These past few weeks my country was struck by typhoons which gave bad weather throughout the week. The cool breeze of the season blended with the cold winds and rain, and what's perfect about this freezing moment was a hot soup or anything hot. Makes me think of one of the most perfect foods to be eaten during bad weather.
We can't hide the fact that there's something special in every country, and each place in the country has its specialties. In Japan, they are known for their Ramen, in Thailand, they have their very own popular soup, Tom Yum. Here in the Philippines, our country was known for its beautiful landscape, beaches, cheerful people, and most especially with its unique delightful dishes. And one of the most well-known food to try here was the Lapaz Batchoy.
Have you tasted or heard about this dish before?
If you're not a Filipino, probably you don't have any idea about this as it was new for you. Let me introduce to you this savory dish, a dish that was known in my city, Iloilo. To be honest this marks as an Ilonggos pride because this dish was originally from Iloilo. And this dish was something Ilonggos are being proud of. This dish was originated from La Paz Iloilo, that's why it gained its name Lapaz Batchoy.
So what exactly is this dish?
Let's take a virtual savory of Iloilo's Lapaz Batchoy!
Batchoy is a noodle soup dish composed of sliced pork, pork organs or innards, crushed pork cracklings, and Miki noodles. It was closely similar to beef Mami, beef pares, and bulalo. These dishes are more delicious and perfectly match during rainy days. As an Ilongga, I love and enjoy this dish very much, it is best consumed hot and you can add some black peppers and soy sauce to get the exact hotness and salty taste that you want. But it doesn't taste salty after all, the soup has its own distinctive sweet and salty taste. There's a popular company of instant noodles here in the Philippines which added Lapaz Batchoy as their product of instant goods. And I can say that the taste of the instant cup noodles is far different from the original taste of the dish.
The Origin of Lapaz Batchoy
And my curiosity wanted to know if who is that man invented this delicious dish that is being loved up until now. Through thorough research, I found these answers to my query. These are some documented accounts about its history.
1. In the year 1938, a man named Federico Guillergan was known for inventing Lapaz Batchoy at the La Paz market. Originally, his recipe was made up of noodles, a mixture of beef and pork broth. But as years passes by, the dish keeps evolving until it reaches its present looks. Then it became the famous Ilonggo dish in Iloilo City. His son Federico Guillergan Jr. said that his father first called his dish was “Bats”, then he added “Choy” which came from “chop suey”, a vegetable dish.
2. Another story tells a man named Teodorico Lepura opened his first Batchoy shop, managed by his children, himself, and his wife at La Paz market in 1945. They sold their batchoy for 20 centavos per order way back then. When he was a teenager before, Teodorico worked as a Chinese merchant and there he learned making the basic La Paz Batchoy. And because he loves the taste of the dish, he made his version of the dish, which made his business successful.
3. Some other versions of its origin was, it came from a Chinese Community in La Paz. Where in some Ilonggos or Filipinos love to eat this dish with spoon and fork while others prefer to use chopsticks in eating this dish.
If you're curious about how this delicious and savory dish is cooked, here's the recipe.
Ingredients:
1 kl pork/beef bones
1/2 kl pork meat
1/2 kg of pork liver
1/2 kg pork intestines/ innards
1/2 kg Miki noddles
onions
garlic (raw and roasted)
green onions
1 tbsp. soy sauce
shrimp paste (bagoong), this is optional
salt
pepper
chicharon
water
Process:
1. In a pot, combine the pork bones, meat, liver, and intestines/innards.
2. Pour a good amount of water. Or until it covers everything.
3. Put in the chopped onions, garlic, green onions, soy sauce, shrimp paste, salt, and pepper.
4. Cover and let it boil for about 20 minutes.
5. Remove the pork meat, liver, and intestines. Keep the soup boiling in low fire.
6. Let cool before slicing. Cut them into serving sizes.
7. In a bowl, prepare the Miki noodles
8. Put all the toppings, adding roasted garlic and green onions.
9. Pour in the hot soup.
10. Finish up with some pork chicharon flakes.
Ready and Serve!
* recipe from Delish PH
If you're planning to visit my city, Iloilo City your visit isn't complete if you won't taste this “tatak Ilonggo” dish. And to be honest, this food is very popular not only here in Iloilo but all over from the other regions of the country. There's a lot of restaurants serving this savory Batchoy as their main dish. You can see these food chains inside or outside the malls. Here comes Ted's Old Timer Lapaz Batchoy, Netong's Original Special Lapaz Batchoy, Deco’s Original La Paz Batchoy, and many more to mention. There are also several cafeterias serving this dish throughout Iloilo City and Province. In fact in front of us was a newly built Batchoyan, named Lola Susa's Special Batchoy. It makes craving batchoy easy to fulfill.
When you try to dine and try to order a batchoy in any restaurant, there's a menu where you can choose your dish specialty. There are various noodles that you wanted to be in your batchoy, there's the original Miki, Miswa, bihon to be chosen. And you can choose if what dish would you prefer there's an original, special, an extra special, extra special or super special. The prices vary on what specialty you have chosen. And of course, special batchoy up to the super special has their marks why they are called in that way. There's an extra egg, crushed pork cracklings, etc.
I saw these foreign bloggers who tried Batchoy in one of their blogs. If you want to see their comments and reactions about Batchoy you can watch the video below.
No doubt that batchoy is one of the most popular dishes here in Iloilo, and it has a mark and proudly an Ilonggo's pride.
So if you're planning to visit here, you should taste this one of a kind dish to testify why it's very loved and liked by most Filipinos.
@eommaZel ✍🏻🥀
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The Philippines isn't my country , but I really see what makes it beautiful in your article. I wish to taste the dish you mentioned Lapaz Batchoy ? what makes your writing more attractive that you give a detailed info about the origin of it. you have an amazing culture. They don't teach that even in history class beautiful . also when I read about ingredients and steps of preparation i say " wow!"I think i need to have some plans to taste other dish you call " tatak Ilonggo" I understand that it is the popular language in all philipines . You are fully elaborating the topic Thank youfor sharing darling so amazing !