Why Do Filipinos Cook Ginisang Monggo Every Friday

It’s as if I was programmed to cook Ginisang Monggo every Friday. I just can’t think of any dish to prepare on the said day. Not only that, it needs to be paired with paksiw na isda or else..

Is it just me? I heard it’s a common thing. In fact, the carinderia where my husband eats also serves ginisang monggo every Friday. It’s a mystery! Why do Filipinos cook ginisang monggo every Friday?

Before I share with you my Ginisang Monggo recipe, let’s try to deduct the reason why..

–>Some readings suggest that the tradition of cooking ginisang monggo every Friday is due to the Lenten Season. You have to sacrifice  something and eating meat is one, that’s why, instead of cooking meat on Friday, Filipinos prepare ginisang monggo.

BUT WHY MONGGO? There are so many vegetables out there!

–>Another reading suggest that the time of grocery may be the answer. Filipinos, back in the old days, do their market trips on weekends, specially Sunday. If you have noticed it, most palengke have their “Palengke Day” every Sunday. And since they do their shopping on Sundays, by Friday, the only produce that is not spoiled is dried monggo.

Putting them together makes sense! Pero paano naman ang hindi katoliko?!? 

Maybe, another reason is, when Friday comes, there is little money left from the pay check. Monggo’s really cheap so that’s the best option when you’re running low in cash.

Here’s another theory from Pinoy Exchange:

–>Spanish priests taught the Filipinos to eat monggo every Friday so they wouldn’t buy meat. Meat can be pricey during that times (?) and if they don’t buy meat, they have more money to give to the church.

PERO BAKIT MONGGO? 

Let’s settle with the answer: it’s really cheap. If you have 50 pesos, you can cook ginisang monggo and feed 10 people.

Moving on, here’s my simple Ginisang Monggo Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 15 PhP pack monggo
• 3-5 pcs shrimp
• 2 medium size tomatoes
• Garlic 2-3 cloves, minced
• 1 medium size onion, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon patis
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ampalaya leaves or malungay leaves

How to cook:

1. Precooked the monggo, 4 cups water, boil for about 20 minutes or until the monggo is soft
2. Saute garlic, onion and tomato.
3. Add patis and then shrimp.
4. Add monggo and mix and let it stand for about 5 minutes (just make sure the fire is set to low)
5. Add 2 cups of water and let it boils then add the leaves.
6. Cook for another 3 minutes and serve Paksiw na Isda and steaming rice.

Paksiw na Isda Sa Kamias Recipe

Some people call this pinangat, some paksiw. Some uses vinegar, some tomatoes, some green mangoes (my fave!) and some uses kamyas. That’s what I used in my paksiw earlier, hence the title of the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo fish (my fave is salay ginto but it’s too small, try alumahan or matangbaka)
• 8-10 pcs kamyas
• 1/4 cup sliced luya
• 1 big onion
• 2 siling green
• 1 teaspoon salt

How to cook paksiw na isda sa kamias:

1. Slightly crush the kamias.
2. Put half the kamias, onion, luya on a casserole
3. Insert half kamias and some luya on the fish then put it on the caserole.
4. Put the remaining ingredients on top of the fish
5. Put on high fire for about 5 minutes then add 1/2 cup of water.
6. Let it boil for 3 minutes and serve with Ginisang Monggo and rice!

You may noticed that my photo included fried pork. It’s supposed to be Crispy Liempo or Lechong Kawali but I left it on the stove for long..hence the dark color. Once I perfected my Lechon Kawali, I will share with you my recipe. For now, enjoy the monggo!