Foot and Fire

1 small squash (about 500grams), sliced thinly into strips or french fries-sized Batter: 2 cup flour 1 cup cornstarch 2 t salt 2 eggs oil for frying  (half sesame oil and half canola oil) Mix all ingredients. Make sure the mixture is not too dry and not too watery; just enough to form a spoonful into a patty when placed in the pan for frying. Heat oil and drop a spoonful of mixture, press to for into patty. Let fry for 2 minutes on each side or until light brown. Drain oil and serve hot with ketchup or cane vinegar.

By GERLIE M. UY   12 pcs okra, halved 1 head brocolli, flowerettes separated; stem peeled and sliced 1 head cauliflower, flowerettes separated Batter: 1 cup flour 1 cup cornstarch 2 t baking soda 2 t baking powder 2 t sugar 1 t salt 2 eggs 1 1/4 cup ice water ice cubes oil for deep frying  (half sesame oil and half canola oil) Bring to boil vegetables in water and remove from fire and drain immediately and soak in iced water. drain. To make batter, mix all ingredients except ice cubes and oil. Heat oil and dip each piece of vegetable in the batter and quickly place in the oil. Fry until vegetable floats in oil and the batter is lightly browned. Remove from oil and drain. Repeat procedure until all vegetables are done. Add ice cubes to keep batter cold. Serve hot with sauce of choice. Sauce of choice: 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup ketchup 1 T garlic powder Mix and blend. Serve as dip for tempura. OR 1/2 cup ketchup 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup sugar Mix and blend. Serve as dip for tempura

 By GERLIE M. UY Ingredients: 1 head squash (2 kilos), peeled, cut and cubed 1 pc. Durian, unripe, remove from seed 1 kilo brown sugar 1/2 kilo mascuvado sugar 2 T sesame seeds 1 T vanilla 2 T cornstarch dissolved in 2 T water Put all cubed squash in a pot and add water in half the volume of the squash and bring to boil. Drain the squash and return the water to the pot. In the pot, dissolve the sugar and stir occasionally. Bring to boil. Meanwhile, mash the cooked squash with laddle and blender the unripe durian (if ripe is used, mashing will suffice). Add squash and durian to the boiling water-sugar mixture until well blended.  Add sesame seeds and vanilla. Slow-cook until mixture lose water. To thicken, add the cornstarch dissolved in water and bring to boil.  Place in glass container.  Serve as dessert as is or as sandwich spread for sliced bread.

                                                Canlaon City, Negros Oriental is having their market day every Sunday. Supermarket vegetables are found here from carrots to cabbages, cucumber and cauliflower. Bring sacks and buy in bulk inorder to get big discount. All veges are freshly picked. In the midtown, the city market is slow and laidback but in the upland, everybody is busy packing and repacking vegetables of all kinds. There are gingers and peppers too. We didn't have much time so I think I have to get back to this city and explore its other spots. According to the locals, there is a high place called Juesca (not sure spelling) where there is Vermi-culture (growing of worms) and roses are grown, a kilometer away from the city.  The Kanlaon Mountain Park is quite away but it could be one good nature trek experience next time when I get back. *** *** ***

By GERLIE M. UY Ingredients: 1 T butter 1 T olive oil 12 pcs. baby potatoes, unpeeled and cut into quarter size 3 pcs. medium carrots, sliced 1 T dried basil leaves or italian seasoning 1 t pepper a pinch of salt 1 head of cauliflower, floweretes separated 1 head of broccoli, flowerets separated and stem peeled and sliced  3 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped 1 onion, sliced 250 g chicken liver and heart, sliced 2 cups warm water 1 chicken broth cube  2-4 T soy sauce 1 T corn starch In a pot, bring water with cauliflower and broccoli to boil. Remove from fire at first boil, and drain veges. Set aside.  In a wok, heat oil and butter. Add the unpeeled baby potatoes, cover and stir from time to time. Add salt, pepper and basil. Continue stirring from time to time until potatoes are tender. Remove and set aside potatoes. In the leftover oil, place the carrots and add herbs; stir-fry until done. Set aside. Dissolve 1 chicken broth cube in two cups warm water and mix in soy sauce and corns