CABATUAN FAMOUS FOOD (TINUOM)
In the Philippines’ province of Iloilo, Cabatuan, a traditional and primarily religious town located in the island’s center and a second-class municipality, is 24 kilometers from Iloilo City. According to a 2015 NSO survey, there are 58,422 people living there in total. People who live in CABATUAN are referred to as “CABATUANanons,” and they primarily speak Kinaray-a, although they also occasionally use Hiligaynon, English, and Tagalog. The dominant religion in this municipality is Roman Catholicism. The majority of CABATUAN is agronomic, with 8, 251.18 hectares used for farming. Richly crafted crops like rice, corn, sweet potato, taro, and cassava are grown in this area. Some regions also produce coconut, coffee, tropical fruits and vegetables, sugar cane, and coconut oil. Livestock and poultry benefit CABATUANanons.
The area also makes a great source of manufactured concrete goods, gravel, and sand. The “Sinulugans” or hillside tribesmen who annually practice the “Sinulog” or Dance of Death, a custom characterized by sword fighting, originally made the village of CABATUAN famous. The area was also inhabited by “Tulisanes” and Rustlers before the Spaniards came in 1732. The town was founded on April 9, 1732, with the erection of a molave cross (of which only the base is now visible) on Pamul-ogan Hill. Tono, whose statue is located in front of the Municipal Building, was the original planner. He formerly served as a town official alongside Gomoc and Amihan. On a flat area of ground next to the northern bank of the Tigum River, where the poblacion or commercial hub of the town is now located, this early settlement was then thriving.
The history of the town may be found in Tinuom, a soup treat created with local chicken and spices like tomatoes, onions, garlic, ginger, and lemon grass that is wrapped in banana leaves. This soup is remembered throughout the municipality’s 10-day fiesta celebration known as the Tinuom festival, which is a vibrant explosion of song and dance. Tinu-om is a native word that meaning “balot,” hence Tinu-om na Manok literally translates to “binalot na manok.” Many carinderias in Cabatuan also attempted to create Tinu-om, but they were unsuccessful. There is a suggestion that the “timpla” was the reason they failed. “Timpla” refers to how the combined elements taste. This would imply that the number of teaspoons of vetsin is not known with any precision.
The ingredients used are:
*Bumbay/Sibuyas (Onion)
*Kamatis (Tomato)
*Tanglad (Lemon Grass)
*Vetsin (MSG-monosodium glutamate)
*Asin (Salt)
*Tubig (water)
*Native Chicken – must be 7-14 months old.
*Banana Leaves
*Bamboo string or any string for tying up the tinu-om
*2 bowls for preparation
Here’s how it is cooked:
(1) In one bowl, place the chicken and season it with onion, tomato, vetsin and the salt and then add some water. The 7-14 month old chickens will have to boil for about 30 minutes for it to be ready for serving. Older chickens will take almost an hour. The picture on the side shows lola Sabel cutting up the chicken parts. One order of tinu-om would have 3-4 pieces.
(2) In another bowl prepare the banana leaves to be used for the wrap. It is advisable that you use Saba banana leaves rather than other kinds of banana leaf. It affects the flavor, aroma and outcome of the Tinu-om.
(3) Eventually, pour the marinated chicken into the bowl lined with banana leaf, gather the edges and tie it with a bamboo string or any piece of string. Make sure that it won’t leak.
(4) After tying it up, place it in a casserole full of water and then place it on fire. You may steam it but they strongly suggests that you place it within the water casserole for a better result when it comes to taste.
