| Green Mangoes Is to Bagon Gata As Ham Is to Eggs | |
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 There’s always a time every month when I feel pregnant. At these times, my stomach is hollow (read: I eat a lot!) and I go about craving the most random things like caramel sundae from McDonald’s at 2 A.M. or Korean beef stew from one of my favorite stalls at the school cafeteria. There’s one craving, however, that hits me at these times without fail: green mangoes with bagon gata. Bagon or bagoong as the Tagalogs call it is a condiment also known as shrimp paste. In the Philippines, bagoong is usually eaten with green mangoes. This combination is so popular in the country it can be the Philippine’s counterpart to ham and eggs or peanut butter and jelly. Down south, especially in Zamboanga city, people cook bagoong with coconut milk or what is locally known as gata. The result is a creamier (and I’d also say yummier) version of the more usual shrimp paste found in other parts of the country. In Zamboanga city, Alavar (a famous Zamboangueño restaurant) holds the title of producing the most delicious bagon gata. After that brief bagon gata backgrounder, I’d like to go back to my story. Here, I will try to outline and explain why I love green mangoes with bagon gata so much. One, I grew up having that particular combo for my daily merienda. My mom would cook her own version of bagon gata every mango season (check out the recipe below). Since I grew up in a compound where mango trees were abundant, I was lucky enough to be able to have the combo everyday! I’d just drag my brothers outside, holding a long piece of bamboo stick so we could spear the mangoes from the tree. After peeling and slicing the fruit, we’d serve it with bagon gata and eat it while watching cartoons on TV. Two, just the thought of it makes me salivate! I don’t really know why. I’d be a little corny here and compare it to a vampire’s reaction to the smell of blood. Once I think green mango and bagon gata, my imaginary fangs start to elongate and at these times, I’d like nothing more than to sink them into green mango flesh! (Case in point: I’m salivating as I write this). Three, the combination of flavors is just perfect. The sweet and salty taste of the bagon gata balances out the mangoes’ sourness. Once you start eating it, you’d find it very difficult to stop. In fact, I can eat three whole mangoes in one seating as long as I have bagon gata to accompany it. I can go on and on with my reasons but it will probably end up too long and boring. So I’ll end this here with a challenge to those who still can’t understand what the fuss is all about: try some green mangoes with bagon gata. I swear to you, once you taste it, you’ll be craving for it like a pregnant woman too. My Mom’s* Bagon Gata Recipe |
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