Written by the Web Team

 

A bite for health; a toast for culture.

The Asian Institute of Management Conference Center Manila and the Food for Life Bistro Concept Company, Inc. recently held a Tapuy Cooking and Cocktail Concoctions and Brown Rice Cooking Competition in Makati City.

Fostering the advocacy of the National Year of Rice (NYR 2013), contest judge Alvin Lim said the “event doesn’t only show talents in culinary but also promotes better health and upholds one of our country’s heritages.” Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), the country’s lead agency in rice research and development, also supported the activity.

NYR 2013, an advocacy campaign that aims to encourage responsible rice consumption and productive farming, promotes brown rice as it has many nutritional benefits and helps reduce the incidence of cancer and cardio-vascular diseases.

Marissa Romero, PhilRice food scientist cited a 1995 research saying that frequent eating of brown rice may reduce the incidence of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, heart disease, and stroke. Cancer and diabetes may also be diminished by consuming brown rice.

She said that polishing brown rice to obtain white rice removes 15% of protein; 85%, fat; 80 thiamine; 70% riboflavin; and 68%, niacin. Ninety percent of calcium; 75%, phosphorus; and 60% of other minerals are also removed.

Romero also said that weight-conscious drinkers will find tapuy “a healthy alternative to beer and brandy as it has less calories.”

The traditional drink, which originated from Banaue and the Mountain Province, is prepared with glutinous rice and bubod (starter culture). Served during important occasions such as weddings, rice harvesting ceremonies, fiestas, and even during wake, the traditional rice wine tastes bitter and sour and needs to be consumed immediately owing to its short shelf-life.

Improving the beverage, PhilRice has extended its shelf-life up to 10 months without preservatives and increased its market potential through launching Tapuy Cocktails, a wide array of concocted drinks mixed with ingredients that are grown or associated with places around the Philippines.

Recently, PhilRice launched its tapuy blends with catchy names such as Aurora Love Affair, Tagaytay Escapade, Baguio Flame, Manila Addiction, Isabela Secret, and Palawan Playmate.

In the competition, the winning team prepared Chicken Flambe with Java Rice and Buttered Vegetables as main dish and Mango Jubilee, Summer Red Sangria, and Summer White Sangria for the cocktails and concoctions.

The event was initiated as part of the regular skill test of the Asian Institute of Management to its entrepreneurship and business students. Groups were given two hours to cook the dishes and prepare the cocktails.

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Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is a government corporate entity attached to the Department of Agriculture created through Executive Order 1061 on 5 November 1985 (as amended) to help develop high-yielding and cost-reducing technologies so farmers can produce enough rice for all Filipinos.

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Philippine Rice Research Institute