Chris Urbano Acknowledges Goodness of Filipino Cuisine Through Cookbook

It is usual among Filipinos when foreigners merely appreciate their heritage, but not when one is getting used to it–putting efforts to let it be acknowledged in the whole planet.

Chris Urbano, an Australian expat in the Philippines, has seemingly been hooked on the goodness of Filipino culture, especially its distinct cuisine. This led him to create a cookbook titled “The World of Filipino Cooking: Food and Fun in the Philippines.”

Chris Urbano

With an aim to bring the style of Filipino cooking to everyone’s kitchen, the cookbook features both the classic mainstays and Urbano’s experimental takes on traditional dishes.

Plus, all recipes are made with easy-to-find ingredients and cookware you already have in your kitchen, and the detailed instructions and photographs are geared to all levels of cooking expertise.

Published by Tuttle, the cookbook is available in National Bookstore for Php 695

The Author

A businessman turned home chef, Urbano first came to the Philippines in 2007. It all started when he met his now Filipina wife Kristel Urbano in Australia, and decided to visit and live in the Philippines. He was raised with a burning passion for food and wine, making him earn Bachelor’s degrees in both Asian Studies and Economics from the Australian National University, where he graduated with High Distinction.

Staying in the Philippines, Urbano studied Tagalog and Philippine politics in Manila. But later on, he realized that “the best way to learn the Filipino language is actually through food.”

“Punta ka lang sa palengke (Just go to wet market),” he said in Tagalog. “Because in there, vendors are mostly the old generation Filipinos who insist on speaking in Filipino regardless the customer’s nationality.”

In 2013, Urbano has piloted a cooking show titled “Maputing Cooking” on YouTube, with the same mission to bring Filipino food globally.

Maputing Cooking, which means a white guy who cooks Filipino dishes, has been attracting both local and international followers. Through the channel, Chris has highlighted the modern and healthy interpretations of Filipino dishes while educating viewers.

Cookbook Tasting

During the official launch of the cookbook at the Australian Embassy Residence in Makati, Chris Urbano has shared some of his well-loved specialties and demonstrated the cooking in front of the lucky guests. Here are the presented dishes with Urbano’s recipes:

Streetside Calamares

Ingredients:

• 500-600 grams whole squid
• cleaned and cut into 1/2 inch pieces, including the tentacles,
• 2 tablespoons (40 ml) calamansi juice (if not available use regular lime juice)
• 1 tsp salt and pepper
• 1 cup (120 g) corn flour/starch
• 30 ml spiced vinegar, to serve

Procedure:

1. Place the squid, calamansi juice, salt, and pepper into a glass/non-reactive bowl. Marinate for at least 5 to 10 minutes or longer.
2. In another glass/ceramic bowl, place the corn flour and dust each piece of the squid so it is well coated and feels dry to the touch.
3. In a shallow frypan or wok, heat your oil into 350F and fry in the Calamares in batches. Do not overcrowd your pan so the squid won’t get soggy, and remove just as it turns to a golden color. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the Calamares while leaving the oil behind.
4. Place the crispy cooked squid on paper towels to absorb the excess oil, and serve with your favorite spiced vinegar. If you don’t have any on hand, you can whip up your own by steeping a few lightly crushed whole chillis, garlic, red onion, or peppercorns into a small dish of vinegar. Allow at least 15 minutes for the flavours to infuse.

Calumpit Longganisa and Black Bean Rigatoni

Ingredients:

• 250 grams Rigatoni pasta
• 10 pieces Longganisa, peeled and cut into chunks (Calumpit, or any salty/garlicky longganisa, chorizo may be substituted)
• 1 medium-sized white onion, cut thinly
• 1 large Red bell pepper, julienne
• 2 cups of water
• olive oil
• salt/pepper
• 1 cup black beans/taosi
• fresh oregano leaves
• cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup Pinot Noir (optional)

Procedure:

1. In a shallow frypan, pour 2 cups of water and boil the longganisa until it turns dark brown. Once cooked, remove the skin and strings, and cut it into little chunks.
2. In a separate frypan, heat the oil, and saute the onions and bell pepper over medium heat. Add the longganisa and the oregano leaves, and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Pour in a cup of red wine (Pinot Noir) to neutralize the longganisa’s garlicky flavour. Add in black beans, and cook for another 3 minutes. Add in the fresh oregano leaves (optional).
4. Follow it up with the tomatoes. Season it with salt and pepper.
5. Boil water on a large pot. Cook pasta accordingly for about 10 to 12 minutes or until al dente. Using a strainer, drain pasta as soon as it’s done.
6. In the same large pot, pour in the sauce with the pasta and mix well. Serve with red wine.

Present in the event was the Australian Ambassador of the Philippines, Amanda Goreley, who has the same appreciation for Filipino food as Urbano.

“I really admire how important the Filipino food is in every family and friendship. I have enjoyed some specialties in many places such as the Sisig, which is something I really love,” the ambassador shared.

Australian Ambassador to the Philippines, Her Excellency, Amanda Goreley

Bring Filipino cooking to your home kitchen with step-by-step recipes for dishes such as Chicken Adobo, Lumpiang Shanghai, Sinigang Tamarind Soup, Stir-fried Egg Noodles with Pork, and a lot more! The cookbook is available at National Bookstore for only Php 695.

To know more about Chris Urbano, visit www.maputingcooking.com and follow his official Facebook page and Instagram. You may also subscribe to Maputing Cooking’s Youtube channel to get more of well-developed Chris Urbano’s recipes.