Mang Inasal: It's Filipino

Every Filipino has already heard of Mang Inasal. But to my foreign readers, what is this about? Is it a curse? Of course not. Is it a legend? No, but it is legendary!

So what is it? It's an eating establishment in the Philippines, known for its excellent grilled chicken and BBQ. They also serve pork sisig and bangus sisig (finely chopped pork or fish bits in a sizzling plate, served with lots of pepper and soy sauce, occasionally with egg), Filipino soups and desserts. If you want to make money out if it, you can have a franchise. In a way it's like the American fast food giant, McDonald's. However Mang Inasal does not look like a fast food chain. In a way it is -- with its branches in many places around the country, low prices and the fast service -- but the food is still cooked, not mass produced. Seriously, customers still have to wait for the food to be served.

But really, what is Mang Inasal, and why is it so popular?

Cultural Differences in Terms of Preparation
Let's divide the name into two:

• Mang: short for 'manong,' which means 'sir' in Tagalog (there are many other ways to say 'sir' in Filipino. The Tagalog term is widely accepted in different Filipino languages). It's the same in Iloilo, where the Inasal originally came from.
• Inasal: from my experience, it means 'roast,' or sometimes 'grilled.' It is a variation of the Argentinian way of cooking, but it's called asado over there. We also use the word for some pork dishes, but not for grilling. Our asado is sweet. I'm not sure but I think the word inasal comes from asado.

Apparently, the way of cooking is Spanish-esque. It's a bit of Spanish but 100% Filipino because it is fused with other native ways of preparing the food. Why? For example, in South American countries like Argentina and Uruguay, their version of Inasal consists of adding many vegetables, sometimes tossed in a salad. However we share a common tradition of serving grilled food with alcohol, and both variations can be spicy.

But in reality, the Visayan way of roasting is different, so it is safe to say that it is no longer Spanish because of the way we cook it, and that this variation is also very different from its South American counterparts. The sauce, for instance, is sweet and sour (soy sauce with a bit of sugar and calamansi). We don't normally serve with a vegetable salad, but with pickled papayas and carrots on the side. We actually marinate our roasted food -- unlike the South American way of preparation (according to the Wikipedia article on Asado, they don't marinate the meat but instead put salt). We also eat it with rice wrapped in a small banana leaf. I'm not sure if countries in South America do it like that, too.

A friend of mine wrote his comment on my Facebook wall regarding the preparation. Being a native from Iloilo, where the popular inasal came from, my friend wrote in detail the way of preparation, and how inasal is different. He writes:

... This way of roasting has also been incorporated certain native practices like the steaming of chicken wrapped in leaves, boiled with herbs, and barely seasoned. Old and trusted aids in Iloilo's/ Bacolod's "old" families for instance know that no chicken will do and prove so/as tasty as the "native" (Bisaya) variety that the preparation is quite elaborate. The chicken before roasted is first immersed in water until such time that the steaming process is permissible. Like siopao, steaming the chicken with fragrant herbs ensures that the taste remains flavorful. Contrary to popular practice, marinating the chicken in soy sauce or in a special marinade doesn't make the inasal special. the taste lies in the preparation of the chicken itself. (Pe, 2010)

 He also talked about the different ways of roasting in the Visayan Islands.

... In Cebu it (roasting) is normally done in a furnace of coal laid in a pit-like platform whereas in Iloilo and Negros it is normally in metal stands or rotisseries. (Pe, 2010)

Because of our Asian and European mix of cultures, we come up with this kind of way of roasting. Now, isn't that something to be proud about?

Using this cross-cultural comparison, we can say that Inasal is Filipino. Those who don't say so must research and experience other foods before making a rash judgment. That is a sign of colonial mentality, a point-of-view which we should prevent having.

Mang Inasal and Globalization
To answer the question if Mang Inasal is an answer to McDonaldization, the phenomenon of mass producing food for a fast-paced society, it sort of is. With its branches and cheap prices, Mang Inasal is not a fine-dining restaurant -- it is an eating establishment for the hungry and busy Filipino who's sick and tired of burgers and fries (I honestly admit that I get sick of McDo's twister fries and chocolate sundae). But Mang Inasal still respects the fact that food needs to be carefully planned and cooked for the customer, instead of dumping the food in a deep frying machine or replacing the actual food with artificial products. It is as if we are called to be both efficient and respect the preparation of cooking inasal. If this is the answer to globalization, then I won't mind spending lunch hours at Mang Inasal.

Plugging in!
So, to my foreign readers, the next time you're in the Philippines and want to eat something Filipino but you don't have time to wait for it to be cooked, look for Mang Inasal. They also serve American food with an obvious Filipino taste. They also have delivery services (minimum of P200 + 10% service charge). Call them at 733-1111. You may also log on to http://manginasal.com/ for their menu, or like them in Facebook. At the same time I'll be happy to eat with you!

What customers can order in Mang Inasal. Image from HERE

I just finished my order of chicken inasal for PhP49, and I must say it is delicious!