Comfort food means different things to different people. During this global pandemic, however, our commonalities as Filipinos, I’ve noticed, emerge through food posts.

I haven’t received as many private messages from friends and family, especially those living abroad, than after posting photos of kamote cue, mais con hielo, tilapia in coconut milk and baked birthday spaghetti with béchamel sauce.

A childhood friend, who has lived in Sydney since the 1990s, told me she went to dig up her sweet potato plant in her backyard and quickly messaged me for instructions on how to cook them. (Peel the kamote, slice into bite sizes, deep-fry for 5-7 minutes over medium heat. Remove from skillet.

Reduce heat to medium low and add brown/coco/muscovado sugar directly to the same pan. When the sugar floats in the oil, return fried kamote to skillet and coat with sugar.)

I had neither made the sweetened kamote snack before this lockdown, nor have had it in perhaps as many years as my now-Aussie friend had, but it turned out to be quite a nice substitute for the banana cue I was craving. (The supermarket ran out of saba bananas.)

Another friend based abroad sent me a photo of her pantry storing a can of whole kernel corn. She wanted to know if she could substitute regular whole milk for evaporated milk for the summery dessert. (Yes—just add sugar.) I put ice cubes in mine for convenience, instead of the typical crushed ice, and condensed milk because I already had an open can.

In the United States, the New York Times recently ran an article about the renewed popularity of many supermarket processed and junk foods—comfort food to many Americans. Street snacks such as banana and kamote cue seem to serve the same purpose to us Filipinos, wherever in the world we are—they transport us back to happier, worry-free times.

Tilapia in Spicy Coconut Milk

2 pc tilapia, cleaned and scored
1½ c (or 370 ml canned) coconut milk
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, sliced
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 red chilies
2 c spinach (or any greens you have)
2 Tbsp fish sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a shallow pan, sauté ginger in canola oil for 2 minutes. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute.

Add coconut milk and let it simmer. Season with fish sauce, salt and pepper.

Add tilapia to the pan and simmer covered, about 5 minutes. Add chili (if using) and cover for another 5 minutes. Add spinach and cover. Remove from fire. Serve with rice.

Grownup Baked Birthday Spaghetti with Béchamel Sauce

300 g spaghetti, broken in half and cooked according to package instructions
For the meat sauce:
500 g ground beef
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 c crushed tomatoes (or 3 Tbsp tomato paste)
1 big onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 c beef stock (or 1 bouillon)
1 Tbsp coco sugar
1 tsp Italian seasoning or herbes de Provençe (or chopped fresh basil)
Chili flakes
Salt and pepper
For the béchamel:
2 c hot whole milk
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
1 cup grated cheddar
Cayenne pepper
Nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Saute onions and garlic in a pot. Add beef and cook for about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer. Add beef stock and cook over medium low heat for 20-30 minutes. Add spices and season. Remove from heat and set aside.

Over low fire, briskly whisk together butter and flour in a saucepan until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add hot (not boiling) milk into the saucepan. Continue whisking for about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add cheese and seasoning.

Preheat over to 375F.

For easy assembly, combine meat sauce and spaghetti in a big mixing bowl, ensuring the noodles are well-coated.

Place the spaghetti mixture in a 9×9 Pyrex dish. Top with béchamel sauce. Bake for 30 minutes.

Spanish Frittata

3 medium potatoes, cleaned and sliced thinly with skin on
1 onion, sliced
6 eggs, beaten
3 Tbsp whole milk
½ c grated cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper

Preheat over to 400F.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cheese and salt and pepper.

In a cast-iron pan, sauté onion until soft. Add potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Toss to cook potatoes evenly. Season. Pour egg mixture over the potatoes. Bake in oven for 30 minutes.