It was Huebesan (Jaro Market Day). The market was bustling with energy, and the vendors were excitedly calling out the different goods they had for sale. One stall, however, particularly caught my eye.
My mother saw me looking at them and smiled. “Those are gaway-gaway,” she said. “It has been a long time since I had these.” She told me my lola made sinigang with gaway gaway when she was a little girl. The sourness of the flowers would add an extra layer of flavor to the dish. The idea of tartness enhancing an already special meal was enticing, and it didn’t take long for us to purchase some on our journey.
It was quite simple: blanch the petals in boiling water for a few minutes before adding them into the soup pot, along with kangkong, tomatoes, onions, fish sauce, and bangrus (milkfish). Once everything is cooked, serve it hot with generous amounts of rice on the side – delicious! Thanks to those little edible gems, it had the right balance between sweetness and bitterness.
Research has revealed that flowers should be more firmly considered a viable vegetable or medicinal use (Tantiado, 2012) for incorporation into one’s diet. Flowers might seem like a strange vegetable on the dinner plate, but they have their delicious advantages.
Gaway-gaway (Hiligaynon), also known as katuray (Tagalog), the vegetable hummingbird, is a type of flower tree found in various provinces in the Philippines (Documentation of Indigenous Vegetables, 2020). But exploring the different local names for this plant is a fascinating journey. Tagalog, Ibanag, and Pangasinen-se go by Katuray; in Central Visayas as Diana; Ilocano, Ibanag recognize Katuday while Camarines regionalize it as Gauai gauai with a slight spelling variation for Iloilo’s ‘W.’ Kapampangan and Sulu identify its name as ‘Kature’ or ‘Kambangturi.’
Its delicate yet eye-catching blossoms make it look like the tree has been transformed into a lovely lady swaying sensually to the flamenco!
Gaway-gaway is an edible flowering plant that produces delicate white, pink, and red blossoms reminiscent of a hummingbird flitting when the wind blows.
Many culinary experts have long overlooked this plant as an edible commodity. Still, it is indeed appetizing and can be enjoyed fermented as atsara (pickled) or steamed in salads, stews, or vegetable fried rice (Current status of production, protection and genetic improvement, 2016).
Its bud has a floral and tangy taste similar to the nectar of a santan – that is if you remove the stamen! It’s also a little crunchy and a bit leathery for texture. The white and pink buds are often chosen because of lesser bitterness for taste. The red has a certain asim and may need milk or heavy cream to counteract the sourness – like in the case of curry dishes.
Other than sinigang, Ensaladang Gaway-gaway is another dish one can make. First, one must remove the stamens and separate the sepals and receptacles from the florets before washing them thoroughly. It is then combined with tomatoes, onions, and vinegar to give it a sour taste. Sugar can be added to lend some sweetness to the salad. It is then served as an accompaniment dish to main meals or consumed as a snack.
Inihaw nga bangrus is another dish to make with gaway-gaway. This calls for the flowers combined with onions, tomatoes, ginger, and a seasoning of salt and pepper. The mix is then stuffed into deboned fish before grilling over an open flame. The combination of heat from
the fire and smokiness created by charcoal or wood smoke create a delicious result – tender fish with charred edges loaded with the right asim!
Gaway-gaway can also make jams and jellies for your morning bread and coffee or add zest to desserts such as vanilla ice cream and pie tarts.
In Thailand, gaway-gaway is enjoyed in dishes like nam phrik (Thai chili sauce) and Kaeng khae (Thai vegetable curry). Meanwhile, Sri Lankans delight in the flower in their white curries. In India, the leaves, pods, and flowers are all cooked, providing a unique texture and subtle sweetness to various dishes.
More experimentation still needs to be done on all the gastronomical wonders flowers provide. A plethora of subtle flavors and unique textures come from consuming gaway-gaway, a one-of-a-kind vegetable. With exploration, we may find new taste profiles to culinary dishes as an alternative vegetable option and potential development of new recipes and other food-related innovations like wine, tea, etc.
Nonetheless, I like my gaway-gaway, plain, cut, or mashed to my Guimaras mangoes while eating ibos or pan de sal. Then, let me finish my cacao drink with katumbal (chili) to start my mornings on fire!
