UBE HALAYA FOR A PERFECT EVENING

Baduy na kung baduy but ahem, I just watched I'VE FALLEN FOR YOU with Kim Chiu (?!) and Gerard (whatever his surname is - pero shyet gwapo shaaa!).

I couldn't say no to Marti, who had to watch the movie that evening to support his good friend Lino Cayetano, director of the film. I arrived at Megamall in my pretties, afraid of looking too bleh beside KC Concepcion (Lino's current), who didn't even show. The crowd - we watched the premiere - was really fun to watch, shrieking with delight and holding up their glow sticks that spelled Kim and Gerard. But the highlight of my showbiz delight night was getting introduced to Lotlot de Leon (woohoo!) by Maimai Dabao, whom I worked with on a project back in the day in La Salle (yuf she a lafsallite!). It took every ounce of willpower I had in me not to put my fingers out and crack that famous ol "Lol Lot and friends" joke (you know the one where you have one finger dance - Sino to? LOTLOT; then you have all your fingers dance - Sino to? LOTLOT AND FRIENDS).

The movie was cheeeeeesy! It had all the elements of a Pinoy teeny bopper film, down to lines like, "Bakit ang bisikleta, may breaks ... ang cellphone, na lo low batt ... bakit ang puso, hindi napipigilan?" Waaaahahaha! To which someone three rows behind us shouted, "QUOTABLE QUOTES!"

But the chemistry between the two was apparent from the beginning and midway you find yourself drifting back to your college days, when you were young and naive, had your whole future ahead of you along with clear ideas of what a relationship should be like. (Wait til they're in their twenties and find out that hearts break and life can throw you lemons!) You want to reach out to Kim as she cries, waiting for his text (toldja its a chizwiz!), you want to whack her head with a hammer when she tries to avoid him ... you know, they are so adorable you just want them to get together.

I won't go into details of the flick because this is a food blog. But I do want to share why I'm posting this experience here.

Food was all over the film. Kim's family owned a restaurant, Chateaux de Fleur, and when she wasn't studying she spent her time as dutiful daughter delivering sandwiches (or was it adobo rice?) or acting as waitress at Chateaux. But my favorite food moment in the flick was in one of the most romantic scenes. Gerard leans closer to Kim and looks at her with his ever-so-dreamy eyes. It is just after dinner and they are having a moment under the moon.

G: It was almost a perfect night.
K: Almost?

She is looking at him dreamily, awaiting her first kiss.

G: Wala kasing ube, leche flan lang.

LOL!

Then ube becomes a symbol. A couple of scenes later, Lotlot (fantastic acting, btw) is making ube halaya the slow food way, a bottle of which she reserves for Gerard, which sadly grows old in the fridge because after that "almost perfect" night, boy gives girl the cold shoulder so sorry na lang siya, he won't get his ube!

SO, inspired by Lotlot (hwehehe), I convinced Aling Belen, family yaya since my mom was a teenager, to teach me to make her famous ube halaya! My sister Goldee and I set a date for a our lesson with Aling Belen and Nana Meng at the old kitchen in Bulacan.

I learned that it is not complicated to make at all. Just t-i-i-i-i-ring. Once you mix in the ingredients, you need to mix and mix and mix and mix over fire until you get your desired texture. It would help to have a man around for this one, women's lib notwithstanding. Unless you can stand the heat going directly to your face and have a mad desire for Hillary Swank arms.

Will I make it again? Sure. But probably just for special occasions. For that perfect night. ;) Other times I'll just suck up to Aling Belen!

UBE HALAYA

3 cans condensed milk
3 large cans evaporated milk
3 coconut milk (gata) - they count it by coconut piece
4 oz butter
1/2 kilo sugar (white refined)
3 kilos yam (ube)

Boil the yam then peel then grate. Mix the grated yam with the milks, the butter and the sugar. Move the mix to a kawa (a kind of wok) so you can mix everything over fire until it becomes a pastey mixture. You'll be mixin for around two hours - be emotionally prepared. Once you've achieved your desired texture, you may put out the fire and transfer the halaya into llaneras (oblong shaped baking pans) to cool. Make sure you butter up the llanera first so the halaya does not stick like glue to the pan. Enjoy "a perfect evening". (Makes 8 llaneras.)








PS Sorry about the pics - I can't seem to rotate them right >.< lol
PPS This post is also dedicated to marvin of burnt lumpia, if he isn't over his ube frenzy yet.