Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Folk Wisdom Series: How to catch a live monkey, et al

Abe V Rotor

1. How do you catch a monkey?
Bore a small hole into a young coconut (buko), about an inch in diameter, or just enough for the monkey to insert its hands with outstretched fingers. Hang the nut among the trees where monkeys abound. A monkey comes around, inserts its hand into the nut and gathers the meat. True to the characteristic of monkey it will not open its fist in order to escape. Now it is the trapper’s move. This is one for the fable.

2. Get rid of that bulging eye bag
Aloe vera, cut lengthwise, with cotton ball, wipe sap and apply around the eye bag before going to sleep. Potato (Solanum tuburosum) is also effective. Slice and wipe sap with cotton ball. Apply around eye bag before retiring at night. (From Salamat Dok, March 29, 2009)

3. Malunggay (Moringa oleifera) supplement in noodles.
Noodles are in various preparations: sotanghon, bihon, mami, pasta, others. Enterprises are producing malunggay supplemented noodles.

4. More fish are caught when the moon is out.
Fish have wider range to feed in the moonlight. Fishing lights attract more fish when the moon is out, so that fishermen choose the time of their fishing for more catch. However, there are species that are not discriminating in their feeding habits whatever is the phase of the moon.

In The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway, the author, did not mention under what condition the old man hooked and landed his prized blue marlin. Definitely there are factors other than the phase of the moon that predispose fish to bite.

5. How do you know if a diamond is real?
Scratch it on glass, old folks would advise us before going into transaction. Diamond is harder than glass; in fact it is the hardest material we can find on earth. We use it to cut glass and ceramics. Saw blades and drill bits are tipped with diamond for better and lasting efficiency. In cutting and polishing diamond, its own dust is used. Yet diamond is actually made up of carbon, the same material that makes up graphite which is the lead of the pencil. Nature transformed carbon into this rare precious stone by metamorphism, the same process limestone is changed into shiny marble.

6. If you happen to touch a hot object, immediately press your affected fingers on your ear lobes.
By so doing you diffuse the heat from your affected finger and get refreshed. The earlobe is usually cooler than any part of the body, so with the whole ear which works on the principle of a radiator. That’s why people who flare up develop red ears. (Pulang pula ang tainga). It is the same way the rabbit and the elephant release heat through their large ears. The earlobe is also less sensitive because it has fewer nerves and blood vessels – which explains the universal practice of earlobe piercing and wearing of earrings.

7. If you get hurt by sea urchin, immediately apply urine on the wound.
In the absence of vinegar, calamansi, or lemon, urine is the last resort to relieve pain when you encounter a sea urchin (maritangtang, Ilk). Sea urchins are found in shallow coral reefs and among sea grass. The spines are so sharp, they get imbedded in the skin easily. The remedy is to dissolve the thorn by applying on the wound any acidic substance. The principle is that the acid reacts with calcium to form salt. The blood then takes care in eliminating the salt from the wound and ultimately from the body, thus seldom is operation needed.

8. While rice is being cooked, never stir it, otherwise it will become half cooked (nakusel, Ilk).
Actually you cannot hasten cooking by stirring it. And never overload the pot or kettle. Remember that rice, especially laon (seasoned) rice rises more than twice its original volume when cooked. Once steam is produced, lower the heat. Rice cooks better in low fire once boiling point is reached. Open slightly the lid or cover to release pressure or prevent the steam from spilling out. This tip applies best when cooking rice in volume, say in an iron kettle (kawa or tallasi).

8. Don’t leave the ladle in the pot, otherwise you will go poor. (Huwag iwanan ang sandok sa kawali, muubos ang kayamanan.)
Two things can happen as a result. Someone comes (or it may be the cat) and finish your ulam, or germs enter and spoil your food. Remember that the air is laden with ubiquitous spores of microorganisms, and that you will also invite a lot of guests, from house lizard to cockroach - what in the stillness of the night!

9. When re-heating viand, remove the pot cover. (Kung magpainit ng ulam, huwag takpan.)
When re-heating food, remove the pot’s cover. Thoroughly clean the cover before putting it back. The underside of the cover is usually the source of inoculants that cause food spoilage. Here the conditions are favorable to the growth and development of microorganisms, as we open and close the pot, and when the pot is closed for a long time. Underneath it is a perfect place for incubation of many kinds of microbes.

10. Add salt in ice in the icebox to keep coolness lower and longer.
This is a common practice in the province where refrigeration is not available. Observe how local ice cream is made, and how fish, meat and other products keep longer in ice boxes by adding salt in ice. The salt must not mix with the commodity though. The principle is that water freezes at 0 degree Celsius. With salt the temperature drops to some degrees below zero because saltwater has higher latent heat than freshwater. It means that it requires lower temperature in order to separate the salt compound from water. This explains the subzero temperature of arctic and Antarctic seas. On the other hand, salt absorbs more heat than water and other substances and materials. This explains why rice cooks faster when salt is placed on the pot’s cover.

Living with Folk Wisdom, AV Rotor.

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