FOR tourists, a tourist destination is not only identified by beautiful places and festivals. Food makes the destination. Food unmakes the destination. All tourists eat food because they have seen how the natives enjoy their food.
In West Africa, tourists eat “fufu” because the indigenes eat them. It is a thick dough-like food made by boiling and pounding a starchy vegetable such as yam, plantain, or cassava. Koreans are proud of their grilled “bulgogi.” It is made from sliced beef that has been marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, sugar, and other ingredients.
When I was in Japan, my host-family motivated me to eat “umami.” It has a taste sensation produced by the presence of glutamates and nucleotides and associated with meats and other high-protein foods. It is sometimes considered to be a fifth basic taste along with the taste sweet, sour, salty, and bitter.
People in different countries are always proud of their food. Any food is not just something to eat. It speaks of our culture, of our ancestry, of our pride and of our identity. Negros Occidental and Bacolod City are always proud of their “chicken inasal.” Any part of the chicken could be made into “chicken inasal”. (I have discussed it already in this column.)
“Chicken inasal” is best because of its taste and aroma. It goes well with plain rice, garlic rice or any cooked rice, if added with chicken sauce. It is also the best “polutan” for a group drinking beer or rum. Just like human beings, the best parts are always the legs or breasts. Some take specific parts for good luck (or for variety of reasons).
“Chicken inasal” is also a symbol. The “asalan” (bamboo stick) symbolizes the “Negrosanons.” We are not just pliant like the bamboo but we are also survivors like the bamboo. The bamboo belongs to the grass family. Grasses can just grow anywhere. “Negrosanons” have tasted the best when our sugar industry was at its peak. We have degusted bitterness when the industry was down. Like the bamboo, we always try to be in best shape.
The best in us (now) is like “chicken inasal.” A chicken can be cooked as “tinola” or “adobo” and it still tastes best. The chicken has commitment to lay eggs for the owner. The chicken can be sold at the market so that the owner may have money to pay the tuition fee of his son, or buy several kilos of rice to feed his family. That could be the obligation of the chicken.
We (eaters) believe that the chicken can have its double commitment and dedication if it is made into a chicken inasal. “Chicken inasal” is a slow food. (That is why Negros is famous for this.) We only marinate a newly-butchered chicken. The prime cuts are marinated with “tuba” as early as 8 a.m. as soon as the “tuba” gatherer (mananggiti) finished his ritual (patik-baghot-salud). I call it “strike-cut-catch.”
The other ingredients are calamansi juice, sliced ginger, lemon grass, soy sauce, pepper, salt, MSG (as needed) and a bit of muscovado sugar (original not fake). My mother said, “Sweet tuba” is best because it gives the “manamis-tamis” flavor. Vinegar hardens the meat.” (I know that others are using light vinegar in the absence of tuba.)
Raising chicken is a livelihood in Negros. Negrosanons are like chicken. We have dreams. We want to fly to reach our dreams. We have dedication like the “chicken inasal” and the passion to become achievers. After eating “chicken inasal,” we play with the wish bone. We pray that our wish will come true.
We eat “chicken inasal” in a country within the city and that is “Manokan Country.” To sell “Manokan Country” to an investor is not up to the chicken. Manokan Country is a landmark. Are we selling it, improving it, or we do both? Can the city government improve it using city hall resources? I don’t have the answer.
The name “Manokan Country” should stay. It has to be improved as a country. The people of that country should decide what is best for the country. The country can only exist if the people in that country have the will to survive.