BAGUIO CITY – Thousands of residents and visitors trooped to the Melvin Jones football field to partake of the first-ever paella Cordillera prepared and served by the Cordillera office of the Department of Agriculture (DA-CAR) in partnership with local, national and international chefs and agriculture industry stakeholders to honor the contribution of the sector to the country’s food security during the culmination rites of the celebration of Urban Farmers and Fisherfolk month.
People from all walks of life patiently waited while the ingredients of the paella gigantes were being cooked in a 3-meter by 3-meter pan created for the purpose for them to taste the Cordillera version of the paella.
More than 1,000 individuals enjoyed the serving of the paella gigantes.
The main ingredient of the paella gigantes was the chong-ak heirloom rice from Pasil, Kalinga which was mixed with various meat and vegetable products from the different parts of the region to showcase that the international cuisine can be prepared and served with almost the same quality as its Spanish counterpart using available condiments and ingredients.
Agriculture Undersecretary Engr. Christopher Morales, Assistant Secretary Daniel Atayde, Kalinga Gov. James Edduba, World Food Expo (WOFEX) president Joel Pascual, DA-CAR regional executive director lawyer Jennilyn Dawayan and local, national and international chefs serve as the guests during the said event that capped the month-long celebration of Urban Farmers and Fisherfolk month.
The theme of this year’s Urban Farmers and Fisherfolks month this May is ‘Preserving Heritage, Capturing Values.’
Among the ingredients of the paella gigantes included two cavans of chong-ak heirloom rice, 10 kilos of Kiangan pinuneg, 20 kilos longganisa recado, 15 kilos kiniing, 40 kilos native chicken, 20 kilos green bell pepper, 20 kilos red bell pepper, 30 kilos white or red onions, two kilos button mushroom, 3 kilos oyster mushroom, 5 kilos shitake mushroom, 10 kilos broccoli, 10 kilos carrots, 10 kilos French beans, 10 kilos cauliflower, 30 cans canned tomatoes, 2 kilos flat parsley and 5 kilos lemon.
Moreover, part of the condiments mixed with the above ingredients included 15 liters of olive oil, 1 kilo of paella spice, 4 kilos chicken powder and 10 kilos of salt.
People were all smiles after partaking of the paella gigantes, especially that it featured the Cordillera flavors where the taste of the smoked meat, popularly known as ‘kiniing’ or ‘etag’, was highlighted.
Undersecretary Morales lauded the DA-CAR and its partners for successfully preparing and serving the paella ala Cordillera highlighting the region’s heirloom rice and other ingredients that puts premium on what is readily available for such initiative.
For his part, Assistant Secretary Atayde pointed out that farmers and fisherfolk should be given the appropriate recognition and support because they are the ones that provide the food on the table for Filipinos aside from export quality products that help perk up the country’s economy. By Dexter A. See