Mirsbin’s Kitchen

My mom was never a hands on cook, she would always attend cooking classes in the Maya Kitchen or wherever there is a cooking demo but she never cooked it, she only discussed the recipe to my yaya. I only saw her hold a mixing spoon for buko salad and for macaroni salad during Christmas but never a knife to prepare the ingredients for a certain dish. The person who always executed the many recipes that she learned was my yaya. It was my yaya Flor also known as Waps who became my mentor in the kitchen plus the cooking show Cooking It Up with Nora Daza.

I spent many afternoons watching Waps while she prepared dinner for the family. By the time I was eight she let me peel carrots. But during the first time, I managed not only to peel the carrots but also part of my thumb. To the horror of Waps the carrot started to turn red. But this did not discourage me from cooking more meals. Today we still cook together sometimes we argue on the techniques used in cooking, she still believes that the “pang gisa” should be boiled first while I want it stir fried over high heat. As I start my new career in cooking, I attribute my love for cooking to Waps who was patient enough to teach me things in the kitchen and to my mom who let me be her assistant.

I once remember Waps fixing the taste of the meatsauce that I cooked according to what my sisters liked. They like the sweet party spaghetti kind, while I liked the Italian style. I simply brushed it off but noted that the I didn’t get her approval. But the moment we were seated at the dinner table, she announced that it was I who cooked dinner.

Today as my niece and nephews begin to enjoy helping in the kitchen, I find it amusing as I start to mentor them too. They would always ask me -”Cook ka ba Iya? Pag luto ka sama ako ha?” Then they would be happy even just to hand me a carrot or a spoonful of sugar. I wonder who among these 4 small kids would be the one interested in pursuing a career in the kitchen.

Here is Waps’ recipe for BBQ Chicken (you have to taste it from time to time since she only mixes the marinade according to taste, there are no measurements). We loved eating this when we were kids and my sisters still request for it now that they have their own kids!

1 kilo chicken legs
worcestershire sauce
a lot of garlic
brown sugar
calamansi
soy sauce
salt and pepper

Mix the garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, calamansi with salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the chicken and marinate if overnight. You can choose to bake or grill the chicken until cooked.