Manong's Lechon Paksiw

Your doctor may "tsk-tsk" all he – or she – wants, but nothing spells celebration more than having a lechon at the holiday table. In the Philippines, Christmas means wanton abandonment of diets, after all.

Legend has it that roast pork was accidentally invented when a naughty boy let their hut burn to ashes with their pigs trapped inside. When he smelled the cooked meat, he was tempted to touch the pigs, and tasted the crackling skin on his burnt finger. Thus, the delicacy known as roast pigs came into being, and insurance premiums have never been the same again.

That is said to be an old Chinese tale, but here, in Manila, there is a lechon brand that is also guaranteed to bring the house down. It is called Manong’s Lechon Cebu, and it can be found at the food court area of SM North EDSA.

According to young lechonero, Roland Pañares, who is actually the Manong of Manong’s, lechon Cebu has a very distinct flavor compared to other lechon that we are used to buying from the La Loma area in Manila. “They simply use salt to season their roasted pig, but in Cebu, we stuff our lechon with other spices, such as lemongrass or tanglad to give it more zing” he says.

But then, even Manong’s lechon is different from the other lechon Cebu brands, because they stuff it with a secret ingredient that gives it even more flavor. “The lemongrass simply adds aroma to the product, whereas our ingredient adds to the taste of the lechon,” he smiles.

And the lechon is tasty indeed. The meat simply melts in the mouth and lingers on the taste buds like a dream – the perfect treat to tempt the senses in the coming holidays, or even on ordinary days, when one is simply hankering for something to bring life to a simple meal at the mall.

“Speaking of temptation, one of the most unforgettable experiences I had here at the foodcourt was when we observed an elderly lady customer rush to our stall and order our lechon. She sat down at one of the corners of the eating area, and ate her food hurriedly and stood up to walk around. We were very puzzled about it, until we saw the lady’s daughter approach her and ask where she has been. The old lady replied innocently that she was just looking for a place to sit down! Apparently, the mom pulled a fast one on her daughter.” Pañares laughed.        

The price of a slice of heaven is quite reasonable. One-fourth kilo of the lechon Cebu costs about P170, while a kilo of the lechon (which we hope is intended for sharing) goes for P680. The meat is tender and tasty all the way through, so diners are sure to be happy with whatever part of the deliciously unforgettable lechon they are served.

There are other dishes at the Manong’s stall – 13 choices in fact – including a very appetizing bopis, where you taste less spice and more of the meaty goodness of the, er, innards; and an irresistible version of binagoongan that is sure to satisfy without the umay, because you get to savor the texture and taste of the meat without the overpowering salty taste of shrimp paste. Another sure winner is their rendering of the lechon paksiw, which is more akin to the Manileño hamonado. Their main kitchen man swears that their paksiw tastes better if you use their lechon to begin with because it already has all the flavors sealed in from the roasting. As with food court standards in the Philippines, Manong’s offers budget meals and food for sharing packages that go for P219 (good for two) and P830 (good for eight).

And for those who would like to spend their Christmas in the company of temptation, Manong’s offers whole lechon for delivery, starting at P3,500 for a six- to seven-kilo lechon de leche, good for a party of below 20 persons, up to a medium -sized roast pig of 24 to 26 kilos, good for a large party of 70 to 80 people. Because of the bulk of their orders, Pañares requests at least five days notice for this Pasko’s piece de resistance.

Manong’s Lechon Cebu is located at the food court of the SM North EDSA. For more information, visit www.manongstastylechon.blogspot.com or call 7032133 or 0908-3237727.

Hamonadang Lechon

Ingredients
 
1 clove garlic
3 pcs. onion
2 chicken cubes
5 teaspoon of cooking oil
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup 7UP
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1 kilo lechon
lechon sauce
 
Procedure
 
In a cooking pan, saute garlic and onions.  Pour in 1 kilo lechon and minimize heat. Add in 2 cubes, followed by water and the mixture of pineapple juice, 7UP, sugar and vinegar. Mix for 2 minutes then cover. Boil for 5 minutes then turn off fire and take off excess oil. Turn on fire and let boil for another 5 minutes then pour in lechon sauce. Let simmer for 4 minutes. Serve.