{"product_id":"supper-club-filipino-kamayan-by-maria-polotan-oct-30","title":"SUPPER CLUB: Filipino Kamayan by Maria Polotan","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eKamayan\u003c\/em\u003e is a Tagalog word that translates to \"by bare hand\" and refers to a traditional Filipino style of communal meals. A typical kamayan meal — sometimes called a Boodle Fight, a name it earned among the hungry soldiers of Filipino army mess halls — features a table covered in banana leaves upon which a large mound of rice is placed, surrounded by a variety of meat and vegetable dishes, condiments and garnishes. The meal is then shared by everyone at the table, typically eaten by hand without plates or utensils.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoin \u003cstrong\u003eMaria Polotan\u003c\/strong\u003e, the Dep's go-to authority on authentic Filipino cuisine, for another fun, hands-on foray into the unique culinary experience of kamayan. Maria's kamayan dinner was \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/09\/18\/travel\/toronto-ethnic-food.html?unlocked_article_code=1.CVE.QOBr.5qzGwYuFdV5s\u0026amp;smid=url-share\"\u003erecently featured in \u003cem\u003eThe New York Times'\u003c\/em\u003e look at Toronto's food scene\u003c\/a\u003e — this time she's back with a menu spanning the Visayas and Mindanao, from a Butuan City crab specialty to \u003cem\u003elechon\u003c\/em\u003e-inspired roast chicken, and a luscious pork belly dish shaped by six centuries of trade with China.\u003cbr\u003e-----\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis meal will be kamayan-style, served communally on banana leaves over a mound of rice with a selection of condiments, meant to be eaten with one's hands.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKinilaw na Puso ng Saging\u003c\/strong\u003e — \u003cem\u003eBanana Heart \"Cooked\" in Vinegar and Spices\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003eBanana heart — the tender core of the banana blossom — is sliced thin and \"cooked\" the \u003cem\u003ekilawin\u003c\/em\u003e way: doused in vinegar rather than fire, a coastal preservation technique that predates colonization. Bright, tangy, and a little sharp, it's the perfect palate opener.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTinolang Manok\u003c\/strong\u003e —\u003cem\u003e Ginger Chicken Broth\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003eA clarified take on \u003cem\u003etinola\u003c\/em\u003e, the ginger-and-chicken soup that's practically a Filipino comfort-food institution. Here, Maria distills it down to its essence: a clean, gingery broth with warmth and depth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBuntaa\u003c\/strong\u003e — \u003cem\u003eCrab Stuffed with Spiced Coconut, Poached in Coconut Milk\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003eA specialty of Butuan City in Mindanao that rarely turns up outside it: whole crab packed with its own roe and fat, mixed with strands of young coconut and spices, wrapped in banana leaf, and gently poached in a fragrant spiced coconut milk broth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHumba\u003c\/strong\u003e — \u003cem\u003eBraised Pork Belly\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003eAn incredibly tender braised pork belly dish that traces back to Hokkien immigrants and six hundred years of trade between the Philippines and China — humba shares its DNA with Chinese red-braised pork, but has since gone thoroughly Filipino.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLechon Manok\u003c\/strong\u003e — \u003cem\u003eRoast Whole Chicken\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003eA whole chicken stuffed with aromatic lemongrass, garlic and onion, then roasted and burnished with a soy-lemon glaze — the poultry version of Philippines' famous whole-pig lechon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGising-Gising\u003c\/strong\u003e — \u003cem\u003eLong Green Beans in Coconut Milk\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003eLong beans simmered in a spicy coconut sauce; the name literally means \u003cem\u003e\"wake up, wake up,\"\u003c\/em\u003e a nod to the dish's kick of chili heat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnsaladang Kamatis, Sibuyas at Labanos\u003c\/strong\u003e — \u003cem\u003eSalad of Heirloom Tomatoes, Onions and Radishes\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003eA crisp, acidic counterpoint to the richer dishes on the table — heirloom tomatoes, onions and radishes, dressed contrast and complement the rich coconut milk and braised pork.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eServed with steamed rice, achara (a tangy pickle of shredded green papaya), crispy chicharron, spicy cilantro chutney, and fresh tropical fruit.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaja Blanca\u003c\/strong\u003e — \u003cem\u003eCoconut and Corn Pudding\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cbr\u003eFor dessert, a Filipino take on the Spanish \u003cem\u003emanjar blanco\u003c\/em\u003e (\"white delicacy\"), reworked with coconut milk in place of dairy — cool, milky and lightly sweet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-----\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMaria Lourdes Polotan\u003c\/strong\u003e grew up in a family where food played a central part in how life was celebrated; the kitchen was where the family congregated and her mother presided. Maria shares her passion for food through Lami by Mama Linda's, offering traditional Filipino home cooking with quality local ingredients at pop-up events, catering, and at Withrow Park Farmers' Market in the summer. \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/lamibymamalindas\/\"\u003e@lamibymamalindas\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-----\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Depanneur\u003c\/strong\u003e is where \u003cem\u003eInteresting Food Things\u003c\/em\u003e happen. For more than a decade The Dep has been showcasing Toronto's remarkable culinary diversity by hosting unique food events. \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thedepanneur\"\u003e@thedepanneur\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Depanneur","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67533193117944,"sku":null,"price":79.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0732\/8101\/1960\/files\/Savory_Lechon_Manok.jpg?v=1790540243","url":"https:\/\/thedepanneur.ca\/products\/supper-club-filipino-kamayan-by-maria-polotan-oct-30","provider":"The Depanneur","version":"1.0","type":"link"}