Merienda de Prayle
Merienda de Prayle, a regional dish, is cooked using milkfish or bangus, both of which are plentiful in Malolos, Bulacan. A Bulakenyo dish that Jose Rizal, our national hero, and the friars, or prayles in Spanish, enjoyed eating during gatherings.
In order to persuade them to join the La Liga Filipina, Jose Rizal allegedly used to visit triumvirates like Jose Bautista, Manuel Crisostomo, and Vicente Gatmaitan. According to tourism official Rolly Marcelino, they frequently pretended that these meetings between Rizal and the triumvirates were social gatherings, with the women acting as lookouts and stationed near to windows, ready to alert the men anytime civil guards passed by.
Origin
The Merienda de Prayle, also known as “Kinilaw na Bangus na may Kesong Puti,” was one of the basic dishes back then. Of course, to make the pretend party plausible, the ladies would offer a feast for the gentlemen. This dish originated from the Bautista Clan and is still available to buy at the Ilustrados in Intramuros.
Dez Bautista, an artist, historian, and food specialist headquartered in Malolos, has teamed with Ilustrado to provide thorough instruction, understanding, and supervision in the offerings. He descended from the respected and well-known Bautista clan in Malolos where numerous heirloom delicacies emerged from. His ancestral home in Malolos is a well-known historical site that was rebuilt in 1877 after being erected in 1855 and it remains a neoclassical masterpiece today. Furthermore, according to neighbors, the friars adored eating the aforementioned bangus dessert for merienda. As a result, it was given their name.
Ingredients
- Bangus (milkfish)
- Ginger
- Onions
- Vinegar
- Calamansi (lime)
- Kesong Puti
Procedure
- Filet or cut off the milkfish's meat from its skin.
- Slice the meat into smaller pieces and set aside.
- In a bowl, put together the sliced ginger and onions.
- Add vinegar and calamansi and mix well.
- Pour the mixture into the sliced milkfish meat.
- Let it sit in the mixture until the meat turns white or for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
- Slice the kesong puti into the same size as the milkfish meat.
- Once ready, stuff the milkfish meat in between two slices of kesong puti and tie with leaves, just like a musubi.
- Add sliced lime and onions on top.
Recipe from: Chef Gelo Guison (GMA: iJuander 2022)
References
Quieta, R. (2022, January 11). Recipe: Merienda de Prayle. GMA Network. https://www.gmanetwork.com/lifestyle/food/84542/recipe-merienda-de-prayle/story
Foodies, T. (2012). Ilustrado: Malolos Heritage Cuisine (Kulinarya Kalayaan 2012). https://www.tsinoyfoodies.com/2012/06/ilustrado-malolos-heritage-cuisine.html?m=1