To be honest, I'm not a good cook! but I believe I'm a good eater of any sort that is edible! hahaha! But of course, I'm not saying I can eat all things! There are foods I don't really like to eat at all... one food I really don't like to eat... is Cheesa! Well, that's more of a fruit though...
Anyway, one favourite food of the Igorots or High-landers (I believe), is the Pinikpikan... Though there are different ways of which people cook "Pinikipikan".. And yes, I really do like Pinikpikan too! I often like foods or menus with "sabaw" (soup or meat broths)...
Of course Pinikpikan may not be the number one favorite food of the Igorots, its just probably the very cheap and/or easy to cook kind of food most igorots love to eat especially on occasions. Some may have favourites as simple as "Dog meat"! Yes! We Igorots are known of that... Sadly, times have changed and that even laws continue to destroy our culture with regards to this. I really don't get this... how that people's mind have changed and don't even mind if they attack other's culture or beliefs... Of course we respect others belief, but can't they respect ours as well? Well, people would probably think of us as savage or uneducated or whatever just by simply eating dog meat... but aren't they too eating an animal meat? sure it's not a dog, but it's an animal as well... Surprisingly some people even level animals to human beings.. giving more importance in the lives of animals more than the lives of men. Well, I hope I'm not taken in the wrong side or even think I'm a sadist or having no feelings at all, but I hope they would see also other's perspectives... and not just stick to their own perspective.. cause that's plain selfishness and not thinking or respecting other's opinions, culture and/or belief. By the way, I've never heard of people dying just by eating dog meat. But that's not my topic, let's go back to Pinikpikan!
I'f I'm right, Pinikpikan maybe compared to that of Tinola of the low-landers... Not sure where Tinola originated, whether it's of the Ilokano's or Tagalog's.... but still it's of the Philippines as well... but their differences are? of course, the ingredients... But one that really defines or differentiates Pinikpikan, is that ALIVE Chicken are battered first in their wings, body, muscle, etc... (not exactly sure why though, but I believe, so that the blood will stay within their blood vessels making a blood clot or something...) That's probably one reason why we call it pinikpikan, like from the *pick!* *pick!* sound... of course the chicken dies after... (and that's why "killing me softly" often reminds us of pinikpikan or vice versa)..... anyway, after doing so, the process begins of cooking.... some folks soak the chicken with a hot water to release the grip of the skin with their feather.... then the feathers are removed.... Some directly place the chicken into fire to burn the feathers until all feathers are gone... even the small ones (but some prefer it to leave it that way).
After that, we usually wash it first to remove the extra burnt out feathers (as I have said, others prefer not to wash it). Then, chopping the chicken and dissecting, removing some inedible and un-likable parts. After that, the chicken is placed in a cooking pot with water and salt as well, to be boiled until the chicken is cooked. Salt should also be added in accordance to the desired taste of the chicken or pinikpikan. Crushed ginger could also be included after or I mean before it could boil. Usually, pinikpikan could end in there until the chicken is cooked but, other ingredients can be included, like onions for better taste... and vegetables could be added soon 5-10 minutes before the chicken is cooked or is already soft. Vegetables or any extra additional ingredients could range to "Sayote", "petchay", beans, etc... as long as the chicken have gone through the process of being battered or hit (not strongly) can be called pinikpikan... of course, the taste should be good.. or else it will be useless to eat it... =D
So that's what I know of the Pinikpikan of the Cordillerans... Though, I may have left out things... since I said, I'm not a good cook! but a good eater =D!
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