Tropical Cooking with Travel Man - Cooking Tips #1 Grilling by Using Charcoal

Grilling in charcoal? This is the most easy and affordable method at Philippine setting of street food, if not solely for family gathering or exclusive parties for friends.

The parilla or barbecue equipment will vary in sizes, the commercial one or the product of local metal workers or tinsmith My sister was able to buy one, only $50 cents or P100 pesos that will grill small batches of corn, pork barbecue, vegetable bits and pieces, raw banana strips or even fish in aluminum foil.

How to grill with charcoal? Let me first choose the wool fuel that will be using. Local charcoal manufacturer, prefer ipil-ipil trunks or mango branches for a whole day process.

They dug a well on the ground for the whole batch to burn. If not, you can use rice bran. Rice bran aid in coating the bits and pieces of fresh wood being burnt, without exposing the whole batch. Only smoke will penetrate, and from time to time, they cover it with rice bran until the 6 hours of carbonizing the whole batch.

Cover with fresh soil to confine the smoke which will help the last 50% of the carbonizing process. Don't sprinkle with water; it will take time for it to dry even the sun will quicken the tedious task.

Here in the Philippines, a half kilo of charcoal costs P5 to 10 pesos or 25 cents. You can reserve much if you'll buy a sack of it for a more discounted price, let's say P100 pesos or $3 dollars or less for future use.

Grilling retains the aroma, juices and nutrients of fish and other seafood, the corn's delicious taste. the vegetable's fresh taste and a lot more.You don't need to toast bread slices if you can openly grill it.

For the basting mixture on meats, especial pork barbecue, I mix vinegar and soy sauce, with chopped onion, garlic,brown sugar, salt and pepper. It can be used for basting pork or chicken barbecue.

Lemon is also a good alternative, with dried oregano for fish; it enhances the flavor. Donning my apron and bull cap, minus the chef's hat (it's worn out already), an afternoon grill party amid upbeat music will liven up the weekend with my friends and family.