Mestisoy Habitsuelas

 

     Mesitzo/mestiza, or mestiso/mestisa – that’s what we call anyone who looks like an American (or a foreigner) but is actually a Filipino, or half-Filipino.  (Or someone trying hard to appear mestiso or mestisa – nagpapa-blandie ng buhok – mestisong hilaw.)  In the streets we call him tisoy, or her tisay.  Mestisoy is a mere contraction, a joining together of both worlds.  But if your skin is of a darker shade, and you have kinky, curly hair, you are... egoy, pare!

   Mestisoy Habitsuelas is a Spanish sounding dish, and it originated somewhere, I suppose, in Spain, along the Spanish Riviera or... somewhere near.  I don’t have the energy just now (I’m still too sick) to research where it actually originated.  But this soup (or something similar) was cooked and served as a meal when I was on vacation in the South in the mid 1980’s with a family with a Spanish-sounding last name and, reputably, Spanish blood.

   My recipe is a mestizo or a tisoy variant – it’s not the original Spanish eyes, probably nowhere near the original, but it poses as something... with Spanish blood!   I actually call it Beef Camto Soup with Beans and Cabbage.  Instead of using white kidney beans, soaking it and spending an innumerable amount of time and fuel boiling it until it softens, I opted for the quick and easy, canned and branded Hunt’s Pork and Beans.

   We grew up as kids with Hunt’s Pork and Beans.  There’s a reason it’s called PORK and Beans – it’s because there is ONLY ONE PIECE OF PORK in it.  The challenge was to fish out the pork piece (usually a small cube of fat – which was, in all fairness, the best part!) from the whole bowl of beans and red orange sauce.  Well, those are now bygone days, the same brand of Pork and Beans has come out (not sure how long ago this was) with an improved version.  Improved according to the manufacturers, but not, in my opinion, according to me, the consumer.  This improved version boasts of “more pork”, but pork which in fact looks like rat droppings more than anything!  Never mind the taste.  I miss the old one.

   For this recipe I used:

   1/2 kilo Beef Camto, sliced

   1 large Onion, quartered

   1-1/2 liters Water

   1 head Chinese Cabbage leaves

   2 cans (390g) Hunt’s Pork and Beans

   1/2 tsp Patis

   Salt to taste

   Boil Beef Camto, with onion, in water.  Simmer to soften until Beef is tender, about 1 hour. 

   Add Pork and Beans to the soup.

   Add Patis and Salt to suit your taste.

   Add Chinese Cabbage leaves and simmer.

   Serve soup hot, with rice on the side.

Good Eats!!!   =D