Recipe: Ngohiong Sauce Recipe

I have been frequently bringing ngohiong as pasalubong to different places in the Philippines. But unfortunately, I can only bring the frozen, half cooked ones through the airport customs not including the sauce (liquids are prohibited). 

I am talking about the street food variety ngohiong. These are the ones most popular with the masses and blue collared workers alike because they are cheap and tasty as well. I remember having this in college for P2.50 a piece. And what is ngohiong without the spicy-hot gravy-like sauce mixed with vinegar and soy sauce. To quote Rosemarie Garcia of Caro and Marie Culinary School where I took a crash course on ngohiong making, "Walay kalag ang ngohiong kung wala ang sauce." (There is no "soul" in a ngohiong without the sauce). Absolutely true. 

This recipe is for the sauce only. Recipients of this Cebuano pasalubong can now make their own sauce to pair with this delectable and crunchy dish. Take it from me, it's still an authentic sauce because it's concocted by a Cebuana *wink*. 

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Makes one cup of sauce. 

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp oil or drippings
• 1/4 tsp chicken powder or crushed chicken cube ( I prefer the powder though)
• 1 cup water
• 3 -5 pcs birds eye chili or ailing labuyo, chopped (one to five pcs doesn't really make any difference since. Want it ten-twenty pieces? Go ahead)

Procedure:

1. Dissolve the flour in the oil to make a roux.
2. Heat in a saucepan and add the chicken powder, water and the chili
3. Heat until it thickens. 
4. Cool before transferring to a sauce bottle. 

To serve, mix equal amounts of vinegar and soy sauce in a sauce bowl. 

Pour the spicy-hot gravy into the mixture according to your "hotness level". 

Dip away. 

This ngohiong is from Hukad. About P75 per serving (5 pcs). Prices came a long way since then. (Originally wrote this in 2015)