My Lolo's favorite dish was Bringhe, a Filipino take on the always festive Spanish Paella. Nobody ever cooked it at home, though, it was simply among our fiesta parties' most awaited dishes. And only Aching Zeny, our cook in Pampanga, could get the right mix of ginger, lihia, meats, and malagkit rice. Everyone else's was either too bland, too green, too yellow, or too dry. When Lolo passed and Aching Zeny retired, that was the beginning of the end of our Bringhe days.

Only one other person's Bringhe could match the Bringhe of my childhood memories, and that was Lola Pacing's. It was her one sure way to get balikbayan relatives to visit her at her cottage en route to Angeles, and her one sure way to score dollars in the process. Sadly, because of some family feuds (and sometimes, there are many in my family though they too pass), we no longer get a taste of Lola Pacing's Bringhe.

Last Christmas, I mentioned to Tati how much I missed Lola Pacing's Bringhe. She snorted and said with much conviction "I can do better." Mom and I tried her recipe last weekend, at it really is a better Bringhe.

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Tati's Bringhe recipe is a fusion of Filipino and Spanish and even, Italian recipes. Instead of malagkit, she uses Arborio or Carneroli, a nutty Italian rice (found at Santi's and certain Rustan's branches), and instead of Vienna Sausage, she uses Chorizo de Bilbao (the Marca El Rey kind). What makes it taste even better is the addition of seafood - crabs and shrimps - to the mix. The traditional Pampanga recipe makes use of only chicken and sausage. Of course, Tati won't cook it without using the secret seasoning - vetsin.

Here's Tati's email.

Dear Kim,

We celebrated Lolo's B-day also by attending mass in the morning and then we ate kebobs at a Persian restaurant nearby. Regarding the green bringhe. You have to saute chicken pieces in oil including gizzard, liver and chorizo de Bilbao..Add turmeric and coconut milk. Cook until tender and sauce is reduced. I'll saute the arborio in oil or butter, add a little lihia (the ingredient used in suman bulagta), then line rice cooker with banana leaf before I put the sauted arborio, Add the reduced coconut sauce from the chicken plus approprate amount of chicken stock. Cook rice according to rice cooker instructions. When rice is almost cooked, add and mix sauted chicken, boiled shrimps, boiled crabs,raisins and cover with banana leaf until rice is "inin". To serve, top with green peas, sliced pimiento and hard boiled eggs. The lihia will extract the green color from tha banana leaf'. Don't forget the patis and secret ingredient (vetsin) Correct seasoning, enjoy and happy eating!

Love,
Tati

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