MANILA, Philippines — In Marikina Metropolis lies Bingbingcat Kitchen, a family-run small enterprise promoting the Tausug sticky rice cake delicacy Putli Mandi from Mindanao.
Owned by husband and spouse Juan Sajid Imao and Cielo Imao, Cielo advised Rappler that the story of Bingbingcat Kitchen is definitely a love story.
Love at first interview (and first chunk)
Sajid is a famend sculptor and son of Nationwide Artist Abdulmari Asia Imao, a Tausug from Jolo, Sulu. Devoting his time to his monumental sculptures, Sajid is behind iconic public artwork just like the brass sundial on the Bonifacio World Metropolis, the primary crucifix at Ateneo de Manila College’s Church of the Gesu, and the Lapu-Lapu monument on the Nationwide Museum of the Philippines.
His spouse Cielo used to put in writing for MetroMedia Publications (In Type and Bride Philippines) below restaurateur Larry J. Cruz within the early Nineties. She met Sajid when she interviewed him for {a magazine} article about his artwork and life as a second-generation artist.
They’ve now been married for 29 years.
Little did Cielo know that she’d even be falling in love with one other Tausug — Sulu’s putli mandi delicacy, that’s.
“Whereas I’m not Tausug, I fell in love with Tausug tradition and delicacies by him and his household,” Cielo advised Rappler.
Her love for Tausug delicacies began throughout journeys to Davao in 2013 for her husband’s monument installations. “There, we found daring, flavorful Mindanaoan dishes like satti, pyanggang, tiyulang itum, pastil plus a wide selection of desserts,” she mentioned.
Her husband’s Tausug family members from Jolo, Sulu and Tausug mates from Zamboanga and Tawi-Tawi would deliver over an assortment of Tausug delicacies every time they might go to his studio in Marikina.
“I received so intrigued by the number of these sweets, collectively known as “bangbang sug” or just “bangbang” — locot-locot, panggi-panggi, baulo, pitis patani and naturally, putli mandi. Being a kakanin lover with a candy tooth, I used to be immediately hooked,” Cielo mentioned. But it surely was the putli mandi that was love at first “sticky” chunk for Cielo.
“It jogged my memory of the bilo-bilo I used to assist my mother put together as a toddler. I recall how addicted I used to be to those chewy and sticky rice balls that I might purposely fish them out of the guinatan simply to eat them on their very own. I grew up in an Ilocano family in Bulacan the place kakanin was a staple for merienda, dessert and at fiestas,” she mentioned.
From her Ilocano aspect, she additionally enjoys patupat, tupig, and Royal bibingka, and likewise Japanese mochi and palitaw, each of which she loves.
Dream delayed, however not forgotten
The couple, who’re each of their 50s, had all the time dreamed of bringing the underrated Tausug delicacies to a wider viewers for over a decade, however life, work, and household received in the best way. However in late 2019, the Imaos determined it was time to construct their very own “monument.”
They started constructing a bodily retailer in Marikina, however needed to halt building work in 2020 when the pandemic hit. Whereas building was paused, they launched Bingbingcat Kitchen on-line in early 2022.
“We began with a single assistant and one Putli Mandi variant — the basic purple-colored Putli Mandi, however topped with cheese. Over time, I experimented with the recipe, treating Putli Mandi like mochi which may very well be stuffed with a wide range of fillings whereas giving it a Pinoy twist.”
“I used to be in a position to infuse native flavors into the chewy rice truffles and give you Putli Mandi variants as colourful and vibrant as Tausug tradition,” Cielo mentioned.
Inspired by constructive suggestions, Cielo experimented additional, creating variants like Latik Lava and Ube.
One ‘chew’ love
Derived from the Tausug phrases Putli (princess) and Mandi (bathing or showering), this deal with symbolizes royalty and celebration, known as “prinsesa ng kakanin.” Bingbingcat Kitchen has served 4 flavors to date:
The Basic Purple is commonly mistaken for ube, however its wealthy purple hue really symbolizes royalty. Stuffed with caramelized coconut shreds (hinti) and coated in freshly grated coconut, this conventional delicacy is chewy, barely candy, and the hinti offers texture.
The Pink Cheese is topped with premium grated cheese and stuffed with caramelized coconut; a sweet-salty twist on the basic. “It’s successful, particularly amongst children,” Cielo mentioned.
Impressed by Indonesia’s klepon, the pandan-infused Inexperienced Latik Lava (a private favourite) is stuffed with a wealthy latik sauce (coconut caramel) and topped with toasted pinipig. Now a bestseller, prospects love how the latik silkily oozes out with each chunk.
The straightforward Ube White rice cake is made particular with a selfmade ube halaya filling. Crafted from recent ube with no synthetic flavorings or extenders, the wealthy and creamy halaya takes hours to arrange and is generously stuffed into every rice cake.
Why the title? First, it’s a play on Sajid’s moniker “Bing,” as he’s fondly known as by shut family and friends. “Cat” comes from our shared love for cats, which can be current within the emblem.
“As a child, my husband would undertake stray cats. We’re additionally proud furparents of each cats and canines. In Tausug tradition, cats symbolize cleanliness,” Cielo shared. She additionally wished a reputation that was enjoyable to recollect.
“We’d like folks in Manila, particularly the youthful technology, to search out Tausug and Mindanaoan delicacies daring, thrilling, approachable, and value attempting. And I consider we’re carrying out that with our distinctive kakanin.”
Completely Tausug
Sajid and Cielo have all the time labored as a crew. Again then, she would handle his monument tasks, dealing with the funds and documentation, so he may give attention to his sculptures and inventive course of.
Now, Cielo focuses on recipe formulation, meals high quality, and day-to-day operations whereas Sajid takes care of meals packaging and the bodily retailer’s inside design.
The shop opened in October, stuffed with classic objects and nostalgic decor, as Sajid can be an avid collector. Moving into the shop seems like touring by a time machine to the Nineteen Fifties and prewar Philippines, with Sajid’s rigorously curated assortment of previous milk lamps, a classic money register, jukeboxes, and varied classic bric-a-brac adorning the takeout area.
On daily basis at Bingbingcat Kitchen begins brilliant and early within the Marikina commissary. On-line orders are taken, employees are educated, after which the crew prepares the fillings, grates recent niyog, and infuses the air with the aroma of caramelized coconut, pandan, and banana leaves.
Every Putli Mandi is lovingly rolled into its signature form, a course of harking back to childhood clay molding for Cielo. Relying on the variant, the rice truffles are then both boiled or steamed to perfection. They ship recent batches of Putli Mandi to the close by retailer.
“For me, the method of constructing this Mindanao mochi is what makes it particular, aside from its style and look. The method is painstaking, beginning with its coconut filling known as hinti which takes fixed stirring to realize its deep taste,” Cielo mentioned.
“Guess what? Sajid and I are licensed baristas too!”
“Together with our son, we took up barista coaching and studied latte artwork at Barista Espresso Academy Asia (previously Philippine Barista Espresso Academy) again in 2012. This impressed us to pair Tausug delicacies with espresso and to open our adjoining espresso store Monumento,” Cielo shared.
They’ve two kids — Juri, their 28-year-old son who’s a meals content material creator often known as jujumaoeats, and Aria, their 17-year-old daughter who’s additionally a passionate prepare dinner like her brother.
The success of Bingbingcat Kitchen is a household affair. “We’re thrilled that Juri has been serving to us promote this Tausug delicacy to younger folks like him. He’s extremely pleased with his Tausug roots,” Cielo added.
Cielo’s want? That extra folks, particularly in Manila, would recognize Tausug delicacies as a singular a part of our Filipino heritage.
“Their meals displays a vibrant, fearless tradition and robust household ties, which I love. Many specialties, like Putli Mandi, satti, and pyanggang, are labor-intensive and made with love for household, which makes them actually particular,” she mentioned. It has all the time been their dream to popularize Tausug delicacies in Manila.
With confidence, Cielo is definite that when Pinoys attempt Bingbingcat Kitchen’s Putli Mandi, they’ll fall in love with its flavors — similar to she did. – Rappler.com
Bingbingcat Kitchen is situated in 131 Gen. Ordonez St., Marikina Metropolis. Orders can be made by GrabFood.
