#nativedish

The Vibrant City of Valenzuela is a city known for its word-class and award-winning projects and facilities. It is also known because of the great officials that lead the city and the people who are united in creating a community fit for all. But besides all of these, when you ask Valenzuelanos themselves what they could boast about their city, many would say something about their delicacies, especially the Putong Polo.

Putong Polo is a small steamed rice cake with a reddish-brown color because of atsuete. It is sometimes topped with a thin slice of cheese to add some more flavor. It’s been circulating around Valenzuela since the year 1920. It started in the town of Polo, where a competition was held and a family brought the Putong Polo, which became the Manuel L. Quezon Presidential Awardee of the Most Delicious Delicacy. Since then, the precious recipe of the delicacy was carefully passed on to different generations until it made its way to the present generation. That is why we are still enjoying this delectable treat.

Through the years, Putong Polo was given great significance because of its popularity and it also became a staple in the tables of different families around Valenzuela and also in other cities. Numerous pairings were also created because of the versatility of the said treat. There is also a Putong Polo Festival launched by the government of Valenzuela City led before by the former Mayor Bobbit Carlos created to honor the rites of the oldest church in the city, which is the San Diego De Alcala Parish Church located at the town of Polo.

The first makers of it use steamers made from kawayan and the rice is manually pounded until it becomes pulverized. In the present time, the way of cooking was never changed but they developed little changes in the machines they use. They use modern and improved machines to make the Putong Polo tastier and easier to cook in masses.

But the greatness of putong polo doesn’t just satisfy our taste buds. For some people, the delicacy helped them push through their lives because of the income they get from making and selling it. Aling Jean, who makes and sells putong polo to earn extra money for her family, said that “Hindi lang ‘yun basta isang pagkain, naitaguyod n’un ang pamilya ko. Saka sa tingin ko mahalaga talaga yun dito sa Valenzuela. Naging isa sa pagkakakinlanlan yun ng Valenzuela.”

Indeed that it is well-known delicacy from Valenzuela City. But it is famous not just because of its taste, but also because of the hard work, passion, and perseverance from the makers behind this delicacy. It is not just a food, it gives the City of Valenzuela an identity that symbolizes the greatness of the people in our city.

In the Philippines, Puto is a popular steamed rice cake that is known all over the country. Puto is a type of Kakanin which is originally made to serve as offerings to pre-colonial gods or gifts to honored guests and visitors during the old times. Puto is believed to be derived from the Indian puttu of Kerala origin. Puto still hasn't died in our tradition, it is still served today and even comes in many variations. Puto is eaten with coconut shavings, butter, or cheese and salted egg on top. . Our childhood routine involved eating Puto as our midday snack. Their hint of sweetness makes them a perfect match for savory dishes such as dinuguan. There are many variants of Puto nowadays, and one of its famous variant is Putong Polo which originated in Valenzuela City. The putong pulo, a popular delicacy from Valenzuela City, is a small rice cake, steamed and mixed with achuete to give it its distinctive reddish-brown color. It is then topped with a small, thin slice of cheese. Putong Polo became famous because of the competition in 1920 that was held in the town of Polo in Bulacan. The Nieva family, who is known for making Putong Polo was chosen to be given the Presidential Awardee of the most delicious delicacy.

           In making the Putong Polo you will need the following ingredients: 4 cups rice flour, 2 cups water, 1 (13.5 ounces) can coconut milk, 1-1/2 cups sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons baking powder, and non-stick cooking spray or melted butter. In a bowl, combine rice flour, water and coconut milk. Stir until smooth and well-blended. Cover with film and refrigerate overnight. Add sugar and salt and stir until well dispersed. Add baking powder and stir well until batter is smooth and without lumps. Lightly spray insides of puto molds with non-stick cooking or lightly brush with melted butter. Pour puto batter into molds until ¾ full. In bottom part of steamer, add water and bring to a boil. Arrange filled puto molds in a single layer on steamer basket. Place steamer basket over bottom part. Wrap lid of steamer with cheesecloth or any cotton material (to prevent condensation from dripping onto puto) and cover steamer. Steam puto for about 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to slightly cool and gently remove puto from molds.

           The Valenzuela City Hall has launched the well known "Putong Polo Festival" in rites of respecting oldest church in the city, the 378-year-old San Diego de Alcala Parish Church in Barangay Polo. To restore the popularity of the local delicacy "Putong Polo," local authorities drove by Mayor Bobbit Carlos and the festival board of trustees sorted out by Rita Carlos said the week-long celebration was an offering to San Diego de Alcala, the patron saint of the oldest church in the city.Carlos said a bazaar and competition for "Putong Polo" makers finish this year's celebrations. "Putong Polo," a famous Filipino delicacy, started from Valenzuela, in the past known as Polo town in the 1920s. This local rice cake was a beneficiary of the Manuel Quezon Presidential Award as a local delicacy known for its intriguing taste and long life span at the Manila Carnival in 1931. He said the delicacy's popularity has not been restricted within the city. "Putong Polo" has been a general charge in the rich tables for quite a long time at the Manila Hotel, Sulo Hotel, Holiday Inn and Aristocrat Restaurant, among others. It is still also exported to Hong Kong, Japan and other Asian nations, a source of valuable dollars to lighten the economy.

Native Dish in Valenzuela City: Putong Polo Series #1

Putong Pulo is a native food in Valenzuela City, a popular delicacy in the said city. It is a rice cake that was steamed which gave its texture, and to give its distinctive reddish-brown color, it was mixed with achuete. It is somehow the same as the other rice cake but smaller which defined the difference with other rice cakes. A little thin slice of cheese which is enough for the size of rice cake was then put on top of it to add deliciousness (Exiomo, 2014).

According to Aha Valenzuela (2013), a competition was held in Polo, Bulacan in the year of 1920 and in that competition, someone made something new and brought a different taste which was known as Putong Polo. The Putong Polo was made by the Nieva Family in the said year and was chosen to be given the Presidential Awardee of the most delicious delicacy. A person who ended up not winning in the competition namely Delfin Gutierrez Jr., owner of the Mang Delfin’s Putong Polo. In year 1944, he had his business roots from his grandparents, Lolo Olimpio Gutierrez and Lola Felisisima De Gusman.

In order to make the known delicacy in Valenzuela City, there are things that should be prepared. The list of ingredients were as follows: Premium ricce or laon rice known as dinorado, sugar which can either be white sugar or brown sugar, baking powder or salt and cheese, and lastly something that would make the Putong Pulo extra special or simply, the secret ingredient. The Dinorado should soak for 24 hours. After soaking it, while it still wet, grind the rice using cornmill. Next, Mix all the given ingredients based on the desired measurements. Place it on a swet and into the steamer. Lastly, let it cool.

In Valenzuela City, a festival was yearly held specifically on November 12 in Polo in San Diego De Alcala Parish Church. Putong Polo has a great impact in town. Because of this delicacy, more people had known Valenzuela which resulted to a greater economic rate and more opportunities for the city.