Buro

image source: wikimedia.org

Buro or fermented rice is a native delicacy from Pampanga. I swear I am not a picky eater! I eat anything served on the table. But when one of my friends invited me to eat lunch with buro as the main dish, I would have wanted to decline because I really don't like the strong smell of it.

At dahil ayokong kumain ng lugaw na panis, period, parang awa mo na pls!

I was concerned about my appetite but I also don't want to decline the invitation. When everything was ready the big bowl of famous Buro from Pampanga was served in the center of the dining table accompanied with a separate serving plate of steamed okra, talong and fried Fish.

Everyone one on the table were eating enthusiastically except me. I picked one piece of okra, I dipped in the bowl of Buro and swallowed the whole piece! I was surprised. I was wrong about the Buro after all. In its raw form, it smells like hell (sorry for the word), but when cooked it enhances the flavor of the food. After that meal, I just began to love eating Buro.
   

In Dubai, Pampagueno Restaurant in Madina Mall in Karama includes Buro in their menu. When I dined at the restaurant, I told the waiter with CONFIDENCE, "One serving of Pinaputok na Bangus with Buro and Vegetables pls."


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If you will try to prepare Buro you may follow the following recipe from DOST:

Utensils:

• Spatula
• Sterilized bottles
• 2 pcs square polyethylene plastic
• Mixing bowls
• Plastic strainer
• Plate

Ingredients:

• 250g or 1/4 kilo suahe shrimp with heads removed
• 43.5g salt
• 1.2kg or 6 cups of cooked rice
  1. Rice must be of the C4 variety.
  2. When cooked, the rice must be slightly wet.
  3. Use 4 cups of water to make the rice slightly watery.
  4. Set aside cooked rice to cool.

Procedure

1. Mix salt and shrimp in mixing bowl. Mash thoroughly until the shrimp absorbs the salt. Let stand for 2 hours.
2. After 2 hours, put cooked rice in a mixing bowl. Add salt/shrimp mixture then mash to mix ingredients thoroughly.
3. Add the remaining salt to the mixture and mix. Set aside.
4. Transfer the mixture into sterilized bottles. Leave a centimeter head space from the mouth.
5. Cover bottles with polyethylene plastic. Cap tightly. Set aside for 10 days to ferment.
6. On the 10th day, the balao-balao is ready to be served. To cook, saute with garlic and onion.

The balao-balao will last for 2 months when kept in a freezer.

source: www.trc.dost.gov.ph