Midnight Express: Women of Malolos take center stage with Sta. Veronica Birang, Suspiros de Mani

For the first two episodes of Saksi's "Midnight Express" this week, the women of Malolos, Bulacan took the spotlight. They not only pushed for women's education during Spanish times, they also took care of the Katipuneros and made new recipes even the new generation still enjoys! Among them are the traditional dish Sta. Veronica Birang and the one-of-a-kind dessert Suspiros de Mani.

Sta. Veronica Birang

Sta. Veronica Birang is a dish said to be invented by the women of Malolos during the Revolution. It was named after the handkerchief St. Veronica she used to wipe Jesus' face on his way to Calvary.

They usually served the dish during meetings and special gatherings. It is usually served during Holy Week.

To whip up this dish, you need the following:

• fish
• longganisa Macau
• bell peppers
• carrots
• raisins
• mashed potato
• grated cheese
• powdered milk
• sinsal wrapper
• egg
• bread crumbs
• flour

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the fish, longganisa Macau, bell peppers, carrots, raisins, mashed potato, grated cheese, and powdered milk.

Wrap the mixture in sinsal wrapper.

Steam for 30 minutes. Let it cool.

Beat the eggs. Put the sinsal wrapper in the bowl of eggs and wrap it with bread crumbs and flour.

Fry. Serve and enjoy!

During his taste test, host Mikael Daez said the Sta. Veronica Birang has so many ingredients, he couldn't taste them all in one bite!



Suspiros de Mani

Suspiros de Mani is a popular dessert in Bulacan. The women came up with it after having leftover egg whites from making leche flan. Instead of throwing away the egg whites, they thought of adding sugar, nuts, and dayap—and thus was born the Suspiros de Mani.

It is cooked the same way bibingka is, in a clay pot with lit charcoal under and over it.



— Trisha Macas/BM, GMA News