With most of Filipinos having no choice but to prepare their own food at home, it has become a running joke that majority will end up being chefs as their alternative career options once the ECQ or Enhanced Community Quarantine has been totally lifted.
Yet with limited ingredients available in the kitchen and in the market, cooking has become a challenge as well. Some Filipinos need to depend on the ration their local governments provide to be able to have food on the table—mostly composed of canned goods and ready to eat noodles. But leave it to Pinoy ingenuity to shine through during difficult times. Simple recipes are even transformed to gourmet dishes for variety.
GMA News TV’s Pinas Sarap is putting the spotlight on this creativity by recently launching its online series dubbed ‘ECQusina: Pinoy Kusina Stories Ngayong Quarantine’. ECQusina showcases dishes made of special food items that made it to almost everyone’s pantry during ECQ.
Last May 14, Pinas Sarap host Kara David herself shared her own ECQusina story on the program’s official Facebook page. The featured food item for the week? One of the most common relief items during ECQ: sardines! Kara showed netizens how to cook Sardinas Pasta ala Kara David. The following day, Kapuso comedian Betong Sumaya also shared his Ginisang Sardinas ala Betong.
One netizen, Shefu Canedo, sent his entry on how to prepare his own take on cordon bleu—featuring sardines of course—Ampalaya Sardinas Corona Bleu! Meanwhile, Joy Macandog shared her “Lumpiang Sardinas” and Michelle Martinez Ariaz-Itay made “Sizzling Sardines”.
On May 22, Buboy Villar will be the celebrity guest for ECQusina to be followed by Jelai Andres on May 29.
In the following weeks, more ECQ food items take center stage such as instant noodles, corned beef, egg, and more.
Netizens are invited to send their own ECQusina story on Pinas Sarap’s Facebook page. Meanwhile, catch Pinas Sarap every Thursday, 8 pm on GMA News TV.
