fish sauce), to taste

Procedure: Boil the cow’s organs in water. Scrape with a knife to clean.  Discard the water.  Bring fresh water to boil, then add the meat and salt.  Simmer until tender, remove the meat from the broth and cut into cubes.  In a pan, heat oil then sauté onions and the meat, add the broth, peppercorn, sibot, and bouillon.  Bring to boil and add the tamarind mix. Season with patis. Serve hot with cabbage, black fungus, spring onion and crispy garlic.

Oyster Shooter with Tomato Salsa

*Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

20 pcs oyster

500g ripe tomatoes

3 fresh green chili, deseeded

1g garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped

1 small white onion, finely chopped

1 lime, juiced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 bunch coriander

Micro leaves for garnish

Procedure: Remove oyster out of the shells and set aside. Chop tomatoes, onion, garlic and coriander and mix together. Pour the limejuice and season with salt and pepper. Assemble the food.

(Fooding Around: Ang Istorya ng Gayuma)