This is how the Ybanags prepare choose and process the bamboo shoot. First, the mature outer covering of the bamboo shoots is removed. The young, soft and yellowish portion is what is used as richada. The young bamboo shoot is sliced thinly. Then, it is boiled. The boiled shoots are squeezed thoroughly to remove its water. It is then ready to be made into richada nga rabung (bamboo shoots).

For salad, the following ingredients are prepared: one cup vinegar, one cup sugar, one tablespoon salt, two packs pamienta (pepper), three cloves garlic and one tablespoon chopped onions and one tablespoon stripped red sili.

The vinegar is boiled. All the rest of the ingredients are poured into boiling vinegar. As soon as it boils, the mixture is poured over with four cups of finely chopped bamboo shoots. The ingredients are mixed well until its aroma penetrates the bamboo shoots. The richada is served on a platter.

Estofadu is a meal made out of less tender meat usually seasoned with anisadu (native wine) boiled in a long period until tender. Then it is deep-fried, until brown in color and served with sweet sauce. .

The Ybanag prepare carabao tongue estofadu in a special way. The zila or tongue is cleaned very well by submerging it in boiling water for few minutes. The outer part of zila is scraped until the white particles are removed. The whole zila is used and placed on a pan and boiled for 30 minutes. It is removed from the pan and its water dripped. It is deep fried until brown. Then, it is put in a pan added with four cups of liquid, seasoned with one pack of whole corn black pepper, whole cloves of garlic, one piece of bay leaf, three tablespoons of vinegar, one teaspoon of salt, three tablespoons of soy sauce, five tablespoons of brown sugar, two tablespoons of anisadu. The mixture is cooked until tender and for the seasoning to creep into the meat. Then the estofadu nga zila is sliced thinly. Finally, it is served on a platter.

The Ybanags follow unique procedure in preparing zinagan: First, the internal organs are washed properly to be freed from odor. And then it is boiled; its first broth discarded. The meat is cut into one half inch long. A pan is filled with oil. Four cloves of garlic are sauted until brown. Two bulbs of sliced onion are added. The meat is poured into the pan. Stirring is done continuously until water evaporates and meat produces oil. Excess oil is removed from the pan. Cooking continues, and water is added continuously until the meat is tender. It is simmered until meat tenderizes. It is seasoned with two packs of black pepper, one piece of bayleaf ad salt to taste. Fire is lowered. Two cups of blood with one half cup vinegar (mixed together) is poured unto the mixture, stirring continuously over low heat in order that the blood does not curdle. The zinagan is cooked until it becomes smooth and thick and slowly brings out its authentic flavor. When oil starts to come out at the surface, it is removed from fire and set aside.

Separately, oil is heated on a pan. Four tablespoons of minced garlic is cooked until it becomes brown. This is poured over the zinagan.

In a separate pan, intestine is boiled until it produces oil. The oil cooks the intestines until it becomes crispy chicharon. It is then removed from fire. This crispy chicharon is sprinkled on top of the cooked zinagan.

Who would ever resist this aromatic and delicious Ybanag recipe - the zinagan?

Most worthy to note as regards Ybanag foods, together with anything related to foods, is their belief that a Supreme Being is the creator and source of all foods whether concocted out of the Ibanag's mind or taken afresh from nature. The Ibanag's faith in God is shown most promiscuously in the way the Ibanag prepare, cook and serve dishes. Likewise, the Ibanag's trust in the power of a God is best illustrated in their habit of praying before and after meals. Praying to God is a sign of thanksgiving for, not only a sumptuous eating time but also an enjoyable bonding or get-together. Foods are symbol of peacemaking, friendship, respect, social acceptance, and economic status within the community.

Along with the nutritional effects of the Ybanag foods, come a litany of socio-cultural meanings of foods. One of these is the taboo which governs pregnant women particularly.

Among the Ybanag, food determine what kind of food a pregnant should not eat. These are broiled eggplant, coconut, twin bananas, ginger, alibabag, gabi, mungo, and catfish.

For example, eating eggplant among the new mother or pregnant woman is prohibited for she will feel itch all over her body including her navel.

Further, foods among the Ybanag make the body sturdy. here is no best medicine for the body except foods.

Moreover, the Ibanag old folks associate meanings and symbols to some foods particularly pigs. During mappatuno, (mounting the cornerstone of a house), the Ybanag family slaughters pig. Its blood is offered as an atang- which includes tinunu nga agal (roasted liver), and roasted pork. The Ybanag believe that offering atang during mappatuno appeases the gods and unseen spirit dwelling in the place not to harm the house-owners but guard and bless the latter.

Among the Ybanag, atang or offering is necessary before or during the mounting/laying of the cornerstone of a house so as not to anger the unseen spirits. Also, for the unseen spirits to give enlightenment to the owners of the house. An Ybanag husband slaughtered a pig when he laid the cornerstone of our house. Then, he offered the pig's blood as an atang to the unseen spirits. The man believed that the pig's blood is a favorite of the spirits.

Furthermore, the Ybanag have a strong faith that when transferring to a new house, the first to be brought inside the new home should be asin (salt). It is believed that salt sheds calmness or peace in the home.

Salt lightens one's life. As illustrated in the Bible, salt sheds peace of one's mind, which results in peace and harmony among the members of the family in the new house.

These and many more give meaning to Ybanag food culture, as food culture define and give meaning to the Ybanag race.

 

 

It is in this essay that the Ybanag group and the culture of the Cagayan province are given special emphasis in order to unravel the deep secrets of the race that painfully are beginning to wane due to the advent of commercialism and modernization.

Ybanag Indigenous Foods

The Ybanag's life revolves around foods or anything connected with foods. The Ybanag's health revolves around foods. Success in the rearing of the Ybanag's children and family depends on foods. Social celebrations and gatherings - whether formal, informal or semiformal; simple or pompous; small or big - are defined by the foods served and eaten. These illustrate how food is most relevant to Ybanag's life and culture.

Ybanag foods come in different forms, tastes, colors, shapes, grandiosity and presentation. Further, Ybanag foods are narrowed into four major categories which give various, yet, definite meanings to Ybanag festivities. Ybanag foods are classified as mappaganas ta accacan or appetizers; maca-macan or main dish; and paddulse or desserts.

Mappaganas Ta Accacan (Appetizers)

Ybanag indigenous foods and meals can be described as aromatic, aphrodisiac, delicious, savory, and nutritious. These descriptions are so apt that one can be awed by the variety of meals the Ybanags eat. This is because other than the main dishes, the Ybanag social functions are complemented by appetizers (mappaganas ta accacan).

Among the Ybanags, meals are complemented with a concoction of raw vegetables, and/or fishes/shellfishes. The appetizers serve as a pulley that pushes one to eat more than the usual, ordinary quantity he can take.

Among the Ybanags, the best and most sought after appetizers (mappaganas ta accacan) are the onion salad (salsa na sebolyas), pickled peper (sili nga artem), lemon juice (daggo na dalaya). Likewise, onion leaves salad (salsa nga kutchay,)which is a concoction of onions mixed with fish paste (bagoong), and chopped ginger with sliced tomatoes, is a favorite appetizer among the Ybanag.

The Ybanags describe appetizers to be mappaganas ta accacan. Mappaganas means to stimulate one's gustatory gland to eat. For the Ybanags, appetizer is important since one should be stimulated to savor the food served on the table.

Ybanag appetizers are simple and economical. They come from various indigenous plants available in the surroundings. Generally, Ybanag's appetizers result from experimentations the Ybanags conduct with whatever is readily available in their laguerta or garden, kakayuan or nearby bushes, koman or at the farm, or nearby water or kayan. The preparation of appetizers is not usually laborious; it is easy to prepare and most often plain. Accessibility to the spices of these appetizers is easy, considering that most are home grown or found in the market.

In Tuguegarao City , the early Ybanags craved for appetizers.

Maca-Macan (Main Dishes)

It ishelpful to classify the Ybanag main dish according to its sources which are aya-ayam (animals), mana-manango (fishes and shellfishes), and gula-gulay (plants). From these main sources of food result the main dishes for the Ibanag. These aya-ayam, mana-manango, and gula-gulay (plantsvegetables) are cooked in uniquely Ybanag ways and processes.

Aya-Ayam (Animals)

The Ybanag's main dishes come from animals. These animals are baka (cow), nuang (carabao), kazzing(goat), karneru (sheep), kitu (dog), utta (deer), bavi (pig), pabu (turkey), manu (chicken), ayong (monkey), and patu (duck), gansu (goose).

Meat is the focal point of the main dish. Meat is not only a universal popular food, but also an important part of the diet because of the substances it contains. To the Ybanag, the substances sourced from meat give strength to the body (mappasican), lengthen lifespan (mappaapaddu ta attolay), refines way of living (malladda y attolay), and mappasikan ta bagga-baggi. The importance of meat to the Ybanag's health is greatly manifested when celebrating special occasions like baptism (pakristianu), birthday (diyas), anniversary (compleanyo), family reunion (aggurummung), patron's feast (fiesta) and wedding (mappacasal).

Mana-Manango (Fish/Water Animals)

Mana-manango or fishes or sira-sira are the other main source of the Ibanag's staple food. This is due to the description of the province where the indigenous Ybanag thrive. Cagayan, as it is topographically described, is verdant with bodies of water. From the bodies of water came several kinds, shapes and sizes of fishes.

The Ybanags of Cagayan are located in different regions of the Province. Some Ybanags are located in forested areas; others are at the center and others along or near seashores. The proximity of forests, or water to the people determine the sources of staple food. Hence, Ybanags near waterbeds are dependent on body of water.

The Ybanag's vanity for fishes exemplifies the vast variety of fish taken from the waters. For instance, informants from Pamplona , Abulug, Aparri and Buguey (barangays which are situated along the seashore) source their meals from fishes taken afresh from the water.

These fishes are ludong (mullet), kurilaw (Manila Sea Channel Catfish), agua/pasga/purung/vugasin, sapsap (toothed ponyfish), mori (goby), tabbalay (spangled emperor), ifun (goby), caggu (clam), kiwo (eel), larangan (glassy pershlet), akaya (crab), lasi/aramang ( tiny shrimp), cusifan/padaw (lobster), patta (catfish), dalag (mudfish), basikul (whelks), liddak (periwinkle), ala (freshwater clam), agurung (periwinkle), vunganga (whelks), berabig/birabid (whelks), kabibi ( clam), and gurami (fresh water fish).

Gula-Gulay (Vegetables)

Ybanag indigenous foods come mainly from plants which are used as vegetables.

While other cultures are wary of plants, the Ybanags are experimental, creative and ingenious as regards palnts. All parts of plants in any form are used as vegetable-foods. The mayan or underground crops used as vegetables are camosi (sweet potato), rabanus (radish),

The stems, leaves and flowers of plants are likewise considered edible foods. These are afutu na dupo (banana blossom), alibabag (alucon, Llk.), anta (string beans), apape (balsam pear), balangac (swamp cabbage), Calabasa (squash), catuday (sesban), cubay (Malabar nightshade), don saluyu (jute), camosi (sweet potato), lanteng/maralisto/baleva (eel grass), marunggay (horse radish), nasi (spiny amaranth), paku (edible fern), papait (sarsalida, lbn), pichay (pechay), rabung (bamboo shoot), sili amiling (Chile or red pepper).

Fruits and seeds of plants are also considered food (maca-macan) among the Ybanags. These are amale (butterfly bean), anta (string beans), anta (string beans), apape (balsam pear), balatung (green gram), Baranghenas (eggplant), bassaw (hyacinth bean), bichuelas (bush snap bean), cabatengga (vegetable gourd), cabatiti (sponge gourd), Calabasa (squash), candoli (white squash), capaya (papaya), cardis (pigeon pea), gulapitan (lima bean), marunggay (horse-radish), nangca (jackfruit),saluyu (Okra), sili amiling (chile pepper), sili macopa (sweet apepper).

Paddulse (Dessert)

The dessert is the concluding part of the meal process among the Ybanag whether simple, or great; formal or informal; ordinary or unique social gathering. It is the dessert served that finally characterizes what an Ybanag culinary culture is. It is in the dessert served that makes the ultimate uniqueness among the Ybanag indigenous peoples.

The dessert or paddulse is what makes a difference in the taste, shape, savor, and meaning of the main dishes. It is the dessert that reshapes and recalls the sumptuous and enjoyable eating session that the meal-eaters have on social gatherings or during simple family gatherings.

Usually, and most often, the Ybanag meal with others and laughters are concluded with the ordinary yet often well-taken-care of fruits which are found in the laguerta of the Ybanag host. Fruits that abound within the area, or the community or within ones reach is what is served as paddulse. These fruits are taken afresh from the trunk, washed, peeled or pared, sliced, mashed, halved or cut. And of course eaten fresh!

Ripe fresh fruits are delicious. They maybe eaten raw or cooked. Fruits are valuable sources of minerals like ion, calcium, phosphorous, potassium and magnesia. Most fruits contain vitamins A, B and C, sugar and water. Fruits are washed thoroughly in running water before eaten.

Rica-Ricadu (Ingredients)

Rica-ricadu or ingredients are a must for Ybanag social and culinary functions. Without these, Ybanag meals can never be complete.

The foods of the indigenous Ybanag are never sumptuous unless at least three of the following ingredients are present. The basic ingredients or most cpmmon ingredients of Ybanag indigenous foods are sebolyas (onions), ahus (garlic), bagong munamun (fish paste), laya (ginger), tawyu (soy sauce), asin (salt), and pamienta (pepper).

Other important ingredients in the early Ybanag cuisine are addulu, (kamias), bagoong aramang (shrimp paste), bagoong ifun (fry paste), calamansi (Philippine lemon), dalaya na sical (lemon grass), dalaya (lemon), don na sebolyas/kutchay (onion leaves), kamasi ( tomato), lappaw na kalamagi (tamarind flowers), laurel (bay leaf), lugu na calamagi (young tamarind leaves), lugu na lubban (young pomelo leaves), nabbaggawan ta bagga (ricewash), silam (vinegar), sili amiling (pungent pepper), and uzzin nga sili (red pepper).

 

The bagong na ifun is prepared in a special way.

First, three cups of fresh ifun is washed well and mixed thoroughly with one cup of salt. This is later placed/poured into a clean “angang” or earthen jar. It is covered tightly to avoid air, or insect to penetrate into the mixture.

The mixture is left to ferment for 30 days; it is unopened or tightly closed. On the 30th day, the bagong nga ifun is ready to be eaten raw or cooked (sauted).

The appetizer is more appealing as the Ibanag squirt three pieces of calamansi or dalaya onto two tablespoons of bagong nga ifun.

This appetizer is very rich in protein and calcium.

The ensalada nga kutchay is very easy to prepare. First, the fresh onion leaves are cut into one half inch lengthwise. The leaves are mixed with chopped ginger, sliced tomatoes and bagoong or fish paste. It is then served on a platter.

The fermentation is an indispensable stage so as to bring out the best aroma and flavor of the appetizer. Family members partake in eating this appetizer as soon at they are served on the table.

1. First, the onion is chopped. Usually, the onion used for this purpose is native and young. The onion is pricked with a knife at its tip for this is believed to prevent tear-shedding. The size of chopped onions should be fine because chopping it in this size brings out the flavor and aroma of this spice.

2. Then two bulbs of chopped onions are mixed with four tablespoons of calamansi and two tablespoons of soy sauce. Once they are mixed, it is stirred for equal distribution and blending of the spices.

Onion salad complements well roasted fish, meat or vegetables. This addannokan or dipping is most commonly used among the Ybanag families.