**A Whole New Filipino Gisa with Native Ingredients**

Viv Yumul

Not a single ulam started without the rapid sounds of pounding, followed by the masterful chopping of aromatics in my lola's Kapampangan kitchen: Shuk, shuk, shuk, and the finely sliced onions and garlic would slide down from the blade into the wok, like a reflex. Each time I've asked how to cook just about any local dish, her instructions would almost always begin with "i-gisa mo…”. This technique of sauteing vegetables and herbs before adding meat, is the opening act in the process of making Spanish guisado. The root, "guisa” or “gisa", was then adopted as the term, and the method applied as a base to wherever it made sense, forming a culinary habit, that is a confluence of native flavors, sofrito(Spanish) and Chinese stir-fry methods.

There are no precise measurements, you just wing it. The beauty is in the goldening of garlic, turning onions translucent as they caramelize, and the epic release of their pungent aroma when they combine. The practice, on the surface, serves to seal the flavors in, while in the inner workings, the process breaks down toxins and enzymes, useful for meat-heavy dishes. Adding to the garlic-onion combo, Filipino kitchens commonly play around with fruits like tomatoes and chili peppers; Spices such as ginger, bay leaf, annatto seeds, star anise, among others, are also on the shelf. As a new generation of cooks succeed the old, a whole new mindset has sprouted, where an intuitive desire attempts to reclaim pre-colonial knowledge of what grows wild, in the immediate environment. Through the wonderful Lokalpediaph visual archive of heirloom and artisanal food, John Sherwin Felix walks us through unsung gisa ingredients, potentially expanding the horizons of flavor & aroma.

Luyang Pula

Yes, there is red ginger! Felix could not believe his eyes when he found the beautiful rhizome. Thanks to the lola at the market who he overheard asking around for it. "... luyang pula is definitely a great alternative to common ginger. I encountered several Bicolanos who actually prefer luyang pula over the usual ginger. They said it is more malasa(flavorful)", Felix shares. "It is memorable because we used it in cooking sinarapan na niluto sa abab. It is a traditional dish made from Sinarapan, the smallest edible fish in the world, cooked in a coconut shell." he adds.

Langkawas (Galangal)

Unlike the common ginger, Langkawas has a harder texture; It is smaller, but boasts a different kind of aroma and spicier flavor. Local folks sauté it, especially for Bicolano dishes. Felix, on the other hand, prefers to simply drop it into a soup, for the spice that fuses well with sinigang na hipon. Many also go for concocting chunks of langkawas combined with other spices in coconut vinegar (sinamak). Slicing it finely for bagoong, which Visayans also do, tells us that we can definitely use it for gisa for the purpose of neutralizing the funk of seafood.

Native garlic

This tiny, pungent garlic that comes in small bunches, could very well take the place of the usual Ilocos white, if one seeks out depth of flavor. Although many find themselves reluctant to have it in the kitchen, as it is quite a challenge to peel due to its size, soaking it in water helps make the process easier, eliminating the need to smash the cloves. It takes a little bit of work, but adding a few pieces to a dish introduces big, big flavors.

Lasona

Diverging from the common bulb onion, Lasona is usually eaten fresh by Ilokanos in a trio of "K-B-L": Kamatis, bagoong and Lasona. (Felix, 2022) But of course, it could be stir-fried. "[It] tastes like regular onions but milder flavor, less cutting on the tongue. Best used in dishes if you don't want the stronger and sharper flavor of onions. Flavorful but not overpowering", Felix comments.

Sakurab

If you're looking for a more intense variety of shallots or scallions, Felix suggests these lovely wild leeks can take you there. "Sakurab is the key or base ingredient for palapa, a condiment of the Maranao people. Palapa can be added to dishes such as Piaparan", he explains.

Siling Labuyo

"Siling labuyo is a wild type of chili. Labuyo means escaped from domestication or growing wild. People always believe (even me at first) that siling labuyo is spicier than the imported cultivars. However, that's not always the case. Since it's wild type of chili, the spiciness and even the form varies greatly. I tasted some labuyo that has super mild spiciness. On the other hand, there are super spicy labuyo that a single piece is enough to spice a condiment." Felix expounds.

Even Filipino mainstream media tend to confuse siling labuyo with Taiwan chillies, a prevalent variety on the market. Felix advocates knowing the difference through a post on his page, since when we correct misinformation, we preserve our heritage.

The initiative to know one's food, and the community behind it, was enhanced on a collective level by the pandemic that dismantled the hectic, consumerist living most especially in the city. People slowed down, and paid attention. The Lokalpediaph visual archive itself was brought forth by the meditative practice of Felix during the lockdown, starting with a local market in Occidental Mindoro. In his experience, there's an undeniable excitement that genuine curiosity brings to the market vendors. With these native ingredients, it's a delightful idea to revamp our beloved gisa. Beyond that, turning back to our roots compels us to realize how the knowledge of heirloom and native ingredients can fade in the background of mass production, as well as foreign influences of taste.

John Sherwin Felix undertakes a long-term project to create the largest archive of our shared food heritage. He dreams that one day, Philippines designs a more nationalistic food system. To support this essential effort, you may inquire through his Instagram pages, @lokalpediaph & @bananaleafkitchen, or via email, johnsherwinfelix@gmail.com