We’ve heard it all before – boy loves girl. Boy is rich (langit); girl is poor (putik). Boy’s mom is a high society monster (impyerno) who promises to ruin girl’s life if she does not leave her son alone. All too familiar? This is a classic recipe in Philippine movies. It has been used countless times already but we never get tired of watching movies with the same plot over and over again. Movie producers are able to rake in millions by making flicks like these! Not only do we love watching beautiful actors weep, scream, walk soaking wet under the pouring rain, we also get that ultimate high when there’s some bitch-slapping every 15 minutes.

In the end, the crying stops. So does the rain. It’s a bright sunny day when boy meets with girl again. The mom looks on from afar flashing her a big disarming smile – the seal of approval. Everything is OK now. Moviegoers can walk out with a glimmer of hope that one day they might just find the John Lloyd Cruz (or Tirso Cruz III, depending on the age bracket) they’ve been looking for.

The principle of opposites has been used in many ways  – yin and yang, beauty and the beast, May-December affair, naughty and nice. In cooking, the same principle can also be applied – sweet and sour, hot and cold, crunchy and smooth. The list goes on. The contrasting qualities of elements introduce an interesting vibe to the whole experience.

In this recipe, I used two ingredients with opposing characteristics – bacon and tofu. Bacon is a salty flavorful thin sheet of cured meat that is generally considered unhealthy because of its high calorie, high saturated fat content. Tofu, on the other hand, is bland but absorbs most of the flavors you mix with it. It is widely accepted as a meat substitute eaten by health buffs (think veggie meat). The combination of the two can be likened to an upscale tokwa’t baboy… which you can certainly serve to your future Mama without fear of being ostracized. Send me a note when you get her nod of approval.

Jon

Bacon-Wrapped Tofu

Ingredients:

• 100 g bacon
• 50 g silken tofu sliced into 1 x 2 x 0.5 inch blocks
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• chili flakes
• salt and pepper

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Season the tofu with salt and pepper and pan fry until both sides are brown.

Sprinkle the bacon lightly with cumin and chili flakes. Stack two blocks of tofu and wrap the bacon around it. Do this for all the remaining tofu. Fry the wraps on a pan over medium heat. Turn them when the bacon starts to caramelize.

Serve hot.

The first time I had heard of rumaki, I thought it was a Japanese dish.  To my surprise, it is actually a Hawaiian appetizer, alternatively called Bacon-Wrapped Livers. But then again, Hawaii has a lot of Japanese influence, even in food.  This appetizer is very easy to make but tasty and has an interesting contrast of the crunchy sweet bacon and the almost buttery feel of the liver.

Ingredients:

• Chicken livers
• Honeycured bacon
• Oyster sauce
• Dried rosemary
• Salt and pepper
• Party toothpicks
• Vegetable oil

Method:

1. Wash livers and pat dry.
2. Season livers with salt, pepper and chopped rosemary.
3. Halve bacon strips and brush one side lightly with oyster sauce.
4. Place liver at one end of the bacon touching the side with oyster sauce.
5. Roll bacon and secure it with toothpick.
6. Drizzle a generous amount of oil in a pan. Turn burner to medium heat.
7. Fry rolls 3-5 minutes per side,  until bacon turns crisp and caramelized around the edges.
8. Transfer to paper towels to remove excess oils.
9. Serve.

Enjoy!

Jon