Laswa, an Ilonggo Vegetable Soup with a twist

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LASWA, an Ilongo vegetable soup that is worth featuring for the nth time in this blog. 

One secret to a good laswa is to use odd number of vegetables so it can have a perfect result. So in this one, I used squash, malungay or moringa, saluyot or locally called tugabang, balagay or winged beans and okra. 

My nephew asked me what are the other names of okra as.my readers might not understand it. I said, it is mostly known as okra but Wiki suggested "English-speaking countries as ladies' fingers or ochro." So be it, but lady's finger here in the Philippines refers to a small fragrant and tasty banana that looks like its name, a lady's finger. So back to laswa, I have 5 ingredients and they all went well together. 

I used miso paste as my seasoning and it went well with the fish sauce. That is a must try inlieu of the usual dried anchovies or shrimps.

2 tomatoes
1 onion
Saluyot, 1/3 chopped and reserve the rest
Winged beans
Squash
Okra
Fish sauce and miso paste
Malungay
Reserved saluyot

Bring water to a boil together with the tomatoes and onions. Add the chopped saluyot and the rest of the solids: winged beans, squash and okra. Let boil until tender. 

Add fish sauce and adjust taste with miso soup. Simmer a bit. Add the saluyot leaves and malungay. Cover for 1 minute and remove from fire.

Serve hot and best paired with salty fish with black beans or another dish that Ilonggos love, the pinamalhan fish. 



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