Saba

Saba is a native banana variety used mainly for cooking. It is also knows as banana musa. It is the only variety of banana I know of that cannot be eaten without first being cooked.

We call it nilagang saba, the most basic way to cook it, by boiling or steaming them with skin on. The raw saba can be sliced and cooked with a few ingredients to make Ginataang Halo-halo, another Filipino favorite. And a popular snack, banana in skewers, the banana cues. And there is also the banana turon, which is deep fried in lumpia wrapper. As an ingredient in main dishes, saba can be fried first before adding to Pochero, Arroz ala Cubana and one of my featured dish, Saba and Okra Medley.

Health benefits of bananas? From a health-ful site, a single banana contains 16% of the dietary fiber, 15% of the vitamin C, 11% of the potassium and 20% of the vitamin B6 recommended each day.

Alugbati

I have even 'yahood' the name, but all I was able to get was the scientific name - Basella alba Linn.

Alugbati is commonly used in stews, which makes a good substitute for spinach. It is said to be an excellent source of calcium and iron and that it has the high roughage value characteristic of leafy vegetables. It is also a good source of vitamin A and an excellent one of vitamins B and C.

It is a native vegetable, for I have grown to see it anywhere in the backyard. Oh, that was back in the province. One can just insert a stalk in a pot of soil, water it regularly and you can have a healthy stew in about a few weeks. Though most people don't like the 'glutinous' nature of this leafy vegetable, it tastes better when you learn to eat it, and smells good too.

Tomato

"Kamatis", as what it is called in the Philippines, is a herbaceous, usually sprawling plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family. I have read a little history of this round, plump vegetable about how the Spanish distributed the tomato throughout their colonies in the Caribbean, after the Spanish colonization of the Americas. They also took it to the Philippines, whence it moved to southeast Asia and then the entire Asian continent. Reason why we always see tomato plants sprawling just about anywhere - in our backyard, the plant box and even on vacant lots, growing with other plants and grass.

Whether it's eaten raw or cooked, tomatoes are now eaten freely throughout the world, and their consumption is believed to benefit the heart among other things. Taken from Wikipedia, "Lycopene, one of nature's most powerful antioxidants, is present in tomatoes, and, especially when tomatoes are cooked, has been found beneficial in preventing prostate cancer. However, other research contradicts this claim. Tomato extract branded as Lycomato is now also being promoted for treatment of high blood pressure. Though it is botanically a berry, a subset of fruit, the tomato is nutritionally categorized as a vegetable. Since "vegetable" is not a botanical term, there is no contradiction in a plant part being a fruit botanically while still being considered a vegetable."

Cubed fresh tomatoes is ideal as partner for grilled dips and mostly salads. Also goes well with almost anything with soup. The dried variety also is a great ingredient for pasta dishes.

Garlic

Garlic, called "bawang" or "ajos" in the Philippines, is known for both its culinary and medicinal purposes. It has a characteristic pungent, spicy flavor that mellows and sweetens considerably with cooking. It is a fundamental component not just in Philippine and Asian cuisines but also in the other parts of the world. We often pair it with onion and tomatoes, a good pair for sautee.
Garlic is claimed to help prevent heart disease including atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and cancer. Garlic is also alleged to help regulate blood sugar levels. Oh, I remember my grandmother eating a whole bunch of this pungent spice, that is why.

With mortar and pestle, one can crush it into pieces. But what I usually do is first separate it into cloves, cut the harder tip and peel the skin. I then slice it into preferred size. Easy.

Ginger

"Luya" or "luy-a", a fragrant spice of a root crop family, has been used as a medicine in Asian, Indian and Arabic herbal traditions since ancient times. Ginger contains up to 3% of an essential oil that causes the fragrance of the spice. "Salabat", the Filipino version of the powdered ginger tea is said to be a good help to common cough and colds, and a relief to hoarseness. In addition to its medicinal uses, ginger continues to be valued around the world as an important cooking spice and is believed to help the common cold, flu-like symptoms, headaches, and even painful menstrual periods.

You can just wash the ginger in cold water before using it without even peeling it, especially if you are just gonna need a minimal ginger flavor. You can crush it, add it to the concoction and can just remove it after about 2-3 minutes. But if you are using it together with the dish, here is one tip that you can use. It's fairly hard to peel a ginger, admit it. What you can do is just to slowly slide the knife on its skin, not to "really" peel it. A peeler can come in handy but you might find it a little hard to do the curves. So just slide the knife from top to tip putting a little pressure, then just slice it to your preferred size. One can crush it for a more fragrant and spicy taste.

String Beans

"Sitaw" as what we fondly call it, is a long string of beans, that is where it derived its name "string beans". An excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese. Plus green beans are very good source of vitamin A (notably through their concentration of carotenoids including beta-carotene), dietary fiber, potassium, folate, and iron. Sitaw mixes well with almost any vegetable. It goes well with squash and malunggay leaves, with coconut milk as its base. One famous dish is the Adobo, a soy sauce-vinegar concoction.

To prepare string beans, wash it first with running water. Remove the tips and just using your hand, bend it till it snaps. If you notice a string clinging to its end, just slide it off until it is removed. Others prefer just using the beans alone, so you can just open the slit and remove the beans inside.

Potato

"Patatas" is the world's most widely grown tuber crop, and the fourth largest food crop in terms of fresh produce — after rice, wheat, and corn. Known for its carbohydrate content, potato is a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. We simply love french fries, mashed and baked potatoes. It also mixes well with casseroles, soups and even just a simple side dish on any cuisine.

The easiest way to peel it is with the use of your ever-handy peeler. Or the harder way, peel it manually with the knife, just be careful not to slip it on your hand. Before cooking, you may soak peeled potatoes in a bowl of cold water, to avoid discoloration.

Carrot

Carrots, also known as the same in the Philippines, is a good source of vitamin A, for good eyesight. It can be eaten in a variety of ways, raw or cooked. It can be fried or steamed, cooked with soups and stews, as well as baby and pet food. I remember preparing carrots when my daughter was still on the first stage of eating solid food. I prepare a few slices and toss it in boling water for a few minutes until tender. I then mix it with the porridge, adding a little salt to taste. Carrot juice is also widely advertised, especially as a health drink, either stand-alone or blended with fruits and other vegetables. Steamed strips of carrots can be used as a side-dish or a finger food itself, dipped in mayonnaise.

Bell Pepper

Derived from its 'bell' shape, "sili" is a type of large mild chili pepper that is considered by many to be without heat. It is mostly considered a vegetable rather than a spice because of its mild chili taste, though some people also find it slightly hot. Bell peppers are green while developing and then ripen to a variety of colours, of which red and yellow are the most common but purple and orange are also found.

Placing bell peppers in a preheated broiler or griller can add a distinctive smokey flavor. Bell peppers are commonly added to pizza, stir-fry, and sweet and sour. They can also be opened at the top and deseeded, then stuffed and baked. To prepare bell peppers, slice it horizontally in half, deseed it and slice it to preferred size.