It's My Panay!: Feature:

Delicioso!

Christmas pasalubong treats from

Ninfel Pasalubong Center

By Pepin

Whether you are a food-loving local or a passionate balik-bayan, there are plenty of delicacies that await you in your hometown. Nothing beats the “tastes of home”, and whether you will like it or not, we Filipinos will search anywhere in the world for that exceptional flavor that we really love since our childhood years.

Just like here in Panay Island, people are going crazy about Lukos (dried squid), Ginamos (fish or shrimp paste), and Palad (fish flakes). The smell of these when cooked in low heat triggers an unexplained euphoria that will let you eat five cups of rice. Certainly fattening, but who cares? People will enjoy an unmatched moment with their plate.

Thanks to Ninfel Pasalubong Center and we can find all of these and more special local treats in one store. We can enjoy these flavours anytime we want, and so as our loved ones abroad who will be coming home this Holiday season.

A tale of success:

Manong Junjun shared to me how his family’s business became one of the most sought-after pasalubong stores here in Iloilo. According to him, it was established fifteen years ago and they have to put a lot of hard work in order for them to recover the money that they gambled to put this up. “It’s not an easy task after all,” he added.

But as the years go by, they learned how to play the business fairly and their efforts paid off. At first they were intimidated because most Filipinos and tourists considered Cebu as the best producers of dried sea foods, but Ilonggos had finally improved their own ingredients and established their own flavor. Now, when you say “ginamos,” “squid rings,” or “lukos” most people will associate them with the province of Iloilo.

Ninfel Pasalubong Center is located at Central Market in Iloilo City with branches at Travellers Lounge in SM City Iloilo and Iloilo Domestic Airport. Manong Junjun said that Central Market is the best location because non-Ilonggo buyers will not only experience their delicacies, but the Ilonggo market life as well.

Their products came from Estancia, a town located at the northernmost part of the province. According to him, it is where the best producers of dried fish and seafood crunchies are from, and they are very passionate in producing these. The products will be delivered to their store twice a week, and they are buying loads of it – for lukos alone, the store makes an order of at least 100 kilos per delivery.

An easy process:

If you want to make a dried squid or dried fish, the steps are easy. First, you need to have a squid or a fish. Then you need to let it dry under the sun (the process is called “bulad”) for one day or two days. Then that’s it! You can fry it then eat it. Manong Junjun shared that these products taste well with a bottle of beer (people consider it as “pulutan”).

Pricing:

Here is the Price Guide:

Lukos – 1 kilo – Php 560.00

Tabagak – 1 kilo – Php 140.00

Palad Flakes – 1 pack – Php 80.00

Plain Danggit – 1 kilo – Php 460.00

Salted Danggit – 1 kilo – Php 460.00

These price tags vary depending on the season. It may go up during Christmas season and in the months of January and February, when Iloilo City celebrates its major festivals that attract thousands of tourists.

Other Specialties:

Ninfel Pasalubong Center produced its own specialties. One of these is the Sweet and Spicy Dilis. It has a unique tang that will make you crave for more. Another specialty is the Spicy Shrimp, which is considered as an exotic food by some foreign tourists. Other products you can buy are the Native Chocolate (Cacao), Salted Kasuy (Cashew nuts), and Pinasugbo (caramelized banana).

Consumer tips:

Manong Junjun gave some advice when buying these dried products. He said that Uga and Tabagak are best purchased within one week after they were made, because the flavor starts to wear off after that time. On the other hand, the Ginamos gets better in time, like the wine. That means that the older it gets the more it becomes flavoursome.

For more information or if you want to make some orders call:

NINFEL PASALUBONG CENTER

Tel. no: (033) 5099013