Guest Curator: Gabrielle Avancena, MD
Filipinos love to eat. Gathering around a table and breaking bread together is one of the most significant aspects of our culture. Our food not only represents cultural expression, it also represents our unique and deep traditions; and the act of eating together builds a sense of community and family.
While Filipino American History Month may be ending, we plan to continue celebrating our heritage beyond October. Today, we bring you the start of a new series that celebrates our cuisine: PAPA Plates. PAPA has been built on countless hours around a table eating delicious food, laughing, telling stories, and bonding over life as we know it. Oftentimes, these get togethers happen over Filipino food, where most of us feel at home, and find a deeper connection through our shared culture and cuisine. It is over various plates that we have formed friendships, mentorships, and life long connections that will weather the triumphs and tribulations of life. It is where visions and dreams have been born, lessons learned, and tears have been shed.
Drama aside (but don’t we love it?!) – PAPA Plates goes beyond just sharing a meal. We plan to go on a culinary journey to learn more about ourselves as we venture into the world of PM&R, and explore the importance of Filipino food as we navigate medicine, how it keeps us grounded, and maybe even how it helps keep our sanity. Watch for our collaborations with our PAPA allies from other countries as we share our food and learn about theirs. If you love to cook, want to learn something new, share in our culture and talk about PM&R or medicine, email us for collaboration opportunities!
Ready to plate? Kain na!
From Scrubs to Sizzles: A Medical Intern’s Filipino Food Adventure
By: Gabrielle Avancena, MD
Starting residency came with its expected challenges, but one that I was not prepared for was homesickness. With my family and home in Queens, and my program being in the city, distance wasn’t the problem, but rather the scarcity of time. I found myself immersed in the work, trying desperately to find a new balance, but between studying, work, working out, and hanging out with friends, I was left exhausted. . One thing I always prioritized was eating. I always knew I had to fuel my body for it to be as strong and able as I wanted, a mentality that the field PM&R stands by. With the demands of my new life, taking time to enjoy a meal was something I held sacred. It was my calm after the storm. I grew tired of the Seamless leftovers for dinner, and the desire for some homecooked filipino foods kept growing. I was satiated after a visit with my boyfriend to the LES’s Mama Fina’s where the tangy sabow of the sinigang perfectly washed down crispy lumpiang shanghai and perfectly cooked palabok. I left full and fulfilled, but only for a matter of time.
My cravings only grew stronger and on an intern’s salary, I thought to take matters into my own hands. I started looking up recipes and going to my local grocery store and gathering my arsenal. My knife skills were definitely not up to par, but I was determined to create something that reminded me of home.
My first dish was bistek with onions, and I felt my mom’s presence with me as I was transported back to Saturdays in the kitchen with soups boiling, meats being seasoned and veggies being cut at an incredible speed. It really was a symphony. I was speechless after I tasted the first bite, and how it brought me back to the exact dinner at home.
Next was mechado, which was a true labor of love, as I mothered the stew for hours until the meat was perfectly tender. I ventured into pancit and chicken afritada, and as I kept trying new dishes and adding my own flare, I truly began to appreciate how Filipino cuisine is the perfect harmony between Asian and Spanish influence. Combining limes with soy sauce and adobo seasoning with patis created a flavor that was so unapologetically Filipino. I felt closer than I ever had to my culture. I somehow brought the islands into my small kitchen in the city, and with that feeling I gained a new passion and appreciation for food and my heritage. This is something I hope to cultivate throughout residency and beyond, to learn and eventually master, to share plates with friends and family, and ultimately, to spread the love that the Philippines has to give through a good ole home cooked meal.
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Bistek Recipe From:
https://www.kawalingpinoy.com/bistek/
Bistek ingredients:
● 2 pounds top round or sirloin, sliced thinly
● 2 lemons, juiced (about 1⁄4 cup juice)
● 1⁄4 cup soy sauce
● 1 onion, peeled and sliced thinly
● 1 head garlic, peeled and minced
● 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
● 3 tablespoons canola oil
● 1 cup water
● salt to taste
● 1 onion, peeled and sliced into rings
In a bowl, combine beef, lemon juice, soy sauce,sliced onions, garlic, and pepper. Massage marinade into the meat and marinate for about 30 minutes.
Remove meat, onions, and garlic from marinade, squeezing and reserving excess liquid.
In a pan over high heat, heat oil. Add beef and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes per side or until lightly browned. Spoon out and reserve released meat juices during frying. Remove meat.
In the pan, add onions and garlic, and cook, stirring regularly, until softened. Return browned beef to pan.
Add reserved marinade and meat juices. Add water and bring to a boil.
Cover, lower heat, and simmer for about 40 to 50 minutes or until meat is fork-tender and liquid is reduced. Season with salt to taste.
Turn off heat. Garnish with onion rings, if desired, and cover to allow onions to cook slightly in the steam. Serve hot.
Dr. Gabrielle Avancena is currently an intern at Morningside Hospital in New York, and will be joining the NYU Langone Health PM&R residency program next year.