Filipino Whole30 Eats: Ensaladang Talbos ng Kamote (Quickie Veggie)

Just another simple dish to make sure you always have plenty of veggies with your meals. This one feels timeless to me: I can imagine families from almost any period in Philippine history sitting down by the glow of cooking fire, or candles, or gas lamp, or electric lights to a simple dinner of rice and fish and something like this.

Translations

Ensalada (ehn-sah-lah-dah): salad

Kamote (kah-moh-teh): sweet potato

Talbos ng kamote (tahl-boss nang kah-moh-teh): sweet potato tops or greens

Atchara (aht-chah-rah): green papaya and other veggies pickled in vinegar

Ingredients

• About 16 cups of talbos ng kamote, stems removed (about a big salad bowl’s worth)
• 1 Roma tomato, diced
• 1/2 of an onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Asian pear purée
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Substitution: You can use the pickled juice of homemade atchara in place of the vinegar and fruit purée)

Instructions

1. Blanch the talbos ng kamote: place the leaves in a pot of boiling water for about 30 seconds, then transfer immediately to a big bowl of ice water and keep there for 30 seconds. Then move to a colander and shake the water off.
2. Make the dressing: in a small bowl, mix the ginger, vinegar, fruit purée, salt, and pepper.
3. Transfer the blanched leaves into an empty bowl and add the tomato and onion. Pour the dressing over the vegetables. Toss the ingredients until the dressing coats all the veggies. Serve.

Makes about 2-3 servings. The sour-sweet taste of this salad makes it a good side dish for fried or grilled fish.

How this is Whole30

The fruit purée takes over for the sugar that is normally added to the dressing.

• About Whole30