Hopia in a whole new light

-
Hopia in a whole new light

By GERLIE M. UY

 I am no fan of breads. I am no fun of hopia, to be specific. I just buy hopia in die shape when I am tired of sandwiches and biscuits. Since I skip pork hopia, I get to pick mongo hopia.

But last April, I ate hopia in a whole new light. Savor is the word, actually. The hopia I knew is stocky and dry in the inside and just a fine as any other breads to me. But this particular hopia I tasted is soft in the outside, a thinnest layer of flour kneaded in oil. It blends with the inside when I dipped my teeth into it.

When I get in the inside, it is soft and not chewy but I can feel the mashed ube and beans (as the label says it contains) touch the palate. Not only that it contains real ube; they also come in many flavor, singly and in combination --  Mongo,  Red Mongo, Ube, Buko Pandan,  Ube-Pastillas, Ube-Queso, and Ube-Langka. There is also this Mochipia, a hopia with glutinous rice like tikoy inside, in Macapuno flavor. There some lite version, must be low in sugar content, I was told. As for the hopia-baboy with winter melon, I leave it to you to try...

Each colorful pack contains four round hopia and price ranges from P34 to P42. This hopia is exported to USA, Guam, hawaii, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Alaska, Hongkong and Europe as indicated in their colorful box. This was also awarded Superbrands-Philippines in 2007/2008.

This hopia-mania is thanks to my thoughtful cousin who first sent me a box in April and now two more today.... And oh, this hopia is by Eng Bee Tin Chinese Deli.


For interesting peek at the eng bee tin hopia story, here's link to their website:

 http://www.engbeetin.com/www/about_us.htm







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Do you still remember how Sarali or Sirali taste?

-
Image
This "Sarali" is a childhood fruit for everyone who grew up in the Visayan area of the Philippines. Also known as  Flacourtia jangomas or Indian Plum or coffee plum, Sarali is best enjoyed by pressing one fruit between one's palm, move it in circular motion until tender, and pop the soft flesh quickly in one's mouth save the seeds. Just like apple, this fruit oxidizes quickly and thus, gets dark brown easily. It can give one's teeth a nasty brown shade. Sour with a hint of sweet, this is a must-try fruit. I believe, the fruit has an economic value just like sarguellas and lanzones. *** *** *** ***  Related readings:  Possible Treatment of Diabetes http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2959214/ Anti bacterial property:  http://www.ijplsjournal.com/issues%20PDF%20files/july2011/1.pdf
Read more

TIKUM KADLUM (The Enchanted Dog, The First of the Ten Epics of Panay Bukidnon)

-
Image
At the house. One day, Bulawanon engaged the help of Tikum Kadlum, a hunting dog with the gift of sensing the spirits, in cooking rice for his husband Paiburong and his brother Dumaraog who will be going hunting. When the rice was cooked, the brothers ate fast. Then, while Bulawanon packed the betel nut for her husband, Paiburong and Dumaraog dressed themselves, with Dumaraog suggesting they match their sashes and belts, since he is his brother's loyal protector. To complete their hunting preparations, the two brought out their long-bladed sharp knives, shields, spears, and lances from their gold chest and wall hanger. When everything is set, Paiburong bade goodbye to his wife, Bulawanon, who reminded her husband to be careful as he might meet in the forest one named Makabagting, who is accompanied by a man-eating woman called Muwa. Makabagting is a nobleman and a warrior who is widely known as having tasted human flesh. Paiburong went out of his house, and he heard a sound. It
Read more

Linabog nga Bisaya nga Manok

-
Image
When I searched for Linabog in th web, I can see entries on Linabog but using a different souring agent and usually the fish called "pagi" is used. Also, they attribute Linabog to the Cebuanos and there is one video which explained that the word means "throw away" because the parts used in the dish are parts which are usually to be thrown away, like the bony "pagi." Meanwhile, there is also a "kinunot" way of cooking which means "hinimay" or flaked for the Luzon. The name was also coined for leftover parts of fish or chicken. In Hiligaynon, the word "labog" means forcefully thrown away.  This surprised me because when I was small, I heard from my father and his friends about this linabog and they used the leaves of labog plant. So I grew up having some idea of what linabog cooking means and definitely, the Cebuanos' definition of Linabog dish is far from my Ilonggo definition. And yes, Ilonggos
Read more