THE Covid-19 battle of the decade may still be raging by the time this column passes the checkpoint.
Covid-19 is a powerful virus, a Goliath among the army of diseases. Even then, people still hope before the year ends, a genius in the pharmaceutical industry will find the stone that will slay this bully.
Meanwhile, many families like mine have to live with ECQ (enhanced community quarantine), coping with cramped spaces and budget limited resources.
Helping the family cope is my niece Ellen. She has been a sunshine in the kitchen with her delightful cooking experiments using our spare rice cooker.
“I realized I’m becoming like you, Uncle Oh. You play with recipes and often go where your tastebuds lead you.”
“I call that maverick cooking.” And with that, here are some of Ellen’s ideas.
Fish Patties. The rice cooker ideas are helpful especially to room renters who have no stoves. To make fish patties, debone day-old inun-unan. Mix with beaten egg, minced green onions and salt. Heat cooker, then add oil. Measure two tablespoons of fish mixture. Fry until golden brown or steam in a cupcake tray.
Napa Rolls. Blanch napa cabbage leaves (Chinese pechay). Mix ground pork (or corned beef) with beaten egg, grated carrot, minced green onions, white pepper and salt. Fill cabbage leaf with pork mixture, rolling as you would making spring rolls. Steam three at a time in a saucer while your rice cooks.
Soup ‘n Stew. Use the rice cooker to make all kinds of soups and stews including utan Bisaya and inun-unan.
ECQ has found a new meaning: Easy cooking quests. It makes life still feel normal and taste delicious in the time of Covid-19.