Because torta deserves better batter

I have featured tortang bolináw before, and I can say that this version is much better, not to mention easier. Foolproof, as the buzzword goes. It calls for fewer ingredients, fries faster — or so it seems to me — and comes out crispier (stays that way longer, too). So what’s the secret?

Corn flour.

“You mean cornstarch?” Jenny said.

“No — corn flour.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

Hmmm… actually, no. Let me start with the fact that that’s what the label says on the pack I bought. On the other hand, it seems a lot of people use those two terms interchangeably. The flour I’m referring to is made from finely ground dried yellow corn, which Wikipedia says I should refer to as cornmeal. Cornstarch, as we in this part of the world know it, is extracted from the endosperm and germ (inner parts of the kernel) via fermentation, then dried. That’s what we use to thicken sauce, gravy, and pudding, and to make fried chicken coating extra-crispy. Corn flour is used to make bread and tortilla (in which case it is known as maize flour), polenta (as polenta), and also batter (like in corndog).

Should you lose bulbol over this? If you can tell between flour and starch from their respective textures, you should be fine. It helps that corn flour comes in yellow (as mine did), though it is just as often white. What needs to be noted is that, except in a few cases — like tortang bolináw — you can not substitute one for the other. It bears testing, if ultimately academic.

Corn flour makes for better torta than cornstarch — or even (wheat) flour with cornstarch. Of course, it isn’t all about the binder: I used less egg for a drier batter (and a little baking powder to give it some lift). I also ladled out smaller portions so they would fry faster. I called Jenny over for lunch and she really liked those fish fritters.

“Where can I get that flour?”

So off we ventured to the dry market. I found what I was looking for at the third stall we hit:

“Tada — corn grits! Grind them up real fine and you get corn flour!”

“Hoy,” she laughed, “that’s animal feed.”

I looked up and around. Indeed. “Is this safe to eat?” we asked the owner.

“For humans?” he said, not a little puzzled. Obviously he did not get posed that question very often. “I guess so, but I don’t recommend it.”

We moved on. And on. No yellow corn. So we bought the white variety, at ₱35 a kilo. Then we headed towards the back of the grain stores where the milling stalls were lined up.

“Baby food?” the kid manning the machine said.

“Congee,” we chorused. I made a mental note not to leave a tip.

It cost ₱6 to have those grits ground into flour. From this:

…to this, which is called binlud (retail price: ₱28/kilo):

…until fine but still noticeably coarse to the touch, at which point it’s called tiktik (not to be confused with the Bisaya term for smegma); ₱25/kilo.

The market photos were taken at dusk, by the way, hence the pinkish tint. Also, I found it curious how the corn became cheaper the more processing power was devoted to it (it must have taken up to ten turns at the grinder). Anyway, the flour:

That was what I used in the fritters featured here. Were they any different from the torta made with the name brand? Not by much, which is to say it was serviceable. Maybe I should’ve had it ground finer, but that’s just the OC in me. Even Pa had no comment, which is a good thing in my book.

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Later, at the weekend market, I finally came upon yellow corn grits. It was even cheaper than white, and better(-looking), too. You know what else it’s good for? Even if only used as a release agent, I swear, it makes for better pizza!

Tortang Bolináw

You can get corn grits at your local rice retailer, then have it ground into flour (there should be milling/coconut pressing stations nearby). If you prefer using the more traditional flour with cornstarch, see this post.

• ½ cup bolináw (anchovy fries), rinsed and drained
• 1 medium egg
• 2½-3 teaspoons patis (fish sauce)
• pinch of sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder (or 1 clove garlic, finely minced)
• 1 medium onion, finely minced
• 1 tomato, deseeded and finely minced
• 2 spring onions, white part only, finely sliced
• pinch of dried chili flakes (optional)

1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients. The mixture should neither be too wet/runny or too dry/stiff.
2. Heat a half-inch of oil in a pan. Take half a teaspoon of fish mixture and fry. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
3. Scoop a heaping teaspoonful of fish mixture into hot oil, flatten into a disc, and fry until golden and crispy on both sides. This recipe makes 8 to 10 fritters; cook in batches, adding more oil as needed.