Recipe #10 : the lomi substitute - Run home, lonely!

I was in grade 9, 15 years old. I won the district level impromptu speaking contest sponsored by the Rotary Club (yes you read right. Impromptu. What can I say? I was well read and well informed back in the day...back in the day). I took on at least 10 other contenders from different schools in Lucena. I was onto regionals. And because the Rotary club of Lucena was thrilled that they'd make a name through me at regionals, they sponsored my transportation to Batangas as well as lunch. And they did allow me to bring along my coach, Antonette de Villa-Jalbuena, and my mama. I was under a lot of pressure. Three guys from the Rotary Club of Lucena-South insisted on tagging along to witness my "win". My stomach churned badly. Based on my public speaking experience, stomach churning before a competition is a bad omen. It signals failure. At lunch that day, the only thing I could get down my esophagus was Lomi. It was warm and silky as it glided through my throat and it gave me a little sense of comfort. Just a little.

When I finally received my topic, kaboom! it was about the millennium bug! Of all the things I prepared for and read about, this is one area I have not touched. Then, I thought the millennium bug was actually a bug. There was no backing out. Eyes were on me. I had to speak. I spoke about the millennium and its challenges, but that was not what the judges were looking for. They were looking for a tech-y drift in my line of thought. There was none. So I lost. I lost in front of the rotary club of Lucena-South. I lost in front of my coach. I lost in front of my mom. BUt did I put up a fight? Yes I did. I went to center stage and spoke with ardor! Only, I missed the topic assigned to me.

**Lomi is usually cooked with miki noodles, shrimp, chicken and chicken liver. Since I did not use any of the above, I call this dish 'the lomi substitute'.

You'll Need:
noodles. I wasn't able to find miki in the supermarket yesterday, so I used canton in this version.
patis
toyo
garlic
onions
meat (you can use chicken, chicken liver, pork) - Im using my left-over liempo from the sinigang I made last week.
veggies - cabbage and carrots
two eggs
salt and pepper
water

How to:

• In a hot pan, saute the garlic and onion,
• add the meat, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and brown on all sides
• add a drizzle of fish sauce,
• follow with a drizzle of soy sauce (smell that? fantastic right?)
• add water

• cook covered till meat is tender.
• adjust the patis-toyo combination till desired taste is achieved.
• add the carrots. you can also add sayote. cover for two minutes.
• add the eggs. stir well until thick.

• Add the noodles. about 200 grams is fine.
• stir in low heat until your noodles are cooked.
• Add the cabbage. stir for another two minutes.

Serve.

Kain na!

Though I lost that day, Learning how to appreciate lomi was a sure winner.

I cooked this yesterday while waiting for my husband to come home. He loves this for merienda. He brought pan-de-sal from Pan de Manila when I told him what was waiting for him at the table. He ate a heartful. So did my brothers. Oh joy!

Your hot cook,

Hahan