Meatless Lenten options

MEATLESS DISHES can be wonderful. Vegetables and fruits can take the place of meat and add special nutrients to your diet. Some special discoveries:

1. Kamansi (breadnut), a fruit that grows on huge trees, makes a wonderful adobo. The first time we tried it, it tasted so much like tender adobo meat, and the young seeds seemed like little button mushrooms. When cooking this dish, choose the smaller, immature fruits.

Peel off and cut the fruit into wedges or round slices. Dip the kamansi in adobo sauce then boil until soft—or, fry the kamansi with breading mixture. When it’s cooked, sauté it in adobo sauce.

2. Unripe jackfruit can take the place of chicken as sandwich spread. Again, choose the immature fruit, peel off and cut the fruit into wedges, then boil. When cooked, tear the fruit into little shreds and mix with ingredients for making chicken spread.

Easy to find

3. Banana heart is cheap and easy to find. Turn it into a delicious burger devoid of cholesterol and uric acid: Cut the banana heart into fine shreds, then squeeze out the juice to reduce moisture. Mix in the regular ingredients for burgers, such as leeks, flour, carrots, soy sauce and black pepper. Form into patties and fry or grill.

4. Cauliflower tempura looks like chicken nuggets but tastes much better. Dip the cauliflower florets in a batter and fry. You may serve it with sweet-and-sour sauce or ketchup.

5. We often discard santol (sandor) flesh. One time, a friend grated the flesh and cooked it in coconut milk—it was wonderful! Another time, a friend added vinegar, spring onion leaves and fried tofu bits—and came up with his flavorful version of santol sisig!

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