amplaya and mung beans

In Praise of Parya and Balatong

Some comments on the topic posted in the Pang.Org's Asingan Bulletin are worth publishing in the AJ....

Here are a few of 'em....

The "white house" of Asingan is located in Macalong, the barrio where i was born and raised. It is the final resting place for Asinganians,whether they like it or not. "Urnos ken talna" as we call it. It is so happened that in-between the mansions and bungalows of the permanent residents in this gated community is a fertile ground for wild ampalaya. We call it " parya balang".This vine went and go astray with no one cultivating and taking care of them, that is why it got this name, balang. It is so bitter beyond comparison.If you really want to taste real ampalaya, try this variety. Organic fertilizer working at its best. Related to this is a true story about this legendary lomboy tree. Just along the perimeter fence was this lomboy tree that grow so robust and proud. Usually during summer, aside from providing shade this tree bears abundant fruits to the point that some just fall to the ground. According to those who tasted this blackberry like one-seeded fruit, this fruit is different from the usual and traditional "longboy". This one so SUCCULENT and JUICY. As if the sweetness is coming from an underneath source. Coming from where? Your guess is good as mine. (more to come...)

Sammy Antonio, Texas

*******

Ayna naimas ngarud diay parya ta agat natay...sheeeeeeeeeesssssshhhhhh

Rain, Vancouver

*******

Idi ubing ak mang-mang-ngeg ko idi nga apay ta nagado nga parya balang idiay igid igid ti kampo santo (Macalong).Basta nalaka ti parya idiay Market halos ipadawat dan idi ket kunadan nag-gapo ti macalong ay matarusam mon nga nag-gapo idiay white house sen.

Archie M., Los Angeles

******

U know my mom had balatong for dinner at my ninang's house last night and balatong lunch again today at a Filipino restaurant.She doesn't get tired eating balatong. My dad planted balatong, and i like it cause it's like tiny little beans and it's good! Balatong everywhere. Oh boy.. but i don't like the ampalaya though.

Mystic, Sacramento

*******

Ti parya agas ti diabetes kunada. naimas ti parya no nailaok ti manok nga tinola. Ngem apay ta adda ti makaipisok ken saan nga makaipisok iti parya. I mean, no aglot-loto-ak ti adda parya na ayabak pay ni baket ko nga mangipisok tapno saan unay napait ket no siyak ti mangipisok ayket saanen nga makan ta napait launay. Aniya ngata ti nagdeperensiya an mi apay ket kasdiay?.... Kasla dadiay gabi(aba) no dil-lawem ket insa mo ipisok ay ket ag-ga-gatel kan nga mangan, Idi idiay cabingcolan no kayat mi ti mangan ti kilawen nga aba adda may-maysa laeng iti maka-aramid ta no sikami ti agaramid saan nga masida ta makagatel. Any explanation? no apay kasdiay.

Archie, LA

******

Kasla diay kunada, no agmula ka kano iti Santol, agmolmol ka iti sinakob ( hard brown sugar ) tapno nasam-it kano ti bunga diay santol..Ngem kasla bil-bilang, nagtilmon ka ti bukel ti santol. Kabigattan na nagbawas ka diay para angan ti balay yo. Rimmuar diay bukel ti santol. Nagtubo. Nagbunga. Ania ngata ti raman diay bunga na?..Tung-tong balatong la daytoy..ha-ha!

Vic, Toronto

*****

Pinapaitan nga saan nga napait? Saan nga pinapaitan daydiay ah no di ket SINANGLAW (inalsiman). Napanak naminsan nagrestaurant idiay NE ket nagorderak ti Pinapaitan. Idi sumangpet ket ay apo kasla binagyo nga sirok ti salamagi. Iti naimas a ket diay IMPATULID kuna mi idiay Ilocos. Fresh nga pespes ti ilaok mo saka ipatulid wenno paasuken bassit idiay paryok mabalinin. Parta kalding laeng daytoy nga putahe.

TNT, UK

*****************

You got that right, pinapaitang balatong is with parya leaves and parya fruits. Diay berde la unay nga parya fruit ti sangkapaitan kasta met diay bulong na no berde kano launay mas napait. diay berde nga leaves ket adda pay maysa nga usar na. Pangpakinis ng mukha hindi pimples. A lot of parents with teenagers used that for their children to have a silky and smooth face. I'm one of those mothers, actually my husband recommended it for one of the girls. My sister-in-law who finished medical School used that to her teenagers before. so it can be food and medication at the same time. If anyone is aware of this back me up.

Photogenic, Texas

*******

talaga nga naimas iti balatong, dinengdeng man, ing-gisa man, wenno pinapaitan man. Duray anya iti sagpaw na: buntyek, karne, sadiwa wenno chicken pay. Ngem adda iti naimas nga balatong nga haan yo pay na-mention: datay DADAG nga nagimas nga idengdeng : )

ANONYMOUS

******************

My opinion on the balang nga parya ( or the big papayas along the cemetery walls , or the long - boy ). I think the buried stiffs in the white house has nothing to do with the size of the plants in there. The soil in the grounds are fertile, right only because nobody is using the area for agriculture. The soil nuitrents there are still high in level..According to our high school biology studies, plants grow because of PHOTOSYNTHESIS which creates the chlorophyll in those succulent parya leaves whether these parya plants grew in the cemetery or else where. The UV in sun rays is one germ killer, if used well..

So let us enjoy our parya and balatong. Especially when it is raining or when you are out there in the Agno river having a picnic.---#

vic

 

ooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooo