Since the time we moved-out from my in-laws, I am the one who buys our food for dinner and pack lunch. I must admit, I have limited knowledge on cooking dishes. My first week touring the market was really hard. I can't decide on what main dishes to cook even though the market offers a lot. Despite this, going to market is an adventure to me. I discover something new. Some of the things that I recently learned are:
1. If you avail of coconut grating, some stalls offer mechanical extraction of milk. It is free of charge. They will separate the first and second extracts of the coconut milk.
2. Munoz and Frisco markets, which are the nearest from my workplace, do not offer burong kanin or fermented rice with fish. Actually, they are not familiar with this. I was craving to dip the boiled eggplants to this pa naman.
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| Burong kanin |
3. Not every vegetable seller has miso paste. It is only available to stores with refrigeration to avoid spoilage.
| Miso paste added to sinigang |
4. Most of the tilapias and milk fish that are sold in these markets are supplied from Batangas. I just noticed that these tilapias have darker colors than the one sold in Calumpit.
5. Fish vendors would be happy to help you on what recipe to do on an unfamiliar fish. They just did when I bought a talakitok. They say it is best served if it is cooked in sinigang or paksiw.
6. My No.05 is so true to vegetable vendors as well. I asked for the vegetable ingredients of sinigang, chopsuey or pakbet and they enumerate all.
7. Being in the market will definitely improve your haggling skills.
How about you? What is your recent discovery in your marketplace?




I like the mechanical extractor of coconut milk! I just recently also visited our ZC Public market and I found lots of new things from them, too!
ReplyDeleteWow! There's a Mechanical coconut milk extractor already? I remember the old ones, ang ingay sa palengke hahaha!
ReplyDeletei think i need to start learning about this things.. hehehe XD
ReplyDeleteUy, may mechanical extractor pala? I didn't know that! We like coconut milk pa naman, so sana may ganyan din dito!
ReplyDeleteI just saw the extractor here in bulacan since parang wala nito sa province. Speaking of buro, sarap nito sa nilagang talong or talbos ng kamote. With regards to tilapia, usually the dark ones are from Batangas.
ReplyDeleteOne tip, try to make one week menu list so the next time you went to market, you already know your targets. This will save you time.
I love going to the market here in SG kasi walking distance lang to my place. As in I just need to go down the stairs and walk a few blocks. Super convenient and it doesnt stink like some of the wet market in Manila.=)
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried Miso paste..hehehehe... and also burong kanin,,Rosemarie/Gven-Rose
ReplyDeleteBuro is sold here in Pampanga and was very familiar. I even bought one for my teacher before and give it to her in Manila. :)
ReplyDeleteActually, hindi din masyado namamalengke. Si Allan ang madalas pumunta kasi minsan nagtatalo lang kami kung ano bibilhin. Hehe. Sya kasi kung anu ano gusto lutuin :)
ReplyDeleteMommy Maye2
I don't know most of the ingredients you mentioned sis. Burong kanin is new to me. hihihi.... I go to the market once every 2 weeks lang. I tend to buy the same veggies and fish over and over...hahaha! Anubayan!hihihi...
ReplyDeletethis one has two plates that will press the grated coconut. so it is not maingay.
ReplyDeletein the market, there are various models, which I think some are just fabricated. Maybe they should have this one too.
ReplyDeletekaya namiss ko ang buro. buti na lang meron nito sa Sta. Rita.
ReplyDeleteSame here, walking distance lang ang Frisco. But if I'm tired, I usually go to Muñ0z Market.
ReplyDeleteI think not all know buro. Even some of my officemates don't know them.
ReplyDeleteAng hirap mamalengke. kasi maraming ayaw kainin ang asawa ko.
ReplyDeleteSame here din naman sis. I usually buy same veggies. Pero sometimes, I experiment like asking the seller what recipe should I do for that kind of fish
ReplyDeleteI admire you for being so observant. You've noticed a lot of things in the market. Me kasi, I rush with everything as I don't want to stay in the market too long. hihi
ReplyDeletei don't eat buro haha
ReplyDeletein out wet market it has coco extractor din, galing ano? di na tayo nahihirapan magpiga
Mukhang marami ngang matututunan sa pamamalengke. I haven't been to the market in a loooooooong time. Hindi kasi ako nagluluto kaya di din namamalengke. But I should. When I was a kid natutuwa pa akong sumama sa dad ko sa palengke. hehe
ReplyDeleteI love being in a palengke.I miss it. Just go to a vegetable stall and they will know just what you need. My favorite part is buying puto at the end of pamamalengke!
ReplyDeletespeaking of puto, I do buy some during Sundays for our merienda.
ReplyDeleteOh, not proud to say this, but I haven't gone to the market for years! :( I just do the grocery and have left the marketing to my househelper. But you are right, you learn a lot of things in the market. :)
ReplyDeleteMe, too, I don't usually go to the market, but our market here in Baguio has the freshest veggies (although I have a suki, a religious org run by nuns which has a store at the Baguio Cathedral, where I get organic veggies
ReplyDelete