Spicy hot, creamy, aromatic and delicious. Halang-halang is a Visayan dish traditionally cooked with chicken or pork. It is served either as a stew or as a soup. Despite the many variations, there are two ingredients that define halang-halang — coconut milk and chilies. The name of the dish itself, according to Visayan readers, literally translates to anghang-anghang (or hot-hot, in English).
This is vegan style halang-halang. Instead of chicken or pork, I used tofu. And in place of sili leaves, I added spearmint leaves. Why mint leaves? The cooling sensation of mint goes terribly well with both the creaminess of the broth and the heat from the chilies. I would have added Thai basil too but our Thai basil in the garden is almost bald so I should give it time to grow more leaves before I start plucking again.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 4 cloves garlic - crushed
- 1 small onion - thinly sliced
- a knob of ginger - sliced
- 2 finger chilies - cut in halves
- salt - to taste
- pepper - to taste
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 small chayote - peeled, cored and cut into wedges
- 100 grams firm tofu - cubed and fried (see tips)
- a few sprigs of spearmint
Instructions
- Heat the cooking oil in a pot. Saute the garlic, onion, ginger and chilies with a little salt and pepper until softened and fragrant, about five minutes with occasional stirring.
- Pour in the coconut milk.
- Add the chayote wedges. Bring to the boil, lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Taste the broth, add more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Add the fried tofu. Simmer for another four minutes or until the tofu is heated through.
- Taste the broth once more. The tofu would have soaked up the salt so you may need to ajust the seasonings.
- Add the spearmint and simmer for another minute.
- Serve as a soup or with rice.Heat the cooking oil in a pot. Saute the garlic, onion, ginger and chilies with a little salt and pepper until softened and fragrant, about five minutes with occasional stirring.
- Pour in the coconut milk.
- Add the chayote wedges. Bring to the boil, lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Taste the broth, add more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Add the fried tofu. Simmer for another four minutes or until the tofu is heated through.
- Taste the broth once more. The tofu would have soaked up the salt so you may need to ajust the seasonings.
- Add the spearmint and simmer for another minute.
- Serve as a stand-alone soup or with rice.
If you cooked this dish (or made this drink) and you want to share your masterpiece, please use your own photos and write the cooking steps in your own words.
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