Wednesday, November 26, 2008

The Glorious Nuts, Beans and Pulses

When I was a child and my mother dragged me to market every Saturday morning, my favorite part besides the market breakfast is that nuts and beans section. I had this habit of burying my hands up to the elbows into the nuts (or sometimes rice) and feel that unforgettable grainy sensation. The nuts are cool to the touch,as though they were breathing. I just like it- as much as I liked beans and all sorts of nuts and pulses in most any way they are cooked. (Thank you God for not giving me any gout).


So here at the market, there are many kinds of nuts. Peanuts are sold with shell, without shell but with skin on, and naked peanuts.



Dried white beans, tapioca pearls (pre- bloom)...




Green peas, pop corn...


Red beans...
Chickpeas. I love chickpeas...
Green mung beans.


Special mention to green mung beans:These dried mung beans are toasted, then cooked with rice and coconut milk and a little sugar. Reminiscent of many summer afternoons where mungbeans were harvested and dried right at our backyard, I wouldn't trade this for any fancy dessert.

3 comments:

Manggy said...

Hmm, I wonder if they have any soybeans? Those have been eluding me so far!

1Northeast said...

Manggy, the bulk of our soybeans go to the taho and tokwa makers. But they still have soybeans- bihira.

solraya said...

Is that tuyo? sarap ha. I remember I got some the other day from that Ilocos trip. As a kid, I wait for the beans to be boiled, and before they saute it, I get my huge cup and blend it with milk and sugar.

Haven't had that comfort food for a while.