Next Generation Kiampung you will surely drool on

Kiampung, Kiampeng or Kiampong which literally means “salty rice” was derived from Hokkien language of Amoy or Fujian province in China. The southern- style rice casserole is a staple in almost all of Filipino-Chinese communities. In fact,Chinese communities around the world had their own version of kiampung.

Culinary Experts and Historians

Culinary experts and historians would sometimes compare this rice dish as Chinese- style paella because of the amount of ingredients added into this meal. Some fancy restaurants would have pork belly, chicken, rabbit meat,chorizo,shitake mushroom, minced garlic, crushed ginger, leeks, kangkong stalks, diced taro rhizome, sliced carrots, mustard, chestnuts, meat balls, hard-boiled eggs, bokchoy etc.. added unto the rice casserole dish.

Toppings would include any of the following: spring onion leaves, ma-hu ( pork or chicken floss), pickled radish, seaweeds, pickled cucumber, sliced century egg, dried shrimp and roasted peanuts.

In principle, Kiampung / Kiampeng /Kiampong is just a simple soy sauce rice casserole dish, with a bits of pork meat and small amount of vegetables added into the dish.

We live in Binondo –Manila Chinatown, Santa Mesa, Santa Cruz, Sampaloc districts for several years and tasted at least a dozen variants of kiampung. But all the variations were salty and greasy.

Healthy Kiampung from Ama’s Recipe

Ama is a Hokkien word for grandmother on the paternal ( father’s)side. Ama’s Recipe is a start-up home-based enterprise which started their operations few weeks ago during the height of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila.

The kiampung/ kiampong/ kiampeng recipe was handed down from Ama Diana to her granddaughters Ms. Alexis Nicole Sze and Ms. Abigail Sofia Sze (tandem of two sisters) in which they specialize in serving a healthy version of kiampung throughout her growing years.

Ama’s Recipe tagline” a recipe that warms the soul“. captured the heart warming love, affection and care that she had experienced from her grandmother. As a 3rd generation family member,  the dynamic duo wanted to share their family’s affection thru their recipes.

Ama’s Recipe has a limited menu, They focus on their signature family heirloom kiampung/ kiampong/kiampeng, hard boiled tea eggs and adobo peanuts.

The usual “KKKK” Kamag-Anak,Kaibigan,Kapitbahay, Klasmeyt system were use to promote their signature family heirloom meal. The public reception of their dishes had been phenomenal in just a matter of few weeks!

Ama’s Kiampung (P250) is soy based rice dish, cubed tofu, grated carrots, marinated pork meat topped with chopped spring onions, grated ginger, sauteed shallots and adobo peanuts!

This is considered as a full meal complete with go, grow and glow element. Ideal for all ages. Ama’s kiampung is good for sharing between for 2-3 persons. For those maintaining a low sodium diet or with underlying health condition. There pose no problem, since they are not using the commercial soy sauce brands with high sodium and preservatives.

Boiled Tea Eggs (Php 150 for 6 pieces) This is best paired with kiampung/ kiampong/ kiampeng. The tea eggs recipe have originated from Zhejiang province but quickly spread in different provinces of China. Eventually some regional variation and distinct flavors were developed to suit the local taste buds.

The process is that chicken or duck eggs are gently cracked all over and simmered in a flavorful broth of tea leaves, soy sauce, spices for several hours until the black liquid seeps in along the cracks. The eggs end up with a rich flavor and an intricate, delicate spider-webbed pattern emerged.

Eating tea eggs also had some medicinal and therapeutic effects too! The tea egg can be eaten anytime of the day, hot or cold.

It is quite popular in Taiwan (ROC) and there were restaurants in 168 Mall, Divisoria,Guillermo Masangkay street, Ongpin street within Manila Chinatown which sells these eggs. But Ama’s Recipe would win hands-down since they use quality ingredients.

Adobo Peanuts are sold separately if you want to add more toppings to the kiampung / kiampong/ kiampeng. (Php200 per 300 grams). What is different from their adobo peanuts from the rest of the pack is that they are not greasy and are only roasted upon order. So it does not have a soggy or rancid after taste.

The Kiampung was delivered thru Grab delivery within 45 minutes from the place of origin to the northern outskirt of Quezon City. We will surely order again and highly recommend their short list of menu. We think that there are still more hidden recipes by their ama, still waiting to be shared by Ms. Alexsis Nicole and Ms. Abigail Sze in the near future.

Mr. Crisanto Laurente of Grab holding the kiampung meal pack

How to Place an Order

For weekdays- Mondays to Fridays – They are open for a minimum order of at least 3 Kiampung / Kiampong meals.

Saturdays and Sundays- No minimum order for their Kiampung/ Kiampong meals.

They also accepts bulk orders at least 2 to 3 days advance notice and are subject to the availability of the menu.

One can contact them on Facebook and Instagram for deliveries which can be done through Grab, Lalamove,  Mr Speedy, R&R express and will be charged to the buyer.

Ama’s Recipe

Contact Persons: Ms. Alexis Nicole Sze and Ms. Abigail Sofia Sze

Contact : 0917-5765855

Facebook: Ama’s Recipe

Instagram: @amas_recipe

Advertisement

Tales of Fu Luk Shou: Three Chinese Deities

Fu, Lu Shou (Chinese Mandarin ) , Fuk Luk Shou ( Cantonese language)or Hok Lok Siu ( Hokkien language)  are three gods that are sometimes collectively called the “Three Star”, “San Xing” or “Good Luck Deities” with the meaning of blessings, prosperity and longevity. For this reason, it is clear that why these one are a very popular symbol to display in Chinese homes, offices or even business establishments.

My first encounter with these deities was during my childhood days. One Filipino-Chinese neighbor had a three piece set of the Fu Lu Shou  . They are normally placed in living rooms, entrance and on eye level.

San Xing deities were around 20 inches tall and probably bought from Taiwan or mainland China. I would sometimes recall that they would sometimes put small offering on the deities whenever it was a special day. Spotted some San Xing deities last holy week during a short tour on Pasay City.

Where to Place the Fu Luk Shou Deities

According to Feng Shui experts and believers , It is thought to be disrespectful and unlucky to place the deities on low surfaces such as kitchen, bathroom or even bedroom. Do not place the deities on windows and area with low beams.

Daily incense burning candles offering  fresh or artificial flowers are usually offered to these three wise men in hope of them bestowing their gifts on humans.

Some would create a separate altar for these three minor deities.

Origin

Three Lucky Gods in Chinese mythology or in Chinese Taoism.

Fu Xing

The star of Fu Xing is dedicated to Jupiter which is considered very auspicious. The legend tells a story of a government official named Xang Cheng and served at the prefecture of Daozhou during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and had the personal name Yang Gong  or Xang Cheng.

He lived in a village inhabited by midgets or small people in which the emperor discovered this village and was truly fascinated when he visited the place.

The emperor found it too much trouble to revisit the village. Instead he ordered steady groups of short people be sent to his palace every year. These villagers were not allowed to return home.

Xang Cheng took pity on the villagers. He did something brave and almost unthinkable. With great confidence Xang Cheng approached the emperor and pleaded him to stop taking the little people from their homes. He wrote a convincing petition which he then handed loved to the emperor.

Eventually he was immortalized as Fu Xing. Star god of happiness, prosperity and good fortune. Fu is the bringer of good luck.

Lu Xing

Lu is dedicated to the sixth star of the Wen Chang cluster, in the West known as Ursa Majoris. Lu refers to salary and thus he is the star god of social status.

There are different legends or folklore concerning who Lu Xing originally was. One legend is that he was Kuo Tzu-I also known as the Prince of Fen-yang Wang. He was one of the most honored Chinese generals. He died in 781 AD at the age of 84.

Another account was the God of Status is identified with Immortal Zhang  who was probably the same person as Zhang Yuanxiao who lived in Sichuan during the Five Dynasties period  (907-960), lived on Mt. Qingcheng .

In another account, He used to represent a former wise men or a person with imperial background and benevolent.

Shou Xing

Shou Xing is easy to recognize with his long forehead. He carries the peach of longevity and a staff.

Legend has it that Shou Xing has the power to fix the date of every person’s death. He decides beforehand how long every human will live. The digits cannot be changed but they can be tampered with as one story shows.

Photo credit : Mr. Edgardo Gamo Jr.